Personalised dynamic email addresses in enterprise environments

Abstract

Companies provide a set of default personalized dynamic email addresses for both individuals and groups. The embodiments may be implemented as an extension to existing email servers, which are coupled to an existing enterprise information system. When receiving an email sent to a personalized dynamic email address, an address resolver component is used to access the definition of the email address, query for the respective recipient(s), and replace the recipient(s) in the email message. Users have the possibility to define further personalized dynamic email addresses using, for example, a web interface. The embodiments may be smoothly integrated into an existing communication infrastructure of companies without the need to change existing systems.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer implemented method for personalized dynamic email addresses, the method comprising:
 receiving an email message at an email server, the email message comprising at least one personalized dynamic email address, wherein the at least one personalized dynamic email address comprises an alias; 
 accessing a definition of the at least one personalized dynamic email address; 
 determining a query from an alias repository that maps to the alias, wherein the alias repository includes mappings between aliases and queries; 
 executing the query to dynamically retrieve at least one recipient email address from a data storage according to the definition; 
 replacing the at least one personalized dynamic email address in the email message with the at least one recipient email address; and 
 sending the email message via the email server to the at least one recipient email address. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one personalized email address is predefined. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one personalized email address comprises an address of an address resolver component. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the email server uses standard protocols for communication. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising confirming a delivery to a sender of the email message with the at least one personalized dynamic email address. 
     
     
       6. A computer system for personalized dynamic email addresses, comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions related to:
 an email server to receive an email message, the email message comprising at least one personalized dynamic email address, wherein the at least one personalized email address comprises an alias; 
 an address resolver to:
 receive the email message from the email server; 
 determine a query from an alias repository that maps to the alias, wherein the alias repository includes mappings between aliases and queries; 
 execute the query to dynamically retrieve at least one recipient email address from a data storage according to a definition of the at least one personalized dynamic email address; 
 replace the at least one personalized dynamic email address in the email message with the at least one recipient email address; and 
 redirect the email message to the at least one recipient email address via the email server; and 
 
 an alias repository to store mappings between aliases and queries. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one personalized email address is predefined. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a web interface to predefine the at least one personalized email address. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one personalized email address comprises an address of an address resolver component to direct the email message to the address resolver. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the query is executed on an enterprise information system. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 6 , further comprising an application server providing a web application to manage content of the alias repository. 
     
     
       12. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to tangibly store instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
 receive an email message at an email server, the email message comprising at least one personalized dynamic email address, wherein the at least one personalized email address comprises an alias; 
 access a definition of the at least one personalized dynamic email address; 
 determine a query from an alias repository that maps to the alias, wherein the alias repository includes mappings between aliases and queries; 
 execute the query to dynamically retrieve at least one recipient email address from a data storage according to the definition; 
 replace the at least one personalized dynamic email address in the email message with the least one recipient email address; and 
 send the email message via the email server to the at least one recipient email address. 
 
     
     
       13. The article of manufacture of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one personalized email address is predefined. 
     
     
       14. The article of manufacture of  claim 12 , the at least one personalized email address comprises an address of an address resolver component. 
     
     
       15. The article of manufacture of  claim 12 , wherein the email server uses standard protocols for communication. 
     
     
       16. The article of manufacture of  claim 12 , further comprising instructions, which when executed by the computer, cause the computer to confirm a delivery to a sender of the email message with the at least one personalized dynamic email address. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the query from the alias repository is defined to retrieve the at least one recipient email address from the data storage based on fields from the email message, the mapped alias, and identification of a creator of a mapping between the query and the alias.