DISPLAYING COMPLEX MESSAGING THREADS INTO A SINGLE DISPLAY

• US 20070282956A1
• Filed: 08/05/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Staats, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A method for organizing a message thread containing one or more messages. A root message and reply groupings are identified, each reply grouping depending from the root message. Each reply grouping has one or more child reply messages depending from a common parent message. The child reply messages within each reply grouping are ordered in chronological order based on the time of each of the one or more child reply messages was received or sent. The reply groupings are hierarchically ordering based on a relationship between the reply grouping and its parent message. A single display allows a user to view the message thread and the content of all of the messages in accordance with the hierarchical ordering.

Claims

1. In a computer messaging system, a method for organizing a message thread containing one or more messages, the method comprising:

identifying a root message;

identifying one or more reply groupings that depend from the root message, each reply grouping having one or more child reply messages depending from a parent message, wherein for at least one reply grouping, the parent message is the root message;

ordering each of the one or more child reply messages in each reply grouping in chronological order based on the time of each of the one or more child reply messages was sent or received;

hierarchically ordering each of the one or more reply groupings based on a relationship between each reply grouping and the parent messages from which each reply grouping depends; and

providing a single display that allows a user to view content of the root message, the parent message, and the one or more child reply messages in accordance with the hierarchical ordering.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing the user with the ability to collapse and expand at least one of the root message, the parent message, or the one or more child reply messages.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the child reply messages includes a duplicate of original content of the parent message and the at least one of the child reply messages includes a response in a response content area of the child reply message, wherein providing a single display that allows a user to view content of the root message, the parent message, and the one or more child reply messages comprises at least one of:

displaying the response from the response content area of the at least one of the child reply message outside of the original content of the parent message;

displaying the duplicate of the original content of the parent message located in the at least one of the child reply message as collapsed content;

or

blocking the duplicate of the original content of the parent message located in the at least one of the child reply message from being displayed in the single display.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the child reply message includes a duplicate of the original content of the parent message and the at least one of the child reply messages includes an inline response to the parent message located within the duplicate of the content of the parent message, wherein providing a single display that allows a user to view content of the root message, the parent message, and the one or more child reply messages comprises at least one of:

displaying the inline response of the at least one child reply message within the original content of the parent message.

displaying the inline response as collapsed content;

or

blocking the child reply message having the inline response from being displayed outside of the original content of the parent message.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising indicating whether at least one of the root message, the parent message, or the one or more child reply messages have been accessed by the user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the root message, the parent message or the one or more child reply messages is an email message.

7. In an email system, a method for organizing an email message thread to reduce display of duplicate content of email messages, the method comprising:

identifying a parent message;

identifying a first child reply message made in response to the parent message, the first child reply message including a duplicate of original content of the parent message and a first inline response included in the duplicate of the original content of the parent message; and

providing a single display of the message thread including a single appearance of the original content of the parent message, wherein content of the first inline response is displayed at a location of the original content of the parent message that corresponds with the location of the first inline response in the duplicate of the original content of the parent message.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising at least one of:

displaying the duplicate of the original content of the parent message located in the first child reply message as collapsed content;

blocking the duplicate of the original content of the parent message located in the first child reply message from being displayed in the single display.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising indicating whether at least one of the parent message or the first child reply message has been accessed by the user.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first child reply message includes two or more inline responses included in two or more locations in the duplicate of original content of the parent message, wherein providing a single display of the message thread comprises displaying content of the two or more inline responses at two or more locations of the original content of the parent message that corresponds with the location of the two or more inline responses in the duplicate of the original content of the parent message.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein identifying a child reply message made in response to the parent message further comprises identifying a first child reply message and a second child reply message, wherein each of the first and second child reply messages include the duplicate of the original content of the parent message and inline responses in the duplicate of the original content of the parent message, further comprising:

ordering the inline responses of the first and second child reply messages in chronological order; and

displaying content of the inline responses of the first and second child reply messages in the original content of the parent message.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising displaying a header for each inline response providing data regarding a source of the inline response.

13. A message thread displayed on a single display of a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface configured to be displayed on a display device of a computer system, the message thread comprising:

a root message; and

one or more reply groupings depending from the root message, each reply grouping having one or more child reply messages depending from a parent message, the root message being the parent message for at least one reply grouping, each of the one or more child reply messages in each reply grouping being ordered in chronological order based on the time of each of the one or more child reply messages was sent or received, and each of the one or more reply groupings being hierarchically ordered based on a relationship between each reply grouping and the parent messages from which each reply grouping depends.

14. The message thread as recited in claim 13, further comprising at least one of the root message, the parent message, or the one or more child reply messages being selectively collapsible and expandable.

15. The message thread as recited in claim 13, further comprising at least one of the child reply messages including a duplicate of original content of one of the parent messages and the at least one of the child reply messages including a response in a response content area of the child reply message, the response of the at least one of the child reply messages being displayed in the message thread, and the duplicate of the original content of the parent message being blocked from display in the message thread.

16. The message thread as recited in claim 13, further comprising at least one of the child reply messages including a duplicate of original content of one of the parent messages and the at least one of the child reply messages including an inline response located within the duplicate of the original content of the parent message, the inline response being displayed within the original content of the parent message in the message thread, and the duplicate of the original content of the parent message being blocked from display in the message thread.

17. The message thread as recited in claim 13, further comprising an indicator for indicating whether at least one of the root message, the parent message, or the one or more child reply messages have been accessed by a user.

18. The message thread as recited in claim 13, further comprising one or more headers for providing data regarding a source of at least one of the root message, the parent message, or the one or more child reply messages.