System and method for customizable e-mail message notes

• US 8,788,592 B1
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mutreja, Tanu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nooristany, Sulaiman
• Application Number:
  US10/824,735
• Time in Patent Office: 3,750 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and system for e-mail message user notes. E-mail servers may attach and store user notes with e-mail messages. An e-mail server may store user notes as part of user-profiles. Servers may provide notes to e-mail clients as e-mail header fields in e-mail messages and may generate custom header field names from user input. E-mail servers may associate notes with messages only when communicating with a specific e-mail client or may provide different notes for different e-mail clients. E-mail servers may provide custom views including user notes to web browser based e-mail clients. E-mail clients may allow users to specify a set of predefined notes from which specific notes may later be attached to e-mail messages.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a note,

wherein said note is a custom user note comprising user supplied text;

receiving, by an e-mail server, note information,

wherein said note information comprises information for identifying a received e-mail message with which to link, and

wherein at the time said note information is received, said custom user note is not linked to said e-mail message;

receiving, by said e-mail server, said e-mail message from a sender, wherein said e-mail message specifies said sender and specifies a recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said recipient is distinct from said sender;

storing said custom user note on said receiving e-mail server;

linking, by said receiving e-mail server, said custom user note with said e-mail message,

wherein said custom user note and said e-mail message are linked based on said note information,

wherein said linking comprises storing, by said receiving email server, information identifying said e-mail message and indicating that said e-mail message is linked with said custom user note; and

subsequent to said receiving said e-mail message at said email server, supplying, by the receiving email server, both said e-mail message and said custom user note to an e-mail client for said recipient of said e-mail message,

wherein said e-mail message and said custom user note are supplied to the same e-mail client by the receiving email server,

wherein said supplying further comprises including, in response to determining that a user preference indicates that said custom user note should be included in said e-mail message for said e-mail client, said custom user note as a field value of a header field of said e-mail message,

wherein said header field comprises a field name and a field value,

wherein said custom user note is one of a plurality of notes, and

wherein said including comprises determining which one of said plurality of notes should be included based upon said e-mail client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising replacing the user supplied text of said note with different user supplied text.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting said note from the e-mail server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said field name of said header field comprises additional user supplied text.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said e-mail client comprises a web browser based e-mail client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating is performed based upon information in or about said e-mail message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting said note from a set of predefined notes based upon said e-mail client.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting said note from a set of predefined notes based upon information in or about said e-mail message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said e-mail client displays said note as part of summary information related to said e-mail message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising said e-mail client displaying said note in response to a user selection indicating said e-mail message.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said e-mail client collecting said user supplied text from a user;

said e-mail client generating said note from said user supplied text;

said e-mail client supplying said note and said e-mail message to said e-mail server; and

said e-mail client instructing said server to associate said note with said e-mail message.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

said e-mail client collecting different user supplied text from the user;

said e-mail client supplying the different user supplied text to the e-mail server; and

the e-mail client instructing the e-mail server to replace the user-supplied text of the note with the different user supplied text.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the e-mail client instructing the e-mail server to delete said note.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

searching a set of e-mail messages to locate a subset of one or more e-mail messages associated with a user specified note; and

displaying the results of said searching to a user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

said e-mail client sending a search request indicating said user specified note to said e-mail server;

said e-mail server performing said searching in response to receiving said search request; and

said e-mail server sending the results of said searching to said e-mail client.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sorting a set of e-mail messages by their associated user notes; and

displaying the results of said sorting to a user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

said e-mail client sending a sort request to said e-mail server;

said e-mail server performing said sorting in response to receiving said sort request; and

said e-mail server sending the results of said sorting to said e-mail client.

18. A method, comprising:

providing, by a web-browser based e-mail client, a user interface for collecting user supplied text;

generating, by the web-browser based e-mail client, a custom note from said user supplied text;

generating, by the web-browser based e-mail client, custom note information,

wherein said custom note information comprises information for identifying an e-mail message with which to link, and

wherein at the time said custom note information is generated, said custom note is not linked to said e-mail message;

sending, by the web-browser based e-mail client, said custom note and note information to an e-mail server, wherein said custom note is linked with an e-mail message on the e-mail server, wherein the e-mail server stores information identifying the e-mail message and indicating that the e-mail message is linked to said custom note, wherein said e-mail message specifies a sender and specifies a recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said recipient is distinct from said sender; and

receiving, by the web-browser based e-mail client, the e-mail message and said custom note from the e-mail server according to a user preference indicating that said custom note should be included in said e-mail message for said web-browser based e-mail client,

wherein said custom note is included as a field value of a header field of said e-mail message,

wherein said custom note is one of a plurality of notes, and

wherein which one of said plurality of notes is received is determined based upon said web-browser based e-mail client.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the web-browser based e-mail client replacing the user supplied text of the custom note with different user supplied text.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the web-browser based e-mail client deleting the custom note.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

said web-browser based e-mail client storing said note; and

said web-browser based e-mail client receiving said e-mail message in a future e-mail session.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

said web-browser based e-mail client supplying said custom note to said e-mail server; and

said web-browser based e-mail client supplying said custom note information to said e-mail server.

23. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor comprising program instructions configured to;

receive a note,

wherein said note is a custom user note comprising user supplied text;

receive, by an e-mail server, note information,

wherein said note information comprises information for identifying a received e-mail message with which to link, and

wherein at the time said note information is received, said note is not linked to said e-mail message;

receive, by said e-mail server, said e-mail message from a sender, wherein said e-mail message specifies said sender and specifies a recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said recipient is distinct from said sender;

store said note on said e-mail server;

link, on said e-mail server, said note with said e-mail message,

wherein said note and said e-mail message are linked based on said note information, and

wherein said linking comprises storing, by the e-mail server, information identifying said e-mail message and indicating that said e-mail message is linked with said note; and

subsequent to said receiving said e-mail message, supply said e-mail message and said note to an e-mail client for said recipient of said e-mail message,

wherein said e-mail message and said note are supplied to the same e-mail client,

wherein to supply said e-mail message and said note the program instructions are further configured to include, in response to determining that a user preference indicates that said note should be included in said e-mail message for said e-mail client, said note as a field value of a header field of said e-mail message,

wherein said header field comprises a field name and a field value,

wherein said note is one of a plurality of notes, and

wherein to include said e-mail message and said note the program instructions are further configured to determine which one of said plurality of notes should be included based upon said e-mail client.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to replace the user supplied text of the note with different user supplied text.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to delete said note from the e-mail server.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein said field name of said header field comprises additional user supplied text.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein said e-mail client comprises a web browser based e-mail client.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to perform said associating based upon information in or about said e-mail message.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to select said note from a set of predefined notes based upon said e-mail client.

30. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to select said note from a set of predefined notes based upon information in or about said e-mail message.

31. The device of claim 23, wherein said e-mail client displays said note as part of summary information related to said e-mail message.

32. The device of claim 23, wherein said e-mail client displays said note in response to a user selection indicating said e-mail message.

33. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

receive said note and said e-mail message from said e-mail client, wherein said e-mail client is configured to collect said user supplied text from a user and generate said note from said user supplied text; and

in response to said receiving, associate said note with said e-mail message.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the program instructions are further configured to replace the user supplied text of the custom note with different user supplied text.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein the program instructions are further configured to delete the custom note.

36. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

search a set of e-mail messages to locate a subset of one or more e-mail messages associated with a user specified note; and

display the results of said searching to a user.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

receive a search request indicating said user specified note from said e-mail client;

in response to said receiving a search request;

perform said searching in response to receiving said search request; and

send the results of said searching to said e-mail client.

38. The device of claim 23, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

sort a set of e-mail messages by their associated user notes; and

display the results of said sorting to a user.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the program instructions are further configured to:

receive a sort request from said e-mail client; and

in response to receiving a sort request from said e-mail client;

perform said sorting; and

send the results of said sorting to said e-mail client.

40. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to said processor comprising program instructions configured to implement a web-browser based e-mail client, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is configured to;

provide a user interface for collecting user supplied text;

generate a custom note from said user supplied text;

generate custom note information,

wherein said custom note information comprises information for identifying an e-mail message with which to link, and

wherein at the time said custom note information is generated, said custom note is not linked to said e-mail message;

send said custom note and said custom note information to an e-mail server, wherein said custom note is linked with an e-mail message on the e-mail server, wherein the e-mail server stores information identifying the e-mail message and indicating that the e-mail message is linked to said custom note, wherein said e-mail message specifies a sender and specifies a recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said recipient is distinct from said sender; and

receive, by the web-browser based e-mail client, the e-mail message and said custom note from the e-mail server according to a user preference indicating that said custom note should be included in said e-mail message for said web-browser based e-mail client,

wherein said custom note is included as a field value of a header field of said e-mail message,

wherein said custom note is one of a plurality of notes, and

wherein which one of said plurality of notes is received is determined based upon said web-browser based e-mail client.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to replace the user supplied text of the custom note with different user supplied text.

