Multi-column user interface for managing on-line threaded conversations

• US 20050114781A1
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wilcox, Eric M., Muller, Michael, Brownholtz, Elizabeth A., Geyer, Werner, Kerr, Bernard J., Millen, David R., Witt, Andrew J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present invention provides a user interface that includes a first column for chronologically displaying a set of messages (objects) in a conversation, and a second column for displaying a branch of messages (objects) corresponding to a message (object) selected in the first column. The user interface further includes, among other things, a list of participants to the conversation, a vertical index (time line), a list of related conversations and a conversation map that illustrates a hierarchy of the conversation. Each message (object) in the first column can have an associated indicator for indicating a quantity of predecessors and successors to the set of messages (objects), as well as an in-line reply button for replying to the set of messages. Each of the messages displayed of the second column can have one or more associated navigation buttons for navigating adjacent hierarchical levels.

Claims

1. A multi-column user interface for managing threaded on-line conversations, comprising:

a first column for chronologically displaying a set of messages in a conversation; and

a second column for displaying a branch of messages corresponding to a message selected in the first column.

2. The multi-column interface of claim 1, wherein each of the set of messages may comprise content selected from the group consisting of text, images, files, links to other documents and links to websites,

3. The multi-column interface of claim 2, wherein each of the set of message is represented by a name.

4. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein each of the set of messages has an associated content icon indicating a type of content of the set of messages.

5. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, further comprising a conversation map illustrating and aiding navigation of a hierarchy of the set of messages in the conversation.

6. The multi-column user interface of claim 5, wherein a display attribute of the conversation map is altered based on a chronology of the set of messages.

7. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, further comprising a list of participants in the conversation.

8. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, further comprising a list of other conversations related to the conversation.

9. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein the second column further includes a set of navigation buttons for navigating about the branch of messages.

10. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein each message in the branch of messages is displayed in a separate region of the second column.

11. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein each message of the set of messages displayed in the first column has an associated indicator for indicating a quantity of predecessors and successors.

12. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein each message of the set of messages an associated in-line reply button.

13. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated author icon.

14. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, wherein the first column is additionally represented by a vertical index, and wherein each message of the set of messages is represented in the vertical index at a position proportional to its time stamp in a chronological sequence of the set of messages.

15. The multi-column user interface of claim 14, wherein the vertical index comprises a navigation aid that allows a user to move forward and backward in time to each of the set of messages.

16. The multi-column user interface of claim 14, wherein each in a series of user inputs in the vertical index moves the first column one message forward or backward in the chronological sequence of messages.

17. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, further comprising a third column for displaying hierarchical child messages of a message selected in the second column.

18. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, further comprising a third column for displaying messages authored by a same participant in the conversation as a message selected in the first column.

19. The multi-column user interface of claim 1, further comprising a third column for displaying messages authored by a same participant in the conversation as a message selected in the second column.

20. A multi-column user interface for managing threaded on-line conversations, comprising:

a first column for chronologically displaying a set of messages in a conversation; and

a second column for displaying a branch of messages corresponding to a message selected in the first column, wherein each message in the branch of messages includes navigation buttons for navigating about adjacent hierarchical levels of the branch of messages.

21. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, further comprising a conversation map illustrating and aiding navigation of a hierarchy of the set of messages in the conversation.

22. The multi-column user interface of claim 21, wherein a display attribute of the conversation map is altered based on a chronology of the set of messages.

23. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, further comprising a list of participants in the conversation.

24. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, further comprising a list of other conversations related to the conversation.

25. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, wherein each message of the set of messages in the branch of messages is displayed in a separate region of the second column.

26. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated indicator for indicating a quantity of predecessors and successors.

27. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated in-line reply button.

28. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated author icon.

29. The multi-column user interface of claim 20, further comprising a third column for displaying hierarchical child messages of a message selected in the second column.

30. A program product stored on a recordable medium, which when executed, comprises program code for generating a multi-column user interface for managing threaded on-line conversations, wherein the multi-column user interface includes a first column for chronologically displaying a set of messages in a conversation, a second column for displaying a branch of messages corresponding to a message selected in the first column.

31. The program product of claim 30, wherein the multi-column user interface further includes a conversation map illustrating and aiding navigation of a hierarchy of the set of messages in the conversation.

32. The program product claim 31, wherein a display attribute of the conversation map is altered based on a chronology of the set of messages.

33. The program product of claim 30, wherein the multi-column user interface further includes a list of participants in the conversation.

34. The program product of claim 30, wherein the multi-column user interface further includes a list of other conversations related to the conversation.

35. The program product of claim 30, wherein the second column further includes a set of navigation buttons for navigating about the branch of messages.

36. The program product of claim 30, wherein each message in the branch of messages is displayed in a separate region of the second column.

37. The program product of claim 30, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated indicator for indicating a quantity of predecessors and successors.

38. The program product of claim 30, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated in-line reply button.

39. The program product of claim 30, wherein each message of the set of messages has an associated author icon.

40. The program product of claim 30, wherein the multi-column user interface further includes a third column for displaying hierarchical child messages of a message selected in the second column.