Methods and systems for processing email messages

• US 20050223061A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawrence, Stephen, Ionescu, Mihai Florin, Auerbach, David Benjamin, Khan, Omar Habib
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing email messages are described. In one embodiment, the occurrence of a condition is determined indicating at least one email message transfer of an email message by an email application, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition is external to the email application, the email message is identified, wherein the email message comprises event data, an email event is compiled from at least some of the event data, and the email event is indexed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining the occurrence of a condition indicating at least one email message transfer by an email application, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition is external to the email application; and

identifying the email message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

compiling an email event from at least some event data associated with the email message; and

indexing the email event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the email message transfer comprises receiving the email message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the email message transfer comprises sending the email message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the email application comprises a client-based email application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the email application comprises a network-based email application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the email application comprises a client-based email application and a network-based email application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the email event and the email message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining if files associated with the email application have been updated.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining if an email related operating system condition has occurred.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the operating system condition comprises an email icon output on a display associated with the client device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the operating system condition comprises an email message box output on a display associated with the client device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the operating system condition comprises determining metadata for an email indicator associated with the email message displayed in the email application.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the email application comprises a network-based email application and determining the occurrence of the condition comprises analyzing a web page associated with the network-based email application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining if a packet or packets received from a network comprises an email protocol.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining an email protocol and an email server based on analysis of settings associated with the email application or network traffic.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising periodically polling the email server for new email messages.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the email event with a conversation.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein associating the email message with a conversation comprises:

determining if an existing conversation relevant to the email event exists;

associating the email event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the email event; and

associating the email event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the email event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining if an existing conversation relevant to the email event exists comprises an analysis of the event data associated with the email event.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the analysis of the event data comprises analysis of one or more of email message subject, date, content, sender and recipients.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein determining if an existing conversation relevant to the email event exists comprises determining a conversation ID associated with the email message.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein event data comprises at least one of sender data, a date and time associated with the event, and content from the email message.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein event data comprises a conversation ID.

25. A computer-readable medium containing program code, comprising:

program code for determining the occurrence of a condition indicating at least one email message transfer of an email message by an email application, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition is external to the email application; and

program code for identifying the email message.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

program code for compiling an email event from at least some event data associated with the email message; and

program code for indexing the email event.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the email message transfer comprises receiving the email message.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the email message transfer comprises sending the email message.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the email application comprises a client-based email application.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the email application comprises a network-based email application.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the email application comprises a client-based email application and a network-based email application.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising program code for storing the email event and the email message.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein program code for determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining if files associated with the email application have been updated.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein program code for determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining if an email related operating system condition has occurred.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operating system condition comprises an email icon output on a display associated with the client device.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operating system condition comprises an email message box output on a display associated with the client device.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operating system condition comprises determining metadata for an email indicator associated with the email message displayed in the email application.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the email application comprises a network-based email application and program code for determining the occurrence of the condition comprises analyzing a web page associated with the network-based email application.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein program code for determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining if a packet or packets received from a network comprises an email protocol.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein program code for determining the occurrence of the condition comprises determining an email protocol and an email server based on analysis of settings associated with the email application or network traffic.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising program code for periodically polling the email server for new email messages.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising program code for associating the email event with a conversation.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42, wherein associating the email message with a conversation comprises:

program code for determining if an existing conversation relevant to the email event exists;

program code for associating the email event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the email event; and

program code for associating the email event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the email event.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein program code for determining if an existing conversation relevant to the email event exists comprises an analysis of the event data associated with the email event.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the analysis of the event data comprises analysis of one or more of email message subject, data, content, sender and recipients.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein program code for determining if an existing conversation relevant to the email event exists comprises determining a conversation ID associated with the email message.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein event data comprises at least one of sender data, a date and time associated with the event, and content from the email message.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein event data comprises a conversation ID.

49. A method comprising:

determining the occurrence of a condition indicating that at least one email message has been received by an email application, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition is external to the email application and comprises at least one of determining if files associated with the email application have been updated, determining the occurrence of an email related operating system condition, and determining receipt of a network packet in an email protocol;

identifying the email message, wherein the email message comprises event data;

compiling an email event from at least some of the event data;

indexing the email event, wherein indexing the email event further comprises associating the email event with a conversation; and

storing the email event and the email message.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the email application comprises a client-based email application.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the email application comprises a network-based email application.

52. The method of claim 49, further comprising associating the email event with a conversation.

53. A system, comprising:

a means for determining the occurrence of a condition indicating at least one email message transfer of an email message by an email application, wherein determining the occurrence of the condition is external to the email application;

a means for identifying the email message, wherein the email message comprises event data;

a means for compiling an email event from at least some of the event data; and

a means for indexing the email event.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the email application comprises a client-based email application.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the email application comprises a network-based email application.

56. The system of claim 53, further comprising a means for associating the email event with a conversation.