Dynamic-template incorporation of digital images in an electronic mail message

• US 7,380,212 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Joshi, Tanuja Abhay, Cody, Brian R., Day, DeEtte M., Fortini, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonshock; Dennis G.
• Application Number:
  US10/391,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,897 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752, 715/780, 715/908, 715/520, 715/748, 715/838
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and system for execution in a graphical user interface environment are provided to incorporate digital image files in an email message. A template layout gallery is presented that includes a plurality of template layouts for digital image files for possible inclusion in the email message. When an indication is received that at least one digital image file is selected to be included in the email message and that one of the template layouts is to be applied to the at least one selected digital image file, the selected layout is created within the email message body according to the selected template. Prior to sending, the images are compressed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for execution in a graphical user interface environment to dynamically layout digital image files in an email message, comprising:

presenting on the graphical user interface a template layout gallery including a plurality of template layouts, each template layout defining one or more recurring units for possible inclusion of at least one digital image file in the email message, wherein defining comprises identifying a digital-image size from a plurality of digital-image sizes, identifying a text-box location from a plurality of possible text-box locations that provide the position of a text box in relation to the digital image, and directly associating the identified digital-image size and identified text-box location to form a common formatting;

receiving an indication that at least one digital image file is selected to be included in the email message;

receiving an indication that one of the template layouts is selected for inclusion of the at least one selected digital image file in the email message; and

creating within the email message a layout according to the selected template layout by incorporating each of the at least one selected digital image file in the one or more recurring units, each recurring unit corresponding with one of the at least one selected digital image file and specifying the common formatting, as defined by the template layout, that directly associates a text box to each of the at least one selected digital image file such that each text box is commonly located, according to the identified text-box location, in relation to each of the associated at least one selected digital image, respectively, and adjusts the size of the at least one selected digital image file, according to the identified digital image size, and

wherein the direct association of the text box and the at least one selected digital image file causes the text box to automatically adjust from a first location to a second location within the layout upon a user moving the at least one digital image file from the first location to the second location.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the template layouts within the template layout gallery includes at least one template layout defining one or more recurring units specifying a common formatting, wherein the common formatting comprises a digital-image-size attribute and a text-box-location attribute that provides the position of the text box in relation to the associated at least one selected digital image file.

3. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising first creating the template layout gallery by defining the plurality of layouts for images within the email message.

4. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3, wherein, prior to the presenting step, the method comprises:

monitoring for a user indication of the desire to send image files in the email message; and

upon receiving a user indication of the desire to send image files, presenting the template layout gallery on the graphical user interface.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, upon incorporating the image into the email message, presenting image editing options to the user on the graphical user interface.

6. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising monitoring for a user change of desired image layout, and upon receiving the user change, redisplaying the selected images according to the user change of the desired image layout.

8. A computer storage medium having a tangible component embodying computer-usable instructions for executing the method of claim 1.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that another of the template layouts is selected for inclusion of the at least one selected digital image file in the email message, wherein the other template layout defining one or more recurring units specifying another common formatting; and

automatically applying the other common formatting to the each of the at least one selected digital image file.

10. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication to apply image effects to the at least one selected digital image file in the email message; and

automatically applying the image effects to the each of the at least one selected digital image file.

11. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising automatically providing a single recurring unit upon receiving an indication that an additional digital image file is selected to be included in the email message.

7. A computer system having a processor, a memory and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method as recited in claim.

12. In a computer-implemented email application, an image layout manager implemented in software stored on a computer storage medium having a tangible component, the image layout manager comprising:

a user interface presenting an image layout gallery upon receiving an indication of a desire to send images within the email message, the image layout gallery including a plurality of image template layouts, each image template layout defining one or more recurring units for possible inclusion of images in the email message, wherein defining comprises identifying an image size from a plurality of image sizes, identifying a text-box location from a plurality of possible text-box locations that provide the position of caption text in relation to the images, and directly associating the identified image size and identified text-box location to form a common formatting, wherein the indication to send images comprises;

(1) receiving an indication that images are selected to be included in the email message; and

(2) receiving an indication that one of the plurality of image template layouts is selected for inclusion of the selected image files in the email message; and

a backing data structure to create within the email message a layout according to the selected image template layout by incorporating each of the selected images in the one or more recurring units, and to store the caption text corresponding to the images within one or more recurring units that specify the common formatting for the images selected by the user for sending, wherein, upon selecting a common formatting that hides the caption text, persistently storing the caption text in association with the corresponding images, wherein the caption text reappears upon selecting a common formatting that displays images with corresponding caption text,

wherein each recurring unit corresponds with one of the images, as defined by the template layout that directly associates the caption text to each of the selected images such that each caption text is commonly located, according to the identified test-box location, in relation to each of the associated selected images, respectively, and such that the size of the selected images is adjusted according to the identified image size, and

wherein the direct association of the caption text and the selected image causes the caption text to automatically adjust from a first location to a second location within the layout upon a user moving the image from the first location to the second location.

13. An image layout manager as recited in claim 12, further comprising a compression agent to compress any images within the email message prior to sending the email message.

14. An email image program embodied on a computer storage medium having a tangible component, the email image program comprising instructions for:

presenting on a graphical user interface a template layout gallery for images within an email message, the layout gallery including a plurality of template layouts, each template layout defining one or more recurring units for possible inclusion of at least one digital image file in the email message, wherein defining comprises identifying a digital-image size from a plurality of digital-image sizes, identifying a text-box location from a plurality of possible text-box locations that provide the position of a text box in relation to the digital image, and directly associating the identified digital-image size and identified text-box location to form a single formatting;

receiving an indication that one of the template layouts is to be applied;

receiving an indication that the at least one digital image file is selected to be included in the email message; and

creating within the email message a layout according to the selected template layout by incorporating each of the at least one selected digital image file in the one or more recurring units, each recurring unit corresponding with one of the at least one selected digital image file and specifying the single formatting, as defined by the template layout that directly associates a text box to each of the at least one selected digital image file such that each text box is commonly located in relation to each of the associated at least one selected digital image, respectively, and

wherein the direct association of the text box and the at least one selected digital image file causes the text box to automatically adjust from a first location to a second location within the layout upon a user moving the at least one digital image file from the first location to the second location.

15. An email image program as recited in claim 14 further comprising instructions for:

monitoring for a user selection of additional image files to be included in the email message; and

incorporating the user-selected additional image files into the email message by adding additional recurring units for the user-selected additional image files.

16. An email image program as recited in claim 15, further comprising instructions for:

compressing, prior to sending the message, the user selected image files; and

sending the email message.

17. A user interface for use in an email context and embodied on a computer storage medium having a tangible component, the user interface comprising:

a message body area; and

a template layout gallery including a plurality of possible image layouts, displayed upon receiving an indication from a user a desire to include images within the message body, wherein each possible image layout defines one or more recurring units that specify a common formatting of the images, wherein defining each of the one or more recurring units comprises selecting a digital-image size from a plurality of digital-image sizes, selecting a text-box location from a plurality of possible text-box locations that provide the position of a text box in relation to the digital image, and directly associating the identified digital-image size and identified text-box location to form the common formatting, wherein the indication to include images in the message body comprises;

(1) receiving an indication that images are selected to be included in the email message; and

(2) receiving an indication that one of the plurality of possible image layouts is selected for inclusion of the selected image files in the email message,

wherein a layout is created within the email message a according to the selected possible image layouts by incorporating each of the selected images in the one or more recurring units,

wherein each recurring unit corresponds with each selected digital image file and specifying the common formatting, as defined by the template layout that directly associates each text box to each of the selected digital image files such that each text box is commonly located in relation to each of the associated selected digital images, respectively, and such that the size of the selected digital image file is adjusted according to the identified digital-image size, and

wherein the direct association of the text box and the selected digital image files causes the text box to automatically adjust from a location to a second location within the layout upon a user moving the digital image file from the first location to the second location.

18. A user interface as recited in claim 17, wherein the possible image layouts within the template layout gallery include at least one image layout defining the one or more recurring units for display of a first size image on the graphical user interface and at least one image layout defining one or more recurring units for display of a second size image on the graphical user interface.

19. A user interface as recited in claim 18, wherein each layout within the layout gallery is graphically represented.