42. The device of claim 40, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to delete the custom note.

43. The device of claim 40, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to:

store said note; and

receive said e-mail message in a future e-mail session.

44. The device of claim 40, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to:

supply said custom note to said e-mail server; and

supply said custom note information to said e-mail server.

45. A non-transitory computer accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

receiving a note,

wherein said note is a custom user note comprising user supplied text;

receiving, by an e-mail server, note information,

wherein said note information comprises information for identifying a received e-mail message with which to link, and

wherein at the time said note information is received, said note is not linked to said e-mail message;

receiving, by said e-mail server, said e-mail message from a sender, wherein said e-mail message specifies said sender and specifies a recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said recipient is distinct from said sender;

storing said note on said e-mail server;

linking, by said e-mail server, said note with said e-mail message,

wherein said note and said e-mail message are linked based on said note information,

wherein said linking comprises, storing, by said e-mail server, information identifying said e-mail message and indicating that said e-mail message is linked with said note; and

subsequent to said receiving said e-mail message, supplying said e-mail message and said note to an e-mail client for said recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said e-mail message and said note are supplied to the same e-mail client,

wherein said supplying further comprises including, in response to determining that a user preference indicates that said note should be included in said e-mail message for said e-mail client, said note as a field value of a header field of said e-mail message,

wherein said note is one of a plurality of notes, and

wherein said including comprises determining which one of said plurality of notes should be included based upon said e-mail client.

46. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement replacing the user supplied text of the note with different user supplied text.

47. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement deleting the note.

48. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein said field name of said header field comprises additional user supplied text.

49. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein said e-mail client comprises a web browser based e-mail client.

50. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein said associating is performed based upon information in or about said e-mail message.

51. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement selecting said note from a set of predefined notes based upon said e-mail client.

52. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, selecting said note from a set of predefined notes based upon information in or about said e-mail message.

53. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement said e-mail client displaying said note as part of summary information related to said e-mail message.

54. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement said e-mail client displaying said note in response to a user selection indicating said e-mail message.

55. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

receiving said note and said e-mail message from said e-mail client, wherein said e-mail client is configured to implement;

collecting said user supplied text from a user;

generating said note from said user supplied text; and

associating said note with said e-mail message in response to receiving said note and said e-mail message.

56. The device of claim 55, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement replacing the user supplied text of the note with different user supplied text.

57. The device of claim 55, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement deleting the custom note.

58. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

searching a set of e-mail messages to locate a subset of one or more e-mail messages associated with a user specified note; and

displaying the results of said searching to a user.

59. The computer accessible medium of claim 58, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

receiving a search request from an e-mail client indicating said user specified note to said e-mail server;

performing said searching in response to receiving said search request; and

sending the results of said searching to said e-mail client.

60. The computer accessible medium of claim 45, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

sorting a set of e-mail messages by their associated user notes; and

displaying the results of said sorting to a user.

61. The computer accessible medium of claim 60, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement:

receiving a sort request from said e-mail client;

performing said sorting in response to receiving said sort request; and

sending the results of said sorting to said e-mail client.

62. A non-transitory computer accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement a web-browser based e-mail client, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is configured to implement:

providing a user interface for collecting user supplied text;

generating a custom note from said user supplied text;

generating custom note information,

wherein said custom note information comprises information for identifying an e-mail message with which to link, and

wherein at the time said custom note information is generated, said custom note is not linked to said e-mail message;

sending said custom note and said custom not information to an e-mail server,

wherein said custom note is linked with an e-mail message on the e-mail server, wherein the e-mail server stores information identifying the e-mail message and indicating that the e-mail message is linked to said custom note, wherein said e-mail message specifies a sender and specifies a recipient of said e-mail message, wherein said recipient is distinct from said sender; and

receiving, by the web-browser based e-mail client, said e-mail message and said custom note from the e-mail server according to a user preference indicating that said custom note should be included in said e-mail message for said web-browser based e-mail client,

wherein said custom note is included as a field value of a header field of said e-mail message,

wherein said custom note is one of a plurality of notes, and

wherein which one of said plurality of notes is received is determined based upon said web-browser based e-mail client.

63. The computer accessible medium of claim 62, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to implement replacing the user supplied text of the custom note with different user supplied text.

64. The computer accessible medium of claim 62, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to implement deleting the custom note.

65. The computer accessible medium of claim 62, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to implement:

storing said note; and

receiving said e-mail message in a future e-mail session.

66. The computer accessible medium of claim 62, wherein the web-browser based e-mail client is further configured to implement:

supplying said custom note to e-mail server; and

supplying said custom note information to said e-mail server.