System and method for creating and inserting multiple data fragments into an electronic mail message

• US 6,510,453 B1
• Filed: 02/26/1999
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Apfel, Darren, Helfrich, James N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/258,672
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method for creating and inserting an electronic mail signature fragment into an electronic mail message during the creation of the electronic mail message is disclosed. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a program module for creating and inserting an electronic mail signature fragment into an electronic mail message during the creation of the electronic mail message is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for inserting one of a plurality of electronic mail signature fragments into an electronic mail message, comprising the steps:

identifying a context of the electronic mail message;

selecting one of the plurality of signature fragments based on the context of the electronic mail message; and

inserting a selected electronic mail signature fragment into a body portion of the electronic mail message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of signature fragments comprise reply signature fragments representing an electronic mail signature for a reply-type message and new signature fragments representing an electronic mail signature for an original message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of selecting one of the plurality of signature fragments comprises:

selecting one of the reply signature fragments in response to identifying the electronic mail message as complying with one or more requirements of the reply-type message; and

selecting one of the new signature fragments in response to identifying the electronic mail message as complying with one or more requirements of the original message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting the selected signature fragment into the electronic mail message comprises:

locating a beginning of a style field in the electronic mail message;

locating an end of the style field in the electronic mail message;

retrieving the selected signature fragment from a storage mechanism that maintains the plurality of signature fragments; and

inserting the selected signature fragment between the beginning and end of the style field.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the style field comprises an Electronic Mail Signature field located within a closing portion of the body portion of the electronic mail message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of retrieving the signature fragment comprises:

searching a text fragments list comprising a plurality of text fragments to determine whether one of the text fragments is associated with the selected signature fragment; and

in the event that one of the text fragments is associated with the selected signature fragment, then retrieving the text fragment from the text fragments list for insertion as the selected signature fragment within the electronic mail message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the text fragments list comprises an AutoTextList generated by a word processing program, each text fragment sorted by a style and a unique identifier corresponding to one of the signature fragments.

8. A method for editing an electronic mail message comprising a message body and a default signature fragment located at a predetermined location within a closing of the message body, comprising the steps:

displaying the electronic mail message on a display screen;

in response to receiving a first input signal, presenting a plurality of electronic mail signature fragments as possible replacement candidates for the default signature fragment;

in response to a second input signal, selecting one of the signature fragments for insertion within the electronic mail message; and

replacing the default signature fragment with the selected signature fragment by inserting the selected signature fragment into the predetermined location of the electronic mail message;

displaying a prompt when a position indicator is positioned proximate to the default signature fragment, the prompt providing an indication that the default signature fragment can be replaced with another signature fragment in response to initiating a predefined user event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first input signal comprises a down indication signal issued by a pointing device in response to depressing a pointing device button when a position indicator is positioned over the default signature fragment on the display screen.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the default signature fragment is automatically inserted into the electronic mail message based on a context, identifying characteristic or recipient of the electronic mail message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the default signature fragment is automatically inserted into the electronic mail message based on whether the electronic mail message is an original electronic mail message or a reply-type electronic mail message.

12. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a program module for inserting one of a plurality of electronic mail signature fragments into an electronic mail message, the program module comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform the steps of:

identifying a context of the electronic mail message by determining whether the electronic mail message comprises a reply-type message or an original message;

in the event that the electronic mail message comprises the reply-type message, selecting one of a plurality of reply signature fragments representing an electronic mail signature for the reply-type message;

in the event that the electronic mail message comprises the original-type message, selecting one of a plurality of new signature fragments representing an electronic mail signature for the original message; and

inserting the selected one of the reply signature fragments or the new signature fragments into the electronic mail message, without manual intervention, thereby adding an inserted electronic mail signature to the electronic mail message.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the step of inserting the selected one of the reply signature fragment or the new signature fragment into the electronic mail message comprises:

locating a beginning of an Electronic Mail Signature style field in the electronic mail message;

locating an end of the Electronic Mail Signature style field in the electronic mail message;

retrieving the selected one of the reply signature fragment or the new signature fragment from a storage mechanism that maintains the plurality of signature fragments; and

inserting the selected one of the reply signature fragment or the new signature fragment between the beginning and end of the style field.

14. The computer medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions which, when performed by the computer, comprise the steps:

determining a position of a position indicator displayed by a display screen of the computer;

in the event that the position indicator is positioned proximate to the inserted electronic mail signature, then displaying a prompt providing an indication that the inserted electronic mail signature can be replaced with another one of the signature fragments in response to initiating a predefined user event.

15. The computer medium of claim 14 further comprising instructions which, when performed by the computer, comprise the steps:

receiving an input signal representing the predefined user event;

displaying a signature context list comprising the plurality of electronic mail signature fragments, each signature fragment available as a replacement candidate to replace the inserted electronic mail signature within the electronic mail message.

16. The computer medium of claim 15 further comprising instructions which, when performed by the computer, comprise the steps:

selecting one of the electronic mail signature fragments from the signature context list in response to receiving another input signal;

replacing the inserted electronic mail signature with the selected electronic mail signature fragment in the electronic mail message.

17. A method for inserting one of a plurality of data candidates into a body portion of an electronic mail message, comprising the steps:

automatically identifying a context of the electronic mail message;

automatically selecting one of the plurality of data candidates based on an identifying characteristic of the electronic mail message;

automatically inserting the selected data candidate within the electronic mail message;

wherein the identifying characteristic comprises whether the electronic mail message is an original electronic mail message, whether the electronic mail message is a reply-type electronic mail message, or a recipient of the electronic mail message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the data candidates comprise electronic mail signature fragments.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the identifying characteristic comprises the recipient of the electronic mail message.

20. A method for inserting one of a plurality of electronic mail signature fragments into an electronic mail message, comprising the steps:

identifying a recipient designated to receive the electronic mail message;

selecting one of the plurality of signature fragments based on an identity of the designated recipient of the electronic mail message; and

inserting a selected electronic mail signature fragment into a body portion of the electronic mail message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of selecting one of the plurality of signature fragments based upon the identity of the recipient comprises:

searching an association list comprising a plurality of entries representing recipient candidates for the electronic mail message to determine whether the association list contains an entry corresponding to the designated recipient, each entry of the association list comprising an identity of one of the recipient candidates and corresponding to one of the signature fragments;

in the event that the association list contains the entry corresponding to the designated recipient, then selecting the signature fragment corresponding to the entry for insertion within the electronic mail message.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein each entry in the association list comprises a row having a first entry representing a unique identifier for one of the recipient candidates and a second entry representing one of the signature fragments associated with the recipient candidate.