Workflow and in-context e-mail recipient handling

• US 20070150553A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pereira, Jorge, Schwend, Diana, Fields, Brendan
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that improve the workflow process for resolving data elements, such as email addresses. These technologies and techniques allow the user to perform such tasks in the same context as the activity or message. In addition, user can start and stop the resolution process at any point in the process of composing the activity or email. The activity cannot be finalized, such as an email message being sent, until all of the data elements are resolved.

Claims

1. A method for resolving data elements in-context with an activity comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one data element for an activity from a user;

upon selection of a resolve option from the user, retrieving a list of potential matches for the at least one data element from a data store upon determining that the at least one data element requires further resolution;

displaying at least a portion of the list of potential matches to the user in a same context as the activity; and

allowing the user to select a corrected data element from the list of potential matches in the same context.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user selects the resolve option, a web server is contacted to retrieve the information from the data store.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data element is an email address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data element is a postal address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the resolution process can be resumed by the user upon right-clicking on the at least one data element that requires further resolution.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a context menu is displayed during the resolution process in the same context as the rest of the activity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user is able to select a potential data element from the context menu to resolve the at least one data element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein another context menu is displayed in the same context for a remaining data element of the at least one data element that is unresolved to allow the user to resolve the remaining data element in the same context.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps recited in claim 1.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform steps comprising:

checking at least one data element entered by a user for an activity and determining if the at least one data element requires further resolution; and

if the at least one data element requires further resolution, performing steps comprising;

if a possible match is available, determining a list of potential data elements;

initiating a resolution process to display a status identifier and at least a portion of the potential data elements in a same context to the user to allow the user to resolve the at least one data element;

allowing the user to temporarily suspend the resolution process to continue working with the activity and later resume the resolution process in the same context; and

allowing the user to finalize the activity once the at least one data element is resolved.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the at least one data element is an email address.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the at least one data element is a postal address.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the resolution process can be resumed by the user upon right-clicking on the at least one data element that requires further resolution.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein a context menu is displayed during the resolution process in the same context as the rest of the activity.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the user is able to select a particular one of the potential data elements from the context menu to resolve the at least one data element.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein another context menu is displayed in the same context for a remaining data element of the at least one data element that requires further resolution to allow the user to resolve the remaining data element in the same context.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the activity is an email message and wherein the user is able to finalize the activity by sending the email message once the at least one data element is resolved.

18. A method for resolving email addresses in-context with an email message comprising the steps of:

checking at least one email address entered by a user for an email message and determining if the at least one email address requires further resolution; and

if the at least one email address requires further resolution, performing steps comprising;

if a possible match is available, determining a list of potential email addresses;

initiating a resolution process to display a status identifier and at least a portion of the potential email addresses in a same context to the user to allow the user to resolve the at least one email address;

allowing the user to temporarily suspend the resolution process to continue working with the email message and later resume the resolution process in the same context; and

allowing the user to send the email message once the at least one email address is resolved.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the status identifier is selected from the group consisting of no match found, no exact match found, and more than one match found.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to perform the steps recited in claim 18.