Patent ID: 7359947

Claim:
An autonomic e-mail processing system embedded in a computer readable storage medium for use on a voluntary basis by senders and recipients as part of an e-mail server system, the autonomic e-mail processing system comprising: a first component for enabling a sender of an e-mail message to designate a first e-mail message for autonomic processing, the first e-mail message having at least an address portion which identifies a plurality of intended recipients and a note portion which contains information to be sent to the plurality of intended recipients of the e-mail message; a second component for identifying the first e-mail message designated for autonomic processing with a unique sending identification number within the autonomic e-mail processing system; a third component operable to enable the plurality of intended recipients to indicate that an autonomic response is being sent in response to the first e-mail message; a fourth component for identifying each autonomic response to the first e-mail message with a responding identification number that in combination with the unique sending identification number for the first e-mail message forms a combination identification number that is unique within the autonomic e-mail processing system; a fifth component operable to enable the sender of the first e-mail message to designate that the processing of the first e-mail message has been completed; a sixth component operable to inform at least a plurality of the intended recipients that the processing of the first e-mail message has been completed; a seventh component operable to enable an intended recipient of the first e-mail message that is responding thereto to indicate that the processing of the first e-mail message has been completed; an eighth component operable to inform at least a plurality of the intended recipients that the processing of the first e-mail message is considered, by at least one of the recipients, to be completed; and a ninth component operable by the sender of the first e-mail message for deselecting the selection made by an intended recipient via the seventh component.