System and Method for Displaying Search Results Including Email Attachments

• US 20120226760A1
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A client computer with one or more processors and memory transmits, to a server system, a search query including one or more query terms and receives, from the sever system, a response to the search query including a search result. The client computer displays a representation of a respective message from the search result, where the respective message includes a message body and a respective attachment with attachment content. When the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, displaying the respective message includes highlighting a representation of the respective attachment in the message. When the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, displaying the respective message includes forgoing highlighting the representation of the respective attachment in the message.

Claims

1. A method of searching messages, comprising:

at a client computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors cause the client computer to perform the method;

transmitting, to a server system, a search query including one or more query terms;

receiving, from the sever system, a response to the search query including a search result identifying one or more messages having content that matches at least one of the one or more query terms; and

displaying a representation of a respective message from the search result, wherein the respective message includes a message body and a respective attachment with attachment content, and displaying the respective message includes;

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting a representation of the respective attachment in the message; and

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, forgoing highlighting the representation of the respective attachment in the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in accordance with a determination that the message body of the respective message includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting an occurrence of the query term in the message body of the respective message

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to displaying the representation of the respective message, displaying a representation of the search result wherein:

the search result includes a plurality of search result entries;

each search result entry in the plurality of search result entries includes a snippet of content associated with the search result entry; and

a respective snippet for a respective search result entry corresponding to the respective message includes attachment content, from the respective attachment, that matches the search query.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while displaying the representation of the respective message, receiving a request to open the respective attachment; and

in response to the request to open the respective attachment;

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting one or more occurrences of the term within the attachment content of the respective attachment; and

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, forgoing highlighting within the attachment content of the respective attachment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein highlighting the representation of the respective attachment includes changing a visual appearance, in the representation of the respective message, of one or more of:

an image associated with the respective attachment, a download link for downloading the respective attachment, and a view link for viewing the respective attachment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment and the message body of the respective message both include content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting an occurrence of the query term in the message body of the respective message and highlighting a representation of the respective attachment in the representation of the respective message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search result identifies a plurality of messages having content that matches at least one of the one or more query terms including:

a first message that includes content in a message body of the first message that satisfies the search query;

a second message that includes attachment content in an attachment of the second message that satisfies the search query; and

a third message that includes a term in a message body of the third message that, in conjunction with attachment content in an attachment of the third message, satisfies the search query.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the respective message includes a plurality of attachments, including a first attachment and a second attachment;

attachment content of the first attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query;

attachment content of the second attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query; and

the method further comprises;

highlighting a representation of the first attachment in the message; and

forgoing highlighting a representation of the second attachment in the message.

9. A system for searching messages, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

transmitting, to a server system, a search query including one or more query terms;

receiving, from the sever system, a response to the search query including a search result identifying one or more messages having content that matches at least one of the one or more query terms; and

displaying a representation of a respective message from the search result, wherein the respective message includes a message body and an respective attachment with attachment content, and displaying the respective message includes;

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting a representation of the respective attachment in the message; and

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, forgoing highlighting the representation of the respective attachment in the message.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, in accordance with a determination that the message body of the respective message includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting an occurrence of the query term in the message body of the respective message

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, prior to displaying the representation of the respective message, displaying a representation of the search result wherein:

the search result includes a plurality of search result entries;

each search result entry in the plurality of search result entries includes a snippet of content associated with the search result entry; and

a respective snippet for a respective search result entry corresponding to the respective message includes attachment content, from the respective attachment, that matches the search query.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

while displaying the representation of the respective message, receiving a request to open the respective attachment; and

in response to the request to open the respective attachment;

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting one or more occurrences of the term within the attachment content of the respective attachment; and

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, forgoing highlighting within the attachment content of the respective attachment.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein highlighting the representation of the respective attachment includes changing a visual appearance, in the representation of the respective message, of one or more of:

an image associated with the respective attachment, a download link for downloading the respective attachment, and a view link for viewing the respective attachment.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment and the message body of the respective message both include content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting an occurrence of the query term in the message body of the respective message and highlighting a representation of the respective attachment in the representation of the respective message.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the search result identifies a plurality of messages having content that matches at least one of the one or more query terms including:

a first message that includes content in a message body of the first message that satisfies the search query;

a second message that includes attachment content in an attachment of the second message that satisfies the search query; and

a third message that includes a term in a message body of the third message that, in conjunction with attachment content in an attachment of the third message, satisfies the search query.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the respective message includes a plurality of attachments, including a first attachment and a second attachment;

attachment content of the first attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query;

attachment content of the second attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query; and

the one or more programs further comprise instructions for;

highlighting a representation of the first attachment in the message; and

forgoing highlighting a representation of the second attachment in the message.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by a client computer with one or more processors, cause the client computer to:

transmit, to a server system, a search query including one or more query terms;

receive, from the sever system, a response to the search query including a search result identifying one or more messages having content that matches at least one of the one or more query terms; and

display a representation of a respective message from the search result, wherein the respective message includes a message body and an respective attachment with attachment content, and displaying the respective message includes;

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlighting a representation of the respective attachment in the message; and

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, forgoing highlighting the representation of the respective attachment in the message.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the client computer, cause the client computer to, in accordance with a determination that the message body of the respective message includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlight an occurrence of the query term in the message body of the respective message

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the client computer, cause the client computer to, prior to displaying the representation of the respective message, display a representation of the search result wherein:

the search result includes a plurality of search result entries;

each search result entry in the plurality of search result entries includes a snippet of content associated with the search result entry; and

a respective snippet for a respective search result entry corresponding to the respective message includes attachment content, from the respective attachment, that matches the search query.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the client computer, cause the client computer to:

while displaying the representation of the respective message, receive a request to open the respective attachment; and

in response to the request to open the respective attachment;

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query, highlight one or more occurrences of the term within the attachment content of the respective attachment; and

in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query, forgo highlighting within the attachment content of the respective attachment.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein highlighting the representation of the respective attachment includes changing a visual appearance, in the representation of the respective message, of one or more of:

an image associated with the respective attachment, a download link for downloading the respective attachment, and a view link for viewing the respective attachment.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the client computer, cause the client computer to, in accordance with a determination that the attachment content of the respective attachment and the message body of the respective message both include content that matches a query term from the search query, highlight an occurrence of the query term in the message body of the respective message and highlight a representation of the respective attachment in the representation of the respective message.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the search result identifies a plurality of messages having content that matches at least one of the one or more query terms including:

a first message that includes content in a message body of the first message that satisfies the search query;

a second message that includes attachment content in an attachment of the second message that satisfies the search query; and

a third message that includes a term in a message body of the third message that, in conjunction with attachment content in an attachment of the third message, satisfies the search query.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

the respective message includes a plurality of attachments, including a first attachment and a second attachment;

attachment content of the first attachment includes content that matches a query term from the search query;

attachment content of the second attachment does not include content that matches a query term from the search query; and

the one or more programs further comprise instructions which, when executed by the client computer, cause the client computer to;

highlight a representation of the first attachment in the message; and

forgo highlighting a representation of the second attachment in the message.