Systems and methods for progressive message flow

• US 9,306,893 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharp, Phillip, Nachum, David, Coleman, Keith, Pollock, Xander, Cornwell, Jason Briggs
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wan, Jasmine
• Application Number:
  US14/187,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20150188870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/752, 709/206, 707/738, 707/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing electronic messages are disclosed. In some implementations, a method includes, at a computing device, causing an electronic message to be displayed to a user in an electronic message folder. Responsive to detecting that the user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, without user intervention, the electronic message is removed from the electronic message folder. In some implementations, the electronic message folder is a message inbox and the electronic message is removed from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder. In some implementations, the computing device includes one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

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

displaying an indication of an electronic message to a receiving user within a cluster graphic corresponding to a first message cluster in a plurality of message clusters, wherein the first message cluster includes a plurality of electronic messages, and wherein the plurality of message clusters is in an inbox folder;

detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message other than the indication of the electronic message;

determining whether the receiving user has taken an affirmative action to retain the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic within a predefined time period after detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, wherein the affirmative action comprises pinning the electronic message or flagging the electronic message to be kept;

when it is determined that the receiving user has not taken the affirmative action, automatically removing the indication of the electronic message from the cluster graphic and automatically removing the electronic message from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder; and

when it is determined that the receiving user has taken the affirmative action, retaining the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message comprises detecting a predefined user action indicating that the receiving user has completed reading the electronic message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising ceasing to display the cluster graphic when a predefined number of electronic messages in the first message cluster have had corresponding indications removed from the cluster graphic.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the electronic message is a snippet drawn from the electronic message.

4. 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, configured for execution by the one or more processors, and include instructions for;

displaying an indication of an electronic message to a receiving user within a cluster graphic corresponding to a first message cluster in a plurality of message clusters, wherein the first message cluster includes a plurality of electronic messages, and wherein the plurality of message clusters is in an inbox folder;

detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message other than the indication of the electronic message;

determining whether the receiving user has taken an affirmative action to retain the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic within a predefined time period after detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, wherein the affirmative action comprises pinning the electronic message or flagging the electronic message to be kept;

when it is determined that the receiving user has not taken the affirmative action, automatically removing the indication of the electronic message from the cluster graphic and automatically removing the electronic message from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder; and

when it is determined that the receiving user has taken the affirmative action, retaining the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message comprises detecting a predefined user action indicating that the receiving user has completed reading the electronic message.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for ceasing to display the cluster graphic when a predefined number of electronic messages in the first message cluster have had corresponding indications removed from the cluster graphic.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the indication of the electronic message is a snippet drawn from the electronic message.

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

displaying an indication of an electronic message to a receiving user within a cluster graphic corresponding to a first message cluster in a plurality of message clusters, wherein the first message cluster includes a plurality of electronic messages, and wherein the plurality of message clusters is in an inbox folder;

detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message other than the indication of the electronic message;

determining whether the receiving user has taken an affirmative action to retain the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic within a predefined time period after detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, wherein the affirmative action comprises pinning the electronic message or flagging the electronic message to be kept;

when it is determined that the receiving user has not taken the affirmative action, automatically removing the indication of the electronic message from the cluster graphic and automatically removing the electronic message from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder; and

when it is determined that the receiving user has taken the affirmative action, retaining the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic.