Changing presentation of items of information based on message reception frequency

• US 7,567,657 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Foxenland, Eral
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Quoc D
• Application Number:
  US10/555,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20080014982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/142.1, 379/142.15, 379/142.17, 379/93.23, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/457
• US Class Current: 379/142.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

The present invention is directed towards a method, devices, a computer program product and a computer program element for changing the appearance of an item displayed to a user. A first set of electronic messages related to at least one first sender are received and the frequency at which said messages are received is determined. The appearance of at least one item (22, 26, 30) displayed in a view showing items related to received messages is then changed in dependence of said frequency. In this way a user can instantly and directly receive an indication of the messaging frequency.

Claims

1. A method of changing a presentation of a visual item displayed to a user wherein the visual item is an icon identifying at least one first sender, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of electronic messages related to the at least one first sender wherein receiving a first set of electronic messages comprises receiving the first set of electronic messages at an inbox, and wherein the first set of electronic messages comprises e-mail, SMS, MMS, and/or EMS messages,

determining a frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender wherein determining a frequency comprises determining the frequency at which said electronic messages are received at the inbox from the at least one first sender,

changing an appearance of the icon identifying the at least one first sender displayed in a view showing icons related to received electronic messages in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender wherein changing an appearance comprises changing the appearance of the icon identifying the at least one first sender displayed in the view showing icons related to received electronic messages in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received at the inbox from the at least one first sender; and

obtaining content of a received electronic message of the first set of received electronic messages responsive to a clicking on the icon.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said icon is an electronic picture wherein changing the appearance of the icon comprises changing a size, shape, color, blinking, and/or animation of the electronic picture in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least a second set of electronic messages, where the second set of electronic messages relates to at least one second sender and icons are displayed relating to both the at least one first and the second senders in a certain order, wherein determining a frequency is also performed on the at least one second set of electronic messages and the step of changing the appearance comprises changing the order in which the icons are displayed based on the frequencies.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein changing the appearance of the icon is performed on graphics surrounding a number of items of information related to the user.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first set of electronic messages is related to only one first sender.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first set of electronic messages is related to a group of senders.

19. A method according to claim 1 wherein changing the appearance of the icon comprises changing a size, shape, color, blinking, and/or animation of the icon in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender.

23. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

providing text together with the icon to identify a type of electronic message.

7. A device for changing a presentation of a visual item displayed to a user wherein the visual item is an icon identifying at least one first sender, the device comprising:

an electronic message receiving unit configured to receive a first set of electronic messages related to the at least one first sender wherein the electronic message receiving unit is configured to receive the first set of electronic messages related to the at least one first sender at an inbox, and wherein the first set of electronic messages comprises e-mail, SMS, MMS, and/or EMS messages, and

a control unit configured to determine a frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender, and to change an appearance of the icon identifying the at least one first sender displayed in a view showing icons related to received electronic messages in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender, wherein the control unit is configured to determine the frequency at which said electronic messages are received at the inbox from the at least one first sender, and to change the appearance of the icon identifying the at least one first sender displayed in the view showing icons related to received electronic messages in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received at the inbox from the at least one first sender, and wherein the control unit is configured to obtain content of a received electronic message of the first set of received electronic messages responsive to a clicking on the icon.

8. A device according to claim 7, further comprising:

an information presentation unit configured to display said icon in the view showing icons related to received electronic messages.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein said icon is an electronic picture wherein changing the appearance of the icon comprises changing a size, shape, color, blinking, and/or animation of the electronic picture in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender.

10. A device according to claim 7, wherein the electronic message receiving unit is configured to receive at least a second set of electronic messages, which second set of electronic messages relates to at least one second sender and icons are displayed relating to both the at least first and the second senders in a certain order, wherein the control unit is further arranged to determine a frequency also for the second set of electronic messages and when changing the appearance of at least one icon is further arranged to change the order in which the icons are displayed based on the frequencies.

11. A device according to claim 7, wherein the control unit when performing changing of the appearance of the icon is arranged to change the appearance of graphics surrounding a number of icons of information related to the user.

12. A device according to claim 7, wherein the first set of electronic messages are related to only one first sender.

13. A device according to claim 7, wherein the first set of electronic messages are related to a group of senders.

14. A device according to claim 7, wherein the device is a portable electronic device.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein the device is portable communication device.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein the device is a cellular phone.

17. A device according to claim 7, wherein the device is a server.

20. A method according to claim 7 wherein changing the appearance of the icon comprises changing a size, shape, color, blinking, and/or animation of the icon in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender.

24. A device according to claim 7 wherein the controller is further configured to provide text together with the icon to identify a type of electronic message.

18. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program for changing a presentation of a visual item displayed to a user wherein the visual item is an icon identifying at least one first sender, having thereon:

computer program code configured to make a computer or an electronic equipment execute, when said program is loaded in the computer or the electronic equipment,

receiving a first set of electronic messages related to the at least one first sender wherein receiving a first set of electronic messages comprises receiving the first set of electronic messages at an inbox, and wherein the first set of electronic messages comprises e-mail, SMS, MMS, and/or EMS messages,

determining a frequency at which said electronic messages from the at least one first sender are received, wherein determining a frequency comprises determining the frequency at which said electronic messages are received at the inbox, and

changing an appearance of the icon identifying the at least one first sender displayed in a view showing icons related to received electronic messages in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender, wherein changing an appearance comprises changing the appearance of the icon identifying the at least one first sender displayed in the view showing icons related to received electronic messages in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received at the inbox from the at least one first sender; and

obtaining content of a received electronic message of the first set of received electronic messages responsive to a clicking on the icon.

21. A computer readable medium according to claim 18 wherein changing the appearance of the icon comprises changing a size, shape, color, blinking, and/or animation of the icon in dependence of said frequency at which said electronic messages are received from the at least one first sender.

22. A computer readable medium according to claim 21 wherein said icon is an electronic picture.

25. A computer readable medium according to claim 18 wherein text is provided together with the icon to identify a type of electronic message.