System and method for managing a message view

• US 20040075687A1
• Filed: 10/18/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Oshiro, Marc Seiji, Wang, Louis
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/752
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Described is a system and method for managing a message view on a mobile device. The system includes a switch manager and a plurality of message stores. Message stores may include an email account, SMS account, and a MMS account. A message view may include a custom view of the message stores. An input is received that enables the switch manager to switch between one view of the message stores and another view. In one embodiment, the input is a left or right key entry. Continuous entry of the left or right key entry enables a user to switch through views of the message stores, in a deterministic approach.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a message view, the method comprising:

receiving an input;

if the received input is a next instruction, displaying a next message view associated with a plurality of message stores; and

if the received input is a previous instruction, displaying a previous message view associated with the plurality of message stores.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received input further comprises at least one of a left key entry and a right key entry.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the left key entry is associated with displaying the previous message view and the right key entry is associated with displaying the next message view associated with the plurality of message stores.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of message stores further comprises information associated with at least one of an email account, Short Message Service (SMS) account, and Multimedia Message Service (MMS) account.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the next message view and the previous message view further comprises a custom view of the plurality of message stores.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the previous message view and next message view cyclically switches through a pre-defined sequence of message views associated with the plurality of message stores.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, if the received input is an action instruction, displaying a current message in the current message view.

8. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable components, comprising:

a plurality of message stores configured to store information associated with at least one of an email account, Short Message Service (SMS) account, and Multimedia Message Service (MMS) account; and

a switch manager coupled to the plurality of message stores, and that is configured to perform actions, including;

receiving an input;

if the received input is a next instruction, displaying a next message view associated with a plurality of message stores; and

if the received input is a previous instruction, displaying a previous message view associated with the plurality of message stores.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the next view and the previous view further comprises a custom view of the plurality of message stores.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the custom view further comprises a means for identifying a message from the plurality of message stores, wherein the identified message enables a message view.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the received input further comprises at least one of a left and a right key entry.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the left key entry is associated with displaying the previous message view and the right key entry is associated with displaying the next message view of the plurality of message stores.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the previous message view and next message view cyclically switches through a pre-defined sequence of message views associated with the plurality of message stores.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising, if the received input is an action instruction, displaying a current message in the current message view.

15. In a computer device having a graphical user interface and a user selection interface mechanism, a method of managing a message view, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user selection;

if the user selection is a next instruction, displaying a next message view associated with a plurality of message stores; and

if the user selection is a previous instruction, displaying a previous message view associated with the plurality of message stores.

16. The computer device of claim 15, wherein the user selection further comprises at least one of a left and a right key entry.

17. The computer device of claim 16, wherein the left key entry is associated with displaying the previous message view and the right key entry is associated with displaying the next message view of the plurality of message stores.

18. The computer device of claim 15, wherein plurality of message stores include information associated with at least one of an email account, Short Message Service (SMS) account, and Multimedia Message Service (MMS) account.

19. The computer device of claim 15, wherein at least one of the next view and the previous view further comprises a custom view of the plurality of message stores.

20. The computer device of claim 15, wherein the custom view further comprises a means for identifying a message from the plurality of message stores, wherein the information enables viewing of the message.

21. The computer device of claim 15, wherein the previous message view and next message view cyclically switches through a pre-defined sequence of message views associated with the plurality of message stores.

22. The computer device of claim 15, further comprising, if the user selection is an action instruction, displaying a current message in the current message view.