System and method for managing display of a multiple message electronic mail thread

• US 20060161849A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Jeffrey Randolph, Ramalingham, Harsha
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for managing display of a multiple message e-mail thread. In accordance with the method of the invention, an e-mail message is accessed by an e-mail thread display module. The e-mail message includes multiple sections each having an associated section header including one or more header attributes. A user display preference based on one or more of the header attributes is received and the e-mail message is displayed on a display device in accordance with the received user display preference.

Claims

1. A method for displaying e-mail messages comprising:

accessing an e-mail message having a plurality of sections, wherein each of the plurality of sections includes an associated section header having header attributes;

receiving a user display preference based on one or more of the header attributes; and

displaying said e-mail message on a display device in accordance with the received user display preference.

2. The method of claim 1, said displaying step comprising ordering the display of said plurality of sections in accordance with the received user display preference.

3. The method of claim 2, said ordering step comprising ordering said plurality of sections in forward chronological order or reverse chronological order.

4. The method of claim 2, said ordering step comprising grouping said plurality of sections into one or more sequentially contiguous groups in accordance with the received user display preference.

5. The method of claim 1, said displaying step comprising filtering the display of said plurality of sections based on said user display preference.

6. The method of claim 5, said filtering step comprising including or excluding one or more of the plurality of sections in accordance with header attribute data specified in said received user display preference.

7. A system for displaying e-mail messages comprising:

processing means for accessing an e-mail message having a plurality of sections, wherein each of the plurality of sections includes an associated section header having header attributes;

processing means for receiving a user display preference based on one or more of the header attributes; and

processing means for displaying said e-mail message on a display device in accordance with the received user display preference.

8. The system of claim 7, said processing means for displaying comprising processing means for ordering the display of said plurality of sections in accordance with the received user display preference.

9. The system of claim 8, said processing means for ordering comprising processing means for ordering said plurality of sections in forward chronological order or reverse chronological order.

10. The system of claim 8, said processing means for ordering comprising processing means for grouping said plurality of sections into one or more sequentially contiguous groups in accordance with the received user display preference.

11. The system of claim 7, said processing means for displaying comprising processing means for filtering the display of said plurality of sections based on said user display preference.

12. The system of claim 11, said processing means for filtering comprising processing means for including or excluding one or more of the plurality of sections in accordance with header attribute data specified in said received user display preference.

13. A computer program product for displaying e-mail messages, said computer program product including computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising comprising:

accessing an e-mail message having a plurality of sections, wherein each of the plurality of sections includes an associated section header having header attributes;

receiving a user display preference based on one or more of the header attributes; and

displaying said e-mail message on a display device in accordance with the received user display preference.

14. The program product of claim 13, said displaying step comprising ordering the display of said plurality of sections in accordance with the received user display preference.

15. The program product of claim 14, said ordering step comprising ordering said plurality of sections in forward chronological order or reverse chronological order.

16. The program product of claim 14, said ordering step comprising grouping said plurality of sections into one or more sequentially contiguous groups in accordance with the received user display preference.

17. The program product of claim 13, said displaying step comprising filtering the display of said plurality of sections based on said user display preference.

18. The program product of claim 17, said filtering step comprising including or excluding one or more of the plurality of sections in accordance with header attribute data specified in said received user display preference.