US007512661B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,512,661 B1 Phillips (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 31, 2009 (54) MOUNTING EMAIL ADDRESSES IN A FILE 2008/0172468 A1* 7/2008 Almeida ..................... TO9,206 SYSTEM FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (75) Inventor: Anthony H. Phillips, Southampton (GB) JP 2000354146 12/2000 (73) Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US) OTHER PUBLICATIONS (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Gmailya 3 Drive f Shellell Extension, httphttp://www.viksoe.dk/gmail?; vKSoe.dk/gmali/; Nov.Nov 8, patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. * cited by examiner (21) Appl. No.: 12/059,023 Primary Examiner—Zarni Maung (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Oppenheimer Wolff & (22) Filed: Mar. 31, 2008 Donnelly LLP (51) Int. Cl. (57) ABSTRACT G06F 5/16 (2006.01) GO6F 2/OO (2006.01) The present invention discloses a method for mounting email (52) U.S. Cl. ....................................... 709/206: 709/207 addresses in a file system by creating email virtual folders. (58) Field of Classification Search ................. 709/206, The email virtual folders are created through the use of shell 709/207,238, 245, 250 extensions in an operating system, and an email address is See application file for complete search history. associated with the email virtual folder. The email virtual folders are utilized by adding one or more files to the email (56) References Cited virtual folder. When the files are added to the email virtual folder, the files are sent to the email address(es) associated U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS with the virtual folder. References to the files are stored and 2002/0010743 A1 1/2002 Ryan et al. viewable in the virtual folder after the email is sent to allow 2004/0205137 A1 10, 2004 Chen et al. additional file system commands to act upon the files added 2005/0188174 A1* 8, 2005 Guzak et al. ................ T11 203 therein. The email virtual folder may be created and accessed 2005/0198124 A1* 9/2005 McCarthy ................... TO9,203 through a graphical user interface or a command line inter 2005/0259658 A1* 1 1/2005 Logan et al. ................ 370,392 face 2006, OO72723 A1 4/2006 Chung 2007/0180033 A1* 8/2007 Singh et al. ................. TO9,206 2007/0288551 A1 12, 2007 Sidon 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Sheets Instalt Shell extension 200 in Operating Systein Create EmailWirtual Folder on the File System y Associate EmailWirtual S 202 Folder with an Email Address y Add One or More Files L S 2O3 to EmailWirtual Fler Store One or More Files S 204 in the EmailWirtal Folder w Send Ernai to Email Address Associated with s EmailWirtual Foldier 205 Enclosing One or More Files U.S. Patent Mar. 31, 2009 Sheet 1 of 2 US 7,512,661 B1 ||| SMOGNIMQ?)E U.S. Patent Mar. 31, 2009 Sheet 2 of 2 US 7,512,661 B1 Install Shell Extension 200 in Operating System Create Email Virtual Folder on the File 2O1 System ASSOciate Email Virtual S 202 Folder with an Email Address Add One or More Files 2O3 to Email Virtual Folder Store One or More Files in the Email Virtual 204 Folder Send Email to Email Address Associated with Email Virtual Folder 205 Enclosing One or More Files Fig. 2 US 7,512,661 B1 1. 2 MOUNTING EMAIL ADDRESSES INA FLE virtual folder enclosing the added files. In one embodiment, SYSTEM the email is sent through the default email application in the operating system. In an additional embodiment, the email is FIELD OF THE INVENTION sent after being processed by the shell extension. This pro cessing may include parsing the files added to the virtual The present invention generally relates to a file system folder and performing custom functionality based on the con operating within a computer system. The present invention tent or type of the files added. specifically relates to the ability to mount an email address in The email sent to the email recipient contains the one or a file system operating within a computer system. more files added to the email virtual folder. The virtual folder 10 can be later accessed by the user to perform actions on the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION file(s) and view the files sent to the email recipient. In an additional embodiment, the present invention can be used in Shell extensions are commonly used to perform custom conjunction with a UNIX mount file system command, and actions within an operating system. Examples of shell exten the functionality of the email virtual folder may be accessed sions are menu options in the Windows operating system 15 through the command line. Additionally, the email virtual allowing a user to perform custom actions on files, such as folder may be used in conjunction with other file system tools. assigning a custom attribute to files in a folder, or a 'send to option to launch a file as an attachment into a new message in BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS a default email program. Shell extensions are commonly implemented as menu options or may appear within the file FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary file explorer graphical user explorer. Alternatively, shell extensions may perform custom interface demonstrating use of email virtual folders in one actions in a command-line interface. embodiment of the present invention; Another type of shell extension within the Windows oper FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary operation of the method for ating system is a namespace extension. Extending the Win mounting email addresses in a file system in accordance with dows shell with a namespace extension allows a developerto 25 create custom functionality for file access within Windows one embodiment of the present invention. Explorer. One common use is to enable Windows Explorer to DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION present a view with a list of items that do not exist in one real folder, but actually reside in a number of places. The view on One aspect of the present invention relates to a method that the folder makes it appear as if the items are all stored in one 30 enables a user to easily mount email addresses as a virtual file place, so managing them becomes easier. system within a computer system, enabling the user to store One example of a namespace extension is an existing pro files within this virtual file system and send the files added to gram that creates a virtual file system by allowing a user to this virtual file system to email recipients. This method save and retrieve files in a Gmail email account. This enables easy creation and management of email distribution namespace extension appears as a new drive in Windows 35 Explorer, allowing the user to create new folders, copy, and lists and email attachments, while facilitating the ability to drag/drop files into the drive, which automatically creates integrate email functionality with other file system tools. new messages containing the files in the user’s Gmail email One embodiment of the present invention relates to a shell account. This shell extension, however, only transfers files extension. In this embodiment, a user may create a virtual into the user’s Gmail email account, and does not allow files 40 folder that is associated with a specified email address to be transferred to other email accounts. through use of the shell extension. For example, this virtual What is needed in the art is a method that makes it simple folder may be named “ant(aemail.com', and the folder is and easy to send messages and files via email to remote email associated to perform actions in the folder to email recipient recipients, through the use of a mountable file system. ant(aemail.com. In a further embodiment, virtual email fold 45 ers are automatically created when new contacts are created BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION in a default email application. Any files copied into this virtual folder are automatically The present invention provides a new and unique method emailed to the named email address. The files added to this for mounting email addresses in a file system. In one embodi virtual folder are stored in the virtual folder even after the ment of the invention, this methodoperates by utilizing a shell 50 email is sent so that standard hard disk commands (dir, grep, extension to create email virtual folders within an operating copy, etc.) are able to be utilized. Further, the shell extension system. The shell extension contains custom logic to enable may be configured to utilize the default system email appli the creation and operation of email virtual folders within the cation to send the email message, similar to the existing operating system, and further enables email-related functions “Send Tos-Mail Recipient’ shell extension functionality to be performed on data objects added to the virtual folder. 55 found in Windows. After the shell extension is installed on the computer, the The present invention may be implemented within any shell extension can be used to create an email virtual folder on operating system as a shell extension, such as the Windows the file system. The email virtual folder is a virtual folder operating system or a Unix-based operating system. In Win associated with an email address, but appears to the operating dows, the shell extension may be implemented as a file system system as a fully functional folder. This virtual folder allows 60 extension to allow creation of the email virtual folder, or the operating system to present a list of files that do not exist alternatively it may be implemented as a namespace exten in one real folder, but actually reside in a number of places.