Method, apparatus and computer program product for managing e-mail messages

• US 7,213,210 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2003
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Reysa, John Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US10/406,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 715/703, 715/752, 715/809, 715/963, 705/9
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

In a method form, the invention includes generating a first snooze button associated with a user interface for displaying e-mail messages, wherein the e-mail messages have been sent to the user. A dialog box is generated responsive to user activation of an instance of the first snooze button associated with a displayed one of the e-mail messages. The dialog box displays at least one time field for specifying a time and a second snooze button. The e-mail message is moved from the user inbox to a snooze folder responsive to user activation of the second snooze button. The e-mail message is re-sent from the snooze folder back to the user inbox responsive occurrence of a time specified in the a least one time field.

Claims

1. A method for managing e-mail messages comprising:

a) generating a first snooze button associated with a user interface for displaying e-mail messages, wherein the e-mail messages have been sent to the user;

b) generating a dialog box responsive to user activation of an instance of the first snooze button associated with a displayed one of the e-mail messages, wherein the dialog box displays a second snooze button and at least one time field for specifying a time;

c) removing the e-mail message from the user inbox and moving the message to a snooze folder responsive to user activation of the second snooze button;

d) initiating a timing process for the e-mail message responsive to a time specified in the at least one time field and responsive to the user activation of the second snooze button; and

e) re-sending the e-mail message from the snooze folder back to the user inbox responsive to the timing process detecting occurrence of the time specified in the a least one time field.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

displaying, in a message list of the e-mail messages in the user inbox, an indication that the message has been removed from and subsequently re-sent to the user inbox.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the e-mail message was originally sent to the user at a first certain time and in step e) the e-mail is re-sent at a second certain time, and wherein the method comprises the step of replacing, in a portion of the e-mail, the first certain time with the second certain time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method comprises the step of inserting text in a portion of the e-mail message, wherein the text indicates the first certain time and indicates that the e-mail message has been re-sent to the inbox.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one time field includes a first field for specifying a date and a second field for specifying a time of day.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising the step of specifying a default time automatically in the at least one time field.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the e-mail message was originally sent to the user at a first certain time and in step e) the e-mail is re-sent at a second certain time, and wherein the method comprises the step of displaying both the first and second dates for the message in an display of a list of e-mail messages.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory having instructions operable with the processor for managing e-mail messages to perform the steps of;

a) generating a first snooze button associated with a user interface for displaying e-mail messages, wherein the e-mail messages have been sent to the user;

b) generating a dialog box responsive to user activation of an instance of the first snooze button associated with a displayed one of the e-mail messages, wherein the dialog box displays a second snooze button and at least one time field for specifying a time;

c) removing the e-mail message from the user inbox and moving the message to a snooze folder responsive to user activation of the second snooze button;

d) initiating a timing process for the e-mail message responsive to a time specified in the at least one time field and responsive to the user activation of the second snooze button; and

e) re-sending the e-mail message from the snooze folder back to the user inbox responsive to the timing process detecting occurrence of the time specified in the a least one time field.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the memory including instructions operable with the processor to perform the step of:

displaying, in a message list of the e-mail messages in the user inbox, an indication that the message has been removed from and subsequently re-sent to the user inbox.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the e-mail message was originally sent to the user at a first certain time and in step e) the e-mail is re-sent at a second certain time, the memory including instructions operable with the processor to perform the step of:

replacing, in a portion of the e-mail, the first certain time with the second certain time.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the memory including instructions operable with the processor to perform the step of:

inserting text in a portion of the e-mail message, wherein the text indicates the first certain time and indicates that the e-mail message has been re-sent to the inbox.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one time field includes a first field for specifying a date and a second field for specifying a time of day.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, the memory including instructions operable with the processor to perform the step of:

specifying a default time automatically in the at least one time field.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the e-mail message was originally sent to the user at a first certain time and in step e) the e-mail is re-sent at a second certain time, the memory including instructions operable with the processor to perform the step of:

displaying both the first and second dates for the message in an display of a list of e-mail messages.

15. A computer program product for use in managing e-mail messages, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage media comprising:

first instructions for generating a first snooze button associated with a user interface for displaying e-mail messages, wherein the e-mail messages have been sent to the user;

second instructions for generating a dialog box responsive to user activation of an instance of the first snooze button associated with a displayed one of the e-mail messages, wherein the dialog box displays a second snooze button and at least one time field for specifying a time;

third instructions for removing the e-mail message from the user inbox and moving the message to a snooze folder responsive to user activation of the second snooze button;

fourth instructions for initiating a timing process for the e-mail message responsive to a time specified in the at least one time field and responsive to the user activation of the second snooze button; and

fifth instructions for re-sending the e-mail message from the snooze folder back to the user inbox responsive to the timing process detecting occurrence of the time specified in the at least one time field.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage media comprising:

instructions for displaying, in a message list of the e-mail messages in the user inbox, an indication that the message has been removed from and subsequently re-sent to the user inbox.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the e-mail message was originally sent to the user at a first certain time and wherein responsive to the fifth instructions the e-mail is re-sent at a second certain time, and wherein the instructions include instructions for replacing, in a portion of the e-mail, the first certain time with the second certain time.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, the computer readable storage media comprising:

instructions for inserting text in a portion of the e-mail message, wherein the text indicates the first certain time and indicates that the e-mail message has been re-sent to the inbox.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one time field includes a first field for specifying a date and a second field for specifying a time of day.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage media comprising:

instructions for specifying a default time automatically in the at least one time field.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the e-mail message was originally sent to the user at a first certain time and wherein responsive to the fifth instructions the e-mail is re-sent at a second certain time, the computer readable storage media comprising:

instructions for displaying both the first and second dates for the message in an display of a list of e-mail messages.