System and method for electronic contact list-based search and display

• US 20060075044A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tong, Darick M., Fox, Kevin David
• Application Number:
  US10/957,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075044A1
• 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 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A request for communications information associated with an entry in a contact list of a computer user is received at a server computer. The request is generated in response to a request for contact information for the entry. The entry is associated with a party. At least a subset of any communications involving both the party and the computer user are identified. The server computer sends a list of communications information corresponding to the subset. The communications information can include, without limitation, e-mail messages, e-mail conversations, instant messages, phone or other audio messages, and multimedia messages.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a. receiving a request for contact information for an entry in an electronic contact list of a computer user, the entry being associated with a party that has had e-mail conversations involving the computer user;

b. receiving an implicit request for the party'"'"'s e-mail conversations involving the computer user;

c. obtaining the contact information and at least a subset of the party'"'"'s e-mail conversations involving the computer user, if any; and

d. sending the contact information and a list of information corresponding to at least a subset of the party'"'"'s e-mail conversations involving the computer user, if any, to a computer for concurrent display in a graphical user interface.

2. A method, comprising:

a. receiving at a server computer a request for communications information associated with an entry in a contact list of a computer user, the request being generated in response to a request for contact information for the entry, the entry being associated with a party;

b. identifying at least a subset of any communications involving both the party and the computer user; and

c. sending a list of communications information corresponding to the subset.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

a. identifying contact information for the party; and

b. sending the contact information with instructions to display the contact information concurrently with the list of information.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications comprise e-mail messages.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications comprise e-mail conversations.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications comprise instant messages.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications comprise audio messages.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the communications comprise multimedia messages.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the request for contact information is generated at a client computer and the contact list is stored on the server computer.

10. A method, comprising:

a. receiving a request for contact information for an entry in a contact list of a computer user, the entry being associated with a party;

b. displaying contact information for the party; and

,

c. in response to the request, concurrently displaying a list of information corresponding to at least a subset of communications involving both the party and the computer user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communications comprise e-mail messages.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the communications comprise e-mail conversations.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the communications comprise instant messages.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the communications comprise audio messages.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the communications comprise multimedia messages.

16. The method of claim 10, further including requesting from a server computer the contact information.

17. The method of claim 10, further including requesting from a server computer the list of information.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the contact list is stored on a mobile phone, personal digital assistant, or client computer.

19. The method of claim 10, the contact list is part of an e-mail program.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the request for contact information is generated by the selection of the entry from a display of the contact list.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the request for contact information is generated by voice input.

22. A system comprising at least one server, wherein said at least one server is configured to:

a. receive a request for communications information associated with an entry in a contact list of a computer user, the request being generated in response to a request for contact information for the entry, the entry being associated with a party;

b. identify at least a subset of any communications involving both the party and the computer user; and

c. send a list of communications information corresponding to the subset.

23. A graphical user interface on a computer comprising:

a. a display of contact information for an entry in an electronic contact list of a computer user, the entry being associated with a party that has had electronic communications involving the computer user, and

b. a concurrent display of a list of information corresponding to at least a subset of the party'"'"'s electronic communications involving the computer user, the list being obtained and displayed in response to a request for the contact information.

24. A machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, which when executed by a server, cause said server to:

a. receive a request for communications information associated with an entry in a contact list of a computer user, the request being generated in response to a request for contact information for the entry, the entry being associated with a party;

b. identify at least a subset of any communications involving both the party and the computer user; and

c. send a list of communications information corresponding to the subset.

25. A machine readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions, which when executed by a client, cause said client to:

a. receive a request for contact information for an entry in a contact list of a computer user, the entry being associated with a party;

b. display contact information for the party; and

,

c. in response to the request, concurrently display a list of information corresponding to at least a subset of communications involving both the party and the computer user.

26. A system, comprising:

a. means for receiving at a server computer a request for communications information associated with an entry in a contact list of a computer user, the request being generated in response to a request for contact information for the entry, the entry being associated with a party;

b. means for identifying at least a subset of any communications involving both the party and the computer user; and

c. means for sending a list of communications information corresponding to the subset.