System and method for presence enabled electronic mail folders

• US 20040073614A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 04/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Blohm, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,697 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A telecommunications system includes a plurality of network clients including electronic or multimedia messaging clients. The electronic messaging clients are adapted to provide presence information and to display such presence information in association with received messages. The display of messages may then be sorted according to the presence information.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system, comprising:

a network;

a plurality of network messaging clients;

wherein at least one of said plurality of network clients is adapted to provide presence information to others of said plurality of network clients responsive to an electronic message.

2. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein an other of said plurality of network clients comprises a recipient of an electronic messaging, said electronic messaging containing presence information from said one of said plurality of network clients.

3. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein an other of said plurality of network clients comprises a recipient of an electronic messaging, and is adapted to request presence information.

4. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said other of said network clients is adapted to format a message folder based on said presence information.

5. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said message folder provides a single presence indicia for multiple messages received from said one.

6. A telecommunications system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said message folder provides a single presence indicia for multiple messages received from said one using multiple aliases.

7. An electronic messaging device, comprising:

a graphical user interface module;

a sorting criteria module for setting presence sorting criteria on a display controlled via said GUI module; and

a presence information module for providing presence information to other electronic messaging devices.

8. An electronic messaging device in accordance with claim 7, said presence information module adapted to provide said presence information to a presence server.

9. An electronic messaging device in accordance with claim 7, wherein said presence information module is adapted to provide said presence information in to another of said electronic messaging devices.

10. An electronic messaging device in accordance with claim 9, said sorting criteria module adapted to maintain a buddy list of parties for whom presence information is displayed via said graphical user interface module.

11. An electronic messaging device in accordance with claim 10, said sorting criteria module adapted to provide a single presence indicia for multiple messages from a same party.

12. An electronic messaging device in accordance with claim 11, said sorting criteria module adapted to provide a single presence indicia for multiple messages from a same party, said multiple messages having multiple aliases.

13. A telecommunications method, comprising:

providing presence information associated with an electronic message; and

displaying said presence information via a graphical user interface.

14. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 13, wherein presence information is provided subsequent to sending an electronic message with which said presence information is associated.

15. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 14, wherein a single presence indicia is provided for multiple messages received from a same party.

16. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 15, wherein a single presence indicia is provided for multiple message having different aliases from a same party.

17. A telecommunications method, comprising:

providing a network;

providing a plurality of network messaging clients;

wherein at least one of said plurality of network clients is adapted to provide presence information to others of said plurality of network clients.

18. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 17, wherein an other of said plurality of network clients comprises a recipient of an electronic messaging.

19. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 17, wherein an other of said plurality of network clients comprises a recipient of an electronic messaging, and is adapted to request presence information from said one upon receipt of said electronic messaging.

20. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 19, wherein said other of said network clients is adapted to format a message folder based on said presence information.

21. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 20, wherein said message folder provides a single presence indicia for multiple messages received from said one.

22. A telecommunications method in accordance with claim 20, wherein said message folder provides a single presence indicia for multiple messages received from said one using multiple aliases.