System and method for providing s/mime-based document distribution via electronic mail mechanisms

Abstract

A content or document management system includes a content or document repository; a dedicated e-mail account; and a mail agent associated with the dedicated e-mail account. The mail agent processes a received e-mail message to determine a sender's identity; authenticates the identity of the sender and an authorization of the sender with respect to the content or document repository; parses, when a sender is authenticated and authorized, document request information from the e-mail message; and either stores a document to or retrieves a document from the content or document repository. The mail agent may authenticate the identity of the sender using a digital signature, or may authenticate the identity of the sender using an e-mail address in a FROM header field of the received e-mail message header. The mail agent may decrypt encrypted messages from the sender, and may sign and encrypt responses to the sender.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . A method for specifying a target container to be used when storing a document in a document repository containing a plurality of containers, each container delineating a distinct collection of documents, comprising:
 (a) electronically sending an e-mail message with an attached document to the document repository, the e-mail message having an alias e-mail address which is associated with an e-mail account of a mail agent of the document repository, the alias e-mail address having a local part;   (b) electronically receiving the e-mail message with an attached document and alias e-mail address at the document repository;   (c) electronically recognizing the alias e-mail address of the received e-mail message and redirecting the e-mail message to the mail agent of the document repository;   (d) electronically interpreting a local part of the alias e-mail address to specify a target location within the document repository; and   (e) electronically storing the attached document in the document repository at the target container specified by the interpretation of the local part of the e-mail destination address.   
   
   
       13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the specified target container is associated with a personal collection when the interpretation of the local part of the alias e-mail address does not specify a target container. 
   
   
       14 . A method for specifying a target container to be used when storing a document in a document repository containing a plurality of containers, each container delineating a distinct collection of documents, comprising:
 (a) electronically sending an e-mail message with an attached document to the document repository, the e-mail message having a predefined syntax in a body of the e-mail message, the predefined syntax defining a target container where the attached document is to be stored;   (b) electronically receiving, at the document repository, an e-mail message with an attached document;   (c) electronically interpreting the predefined syntax f the e-mail message to determine the specified target container within the repository to store the attached document; and   (d) electronically storing the attached document in the repository at the target container specified by the interpretation of the predefined syntax of the e-mail message.   
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the specified target container is associated with a personal collection when the interpretation of the predefined syntax of the e-mail message does not specify a target container. 
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the predefined syntax of the e-mail message is a first line of the body of the e-mail message. 
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the predefined syntax of the e-mail message is a last line of the body of the e-mail message. 
   
   
       18 . A method for specifying a source document to be used when retrieving a document from a document repository containing a plurality of source documents, comprising:
 (a) electronically sending an e-mail message to the document repository, the e-mail message having a predefined syntax in a body of the e-mail message, the e-mail message having a request to retrieve a source document from the document repository, the predefined syntax defining a source document to be retrieved from the document repository;   (b) electronically receiving, at the document repository, the e-mail message with the request to retrieve a source document from the document repository;   (c) electronically interpreting the predefined syntax of the e-mail message to determine the specified source document within the document repository;   (d) electronically retrieving the source document in the document repository specified by the interpretation of the predefined syntax of the e-mail message; and   (e) electronically e-mailing the source document retrieved from the document repository to the sender of the e-mail message with the request to retrieve the source document from the document repository.   
   
   
       19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the predefined syntax of the e-mail message is a first line of the body of the e-mail message. 
   
   
       20 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the predefined syntax of the e-mail message is a last line of the body of the e-mail message.