Grouping electronic reply messages
First Claim
1. A method for processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from recipients of said originating electronic message, said method comprising:
- receiving said replies;
associating each reply received to said originating electronic message; and
enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with a displayed reference to said originating electronic message.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and implementing computer system are provided in which replies to originating electronic messages such as email are grouped together in a manner such that the replies may be selectively accessed and presented together with a reference to the originating message for viewing by the sender of the original message. In one embodiment, selected relevant portions of reply messages are extracted or copied from the reply messages and presented as a connected series of individual replies on a display screen which references the originating message. In another embodiment, icons or hypertext references are created and embedded in or otherwise associated with an originating message to enable a user to quickly access replies to an originating message by selecting one or more of the embedded icons or hypertext from the originating message. In another embodiment, a user is enabled to selectively display all replies to a highlighted or otherwise designated originating message, on a single display page, by selecting a “View Reply” function button on the user'"'"'s electronic messaging or email application.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from recipients of said originating electronic message, said method comprising:
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receiving said replies;
associating each reply received to said originating electronic message; and
enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with a displayed reference to said originating electronic message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective to enable processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from recipients of said originating electronic message, said program signals being selectively operable to accomplish the steps of:
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receiving said replies;
associating each reply received to said originating electronic message; and
enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with a displayed reference to said originating electronic message.
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16. A computer system comprising:
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a system bus selectively connectable to a electronic communication network;
a CPU device connected to said system bus;
a memory device connected to said system bus;
a user input device connected to said system bus; and
a display device connected to said system bus, said computer system being selectively operable for processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from recipients of said originating electronic message, said computer system being further selectively operable to accomplish the steps of;
receiving said replies;
associating each reply received to said originating electronic message; and
enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with a displayed reference to said originating electronic message.
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Specification