System and method for silencing notifications for a message thread

• US 9,349,120 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kalu, Kalu Onuka
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Application Number:
  US12/713,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,279 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/232, 709/240
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer programming products are provided for silencing message threads. Incoming messages related to the same matter are grouped into one or more message threads. A user can select to silence a message thread. Once a message thread has been silenced, the user will no longer receive notifications of new messages added to the thread. Methods, systems, and computer programming products display new incoming electronic messages flagged as silenced in the inbox together with any message thread not flagged as silenced.

Claims

1. A communication system configured to silence notifications for incoming electronic messages, the system comprising a data processor, non-transitory media readable by the data processor and a communications subsystem:

the communication subsystem adapted for receiving the incoming electronic messages; and

the non-transitory media readable by the data processor comprising coded program instructions adapted to cause the processor to;

receive a selected message thread for silencing;

in response to receiving the selected message thread, activate a flag stored in the non-transitory media in association with the selected message thread, wherein the flag indicates that the selected message thread has been silenced;

determine that a new incoming electronic message is associated with the selected message thread;

determine that the selected message thread has been flagged as silenced using the flag stored in the non-transitory media;

override a currently-enabled notification setting to prevent a receipt notification pertaining to new incoming electronic messages associated with the selected message thread from being activated; and

display the new incoming electronic message in an inbox together with any message thread not flagged as silenced, while silencing any further notifications pertaining to receipt of the new incoming electronic message, wherein the new incoming message thread flagged as silenced is displayed in the inbox in a different manner than any message thread not flagged as silenced.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the new incoming electronic message is part of a group discussion.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein a receipt notification for a new incoming electronic message is prevented only for a user who has flagged the message thread as silenced.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inbox is one of a group inbox or an email inbox.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one display for displaying the incoming electronic messages.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, if the message thread has been flagged as silenced, electronic messages in the message thread appear diminished in appearance.

7. The system of claim 1, further adapted to allow the message thread to be unflagged deactivating the flag.

8. The system of claim 7, further adapted to, after determining that the message thread has been unflagged, retain the new incoming message associated with the inbox while allowing notifications pertaining to receipt of any subsequent new incoming message for the message thread, and associate any subsequent new incoming message with the inbox.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a wireless device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the notifications include one or more of an auditory alert, a visual alert or a physical alert.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the new incoming message is displayed in a default view of the inbox.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the coded program instructions further cause the processor to store the new incoming message in the inbox.

13. A method for silencing notifications for incoming electronic messages to a communication system, the communication system comprising a data processor, media readable by the data processor and a communications subsystem, the communications subsystem adapted to receive the incoming electronic messages, the method comprising:

receiving one or more selected message threads for silencing;

in response to receiving the one or more selected message threads, activating one or more flags, each flag in association with a selected message thread of the one or more selected message threads, wherein the one or more flags indicate that the associated one or more selected message threads have been silenced;

receiving a new incoming electronic message;

identifying the new incoming message as associated with the selected one or more message threads;

determining that a message thread associated with the new incoming message has been flagged as silenced using the one or more flags;

overriding at least one currently-enabled notification setting to prevent a notification pertaining to receipt of the new incoming message from being activated; and

displaying the new incoming electronic message in an inbox together with any message thread not flagged as silenced, while silencing any further notifications pertaining to receipt of the new incoming electronic message;

wherein the new incoming message thread flagged as silenced is displayed in the inbox in a different manner than any message thread not flagged as silenced.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the new incoming electronic message is part of a group discussion.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a receipt notification for a new incoming electronic message is prevented only for a user who has flagged the message thread as silenced.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the inbox is one of a group inbox or an email inbox.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising displaying the incoming electronic messages.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, if the message thread has been flagged as silenced, electronic messages in the message thread appear diminished in appearance.

19. The method of claim 13, further adapted to allow the message thread to be unflagged by deactivating the flag.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising, after determining that the message thread has been unflagged, retaining the new incoming message associated with the inbox while allowing notifications pertaining to receipt of any subsequent new incoming message for the message thread, and associating any subsequent new incoming message with the inbox.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the notifications include one or more of an auditory alert, a visual alert or a physical alert.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the new incoming message is displayed in a default view of the inbox.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the new incoming message in the inbox.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processing instructions which when executed by a data processor cause the data processor to perform a method for silencing notifications for incoming electronic messages to a communication system, the method comprising:

receiving one or more selected message threads for silencing;

in response to receiving the one or more selected message threads, activating one or more flags, each flag in association with a selected message thread of the one or more selected message threads, wherein the one or more flags indicate that the associated one or more selected message threads have been silenced;

receiving a new incoming electronic message;

identifying the new incoming message as associated with the selected one or more message threads;

determining that a message thread associated with the new incoming message has been flagged as silenced using the one or more flags;

overriding at least one currently-enabled notification setting to prevent a notification pertaining to receipt of the new incoming message from being activated; and

displaying the new incoming electronic message in an inbox together with any message thread not flagged as silenced, while silencing any further notifications pertaining to receipt of the new incoming electronic message;

wherein the new incoming message thread flagged as silenced is displayed in the inbox in a different manner than any message thread not flagged as silenced.