Method and system for processing electronic mail

• US 8,904,292 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Kun, Fan, Zhi-Hua, Ahlenius, Mark T, Detter, Craig J, Ferrans, James C
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US12/633,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and system for processing email messages are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the method includes receiving a first signal input indicative of a request that contents of a selected email message be displayed on a display associated with a client computer device, wherein the contents are stored in a memory device associated with a server computer device and include contents of at least one other email message. The method further includes causing displaying of the contents of the selected email message for reviewing by the user. The method additionally includes making a determination of whether the contents of the at least one other email message have been reviewed by the user during the user'"'"'s review of the contents of the selected email message, and providing an indication regarding whether or to what extent the at least one other email message has been read based upon the determination.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a client device with a display;

displaying, on the display, an inbox of a user in an email application, the inbox containing a list of email messages received for the user, including a first received email message and a second received email message, wherein;

the first received email message and the second received email message are part of a same email message thread;

the first received email message and the second received email message are displayed as separate, distinct listings in the list of email messages received for the user;

a first read status indicator is concurrently displayed with the first received email message in the list of email messages received for the user; and

a second read status indicator is concurrently displayed with the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user;

while the first received email message in the list of email messages received for the user is unopened;

opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user;

in response to opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user, displaying content in the second received email message on the display, wherein the content in the second received email message includes content in the first received email message and additional content that is not contained in the content in the first received email message; and

after opening the second received email message, in accordance with a determination that content in the second received email message being reviewed by the user includes the content in the first received email message in the same email message thread, changing the read status of the first received email message in the same email message thread from not read to read.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

in response to opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user, changing the read status of the second received email message from not read to read.

3. The method of claim 1, including:

after opening the second received email message, in accordance with a determination that content in the second received email message being reviewed by the user includes the content in the first received email message in the same email message thread, changing the first read status indicator from not read to read.

4. A client device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, on the display, an inbox of a user in an email application, the inbox containing a list of email messages received for the user, including a first received email message and a second received email message, wherein;

the first received email message and the second received email message are part of a same email message thread;

the first received email message and the second received email message are displayed as separate, distinct listings in the list of email messages received for the user;

a first read status indicator is concurrently displayed with the first received email message in the list of email messages received for the user; and

a second read status indicator is concurrently displayed with the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user;

while the first received email message in the list of email messages received for the user is unopened;

opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user;

in response to opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user, displaying content in the second received email message on the display, wherein the content in the second received email message includes content in the first received email message and additional content that is not contained in the content in the first received email message; and

after opening the second received email message, in accordance with a determination that content in the second received email message being reviewed by the user includes the content in the first received email message in the same email message thread, changing the read status of the first received email message in the same email message thread from not read to read.

5. The device of claim 4, including instructions for:

in response to opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user, changing the read status of the second received email message from not read to read.

6. The device of claim 4, including instructions for:

after opening the second received email message, in accordance with a determination that content in the second received email message being reviewed by the user includes the content in the first received email message in the same email message thread, changing the first read status indicator from not read to read.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a client device with a display, cause the device to:

display, on the display, an inbox of a user in an email application, the inbox containing a list of email messages received for the user, including a first received email message and a second received email message, wherein;

the first received email message and the second received email message are part of a same email message thread;

the first received email message and the second received email message are displayed as separate, distinct listings in the list of email messages received for the user;

a first read status indicator is concurrently displayed with the first received email message in the list of email messages received for the user; and

a second read status indicator is concurrently displayed with the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user;

while the first received email message in the list of email messages received for the user is unopened;

open the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user;

in response to opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user, display content in the second received email message on the display, wherein the content in the second received email message includes content in the first received email message and additional content that is not contained in the content in the first received email message; and

after opening the second received email message, in accordance with a determination that content in the second received email message being reviewed by the user includes the content in the first received email message in the same email message thread, change the read status of the first received email message in the same email message thread from not read to read.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, including instructions, which when executed by the client device, cause the device to:

in response to opening the second received email message in the list of email messages received for the user, change the read status of the second received email message from not read to read.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, including instructions, which when executed by the client device, cause the device to:

after opening the second received email message, in accordance with a determination that content in the second received email message being reviewed by the user includes the content in the first received email message in the same email message thread, change the first read status indicator from not read to read.