Facilitating retrieval of information within a messaging environment
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- causing, to be displayed to a user, data that identifies a plurality of packages to which the user may subscribe;
receiving, from the user, input that indicates a subscription, by the user, to one or more packages of the plurality of packages, each of which includes a plurality of pre-defined suggested words that were not selected for inclusion in the package by the user;
sending, to a server over a network, a list that identifies each of the one or more packages for which the user has indicated a subscription;
after sending the list to the server, receiving, from the server, the plurality of pre-defined suggested words associated with each package identified in the list;
after receiving the plurality of pre-defined suggested words associated with each package in the list, determining whether any text within an electronic messaging (EM) conversation qualifies as a suggested word for the user in the EM conversation based, at least in part, on whether the text matches any of the plurality of pre-defined suggested words of the one or more packages;
causing text within the EM conversation that qualifies as a suggested word to be displayed in a manner that visually distinguishes the suggested word from text of the EM conversation that does not qualify as a suggested word;
in response to receiving, from the user, second input relative to the suggested word in the EM conversation, causing, to be initiated, an operation to retrieve information related to the suggested word;
in response to receiving results of said operation, causing a display that reflects the results to be generated;
wherein the one or more packages includes a first package that is associated with a first set of suggested words;
after causing the display that reflects the results to be generated, receiving a second set of suggested words that are different than the first set of suggested words and that are to be associated with the first package;
wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques and mechanisms are provided that allow participants in an electronic messaging conversation (e.g. email or instant message) to retrieve information related to words and phrases in the electronic messaging conversation without leaving the electronic messaging environment. An electronic messaging environment is provided that includes user interface tools that allow a user to (1) select text within the EM conversation, (2) submit the text to an information retrieval service, such as a search engine, and (3) display the results generated by the information retrieval service. To facilitate the selection of relevant text, certain “suggested words” within the conversation may automatically be highlighted by the instant messaging client. Various techniques are provided for customizing which words are suggested, which sources are searched, and which search terms are used.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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causing, to be displayed to a user, data that identifies a plurality of packages to which the user may subscribe; receiving, from the user, input that indicates a subscription, by the user, to one or more packages of the plurality of packages, each of which includes a plurality of pre-defined suggested words that were not selected for inclusion in the package by the user; sending, to a server over a network, a list that identifies each of the one or more packages for which the user has indicated a subscription; after sending the list to the server, receiving, from the server, the plurality of pre-defined suggested words associated with each package identified in the list; after receiving the plurality of pre-defined suggested words associated with each package in the list, determining whether any text within an electronic messaging (EM) conversation qualifies as a suggested word for the user in the EM conversation based, at least in part, on whether the text matches any of the plurality of pre-defined suggested words of the one or more packages; causing text within the EM conversation that qualifies as a suggested word to be displayed in a manner that visually distinguishes the suggested word from text of the EM conversation that does not qualify as a suggested word; in response to receiving, from the user, second input relative to the suggested word in the EM conversation, causing, to be initiated, an operation to retrieve information related to the suggested word; in response to receiving results of said operation, causing a display that reflects the results to be generated; wherein the one or more packages includes a first package that is associated with a first set of suggested words; after causing the display that reflects the results to be generated, receiving a second set of suggested words that are different than the first set of suggested words and that are to be associated with the first package; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for retrieving information in an electronic messaging (EM) environment, the system comprising:
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one or more processors; memory, operatively coupled to the one or more processors, storing instructions; wherein said instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause; causing, to be displayed to a user, data that indicates a plurality of categories; wherein the plurality of categories is organized into a hierarchy that includes a parent category that is associated with a set of suggested words, a first child category of the parent category, and a second child category of the parent category; wherein the first child category is associated with a first subset of the set of suggested words, wherein the first subset is less than all the words in the set of suggested words of the parent category; wherein the second child category is associated with a second subset of the set of suggested words, wherein the second subset is different than the first subset and is less than all the words in the set of suggested words of the parent category; wherein the parent category includes multiple suggested words that are not included in the first child category; wherein the parent category includes at least one suggested word that was not selected for inclusion in the parent category by the user; receiving, from the user, first input that selects a category from among the plurality of categories; determining whether any text within an EM conversation qualifies as a suggested word for the user in the EM conversation based, at least in part, on whether the text belongs to the set of suggested words; causing any text within the EM conversation that qualifies as a suggested word to be displayed in a manner that visually distinguishes the suggested word from text of the EM conversation that does not qualify as a suggested word; in response to receiving, from the user, second input relative to the suggested word in the EM conversation, causing, to be initiated, an operation to retrieve information related to the suggested word; in response to receiving results of said operation, causing a display that reflects the results to be generated.
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13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
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causing, to be displayed to a user, data that identifies a plurality of packages to which the user may subscribe; receiving, from the user, input that indicates a subscription, by the user, to one or more packages of the plurality of packages, each of which includes a plurality of pre-defined suggested words that were not selected for inclusion in the package by the user; sending, to a server over a network, a list that identifies each of the one or more packages for which the user has indicated a subscription; after sending the list to the server, receiving, from the server, the plurality of pre-defined suggested words associated with each package identified in the list; after receiving the plurality of pre-defined suggested words associated with each package in the list, determining whether any text within an electronic messaging (EM) conversation qualifies as a suggested word for the user in the EM conversation based, at least in part, on whether the text matches any of the plurality of pre-defined suggested words of the one or more packages; causing text within the EM conversation that qualifies as a suggested word to be displayed in a manner that visually distinguishes the suggested word from text of the EM conversation that does not qualify as a suggested word; in response to receiving, from the user, second input relative to the suggested word in the EM conversation, causing, to be initiated, an operation to retrieve information related to the suggested word; in response to receiving results of said operation, causing a display that reflects the results to be generated; wherein the one or more packages includes a first package that is associated with a first set of suggested words; and after causing the display that reflects the results to be generated, receiving a second set of suggested words that are different than the first set of suggested words and that are to be associated with the first package. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification