Cognitive Email Attachment Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional email systems require users to compose multiple emails and attach separate files to ensure that only authorized recipients receive specific attachments, leading to inefficiencies in time and storage due to the all-or-nothing approach in distributing email attachments.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for cognitively distributing email attachments based on recipient information and context, using a scoring system to determine the appropriateness of attachments for each recipient, allowing for selective distribution within a single email.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If all attachments are distributed to all recipients in a single email, then the distribution process is simplified and time is saved, but recipients receive irrelevant files consuming storage space and attention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the attachment distribution by creating separate email messages for different recipient groups, where each message contains only the attachments relevant to that group. This is achieved by analyzing recipient characteristics and attachment contexts to determine appropriate groupings, then generating segmented email versions with selectively included attachments.
2Reliability
If multiple separate emails are composed to distribute attachments selectively, then confidentiality and relevance are maintained, but time and effort are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the composition of multiple separate emails into a single automated process. By accepting one email with multiple attachments and recipient list, the system automatically segments and distributes appropriate attachments to appropriate recipients, achieving the confidentiality benefits of multiple emails without the manual time cost of composing each separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing recipient information and attachment contexts, then autonomously determining which attachments should be distributed to which recipients. This eliminates the need for manual intervention in the segmentation process, maintaining confidentiality while saving user time.
3Ease of operation
If a single email is sent with all attachments, then the process is simple and fast, but irrelevant attachments are sent to recipients who do not need them
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the content of each email to the specific needs of each recipient group. Instead of uniform distribution, the system analyzes local characteristics of recipients and attachments to determine which attachments are relevant to which recipients, ensuring each recipient receives appropriately filtered content.
4Reliability
If users manually compose multiple emails for selective attachment distribution, then attachment relevance is maintained, but the complexity of the process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing recipient information and attachment contexts, then autonomously determining which attachments should be distributed to which recipients. This eliminates the need for manual intervention in the segmentation process, maintaining confidentiality while saving user time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a computer program product, and a computer system cognitively distribute email attachments to recipients. The method includes receiving an email composition for an email to be transmitted to a plurality of recipients, the email composition including at least one attachment. The method includes determining recipient information indicative of respective characteristics of the recipients. The method includes determining a context of a select one of the at least one attachment. The method includes, for each recipient, determining a score indicative of an appropriateness of the selected attachment being distributed to the recipient based on the recipient information of the recipient and the context of the selected attachment. The method includes, as a result of the score for a select one of the recipients satisfying a scoring threshold, distributing the attachment to the selected recipient via the email.