Selectively displaying email folders

• US 20050080861A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W., Daniell, W. Todd
• Application Number:
  US10/685,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080861A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Group email and individual user email are provided. The group email is accessible by each member of a predefined group. The individual-user email is accessible by an individual. Additionally, an email application, which is executable by the individual user, is provided. The email application is configured to display the group email and the individual user email in response to being executed by the individual user.

Claims

1. An email system comprising:

(A) multiple email folders, the multiple email folders comprising;

(A1) a group email folder having group email messages, the group email folder being accessible by each member of a predefined group;

(A2) a first individual-user email folder having first-user email messages, the first individual-user email folder being accessible only by a first user, the first user being a member of the predefined group; and

(A3) a second individual-user email folder having second-user email messages, the second individual-user email folder being accessible only by a second user, the second user being a member of the predefined group; and

(B) an email application being executable by the first user, the email application further being executable by the second user, the email application comprising;

(B1) first display logic configured to display only first-user email messages and group email messages in response to the email application being executed by the first user; and

(B2) second display logic configured to display only second-user email messages and group email messages in response to the email application being executed by the second user.

2. A software application for handling email messages, the application comprising:

a group mail store adapted to store a group email message, the group email message being accessible by members of a predefined group;

an individual mail store adapted to store an individual-user email message, the individual-user email message being accessible by an individual user; and

a user interface having a first section, the user interface further having a second section, the first section being adapted to display the group email message, the second section being adapted to display the individual-user email message.

3. A communication system comprising:

means for providing a group email folder accessible by each member of a predefined group; and

means for providing a first individual-user email folder accessible by a first user, the first user being a member of the predefined group.

4. A communication system comprising:

a group email folder accessible by each member of a predefined group;

a first individual-user email folder accessible by a first user; and

an email application executable by the first user, the email application being configured to display the group email folder and the first individual-user email folder in response to being executed by the first user.

5. The system of claim 4:

wherein the group email folder has a group email message, the group email message being directed to the members of the predefined group; and

wherein the first individual-user email folder has a first-user email message, the first-user email message being directed to the first user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the email application is further configured to display the group email message and the first-user email message.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the email application comprises:

a group email window configured to display the group email message; and

a first-user email window configured to display the first-user email message.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a second individual-user email folder accessible by a second user, the second user being a member of the predefined group

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the email application is configured to display only the group email folder and the first individual-user email folder in response to being executed by the first user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the email application is configured to display only the group email folder and the second individual-user email folder in response to being executed by the second user.

11. A communication method comprising the steps of:

providing a group email folder accessible by each member of a predefined group; and

providing a first individual-user email folder accessible by a first user, the first user being a member of the predefined group.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

displaying the first individual-user email folder and the group email folder using a single user interface.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a group email message directed to the members of the predefined group;

receiving a first-user email message directed to the first user;

displaying the group email message in a group email window; and

displaying the first-user email message in a first-user email window.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

providing a second individual-user email folder accessible by a second user, the second user being a member of the predefined group.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a group email message directed to the members of the predefined group;

receiving a first-user email message directed to the first user;

receiving a second-user email message directed to the second user;

displaying only the group email message and the first-user email message in response to an input by the first user.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

receiving group email messages directed to the members of the predefined group;

receiving first-user email messages directed to the first user;

receiving second-user email messages directed to the second user;

displaying only the group email messages and the first-user email messages in response to an input by the first user.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

receiving group email messages directed to the members of the predefined group;

receiving first-user email messages directed to the first user;

receiving second-user email messages directed to the second user;

displaying only the group email messages and the second-user email messages in response to an input by the second user.