Identifying messages relevant to a search query in a conversation-based email system
First Claim
1. A method of searching messages, comprising:
- searching a message repository to identify a plurality of conversations relevant to a search query, wherein each of the plurality of the identified conversations includes one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier;
creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the identified conversations;
selecting a conversation from the list of conversations; and
differentiating between first text of the selected conversation and second text of the selected conversation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for searching messages is disclosed that includes searching a message repository to identify a plurality of conversations that each include at least one message that is relevant to a search query. Alternatively, conversations as a whole may be relevant to a search query rather than individual messages. Each of the plurality of the identified conversations includes one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a conversation identifier. A list of conversations is created representing at least a subset of the identified conversations and a conversation is selected from that list. In that selected conversation, first messages are differentiated from second messages which may differentiate portions of text or messages that are relevant to the search query from those that are not.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of searching messages, comprising:
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searching a message repository to identify a plurality of conversations relevant to a search query, wherein each of the plurality of the identified conversations includes one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier;
creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the identified conversations;
selecting a conversation from the list of conversations; and
differentiating between first text of the selected conversation and second text of the selected conversation. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. The method of claim 3, wherein the differentiating includes:
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providing formatting information for the first text in a first format and providing formatting information for the second text in a second format; and
wherein the first format differs from the second format in a visually distinctive manner.
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4. A method of searching messages, comprising:
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searching a message repository to identify a plurality of conversations that each include at least one message relevant to a search query, wherein each of the plurality of the identified conversations includes one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier;
creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the identified conversations;
selecting a conversation from the list of conversations; and
differentiating between first messages of the selected conversation and second messages of the selected conversation. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of searching, comprising:
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selecting a conversation from a list of conversations that are relevant to a search query, wherein the selected conversation includes a plurality of messages, the messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria;
preparing information from the messages in the selected conversation for display, including identifying at least one message in the selected conversation relevant to the search query. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A conversation-based message system, comprising:
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a conversation matching unit that matches at least one of a plurality of received messages to a conversation from a plurality of conversations, each of the plurality of conversations having one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria;
a message store that stores messages and associated information, including conversation information;
a conversation search unit that returns a list of conversations in response to a search query;
a formatting unit that associates formatting information with at least one of the conversations in the list of conversations; and
a return unit that transmits the list of conversations and the formatting information. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer program product, for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising:
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instructions for searching a message repository to identify a plurality of conversations that include at least one message relevant to a search query, wherein each of the plurality of the conversations include one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier;
instructions for creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the plurality of conversations;
instructions for selecting a conversation from the list of conversations; and
instructions for providing differentiating information associated with the selected conversation such that first messages of the selected conversation are differentiated from second messages of the selected conversation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer program product, for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising:
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instructions for searching a message repository to identify a plurality of conversations relevant to a search query, wherein each of a plurality of the identified conversations include one or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier;
instructions for creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the identified conversations;
instructions for selecting a conversation from the list of conversations; and
instructions for differentiating between first text of the selected conversation and second text of the selected conversation. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A conversation-based message system, comprising:
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means for matching at least one of a plurality of received messages to a conversation from a plurality of conversations, each of the plurality of conversations having at least one message and a respective conversation identifier;
means for storing messages and associated information, including conversation information;
means for returning a list of conversations in response to a search query;
means for creating formatting information associated with at least one of the conversations in the list of conversations;
means for returning the list of conversations and the formatting information.
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Specification