Method, apparatus, and user interface for managing electronic mail and alert messages

• US 20040162879A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bacioiu, Radu, Arcuri, Michael Philip, Sareen, Chaitanya Dev, Daley, Paul, White, Christopher Cameron, Beeman, Anthony Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and user interface are provided for managing e-mail rules and alert subscriptions from multiple sources. Alert messages and persistent state objects, such as cookies, are examined to determine whether they relate to an alert subscription. If an e-mail message or persistent state object is determined to relate to an alert subscription, a network address for a subscription source identified by the contents of the e-mail message or state object are added to a list of subscription sources. A request may then be received to manage one or more alert subscriptions. In response to the request, each subscription source identified in the list of subscription sources is validated. Each validated subscription source is added to a current subscriptions list, which is displayed to a user. Each subscription in the current subscriptions list may be modified or deleted by the user through a unified user interface for managing e-mail rules and alert subscriptions. Schema and data structures are also provided for communication between an e-mail and alert subscription client and a subscription source.

Claims

1. A method for managing electronic mail and alert messages, the method comprising:

receiving an electronic mail message;

determining, based on the contents of the electronic mail message, whether the electronic mail message is related to an alert subscription; and

in response to determining that the electronic mail message is related to an alert subscription, adding a subscription source identified by the contents of the electronic mail message to a list of subscription sources.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a persistent state object;

determining, based on the contents of the persistent state object, whether the persistent state object is related to an alert subscription; and

in response to determining that the persistent state object is related to an alert subscription, adding a subscription source identified by the contents of the persistent state object to a list of subscription sources.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the contents of the electronic mail message comprises a header, and wherein the header comprises data identifying a network address at which communication may be made with a subscription source.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the persistent state object comprises data identifying a network address at which communication may be made with a subscription source.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a request to manage one or more alert subscriptions;

in response to said request, determining whether each subscription source identified in the list of subscription sources may be validated;

retrieving from each validated subscription source the identity of one or more subscriptions; and

adding each subscription to a current subscriptions list and displaying the current subscriptions list.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to add a new alert subscription;

in response to the request, receiving the identity of a subscription source providing the new alert subscription, the subscription source for the new alert subscription comprising a validated subscription source, or a previously visited alert provider, or a manually provided network address for the subscription source; and

displaying information for defining the new alert subscription provided by the subscription source providing the new alert subscription.

7. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 1.

9. A unified user interface for managing electronic mail rules and alert messages and alert subscriptions, the unified user interface comprising a user interface window having contained therein one or more user interface objects for receiving user interface commands relating to the handling of electronic mail messages and one or more user interface objects for viewing and modifying one or more alert subscriptions.

10. The unified user interface of claim 9, wherein a one of said one or more user interface objects for viewing and modifying one or more alert subscriptions comprises a user interface object which, when selected, provides functionality for creating a new alert subscription.

11. The unified user interface of claim 10, wherein a one of said or more user interface objects for viewing and modifying one or more alert subscriptions comprises a user interface object which, when selected, provides functionality for viewing one or more properties of an existing alert subscription.

12. The unified user interface of claim 11, wherein a one of said one or more user interface objects for viewing and modifying one or more alert subscriptions further comprises a user interface object which, when selected, provides functionality for deleting an existing alert subscription.

13. The unified user interface of claim 12, wherein a one of said one or more user interface objects for viewing and modifying one or more alert subscriptions further comprises a user interface object which, when selected, provides functionality for defining a rule to be applied to messages received in response to an alert subscription.

14. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to display the unified user interface of claim 9.

15. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of displaying the unified user interface of claim 9.

16. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a first data field comprising data identifying a response to a request to identify one or more current alert subscriptions for a user;

a second data field contained within said first data field, the second data field comprising data identifying the user and a name of the server computer providing the one or more alert subscriptions; and

one or more additional data fields contained within said second data field, each of said additional data fields comprising data identifying a current alert subscription for the user.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second data field further comprises data identifying a network address for the server computer providing the one or more alert subscriptions.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second data field further comprises data identifying a server type for the server computer.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the second data field further comprises data identifying a network address hosting a site for managing the one or more alert subscriptions.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second data field further comprises data identifying a network address hosting a site for adding a new alert to the one or more alert subscriptions.

21. A method for managing alert subscriptions, the method comprising:

receiving a communication;

determining, based on the contents of the communication, whether the communication is related to an alert subscription; and

in response to determining that the communication is related to an alert subscription, adding a subscription source identified by the contents of the communication to a list of subscription sources.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said communication comprises an electronic mail message.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the contents of the electronic mail message comprises a header, and wherein the header comprises data identifying a network address at which communication may be made with a subscription source.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a request to manage one or more alert subscriptions;

in response to said request, determining whether each subscription source identified in the list of subscription sources may be validated;

retrieving from each validated subscription source the identity of one or more subscriptions; and

adding each subscription to a current subscriptions list and displaying the current subscriptions list.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said communication comprises a persistent state object.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the persistent state object comprises data identifying a network address at which communication may be made with a subscription source.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a request to manage one or more alert subscriptions;

in response to said request, determining whether each subscription source identified in the list of subscription sources may be validated;

retrieving from each validated subscription source the identity of one or more subscriptions; and

adding each subscription to a current subscriptions list and displaying the current subscriptions list.

28. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 21.