Method and system for marking email threads

• US 9,450,902 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Guenther, Carsten, Baray, Cristobal, Lemay, Stephen O., Jon, Tiffany S., Yang, Lawrence, Chaudhri, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): Angkool, David Phantana
• Application Number:
  US14/292,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20150350142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752
• 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 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a technique for marking email threads as important. When an email thread is marked as important, all email messages belonging to the email thread are marked as important in an email user interface. Also, notifications are generated for any incoming messages belonging to the email thread that has been marked as important.

Claims

1. A method for managing email threads, the method comprising, at a computing device:

receiving a selection to mark an email thread as important;

identifying a plurality of email messages associated with the email thread;

marking each email message of the plurality of email messages as important;

establishing, for each email message included in a subset of email messages from the plurality of email messages, a respective unique identifier for the email message;

providing, for each mail message included in the subset of email messages, the respective unique identifier to a synchronization entity;

receiving a new email message associated with the email thread; and

in response to the new email message;

marking the new email message as important,

establishing a respective unique identifier for the new email message,

providing the respective unique identifier to the synchronization entity, and

generating a notification that indicates the new email message is received and is marked as important.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection comprises:

receiving a first selection of an existing email message belonging to an existing email thread; and

receiving a second selection of a graphical element to mark the existing email thread as important.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection comprises:

receiving an input at a graphical element associated with an outgoing email message that indicates the outgoing email message is important.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein marking each email message of the plurality of email messages as important comprises adding an icon next to the email message that indicates the email message is important.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of email messages represents a specific number of most recently received email messages associated with the email thread.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is associated with a user account, and the synchronization entity manages the computing device and at least one other computing device associated with the user account.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the synchronization entity provides, to the at least one other computing device, the respective unique identifiers established for the subset of email messages.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the respective unique identifiers enable the at least one other computing device to identify that the email thread is marked as important.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is configurable, and the notification comprises a visual alert and/or an audio alert.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the selection:

establishing a thread notifications mailbox, wherein the thread notifications mailbox includes the plurality of email messages associated with the email thread, and further includes email messages associated with any other email threads that are marked as important.

11. A computing device configured to mark email threads, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to carry out steps that include;

receiving a selection to mark an email thread as important;

identifying a plurality of email messages associated with the email thread;

marking each email message of the plurality of email messages as important;

establishing, for each email message included in a subset of email messages from the plurality of email messages, a respective unique identifier for the email message;

providing, for each mail message included in the subset of email messages, the respective unique identifier to a synchronization entity;

receiving a new email message associated with the email thread; and

in response to the new email message;

marking the new email message as important,

establishing a respective unique identifier for the new email message,

providing the respective unique identifier to the synchronization entity, and

generating a notification that indicates the new email message is received and is marked as important.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein receiving the selection comprises:

receiving a first selection of an existing email message belonging to an existing email thread; and

receiving a second selection of a graphical element to mark the existing email thread as important.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein receiving the selection comprises:

receiving an input at a graphical element associated with an outgoing email message that indicates the outgoing email message is important.

14. The computing device of claim 11, wherein marking each email message of the plurality of email messages as important comprises adding an icon next to the email message that indicates the email message is important.

15. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the subset of email messages represents a specific number of most recently received email messages associated with the email thread.

16. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the computing device is associated with a user account, and the synchronization entity manages the computing device and at least one other computing device associated with the user account.

17. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the synchronization entity provides, to the at least one other computing device, the respective unique identifiers established for the subset of email messages.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein each of the respective unique identifiers enable the at least one other computing device to identify that the email thread is marked as important.

19. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the steps further include, in response to the selection:

establishing a thread notifications mailbox, wherein the thread notifications mailbox includes the plurality of email messages associated with the email thread, and further includes email messages associated with any other email threads that are marked as important.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a computing device, cause the computing device to manage email threads, by carrying out steps that include:

receiving a selection to mark an email thread as important;

identifying a plurality of email messages associated with the email thread;

marking each email message of the plurality of email messages as important;

establishing, for each email message included in a subset of email messages from the plurality of email messages, a respective unique identifier for the email message;

providing, for each mail message included in the subset of email messages, the respective unique identifier to a synchronization entity;

receiving a new email message associated with the email thread; and

in response to the new email message;

marking the new email message as important,

establishing a respective unique identifier for the new email message,

providing the respective unique identifier to the synchronization entity, and

generating a notification that indicates the new email message is received and is marked as important.