Methods for responding to an email message by call from a mobile device
First Claim
1. A method of electronic communication, comprising:
- in a first application executing on a client device;
receiving an e-mail message and corresponding metadata;
displaying the e-mail message or information associated with the e-mail message in the first application;
retrieving a phone number corresponding to the sender of the email from nonviewable metadata associated with the email or a contact entry matching the sender in an external source of contact information, wherein the phone number is not viewable in the displayed email;
while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, providing a plurality of options for responding to the e-mail message in the first application, including an option to call the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number;
while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, enabling user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message; and
in response to user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message, initiating a call to the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for responding to an email message by a phone call from a mobile device are described. In some embodiments, mobile devices are capable of receiving emails. The emails may be in form of messages in a threaded conversation. Each message has metadata and the metadata includes a phone number corresponding to a sender of the message. The text or information associated with the message is displayed but not the metadata. While a user is reading the message displayed on the mobile device, the user is provided with a plurality of options to respond to the message, an option is for the user to call the sender of the message using the phone number in the metadata. Upon selecting such an option, the user is able to initiate a call to the sender of the message by activating a feature to call using the phone number stored in the metadata without physically looking up and dialing the sender'"'"'s number. Other embodiments are also described.
153 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of electronic communication, comprising:
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in a first application executing on a client device; receiving an e-mail message and corresponding metadata; displaying the e-mail message or information associated with the e-mail message in the first application; retrieving a phone number corresponding to the sender of the email from nonviewable metadata associated with the email or a contact entry matching the sender in an external source of contact information, wherein the phone number is not viewable in the displayed email; while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, providing a plurality of options for responding to the e-mail message in the first application, including an option to call the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number; while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, enabling user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message; and in response to user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message, initiating a call to the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A client device configured to respond to e-mail message in a threaded conversation, the client device comprising:
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a display, an input device, one or more processors, a memory coupled to the one or more processors; and one or more programs, stored in the memory, the one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the client device to; in a first application executing on the client device; receiving an e-mail message and corresponding metadata; displaying the e-mail message or information associated with the e-mail message in the first application; retrieving a phone number corresponding to the sender of the email from nonviewable metadata associated with the email or a contact entry matching the sender in an external source of contact information, wherein the phone number is not viewable in the displayed email; while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, providing a plurality of options for responding to the e-mail message in the first application, including an option to call the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number; while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, enabling user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message; and in response to user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message, initiating a call to the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:
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in a first application executing on the computer system; receiving an e-mail message and corresponding metadata; displaying the e-mail message or information associated with the e-mail message in the first application; retrieving a phone number corresponding to the sender of the email from nonviewable metadata associated with the email or a contact entry matching the sender in an external source of contact information, wherein the phone number is not viewable in the displayed email; while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, providing a plurality of options for responding to the e-mail message in the first application, including an option to call the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number; while displaying the e-mail message or the information associated with the e-mail message in the first application, enabling user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message; and in response to user selection of the option to call the sender of the e-mail message, initiating a call to the sender of the e-mail message using the phone number. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification