Time-sensitive messages and events
First Claim
1. A method of handling time-sensitive messages, comprising steps of:
- marking a message as time-sensitive;
sending the marked message to a recipient; and
automatically receiving a reply from the recipient regarding the marked message within a time period of the time-sensitivity of the marked message.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and computer program products for enabling message senders and event creators to convey time-sensitivity of their messages and events (such as electronic mail messages, electronic calendar entries, and “to-do” items), and for handling such messages and events at a receiver. A message sender marks messages as to whether they are time-sensitive, and may also identify a starting and ending time and/or date during which the time-sensitive status applies. When such a message arrives at a recipient, it is evaluated and if the time-sensitive period has been reached, the message is automatically displayed to the recipient. Preferably, the recipient must handle the displayed message before continuing on to other messages. The disclosed techniques enable messages to be viewed in a timely manner, according to the sender'"'"'s representation of the time-sensitivity of the message. As a result of these improvements, communication between senders and receivers may become more effective.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of handling time-sensitive messages, comprising steps of:
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marking a message as time-sensitive;
sending the marked message to a recipient; and
automatically receiving a reply from the recipient regarding the marked message within a time period of the time-sensitivity of the marked message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of improving electronic communications, comprising steps of:
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receiving a plurality of electronic messages by a recipient to whom the electronic messages are addressed; and
evaluating the received electronic messages for processing, further comprising steps of;
determining whether a selected one of the received electronic messages is time-sensitive; and
requiring the selected one to be rendered to the recipient if so. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
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18. A system for handling time-sensitive messages, comprising:
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means for marking a message as time-sensitive;
means for sending the marked message to a recipient; and
means for automatically receiving a reply from the recipient regarding the marked message within a time period of the time-sensitivity of the marked message.
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20. A system for improving electronic communications, comprising:
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means for receiving a plurality of electronic messages by a recipient to whom the electronic messages are addressed;
means for determining whether a selected one of the received electronic messages is time-sensitive, and if so, whether a time period of the time-sensitivity has been reached; and
means for requiring the selected one to be rendered to the recipient if so. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A computer program product for handling time-sensitive messages, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:
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computer-readable program code means for marking a message as time-sensitive;
computer-readable program code means for sending the marked message to a recipient; and
computer-readable program code means for automatically receiving a reply from the recipient regarding the marked message within a time period of the time-sensitivity of the marked message. - View Dependent Claims (23, 25)
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24. A computer program product for improving electronic communications, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:
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computer-readable program code means for receiving a plurality of electronic messages by a recipient to whom the electronic messages are addressed;
computer-readable program code means for determining whether a selected one of the received electronic messages is time-sensitive, and if so, whether a time period of the time-sensitivity has been reached; and
computer-readable program code means for requiring the selected one to be rendered to the recipient if so.
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Specification