Grouping electronic reply messages

• US 7,062,536 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2002
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seaman, James Wesley, Gusler, Carl Phillip, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Fellenstein, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/268,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073616A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709/206, 709/217, 709218-220, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and implementing computer system are provided in which replies to originating electronic messages such as email are grouped together in a manner such that the replies may be selectively accessed and presented together with a reference to the originating message for viewing by the sender of the original message. In one embodiment, selected relevant portions of reply messages are extracted or copied from the reply messages and presented as a connected series of individual replies on a display screen which references the originating message. In another embodiment, icons or hypertext references are created and embedded in or otherwise associated with an originating message to enable a user to quickly access replies to an originating message by selecting one or more of the embedded icons or hypertext from the originating message. In another embodiment, a user is enabled to selectively display all replies to a highlighted or otherwise designated originating message, on a single display page, by selecting a “View Reply” function button on the user'"'"'s electronic messaging or email application.

Claims

1. A method for processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from a predetermined number of recipients of said originating electronic message, wherein said originating electronic message and said replies are email messages transmitted over a network, said method comprising:

receiving said replies;

associating each reply received to said originating electronic message;

counting a number of replies received to said originating electronic message from said recipients;

displaying at least a portion of said originating electronic message;

displaying said number of replies received and said predetermined number of said recipients of said originating electronic message;

enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with said portion of said originating electronic message; and

creating an electronic link to each of said replies and inserting link indicia representing said electronic links into a display of said originating electronic message whereby said sender is enabled to determine when all of said predetermined number of replies have been received, and further enabling said sender to view selected ones of said received replies by selecting corresponding ones of said link indicia.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said originating electronic message and said replies are text messages transmitted through a wireless communication device.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said wireless communication device is a cellular telephone.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said replies are appended sequentially to said originating electronic message.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said originating electronic message is displayed together with said predetermined portion of said replies on said single screen display.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said link indicia comprise hypertext links identifying different ones of said replies.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said link indicia comprise icon indicia.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said displayed reference to said originating electronic message includes a full text of said originating electronic message.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said displayed reference to said originating electronic message comprises an identification of said originating electronic message from a listing which includes identifications of other electronic messages sent by said sender.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said enabling is accomplished by a user selection of a view reply function indicium displayed on a display screen which includes said displayed reference to said originating electronic message.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said replies are displayed having a first displayed characteristic prior to viewing, said replies having a second display characteristic after being viewed by said sender.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said first characteristic is a first color and said second characteristic is a second color.

13. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective to enable processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from a predetermined number of recipients of said originating electronic message, wherein said originating electronic message and said replies are email messages transmitted over a network, said program signals being selectively operable to accomplish the steps of:

receiving said replies;

associating each reply received to said originating electronic message;

counting a number of replies received to said originating electronic message from said recipients;

displaying at least a portion of said originating electronic message;

displaying said number of replies received and said predetermined number of said recipients of said originating electronic message;

enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with said portion of said originating electronic message; and

creating an electronic link to each of said replies and inserting link indicia representing said electronic links into a display of said originating electronic message whereby said sender is enabled to determine when all of said predetermined number of replies have been received, and further enabling said sender to view selected ones of said received replies by selecting corresponding ones of said link indicia.

14. A computer system comprising:

a system bus selectively connectable to a electronic communication network;

a CPU device connected to said system bus;

a memory device connected to said system bus;

a user input device connected to said system bus; and

a display device connected to said system bus, said computer system being selectively operable for processing replies received by a sender of an originating electronic message from a predetermined number of recipients of said originating electronic message, wherein said originating electronic message and said replies are email messages transmitted over a network, said computer system being further selectively operable to accomplish the steps of;

receiving said replies;

associating each reply received to said originating electronic message;

counting a number of replies received to said originating electronic message from said recipients;

displaying at least a portion of said originating electronic message;

displaying said number of replies received and said predetermined number of said recipients of said originating electronic message;

enabling a display of at least a predetermined portion of each of said replies on a single screen display together with said portion of said originating electronic message; and

creating an electronic link to each of said replies and inserting link indicia representing said electronic links into a display of said originating electronic message whereby said sender is enabled to determine when all of said predetermined number of replies have been received, and further enabling said sender to view selected ones of said received replies by selecting corresponding ones of said link indicia.