Systems and methods for simultaneously displaying clustered, in-line electronic messages in one display

• US 9,152,307 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Coleman, Keith, Young, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILOSI, TERRI L
• Application Number:
  US14/183,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20150186012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying electronic messages are disclosed. In some implementations, a method includes, at a computing device, displaying a user interface for a messaging application, comprising an electronic message list. The message list comprises a plurality of objects. Each respective object in the plurality of objects is visually distinct in the message list and represents one or more corresponding electronic messages. The method includes detecting user selection of an object in the message list and in response to detecting user selection of the object, toggling display of the first object from a first state to a second state. The method includes moving a first subset of objects vertically upward, where the first subset of objects comprises one or more objects above the selected object, and moving a second subset of objects vertically downward, where the second subset of objects comprises one or more objects below the selected object.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a computing device having one or more processors, a display and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

displaying a user interface for a messaging application, the user interface comprising an electronic message list in an electronic message list panel having a boundary, wherein the electronic message list comprises a plurality of objects and each respective object in the plurality of objects (i) is visually distinct in the electronic message list and (ii) represents one or more corresponding electronic messages in a plurality of electronic messages;

detecting user selection of a first object of the plurality of objects in the electronic message list panel, wherein the first object represents a first plurality of email messages; and

in response to detecting user selection of the first object;

toggling display of the first object from a first display state in the electronic message list panel to a second display state in the electronic message list panel, while keeping the first object displayed in-line with the plurality of objects in the electronic message list in the electronic message list panel, wherein the second display state of the first object replaces the first display state of the first object, the first display state of the first object comprises a single summary of contents of the first plurality of email messages, the second display state of the first object comprises a listing of the email messages in the first plurality of email messages, and each email message in the listing is displayed in a third display state comprising a subset of a message body of the email message;

moving a first subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically upward, wherein the first subset of objects comprises one or more objects above the first object in the electronic message list panel and wherein the moving the first subset causes all or a portion of at least one object in the first subset of objects to move outside the boundary of the electronic message list panel and to no longer be displayed; and

moving a second subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically downward, wherein the second subset of objects comprises one or more objects below the first object in the electronic message list panel and wherein the moving the second subset causes all or a portion of at least one object in the second subset of objects to move outside the boundary of the electronic message list panel and to no longer be displayed;

detecting user selection of a first email message displayed in the third display state; and

in response to detecting user selection of the first email message;

toggling display of the first email message from the third display state in the electronic message list panel to a fourth display state in the electronic message list panel, wherein the fourth display state comprises all of the message body of the first email message, while keeping the first email message displayed in-line with the remaining plurality of email messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein display of the first object in the second display state comprises keeping the first object displayed in-line with the plurality of objects in the electronic message list in the electronic message list panel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein display of the first object in the second display state comprises displaying at least a portion of the selected object overlapped on one or more of the plurality of objects in the electronic message list panel.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein toggling display of the first object from the first display state to the second display state includes increasing the size of the first object.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting user input on a portion of the user interface outside of the electronic message list;

in response to detecting the user input on the portion of the user interface outside of the electronic message list;

toggling display of the first object from the second display state to the first display state, wherein the second display state replaces the first display state;

moving the first subset of objects vertically downward to adjoin an upper border of the first object in the first display state; and

moving the second subset of objects vertically upward to adjoin a lower border of the first object in the first display state.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting user selection of a second object of the plurality of objects in the electronic message list at a time when the first object is in the second display state and all other objects in the plurality of objects are in the first display state;

in response to detecting user selection of the second object;

toggling display of the first object from the second display state to the first display state, wherein the second display state of the first object replaces the first display state of the first object;

moving the first subset of objects vertically downward to adjoin an upper border of the first object in the first display state;

moving the second subset of objects vertically upward to adjoin a lower border of the first object in the first display state;

toggling display of the second object from the first display state to the second display state, wherein the second display state of the second object replaces the first display state of the first object;

moving a third subset of objects vertically upward to adjoin an upper border of the second object in the second display state, wherein the third subset of objects comprises one or more objects above the second object in the electronic message list; and

moving a fourth subset of objects vertically downward to adjoin a lower border of the second object in the second display state, wherein the fourth subset of objects comprises one or more objects below the selected second object in the electronic message list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth display state of the first email message further comprises a text field to receive a typed response.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting user entry of text in the text field;

in response to detecting user entry of text in the text field;

adaptively resizing the visually displayed portion of the text field to accommodate more text; and

repositioning the resized text field within the electronic message list panel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein repositioning the resized text field within the electronic message list panel comprises:

moving the first subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically upward; and

moving the second subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically downward.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of email messages has a collective association.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising

in response to detecting user selection of the first email message:

moving a first subset of emails in the plurality of emails vertically upward; and

moving a second subset of emails in the plurality of emails vertically downward.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

the first subset of emails comprises one or more electronic messages above the selected email message in the plurality of email messages;

and

the second subset of emails comprises one or more email messages below the selected email message in the plurality of email messages.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each electronic message in the plurality of electronic messages is contact information, an email message, an indication of a document, a calendar entry, an email label, a social network notification, a recent search query, a suggested search query, or a web search result.

14. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

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

displaying a user interface for a messaging application, the user interface comprising an electronic message list in an electronic message list panel having a boundary, wherein the electronic message list comprises a plurality of objects, wherein each respective object in the plurality of objects (i) is visually distinct in the electronic message list and (ii) represents one or more corresponding electronic messages in a plurality of electronic messages;

detecting user selection of a first object of the plurality of objects in the electronic message list panel, wherein the first object represents a first plurality of email messages;

in response to detecting user selection of the first object;

toggling display of the first object from a first display state in the electronic message list panel to a second display state in the electronic message list panel, while keeping the first object displayed in-line with the plurality of objects in the electronic message list in the electronic message list panel, wherein the second display state of the first object replaces the first display state of the first object, the first display state of the first object comprises a single summary of contents of the first plurality of email messages, the second display state of the first object comprises a listing of the email messages in the first plurality of email messages, and each email message in the listing is displayed in a third display state comprising a subset of a message body of the email message;

moving a first subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically upward, wherein the first subset of objects comprises one or more objects above the first object in the electronic message list panel and wherein the moving the first subset causes all or a portion of at least one object in the first subset of objects to move outside the boundary of the electronic message list panel and to no longer be displayed; and

moving a second subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically downward, wherein the second subset of objects comprises one or more objects below the first object in the electronic message list panel and wherein the moving the second subset causes all or a portion of at least one object in the second subset of objects to move outside the boundary of the electronic message list panel and to no longer be displayed;

detecting user selection of a first email message displayed in the third display state; and

in response to detecting user selection of the first email message;

toggling display of the selected email message from the third display state in the electronic message list panel to a fourth display state in the electronic message list panel, wherein the fourth display state comprises all of the message body of the first email message, while keeping the first email message displayed in-line with the remaining plurality of email messages.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein display of the first object in the second display state comprises keeping the first object displayed in-line with the plurality of objects in the electronic message list in the electronic message list panel.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computing system with one or more processors, cause the computing system to execute a method of:

displaying a user interface for a messaging application, the user interface comprising an electronic message list in an electronic message list panel having a boundary, wherein the electronic message list comprises a plurality of objects, wherein each respective object in the plurality of objects (i) is visually distinct in the electronic message list and (ii) represents one or more corresponding electronic messages in a plurality of electronic messages;

detecting user selection of a first object of the plurality of objects in the electronic message list panel, wherein the first object represents a first plurality of email messages;

in response to detecting user selection of the first object;

toggling display of the first object from a first display state in the electronic message list panel to a second display state in the electronic message list panel, while keeping the first object displayed in-line with the plurality of objects in the electronic message list in the electronic message list panel, wherein the second display state of the first object replaces the first display state of the first object the first display state of the first object comprises a single summary of contents of the first plurality of email messages, the second display state of the first object comprises a listing of the email messages in the first plurality of email messages, and each email message in the listing is displayed in a third display state comprising a subset of a message body of the email message;

moving a first subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically upward, wherein the first subset of objects comprises one or more objects above the first object in the electronic message list panel and wherein the moving the first subset causes all or a portion of at least one object in the first subset of objects to move outside the boundary of the electronic message list panel and to no longer be displayed; and

moving a second subset of objects in the plurality of objects vertically downward, wherein the second subset of objects comprises one or more objects below the first object in the electronic message list panel and wherein the moving the second subset causes all or a portion of at least one object in the second subset of objects to move outside the boundary of the electronic message list panel and to no longer be displayed;

detecting user selection of a first email messages displayed in the third display state; and

in response to detecting user selection of the first email message;

toggling display of the first email message from the third display state in the electronic message list panel to a fourth display state in the electronic message list panel, wherein the fourth display state comprises all of the message body of the first email message, while keeping the first email message displayed in-line with the remaining plurality of email messages.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein display of the first object in the second display state comprises keeping the first object displayed in-line with the plurality of objects in the electronic message list in the electronic message list panel.