Enhanced Message Display

• US 20110191694A1
• Filed: 04/13/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jared Jacobs, Keith J. Coleman, Kevin Fox, Zhanna Shamis
• Original Assignee: Jared Jacobs, Keith J. Coleman, Kevin Fox, Zhanna Shamis
• Inventors: Fox, Kevin, Shamis, Zhanna, Jacobs, Jared, Coleman, Keith J.
• Application Number:
  US13/086,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20110191694A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• 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

Abstract

Informational items are displayed in a scrollable area of a message display. The informational items may be any number of type of items (e.g., RSS feeds, new items, images, application tips, and so on). A user is provided the ability to scroll forward and backward through the informational items. A user may choose the informational item (e.g., by clicking) and more detailed information about the informational item is presented to the user. Depending on the display view of the message application (e.g., InBox, conversation), different informational item types will have different probabilities of display. A user may customize the types of informational items to be displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for enhancing email message display, comprising:

at a server having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at a client device associated with an identified user, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in an email inbox of the identified user and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

sending email message information to the client device for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

selecting an informational item from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the selected informational item; and

sending the informational item to the client device for concurrent display in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed informational item includes said user-selectable link.

2. The method of claim 1, further including

transmitting an email message to the client device;

and

embedding in the email message client device executable instructions for displaying the informational item in the display area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the informational item includes identifying an informational item corresponding to content of one or more email messages sent to the client device for display in the email messaging display.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically selecting the informational item in accordance with the identified view type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of view types of the email messaging display includes:

an inbox view, a conversation view, a message compose view and a contact entry view.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to sending, formatting the informational item for display in the email messaging display.

7. A computer-implemented method for enhancing email message display, comprising:

on a client device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at the client device, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in a user'"'"'s email inbox and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

receiving from a server email message information, associated with an identified user, for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

obtaining an informational item selected from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the informational item; and

concurrently displaying the informational item in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed informational item includes said user-selectable link.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining the informational item includes obtaining an informational item corresponding to content of one or more email messages sent to the client device for display in the email messaging display.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the respective information sources include sources selected from the group consisting of:

RSS feeds, Atom feeds, advertisements, and news sources.

10. The method of claim 7, further including displaying a next informational item in the email messaging display in response to a request from a user.

11. The method of claim 10, further including:

identifying that the next informational item is not stored on the client device;

requesting the next informational item from another server;

concurrently displaying the next informational item in the email messaging display with the email message information.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processing units at a server comprising:

instructions for automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at a client device associated with an identified user, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in an email inbox of the identified user and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

instructions for sending email message information to the client device for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

instructions for selecting an informational item from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the selected informational item; and

instructions for sending the informational item to the client device for concurrent display in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed informational item includes said user-selectable link.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, further including

instructions for transmitting email message to the client device;

and

instructions for embedding in email message client device executable instructions for displaying the informational item in the display area.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for selecting the informational item include instructions for identifying an informational item corresponding to content of one or more email messages sent to the client device for display in the email messaging display.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, further including:

instructions for prior to sending, formatting the informational item for display in the email messaging display.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processing units at a client device, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions for automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at the client device, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in a user'"'"'s email inbox and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

instructions for receiving from a server email message information, associated with an identified user, for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

instructions for obtaining an informational item from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the informational item; and

instructions for concurrently displaying the informational item in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed informational item includes said user-selectable link.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein instructions for obtaining the informational item includes instructions for obtaining an informational item corresponding to content of one or more email messages sent to the client device for display in the email messaging display.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the respective information sources include sources selected from the group consisting of:

RSS feeds, Atom feeds, advertisements, and news sources.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further including instructions for displaying a next informational item in the email messaging display in response to a request from a user.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, further including:

instructions for identifying that the next informational item is not stored on the client device;

instructions for requesting the next informational item from a server; and

instructions for concurrently displaying the next informational item in the email messaging display with the email message information.

21. A computer system for enhancing client message display, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store;

a plurality of informational items;

a plurality of messages associated with a user; and

one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising;

instructions for automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at a client device associated with an identified user, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in an email inbox of the identified user and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

instructions for sending email message information to the client device for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

instructions for selecting an informational item from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the selected informational item; and

instructions for sending the informational item to the client device for concurrent display in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed informational item includes said user-selectable link.

22. The computer system of claim 21, the one or more programs including:

instructions for embedding client device executable instructions for displaying the informational item in the display area in a transmission to the client device.

23. The computer system of claim 21, the one or more programs including:

instructions for identifying an informational item corresponding to content of one or more email messages sent to the client device for display in the email messaging display.

24. The computer system of claim 21, the one or more programs including:

instructions for prior to sending, formatting the informational item for display in the email messaging display.

25. A computer system for enhancing client message display on a client device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store;

a plurality of display view types;

at least one informational items; and

one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising;

instructions for automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at the client device, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in a user'"'"'s email inbox and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

instructions for receiving from a server email message information, associated with an identified user, for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

instructions for obtaining an informational item from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the informational item; and

instructions for concurrently displaying the informational item in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed information includes said user-selectable link.

26. A computer system for enhancing client message display, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store;

means for automatically identifying a view type of a plurality of view types of an email messaging display at a client device associated with an identified user, wherein the plurality of view types includes (i) an input box view type for viewing email messages in an email inbox of the identified user and (ii) at least one other view type for viewing email messages;

means for sending email message information to the client device for display in the email messaging display at the client device in accordance with the identified view type;

means for selecting an informational item from among a set of respective information sources corresponding to the identified user, the informational item including a user-selectable link to additional information corresponding to the selected informational item; and

means for sending the informational item to the client device for concurrent display in the email messaging display with the email message information, wherein the displayed informational item includes said user-selectable link.