Methods and apparatus providing electronic messages that are linked and aggregated

• US 7,130,885 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2001
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MetricStream, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zaplet, Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khalsa, Kirpal, Evans, Steven R., Chandra, Mala, McFarland, Joshua, Kruempelstaedter, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Nghi V.
• Application Number:
  US09/948,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/205, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method for associating related electronic messages in computer storage. A first transportable application is created and stored. User input requesting creation of a link from the first transportable application to another transportable application is received. User input that selects a second transportable application from among a plurality of previously created transportable applications is received. A link from the first transportable application to the second transportable application is created and stored. As a result, transportable application may be inter-related in complex message webs. The message webs may also be inter-related in message web rings. Links may be generated manually or automatically, based on context, workflow processes, or other known relationships among applications. Recipient lists and data may propagate among fields of linked transportable applications, directly or according to abstract business rules. Further, multiple-part electronic messages are disclosed. A graphical user interface of an electronic messaging system displays a message in the form of one or more header portions and one or more body portions. Each of the body portions has a selection region. While one body portion is visible at a given time, all the selection regions are continuously visible in the user interface to facilitate selection of any of the body portions at a particular time. Selecting a selection region of a non-displayed body portion causes a server to generate a refreshed user interface that includes the entirety of the selected body portion, and that hides the previously viewed body portion. As a result, a large amount of associated information may be combined in a single message in a way that is clearly organized and easily accessible.

Claims

1. A method for processing a request to display an electronic message, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

generating first message data, wherein the first message data defines at least a first message portion and one or more selection regions for selectively displaying one or more other message portions of a multiple-part electronic message having a plurality of message portions, wherein only one message portion among the first message portion and the other message portions is visible at a time when the first message data is displayed at a client;

providing the first message data to the client;

receiving from the client a request for a second portion of the electronic message selected from among the other message portions;

generating second message data which, when processed at a user interface of the client, causes the client to display the second portion of the electronic message and to hide the first message portion; and

providing the second message data to the client;

wherein the step of generating first message data comprises the steps of generating first message data that defines at least a first message page, one or more selection regions for one or more other message pages of a multiple-page electronic message having a plurality of message pages, and a plurality of sub-pages of the first message page,

further comprising the steps of;

receiving a selection of a sub-page of the first message page;

generating third message data that defines the selected sub-page of the first message page and which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display the selected sub-page of the electronic message;

providing the third message data to the client.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating first message data further comprises the steps of generating first message data that defines a plurality of message portions each having a corresponding selection region and that defines a message user interface region that comprises all corresponding selection regions and the first message portion.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message data includes user interface definition data which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display the first portion of the electronic message in a first panel.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the user interface definition data includes data which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display a first identifier of the first portion of the electronic message in the first panel.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the first identifier indicates content of the first portion of the electronic message.

6. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein generating the first message data and generating the second message data further comprises the steps of generating second user interface definition data which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display a plurality of continuously visible selection regions, each associated with a different portion of the multiple-part message and the first portion of the electronic message.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the second user interface definition data comprises data which, when processed at the user interface, causes one or more other identifiers to be displayed in association with the continuously visible selection regions to identify corresponding portions of the electronic message.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message data comprises selection region definition data which, when processed at the user interface of the client, causes the client to display a plurality of selection regions that extend outwardly laterally from the first portion of the electronic message.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message data comprises selection region definition data which, when processed at the user interface of the client, causes the client to display a plurality of selection regions that extend outwardly upwardly from the first portion of the electronic message.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second message data comprises selection region definition data which, when processed at the user interface of the client, causes the client to display a plurality of selection regions that extend outwardly downwardly from the first portion of the electronic message.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message data defines an electronic mail message having a plurality of message pages.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message data comprises selection region definition data which, when processed at the user interface of the client, causes the client to display a toolbar of functions for manipulating the multiple-part electronic message within a user interface panel that contains the first message portion.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first message data further comprises one or more executable application building blocks, and further comprising the steps of:

executing the one or more application building blocks to result in creating and storing one or more then-current dynamic data values as part of the first message portion;

providing the one or more dynamic data values to the client as part of the first message portion.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving one or more then-current dynamic data values from a database;

rendering the dynamic data values as part of the first message portion;

providing the one or more dynamic data values to the client as part of the first message portion.

15. A data processing apparatus comprising:

a memory device configured to store electronic message data;

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory device; and

one or more sequences of instructions in the memory device which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

generating first message data, wherein the first message data defines at least a first message portion and one or more selection regions for selectively displaying one or more other message portions of a multiple-part electronic message having a plurality of message portions, wherein only one message portion among the first message portion and the other message portions is visible at a time when the first message data is displayed at a client;

providing the first message data to a client;

receiving from the client a request for a second portion of the electronic message selected from among the other message portions;

generating second message data which, when processed at a user interface of the client, causes the client to display the second portion of the electronic message and to hide the first message portion;

providing the second message data to the client;

wherein the step of generating first message data comprises the steps of generating first message data that defines at least a first message page, one or more selection regions for one or more other message pages of a multiple-page electronic message having a plurality of message pages, and a plurality of sub-pages of the first message page,

further comprising the steps of;

receiving a selection of a sub-page of the first message page;

generating third message data that defines the selected sub-page of the first message page and which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display the selected sub-page of the electronic message;

providing the third message data to the client.

16. An apparatus for processing a request to display an electronic message, comprising:

means for generating first message data, wherein the first message data defines at least a first message portion and one or more selection regions for selectively displaying one or more other message portions of a multiple-part electronic message having a plurality of message portions, wherein only one message portion among the first message portion and the other message portions is visible at a time when the first message data is displayed at a client;

means for providing the first message data to a client;

means for receiving from the client a request for a second portion of the electronic message selected from among the other message portions;

means for generating second message data which, when processed at a user interface of the client, causes the client to display the second portion of the electronic message and to hide the first message portion;

means for providing the second message data to the client;

wherein the means for generating first message data comprises means for generating first message data that defines at least a first message page, one or more selection regions for one or more other message pages of a multiple-page electronic message having a plurality of message pages, and a plurality of sub-pages of the first message page,

further comprising;

means for receiving a selection of a sub-page of the first message page;

means for generating third message data that defines the selected sub-page of the first message page and which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display the selected sub-page of the electronic message;

means for providing the third message data to the client.

17. A computer-readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions for processing a request to display an electronic message, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

generating first message data, wherein the first message data defines at least a first message portion and one or more selection regions for selectively displaying one or more other message portions of a multiple-part electronic message having a plurality of message portions, wherein only one message portion among the first message portion and the other message portions is visible at a time when the first message data is displayed at a client;

providing the first message data to a client;

receiving from the client a request for a second portion of the electronic message selected from among the other message portions;

generating second message data which, when processed at a user interface of the client, causes the client to display the second portion of the electronic message and to hide the first message portion;

providing the second message data to the client;

wherein the step of generating first message data comprises the steps of generating first message data that defines at least a first message page, one or more selection regions for one or more other message pages of a multiple-page electronic message having a plurality of message pages, and a plurality of sub-pages of the first message page,

further comprising the steps of;

receiving a selection of a sub-page of the first message page;

generating third message data that defines the selected sub-page of the first message page and which, when processed at the user interface, causes the user interface to display the selected sub-page of the electronic message;

providing the third message data to the client.