Priority inbox notifications and synchronization for mobile messaging application

• US 8,312,096 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Gabriel, Ghosh, Debajit, Westbrook, Paul T., Jhanb, Subir
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US12/985,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20120149342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/466, 455/566, 715/803, 715/804, 715/805, 345/168, 345/169
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

At a client device with a display and in a method for displaying messages at the client device, the client device receives message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages. In accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, where priority messages are messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria, the device presents a new mail notification. In accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages, the device foregoes presenting a new mail notification.

Claims

1. A method for presenting notifications, comprising:

at a client device;

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages;

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, wherein priority messages comprise messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria;

presenting a new mail notification, including;

displaying a snippet of at least one unread priority message of the one or more unread priority messages, wherein the snippet includes one or more portions of text in a message body of the at least one unread priority message; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the new mail notification further comprises:

displaying a count of the one or more unread priority messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the new mail notification comprises playing an audible alert.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the client device includes a first audio clip as a default audible alert, the method further comprising:

playing a second audio clip, in place of the first audio clip, as the audible alert.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein playing a second audio clip comprises playing the second audio clip in accordance with a user selection of the second audio clip.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, the method further comprising:

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first messages include one or more unread priority messages;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification for the first messages.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, the method further comprising:

determining a first notification setting for the first account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first notification setting has a first value;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages only if the first messages include one or more unread priority messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first notification setting has a second value;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages;

determining a second notification setting for the second account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second notification setting has the first value;

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages only if the second messages include one or more unread priority messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second notification setting has the second value;

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

in accordance with a priority synchronization setting, the message information received from the server system comprises only message information representing the priority messages.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, wherein receiving the message information from the server system comprises:

determining a first sync setting for the first account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first sync setting has a first value;

receiving the message information, with respect to the first user account, comprises receiving message information only for first messages that are unread priority messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first sync setting has a second value;

receiving the message information for the first messages;

determining a second sync setting for the second account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second sync setting has the first value;

receiving the message information, with respect to the second user account, comprises receiving message information only for second messages that are unread priority messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second sync setting has the second value;

receiving the message information for the second messages.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in accordance with a user command, displaying message information representing messages that satisfy the predefined message importance criteria.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

locally storing messages received from the server system,

updating status of the stored messages, and

in accordance with the user command, displaying message information representing locally stored messages that satisfy the predefined message importance criteria.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in accordance with a user command to view non-priority messages, displaying one or more locally stored messages that do not satisfy the predefined message importance criteria.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the message information further comprises an importance weight for a message in the set of messages, wherein the importance weight is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model and a user importance prediction model.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the importance weight for the message is generated by:

determining a first weight for the message using the global importance prediction model;

determining a second weight for the message using the user importance prediction model; and

combining the first weight and the second weight.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the one or more unread priority messages in a portion of a display that is separate from a portion of the display used to display messages that fail to satisfy the predefined message importance criteria.

13. A client system, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages;

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, wherein priority messages comprise messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria;

presenting a new mail notification, including;

displaying a snippet of at least one unread priority message of the one or more unread priority messages, wherein the snippet includes one or more portions of text in a message body of the at least one unread priority message; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

14. The client system of claim 13, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, and the one or more programs further include instructions for:

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first messages include one or more unread priority messages;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification for the first messages.

15. The client system of claim 13, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, and the one or more programs further include instructions for:

determining a first notification setting for the first account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first notification setting has a first value;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages only if the first messages include one or more unread priority messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first notification setting has a second value;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages;

determining a second notification setting for the second account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second notification setting has the first value;

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages only if the second messages include one or more unread priority messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second notification setting has the second value;

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages.

16. The client system of claim 13, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, wherein the instructions for receiving the message information from the server system comprise instructions for:

determining a first sync setting for the first account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first sync setting has a first value;

receiving the message information, with respect to the first user account, comprises receiving message information only for first messages that are unread priority messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first sync setting has a second value;

receiving the message information for the first messages;

determining a second sync setting for the second account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second sync setting has the first value;

receiving the message information, with respect to the second user account, comprises receiving message information only for second messages that are unread priority messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second sync setting has the second value;

receiving the message information for the second messages.

29. The system of claim 13, wherein the message information further comprises an importance weight for a message in the set of messages, wherein the importance weight is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model and a user importance prediction model.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the importance weight for the message is generated by:

determining a first weight for the message using the global importance prediction model;

determining a second weight for the message using the user importance prediction model; and

combining the first weight and the second weight.

31. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:

displaying the one or more unread priority messages in a portion of a display that is separate from a portion of the display used to display messages that fail to satisfy the predefined message importance criteria.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors of a client system, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages;

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, wherein priority messages comprise messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria;

presenting a new mail notification, including;

displaying a snippet of at least one unread priority message of the one or more unread priority messages, wherein the snippet includes one or more portions of text in a message body of the at least one unread priority message; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, and the one or more programs further include instructions for:

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first messages include one or more unread priority messages;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification for the first messages.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, and the one or more programs further include instructions for:

determining a first notification setting for the first account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first notification setting has a first value;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages only if the first messages include one or more unread priority messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first notification setting has a second value;

presenting a new mail notification for the first messages;

determining a second notification setting for the second account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second notification setting has the first value;

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages only if the second messages include one or more unread priority messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second notification setting has the second value;

presenting a new mail notification for the second messages.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the message information from the server system includes message information for first messages for a first user account and message information for second messages for a second user account, wherein the instructions for receiving the message information from the server system comprise instructions for:

determining a first sync setting for the first account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first sync setting has a first value;

receiving the message information, with respect to the first user account, comprises receiving message information only for first messages that are unread priority messages;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the first sync setting has a second value;

receiving the message information for the first messages;

determining a second sync setting for the second account;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second sync setting has the first value;

receiving the message information, with respect to the second user account, comprises receiving message information only for second messages that are unread priority messages; and

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the second sync setting has the second value;

receiving the message information for the second messages.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the message information further comprises an importance weight for a message in the set of messages, wherein the importance weight is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model and a user importance prediction model.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the importance weight for the message is generated by:

determining a first weight for the message using the global importance prediction model;

determining a second weight for the message using the user importance prediction model; and

combining the first weight and the second weight.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:

displaying the one or more unread priority messages in a portion of a display that is separate from a portion of the display used to display messages that fail to satisfy the predefined message importance criteria.

21. A method for presenting notifications, comprising:

at a client device;

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages;

responding to receiving the message information by;

when a foreground application executed by the client device is not a predefined message application;

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, wherein priority messages comprise messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria;

presenting a new mail notification, the new mail notification being independent of the predefined message application; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification; and

when the foreground application executed by the client device is the predefined message application;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, when the foreground application executed by the client device is the predefined message application, presenting a portion of the received message information, if any, that is consistent with a currently displayed view of the predefined message application.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising, when the currently displayed view of the predefined message application is a priority inbox view, presenting message information for any unread priority messages that is included in the received message information.

24. A client system, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages;

responding to receiving the message information by;

when a foreground application executed by the client device is not a predefined message application;

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, wherein priority messages comprise messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria;

presenting a new mail notification, the new mail notification being independent of the predefined message application; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification; and

when the foreground application executed by the client device is the predefined message application;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors of a client system, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages;

responding to receiving the message information by;

when a foreground application executed by the client device is not a predefined message application;

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages, wherein priority messages comprise messages that satisfy predefined message importance criteria;

presenting a new mail notification, the new mail notification being independent of the predefined message application; and

in accordance with a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification; and

when the foreground application executed by the client device is the predefined message application;

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.