Priority inbox notifications and synchronization for messaging application

• US 8,935,347 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Gabriel, Westbrook, Paul T., Ghosh, Debajit, Jhanb, Subir
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/651,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/466, 455/566, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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

Systems and methods for priority inbox notifications and synchronization are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method includes, at a computer system, obtaining message information from a server system. The message information represents a set of messages and an importance score associated with each message in the set of messages. The importance score is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model and a user importance prediction model. A new mail notification is presented when a determination is made that the set of messages include one or more unread priority messages. The priority messages comprise messages with which the associated importance score satisfy one or more predefined message importance criteria: Optionally, presentation of a new mail notification is foregone when there is a determination that the set of messages do not include any unread priority messages.

Claims

1. A method for presenting notifications, comprising:

at a computer system;

obtaining message information, the message information representing a set of messages, and an importance score associated with each respective message in the set of messages, wherein the importance score is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model and a user importance prediction model;

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

presenting a new mail notification, wherein

the global importance prediction model includes a social graph-related weight,

the user importance prediction model is based on information associated with a single user, and

the global importance prediction model is based on information associated with a plurality of users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the new mail notification includes one of:

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

displaying a sender of an unread priority message of the one or more priority messages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the importance score associated with a respective message is generated by:

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

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

combining the first weight and the second weight.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the global importance prediction model includes a plurality of social graph-related weights.

6. 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 one or more predefined message importance criteria.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting, from a user, feedback data regarding importance of a message of the set of messages; and

updating the user importance prediction model in accordance with the feedback data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the importance score associated with a respective message is generated based also at least in part on a group importance prediction model.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the the group importance prediction model is based on information associated with a group of users.

10. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

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

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages, and an importance score associated with each respective message in the set of messages, wherein the importance score is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model and a user importance prediction model;

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

presenting a new mail notification, wherein

the global importance prediction model includes a social graph-related weight,

the user importance prediction model is based on information associated with a single user, and

the global importance prediction model is based on information associated with a plurality of users.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

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

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein presenting the new mail notification includes one of:

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

or

displaying a sender of an unread priority message of the one or more priority messages.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the importance score associated with a respective message is generated by:

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

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

combining the first weight and the second weight.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the global importance prediction model includes a plurality of social graph-related weights.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further comprise 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 one or more predefined message importance criteria.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

collecting, from a user, feedback data regarding importance of a message of the set of messages; and

updating the user importance prediction model in accordance with the feedback data.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the importance score associated with a respective message is generated based also at least in part on a group importance prediction model.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the group importance prediction model is based on information associated with a group of users.

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

receiving message information from a server system, the message information representing a set of messages, and an importance score associated with each respective message in the set of messages, wherein the importance score is generated based at least in part on a global importance prediction model, and a user importance prediction model;

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

presenting a new mail notification, wherein

the global importance prediction model includes a social graph-related weight,

the user importance prediction model is based on information associated with a single user, and

the global importance prediction model is based on information associated with a plurality of users.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further comprising instructions for:

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

foregoing presenting a new mail notification.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein presenting the new mail notification includes one of:

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

or

displaying a sender of an unread priority message of the one or more priority messages.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the importance score associated with a respective message is generated by:

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

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

combining the first weight and the second weight.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the global importance prediction model includes a plurality of social graph-related weights.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further comprise 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 one or more predefined message importance criteria.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

collecting, from a user, feedback data regarding importance of a message of the one or more priority messages; and

updating the user importance prediction model in accordance with the feedback data.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the importance score associated with a respective message is generated based also at least in part on a group importance prediction model.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the group importance prediction model is based on information associated with a group of users.