Method and apparatus for electronic mail interaction with grouped message types
First Claim
1. In a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, a method comprising:
- (A) defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(B) determining if a received electronic mail document is associated with one of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(C) receiving selection criteria as to which of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents are to be displayed; and
(D) displaying received electronic mail documents associated with less than all of the plurality of categories in accordance with the selection criteria.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic mail inbox uses a mail agent to categorize incoming electronic mail to facilitate more flexible and rapid viewing and possible response thereto. Several special functions for collection of regularly sent types of mail, such as newsletters, office memos, press releases, etc., are utilized. In addition, special menu items are provided for collection and presentation of different priority items, such as urgent correspondence and approval requests. The electronic mail inbox facilitates multiple viewing options so that collections of regularly sent or different priority types of mail may be viewed separately and/or interleaved with other items in the a main mail inbox. In addition, items that require an affirmative response, such as approval requests, may include a special preview format that allows for rapid viewing of pertinent details and approval directly from the from the mail inbox without review of the complete item.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. In a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, a method comprising:
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(A) defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(B) determining if a received electronic mail document is associated with one of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(C) receiving selection criteria as to which of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents are to be displayed; and
(D) displaying received electronic mail documents associated with less than all of the plurality of categories in accordance with the selection criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product for use with a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:
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(A) program code for defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(B) program code for determining with which of the plurality of categories a received electronic mail document is associated;
(C) program code for displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a first of the plurality of categories in a first window region on a user interface while simultaneously displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a second of the plurality of categories in a second window region on the user interface.
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12. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for use with a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, the computer data signal comprising:
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(A) program code for defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(B) program code for determining with which of the plurality of categories a received electronic mail document is associated; and
(C) program code for displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a first of the plurality of categories while simultaneously displaying a graphic representation of a second category of the plurality of categories.
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13. An apparatus for use with a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, the apparatus comprising:
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(A) program logic for defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;
(B) program logic for determining with which of the plurality of categories a received electronic mail document is associated;
(C) a memory for storing received electronic mail documents, (D) program logic for storing a received electronic mail document in the memory in accordance with which of the plurality of categories the received electronic mail document is associated; and
(E) program logic for simultaneously displaying received electronic mail documents associated with selected of the plurality of categories in accordance with selection criteria. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification