Conversation Grouping of Electronic Mail Records

• US 20100211889A1
• Filed: 04/29/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Jensen M., Van Tilburg, Martijn E., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Durazo, Jose H., Wiedemann, Bruce D., Avery, William R.
• Application Number:
  US12/769,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211889A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Improved conversation grouping methods and systems are provided for electronic mail records. Electronic mail messages that are unread or flagged for follow-up are automatically displayed under an associated conversation grouping heading. If a conversation grouping contains only a single unread or flagged electronic mail message, the single electronic mail message is automatically displayed under the conversation grouping heading for review by a user. For a conversation grouping having no unread or flagged electronic mail messages, the latest electronic mail message in the grouping is automatically displayed under the conversation grouping heading.

Claims

1. A method for displaying electronic messages in a conversation grouping, the method comprising:

identifying a common conversation thread comprising a plurality of electronic messages;

grouping the plurality of electronic messages in the identified common conversation thread into a group heading;

displaying at least one unread message of the plurality of electronic messages under the group heading;

receiving an indication of group heading expansion; and

displaying, in response to the indication of group heading expansion, all of the plurality of electronic messages in an expanded display mode under the group heading.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an icon adjacent to the group heading, the icon being configured to, upon selection, cause an expansion of the group heading.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the indication of group heading expansion comprises receiving a selection of the icon.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one flagged message of the plurality of electronic messages under the group heading in addition to the displayed at least one unread message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sorting, in the expanded display mode, the displayed plurality of electronic messages, wherein sorting the displayed plurality of electronic messages comprises sorting based on a time of one of the following:

message receipt and message sending.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when all of the plurality of electronic messages have been read and a display mode is not the expanded display mode, displaying a latest message of the common conversation thread.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein grouping the plurality of electronic messages in the identified common conversation thread into the group heading comprises grouping the plurality of electronic messages based on at least one of the following:

received electronic messages, sent electronic messages, and stored electronic messages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the common conversation thread comprises identifying a common subject of the plurality of electronic messages.

9. A computer-readable medium having a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for displaying electronic messages in a conversation grouping, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

identifying a common conversation thread comprising a plurality of electronic messages;

grouping the plurality of electronic messages in the identified common conversation thread into a group heading;

displaying at least one unread message of the plurality of electronic messages under the group heading;

receiving an indication of group heading expansion; and

displaying, in response to the indication of group heading expansion, all of the plurality of electronic messages in an expanded display mode under the group heading.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising displaying an icon adjacent to the group heading, the icon being operative to, upon selection, cause an expansion of the group heading.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving the indication of group heading expansion comprises receiving an indication of a selection of the icon.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising displaying at least one flagged message of the plurality of electronic messages under the group heading in addition to the displayed at least one unread message.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising sorting, in the expanded display mode, the displayed plurality of electronic messages, wherein sorting the displayed plurality of electronic messages comprises sorting based on one of the following:

a time of message receipt and a time of message sending.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising, when all of the plurality of electronic messages have been read and a display mode is not the expanded display mode, displaying a latest message of the common conversation thread.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein grouping the plurality of electronic messages in the identified common conversation thread into the group heading comprises grouping the plurality of electronic messages based on at least one of the following:

received electronic messages, sent electronic messages, and stored electronic messages.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein identifying the common conversation thread comprises identifying a common subject of the plurality of electronic messages.

17. A system for displaying electronic messages in a conversation grouping, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

identify a common conversation thread comprising a plurality of electronic messages;

group the plurality of electronic messages in the identified common conversation thread into a group heading;

display at least one unread message of the plurality of electronic messages under the group heading;

display an expansion icon adjacent to the group heading;

receive a selection of the expansion icon; and

display, in response to the selection of the expansion icon, all of the plurality of electronic messages in an expanded display mode under the group heading.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further operative to display at least one flagged message of the plurality of electronic messages under the group heading in addition to the displayed at least one unread message.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further operative to sort, in the expanded display mode, the displayed plurality of electronic messages based on one of the following:

a time of message receipt and a time of message sending.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further operative to, when all of the plurality of electronic messages have been read and a display mode is not the expanded display mode, display a latest message of the common conversation thread.