User interface for context sensitive creation of electronic mail message handling rules
First Claim
1. A method for providing a user interface for defining an electronic message handling rule, the method comprising:
- receiving a request to create the electronic message handling rule, wherein receiving the request to create the electronic message handling rule comprises receiving the request to create the electronic message handling rule from a user interface button displayed within an electronic message reading pane;
in response to the request, identifying a context in which the request to create the electronic message handling rule was received, the identified context being associated with receiving a subscription alert, wherein receiving the subscription alert comprises;
receiving an electronic mail message,parsing the electronic mail message to determine whether the electronic mail message was generated by the subscription alert,in response to determining that the electronic mail message was generated by the subscription alert, providing the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, andproviding a preview of the electronic mail message generated by the subscription alert, wherein providing the preview of the electronic mail message generated by the subscription alert comprises providing the preview of the electronic mail message in the reading pane; and
providing, in response to a selection of the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, a user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule, wherein providing, in response to the selection of the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, the user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule comprises customizing a contents of the user interface based on the identified context associated with an operation on the electronic mail message, the operation comprising one of the following;
reading the electronic mail message, selecting the electronic mail message, and creating the subscription alert associated with the electronic mail message, wherein providing, in response to the selection of the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, the user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule further comprises providing;
a first user interface object for defining at least one condition for the electronic message handling rule, wherein the at least one condition is automatically pre-selected and a user does not make any selections regarding the at least one condition,a second user interface object for defining at least one action to be performed when the at least one condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one action to be performed comprises at least one of the following;
displaying a new item alert window, selecting a sound, playing the selected sound, previewing the selected sound, moving the electronic mail message to a selected folder, speaking selected text, and previewing the selected text, anda third user interface object for defining the electronic message handling rule that contains all possible actions and all possible conditions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A contextually sensitive user interface for defining an e-mail message handling rule is provided. The user interface includes one or more user interface objects for specifying conditions for the rule and one or more user interface objects for defining the actions to be performed if the specified conditions are met. The conditions that are displayed within the user interface for selection are chosen, at least in part, based upon the context in which a request to create the e-mail handling rule is received. The displayed conditions may be based, in part, upon the contexts of reading an e-mail message, creating an e-mail message, creating an alert subscription, or selecting a user name.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for providing a user interface for defining an electronic message handling rule, the method comprising:
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receiving a request to create the electronic message handling rule, wherein receiving the request to create the electronic message handling rule comprises receiving the request to create the electronic message handling rule from a user interface button displayed within an electronic message reading pane; in response to the request, identifying a context in which the request to create the electronic message handling rule was received, the identified context being associated with receiving a subscription alert, wherein receiving the subscription alert comprises; receiving an electronic mail message, parsing the electronic mail message to determine whether the electronic mail message was generated by the subscription alert, in response to determining that the electronic mail message was generated by the subscription alert, providing the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, and providing a preview of the electronic mail message generated by the subscription alert, wherein providing the preview of the electronic mail message generated by the subscription alert comprises providing the preview of the electronic mail message in the reading pane; and providing, in response to a selection of the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, a user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule, wherein providing, in response to the selection of the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, the user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule comprises customizing a contents of the user interface based on the identified context associated with an operation on the electronic mail message, the operation comprising one of the following;
reading the electronic mail message, selecting the electronic mail message, and creating the subscription alert associated with the electronic mail message, wherein providing, in response to the selection of the user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, the user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule further comprises providing;a first user interface object for defining at least one condition for the electronic message handling rule, wherein the at least one condition is automatically pre-selected and a user does not make any selections regarding the at least one condition, a second user interface object for defining at least one action to be performed when the at least one condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one action to be performed comprises at least one of the following;
displaying a new item alert window, selecting a sound, playing the selected sound, previewing the selected sound, moving the electronic mail message to a selected folder, speaking selected text, and previewing the selected text, anda third user interface object for defining the electronic message handling rule that contains all possible actions and all possible conditions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A contextually sensitive user interface for defining an electronic message handling rule, the user interface comprising:
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a first user interface object provided to a display device for defining at least one condition for the electronic message handling rule, wherein the at least one condition is automatically pre-selected and a user does not make any selections regarding the at least one condition, based on an identified context in which a request to create the electronic message handling rule was received, the identified context corresponding to receiving a subscription alert, wherein receiving the subscription alert comprises; receiving an electronic mail message, parsing the electronic mail message to determine whether the electronic mail message was generated by the subscription alert, in response to determining that the electronic mail message was generated by the subscription alert, providing a user interface button for creating the electronic message handling rule, and providing a preview of the electronic mail message generated by the subscription alert, wherein providing the preview of the electronic mail message generated by the subscription alert comprises providing the preview of the electronic mail message in a reading pane of a software for proving the electronic mail message; a second user interface object for defining at least one action to be performed if the at least one specified condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one action to be performed comprises at least one of the following;
displaying a new item alert window, selecting a sound, playing the selected sound, previewing the selected sound, moving the electronic mail message to a selected folder, speaking selected text, and previewing the selected text; anda third user interface object for defining the electronic message handling rule that contains all of the possible actions and all of the possible conditions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for providing a user interface for defining an electronic message handling rule, the system comprising:
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a memory storage; and a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to; receive a request to create the electronic message handling rule from a user interface button displayed within an electronic message reading pane; in response to the request, identify a context in which the request to create the electronic message handling rule was received, wherein the identified context comprises a context selected from one of;
a creation of an alert subscription comprising a generation of an alert electronic mail message and a receipt of the alert subscription comprising;a receipt of the generated alert electronic mail message, a parsing of the generated alert electronic message to determine whether the generated alert electronic mail message was generated by the alert subscription, and in response to a determination that the generated alert electronic mail message was generated by the alert subscription, a provision of a user interface button for configured to create the electronic message handling rule, and a preview of the generated alert electronic mail message generated by the alert subscription, wherein the preview of the generated alert electronic mail message generated by the alert subscription comprises providing the preview of the generated alert electronic mail message in the reading pane; and provide a user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule, wherein a contents of the user interface is customized based on the identified context associated with an operation on the electronic mail message, the operation comprising one of the following;
a reading of an electronic mail message, selecting the electronic mail message, and a creation of the alert subscription associated with the electronic mail message, wherein the user interface for defining the electronic message handling rule comprises;a first user interface portion for defining at least one condition for the electronic message handling rule, wherein the at least one condition is automatically pre-selected and a user does not make any selections regarding the at least one condition, a second user interface portion for defining at least one action to be performed if the at least one condition is satisfied, wherein the at least one action to be performed comprises at least one of the following;
a display of a new item alert window, a selection of a sound, a playing of the selected sound, a preview of the selected sound, a moving of the electronic message to a selected folder, a speaking of selected text, and a preview of the selected text, anda third user interface portion for defining the electronic message handling rule that contains all possible actions and all possible conditions.
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Specification