Multiple display regions in a unified message inbox

• US 8,539,361 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hardy, Michael Thomas, May, Darrell
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US12/168,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20090144655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752, 715/803
• US Class Current: 715/752
• 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

Abstract

Various embodiments are provided herein of a method of displaying an inbox window of a message application. The method includes partitioning a display of the inbox window into a first message display region and a second message display region, displaying located messages that satisfy user-defined designation criteria in the first message display region; and displaying remaining messages of the inbox window in the second message display region. The method can be performed by a communications device and can also be stored as program code on a computer readable medium.

Claims

1. A method implemented at a communication device, the method comprising:

associating a first one of a plurality of sets of designation criteria with a first display region and a second one of a plurality of sets of designation criteria with a second display region, each of the plurality of sets of designation criteria being defined with respect to a different message attribute, the first and second display regions being displayable in a single view on a display of the communication device;

identifying messages for display in the first display region by;

identifying any messages satisfying the first one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria; and

identifying any messages expressly designated by a user for display in the first display region;

identifying messages for display in the second region by;

identifying any messages satisfying the second one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria; and

identifying any messages expressly designated by the user for display in the second display region;

displaying, in the first display region, a listing of the messages identified for display in the first display region;

concurrently displaying, in the second display region, a listing of the messages identified for display in the second display region;

after a new message is received at the communication device, providing a prompt for user designation of either the first display region or the second display region for displaying the new message; and

in response to a received user designation of either the first display region or the second display region, associating the new message with the display region thus designated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising partitioning the display into at least the first display region and the second display region.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the single view to include the new message in the display region thus designated.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein updating the single view comprises repeating the identifying the messages for display in the first display region and identifying the messages for display in the second display region.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a selection of another one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria, replacing the displayed first display region with a further display region comprising a listing of messages identified for display in the further display region, while continuing to display the second display region.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the messages identified for display in the further display region comprise messages selected other one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria and messages expressly designated by the user for display in the further display region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the messages satisfying the first one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria overlap the messages satisfying the second one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is partitioned into the first display region, the second display region, and at least one further display region, and the method further comprises concurrently displaying in one of the at least one further display region a listing of messages satisfying a further one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria and messages expressly designated by the user for display in that one of the at least one further display region.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is partitioned into the first display region, the second display region, and a further display region, and the method further comprises concurrently displaying in the further display region a listing of messages not identified for display in either the first or the second display region.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically applying at least one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria to incoming messages.

11. A communication device, including:

a display;

a communication subsystem; and

a processor in communication with the display and the communication subsystem, the processor being configured to enable;

associating a first one of a plurality of sets of designation criteria with a first display region and a second one of a plurality of sets of designation criteria with a second display region, each of the plurality of sets of designation criteria being defined with respect to a different message attribute, the first and second display regions being displayable in a single view on the display;

identifying messages for display in the first display region by;

identifying any messages satisfying the first one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria; and

identifying any messages expressly designated by a user for display in the first display region;

identifying messages for display in the second region by;

identifying any messages satisfying the second one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria; and

identifying any messages expressly designated by the user for display in the second display region;

displaying, in the first display region, a listing of the messages identified for display in the first display region;

concurrently displaying, in the second display region, a listing of the messages identified for display in the second display region;

after a new message is received at the communication device, providing a prompt for user designation of either the first display region or the second display region for displaying the new message; and

in response to a received user designation of either the first display region or the second display region, associating the new message with the display region thus designated.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to enable partitioning the display into at least the first display region and the second display region.

13. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to enable updating the single view to include the new message in the display region thus designated.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein updating the single view comprises repeating the identifying the messages for display in the first display region and identifying the messages for display in the second display region.

15. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to enable, in response to a selection of another one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria, replacing the displayed first display region with a further display region comprising a listing of messages identified for display in the further display region, while continuing to display the second display region.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the messages identified for display in the further display region comprise messages selected other one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria and messages expressly designated by the user for display in the further display region.

17. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the messages satisfying the first one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria overlap the messages satisfying the second one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria.

18. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the display is partitioned into the first display region, the second display region, and at least one further display region, and the method further comprises concurrently displaying in one of the at least one further display region a listing of messages satisfying a further one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria and messages expressly designated by the user for display in that one of the at least one further display region.

19. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the display is partitioned into the first display region, the second display region, and a further display region, and the method further comprises concurrently displaying in the further display region a listing of messages not identified for display in either the first or the second display region.

20. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to enable automatically applying at least one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria to incoming messages.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing code which, when executed by a processor of a communication device, causes the communication device to implement a method of:

associating a first one of a plurality of sets of designation criteria with a first display region and a second one of a plurality of sets of designation criteria with a second display region, each of the plurality of sets of designation criteria being defined with respect to a different message attribute, the first and second display regions being displayable in a single view on a display of the communication device;

identifying messages for display in the first display region by;

identifying any messages satisfying the first one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria; and

identifying any messages expressly designated by a user for display in the first display region;

identifying messages for display in the second region by;

identifying any messages satisfying the second one of the plurality of sets of designation criteria; and

identifying any messages expressly designated by the user for display in the second display region;

displaying, in the first display region, a listing of the messages identified for display in the first display region;

concurrently displaying, in the second display region, a listing of the messages identified for display in the second display region;

after a new message is received at the communication device, providing a prompt for user designation of either the first display region or the second display region for displaying the new message; and

in response to a received user designation of either the first display region or the second display region, associating the new message with the display region thus designated.