Method and system for generating and presenting conversation threads having email, voicemail and chat messages

• US 7,769,144 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rideout, Ariel L., Sego, Michael D., Yao, Rose
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HEMANT SHANTILAL
• Application Number:
  US11/459,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8811- 8814, 379/88.17, 455/412.2, 455/413, 455/414.4, 709202-203, 715201-203, 715/205, 715210-211, 715/273, 715/700, 715/717, 715/733, 715/744, 715/752, 715/758, 715/765, 715/853
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72433 for voice messaging, e.g. dictaphones for answering incoming calls H04M1/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems

Abstract

When an electronic message with a voicemail attachment is received, an audio player object and a reply by chat object are displayed simultaneously along with the electronic message. A reply to the electronic message, whether by chat or by email, is associated with the same thread as the electronic message. The electronic message with the voicemail attachment is associated with a conversation thread that may also include chat messages and email messages. In a conversation view of a respective conversation thread, representations of an electronic voicemail message (an electronic message having a voicemail attachment), one or more chat messages and one or more email messages may be displayed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

on a client device;

receiving data representing a plurality of conversation threads, at least a first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message;

displaying a list of the conversation threads; and

in response to a selection of the first conversation thread from the list of conversation threads, ceasing to display the list of conversation threads, and simultaneously displaying a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, including displaying a voicemail icon in a representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a respective email message in the first conversation thread is a response to a respective electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first conversation thread includes at least one chat message, and the displaying includes simultaneously displaying a representation of the at least one chat message, the at least one email message and the at least one voicemail message.

4. The method of claim 1, including, in response to a selection of a first compressed representation of a respective message of the multiple messages, replacing the display of the first compressed representation of the respective message with an uncompressed representation of the respective message that is displayed at a location of the first compressed representation within the ordered list.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each respective electronic voicemail message has an associated audio data file;

the method including, upon user selection of a compressed representation of a respective electronic voicemail message, displaying simultaneously an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data file associated with the user selected electronic voicemail message and a chat reply object, wherein selection of the chat reply object by a user initiates a chat session associated with the audio data file.

6. A computer implemented method, comprising:

on a server system;

receiving an electronic voicemail message, wherein the electronic voicemail message is associated with audio data, wherein the electronic voicemail message and the audio data are associated with a first conversation thread;

generating data representing a plurality of conversation threads, the plurality of conversation threads including at least the first conversation thread, the first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message, and delivering the data to a client device for display on the client device;

receiving a request from the client device indicative of the selection of the first conversation thread of the plurality of conversation threads; and

in response to the request, generating a representation of the first conversation thread that includes a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, for simultaneous display at the client device when the client device ceases to display the plurality of conversation threads, the representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread including a voicemail icon, and delivering the representation of the first conversation thread to the client device;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

7. The method of claim 6, including:

delivering the electronic voicemail message to the client device;

receiving a reply to the electronic voicemail message from the client device;

associating the reply with the first conversation thread; and

updating the data representing the first conversation thread to include data representing the reply to the electronic voicemail message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reply comprises an email message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first conversation thread has an associated conversation ID that is assigned to the email message and the electronic voicemail message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the conversation ID is also assigned to at least one chat message, wherein the at least one chat message is associated with the first conversation thread.

11. A system, comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more modules stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more modules comprising;

instructions to receive data representing a plurality of conversation threads, at least a first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message;

instructions to display a list of the conversation threads; and

instructions to, in response to a selection of the first conversation thread from the list of conversation threads, cease to display the list of conversation threads, and simultaneously display a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, including displaying a voicemail icon in a representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

12. A system, comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more modules stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more modules comprising;

instructions to receive an electronic voicemail message, wherein the electronic message is associated with audio data, wherein the electronic voicemail message and the audio data are associated with a first conversation thread;

instructions to generate data representing a plurality of conversation threads, the plurality of conversation threads including at least the first conversation thread, the first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message, and delivering the data to a client device, for display on the client device; and

instructions to generate, in response to a request from the client device indicative of the selection of a first conversation thread of the plurality of conversation threads, a representation of the first conversation thread that includes a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, for simultaneous display at the client device when the client device ceases to display the plurality of conversation threads, an ordered list of representations of the multiple messages, the representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread including a voicemail icon, and delivering the representation of the first conversation thread to the client device;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

13. A system, comprising:

means for receiving data representing a plurality of conversation threads, at least a first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message;

means for displaying a list of the conversation threads; and

means for, in response to a selection of the first conversation thread from the list of conversation threads, to display the list of conversation threads, and simultaneously displaying a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, including displaying a voicemail icon in a representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

14. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions to receive data representing a plurality of conversation threads, at least a first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message;

instructions to display a list of the conversation threads; and

instructions to, in response to a selection of the first conversation thread from the list of conversation threads, cease to display the list of conversation threads, and simultaneously display a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, including displaying a voicemail icon in a representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein a respective email message in the first conversation thread is a response to a respective electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first conversation thread includes at least one chat message, and the computer program mechanism includes instructions for simultaneously displaying a representation of the at least one chat message, the at least one email message and the at least one voicemail message.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program mechanism includes instructions to, in response to a selection of a first compressed representation of a respective message of the multiple messages, replace the display of the first compressed representation of the respective message with an uncompressed representation of the respective message that is displayed at a location of the first compressed representation within the ordered list.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein each respective electronic voicemail message has an associated audio data file, and the computer program mechanism includes instructions for responding to user selection of a compressed representation of a respective electronic voicemail message by displaying simultaneously an audio player object configured for playing back the audio data file associated with the user selected electronic voicemail message and a chat reply object, wherein selection of the chat reply object by a user initiates a chat session associated with the audio data file.

19. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising:

instructions to receive an electronic voicemail message, wherein the electronic voicemail message is associated with audio data, wherein the electronic voicemail message and the audio data are associated with a first conversation thread;

instructions to generate data representing a plurality of conversation threads, the plurality of conversation threads including at least the first conversation thread, the first conversation thread comprising multiple distinct electronic messages, including at least one email message and at least one electronic voicemail message, and delivering the data to a client device, for display on the client device; and

instructions to generate, in response to a request from the client device indicative of the selection of a first conversation thread of the plurality of conversation threads, a representation of the first conversation thread that includes a contiguous ordered list of representations of the multiple messages in the first conversation thread, for simultaneous display at the client device when the client device ceases to display the plurality of conversation threads, an ordered list of representations of the multiple messages, the representation of each electronic voicemail message in the first conversation thread including a voicemail icon, and delivering the representation of the first conversation thread to the client device;

wherein the ordered list includes a single representation for each message of the multiple messages and the representations in the ordered list include a compressed representation for at least one of the multiple messages and an uncompressed representation for at least another one of the multiple messages, and a compressed representation of a respective message displays less information of the respective message than an uncompressed representation of the respective message; and

when the ordered list includes a compressed representation of a voicemail message, the compressed representation of the voicemail message includes a voicemail icon, and when the ordered list includes a uncompressed representation of a voicemail message, the uncompressed representation of the voicemail message includes an audio player object configured for playing back the voicemail message.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, the one or more programs further comprising:

instructions to deliver the electronic voicemail message to the client device;

instructions to receive a reply to the electronic voicemail message from the client device; and

instructions to associate the reply with the first conversation thread.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the reply comprises an email message.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first conversation thread has an associated conversation ID that is assigned to the email message and the electronic voicemail message.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the conversation ID is also assigned to at least one chat message, wherein the at least one chat message is associated with the first conversation thread.