Electronic message organization via social groups

• US 10,250,549 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2018
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Turski, Andrzej, Cheng, Lili, Affronti, Michael Anthony, Williams, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H
• Application Number:
  US15/863,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20180131662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 709206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A mechanism for automatically organizing electronic messages is described herein. Social groups of a particular user that may be representative of topics, people, projects, and the like can be automatically learned based at least in part upon historical correspondence of the user. Moreover, messages can be automatically prioritized based at least in part upon historical correspondence patterns. Electronic messages may be presented to the user in accordance with group information and how important the messages are to the user.

Claims

1. A computing system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising;

receiving an indication that a user of a computing device has selected a social group in an electronic communications application being executed by the computing device, the social group comprises a plurality of members, the plurality of members includes the user; and

responsive to receiving the indication, causing graphical data to be displayed in a graphical user interface that corresponds to the electronic communications application, the graphical data being representative of a summary of activities of the user with respect to the social group selected by the user, wherein the activities relate to communications exchanged between the plurality of members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

2. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communications application is an email application.

3. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communications application is a social networking application.

4. The computing system of claim 1, the acts further comprising:

receiving an electronic communication by way of the electronic communications application; and

assigning the electronic communication to the social group based upon identities of recipients of the electronic communication.

5. The computing system of claim 1, the graphical data identifying an amount of time spent by the user communicating with members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

6. The computing system of claim 1, the graphical data identifying a number of electronic communications received by the user from members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

7. The computing system of claim 1, the graphical data identifying a number of electronic communications transmitted by the user to members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

8. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communications application is configured to receive links to web pages transmitted between members of the social group, the graphical user interface configured to display the links transmitted between the members of the social group over a period of time selected by the user.

9. The computing system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communications application is configured to receive attachments transmitted between members of the social group, the graphical user interface configured to display the attachments transmitted between the members of the social group over a period of time selected by the user.

10. A computer-readable memory comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

receiving an indication that a user of a computing device has selected a social group in an electronic communications application being executed by the computing device, the social group comprises a plurality of members, the plurality of members includes the user; and

responsive to receiving the indication, causing graphical data to be displayed in a graphical user interface of the electronic communications application, the graphical data depicting a summary of communications exchanged between the plurality of members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

11. A method comprising the following computer-executable acts:

receiving, at an electronic communications application executing on a computing device, a selection of a social group that comprises a plurality of members, the plurality of members includes a user of the computing device; and

responsive to receipt of the selection of a social group, causing graphical data to be displayed in a graphical user interface that corresponds to the electronic communications application, the graphical data being representative of a summary of activities of the user with the social group in the electronic communications application, wherein the activities relate to electronic communications exchanges between the plurality of members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic communications application is an email application.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic communications application is a social networking application.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical data identifies an amount of time spent by the user composing electronic messages for transmittal to the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical data identifies a number of electronic communications received by the user from members of the social group over a defined window of time.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical data identifies a number of communications transmitted by the user to the social group over a defined window of time.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

at the electronic communications application, receiving links to web pages transmitted between members of the social group over a window of time; and

causing the links to be displayed in the graphical user interface.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving attachments transmitted between members of the social group over a window of time; and

causing the attachments to be displayed in the graphical user interface.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical data identities an amount of time spent by the user reading electronic messages received from members of the social group by way of the electronic communications application.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of electronic messages; and

updating the social group based upon recipients in the plurality of electronic messages.