Systems and methods for clustering electronic messages

• US 9,542,668 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Smilak, Kevin, Jillissen, Jeroen Danil, Gilad, Itamar, Gawley, Thompson Alexander Ivor, Moedinger, Andrew Ward, Jindal, Deepak, Miklos, Balint, Cornwell, Jason Briggs
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN S
• Application Number:
  US14/186,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

System and methods are provided for receiving selection, by a user, of a subset of message clusters in a plurality of message clusters. Each message cluster is associated with a corresponding set of clustering rules. Each respective electronic message, addressed to and/or from the user, in a plurality of electronic messages is assigned to one or more of the clusters in the subset of clusters in accordance with the sets of clustering rules associated with the subset of clusters. The set of clustering rules for a first cluster in the subset of clusters (i) prevents some messages in the plurality of messages from being assigned to the first cluster and (ii) assigns messages to the first cluster without regard to content relatedness between messages in the plurality of messages and messages already in the first cluster. Messages in the first cluster are formatted for display as a single cluster graphic.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

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

displaying a message list in an electronic message folder, wherein;

the message list includes a plurality of individual electronic messages and a plurality of message clusters;

each message cluster is displayed as a respective single cluster graphic;

each message cluster is uniquely associated with a corresponding set of clustering rules;

a first message cluster of the plurality of message clusters contains a plurality of electronic messages; and

display of each item in the message list includes a respective single enlarged alphabetic character, which corresponds to an initial character of a sender name when the item is an individual electronic message and corresponds to an initial character of a cluster name when the item is a message cluster,

receiving user specification of a supplemental clustering rule for the first message cluster, wherein the supplemental clustering rule is based on content of electronic messages;

while defining the supplemental clustering rule, and prior to saving the supplemental clustering rule;

displaying a designation identifying one or more senders of electronic messages in a sample plurality of electronic messages that qualify for inclusion in the first message cluster in accordance with the supplemental rule and the set of clustering rules associated with the first message cluster and in accordance with a display state of the first message cluster in which a subset of the text for each respective electronic message in the sample plurality of electronic messages is displayed;

saving the supplemental clustering rule;

applying the supplemental clustering rule and the sets of clustering rules associated with the plurality of message cluster to the plurality of individual electronic message, thereby assigning a first electronic message of the plurality of individual messages to the first message cluster;

redisplaying the message list, including ceasing to display the first electronic message as an individual electronic message in the message list and updating display of the single cluster graphic for the first message clusters to indicate inclusion of the first electronic message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first message cluster comprises a second plurality of electronic messages,

the electronic message folder further includes a third plurality of electronic messages not associated with the first message cluster,

the method further comprising:

responsive to a predefined user action in connection with the single cluster graphic;

expanding display of the single cluster graphic by;

while maintaining display of information representing the third plurality of electronic messages,

formatting for display content of an electronic message in the second plurality of electronic messages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of message clusters comprises one or more system message clusters and wherein the corresponding sets of clustering rules for the one or more system message clusters are applied on a system-wide basis across a plurality of users including the first user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more system message clusters includes a message cluster selected from the group consisting of a message cluster for personal electronic messages, a message cluster for social electronic messages, a message cluster for electronic messages pertaining to promotions, a message cluster for electronic messages pertaining to updates, and a message cluster for electronic messages pertaining to forums.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of message clusters comprises one or more user defined message clusters and wherein the corresponding sets of clustering rules for the one or more user defined message clusters are uniquely applied to electronic messages addressed to the first user, or authored by the first user, in order to determine which electronic messages are to be assigned to the one or more user defined message clusters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each message cluster in the plurality of message clusters is uniquely associated with a message category in a plurality of message categories, the method further comprising:

receiving a search request that specifies a message category in the plurality of message categories; and

responsive to the search request, formatting for display a designation of the identity of each electronic message in the first plurality of electronic messages that qualifies for assignment in the message cluster associated with the message category.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message category is one of personal, social, promotions, updates or forums.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each message cluster in the plurality of message clusters is uniquely associated with a message category in a plurality of message categories, the method further comprising:

receiving a notification designation that specifies a message category in the plurality of message categories; and

responsive to the notification designation, formatting for display a visual alert, or preparing an audible alert or a vibrational alert, upon receipt of an electronic message that qualifies for assignment to the message cluster associated with the message category.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the message category is one of personal, social, promotions, updates or forums.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the notification is conditional upon a device associated with the first user so that the notification is suppressed when the first user is using a device in a first device class and the notification is made when the first user is using a device in a second device class.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first device class is one of desktop or mobile and the second device class is other than the first device class and is one of desktop or mobile.

12. A computing device, 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 message list in an electronic message folder, wherein;

the message list includes a plurality of individual electronic messages and a plurality of message clusters,

each message cluster is displayed as a respective single cluster graphic;

each message cluster is uniquely associated with a corresponding set of clustering rules;

a first message cluster of the plurality of message clusters contains a plurality of electronic messages; and

display of each item in the message list includes a respective single enlarged alphabetic character, which corresponds to an initial character of a sender name when the item is an individual electronic message and corresponds to an initial character of a cluster name when the item is a message cluster;

receiving user specification of a supplemental clustering rule for the first message cluster, wherein the supplemental clustering rule is based on content of electronic messages;

while defining the supplemental clustering rule, and prior to saving the supplemental clustering rule;

displaying a designation identifying one or more senders of electronic messages in a sample plurality of electronic messages that qualify for inclusion in the first message cluster in accordance with the supplemental rule and the set of clustering rules associated with the first message cluster;

saving the supplemental clustering rule;

applying the supplemental clustering rule and the sets of clustering rules associated with the plurality of message clusters to the plurality of individual electronic messages, thereby assigning a first electronic message of the plurality of individual messages to the first message cluster;

redisplaying the message list, including ceasing to display the first electronic message as an individual electronic message in the message list and updating display of the single cluster graphic for the first message cluster to indicate inclusion of the first electronic message.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of message clusters comprises one or more system message clusters and wherein the corresponding set of clustering rules for the one or more system message clusters are applied on a system-wide basis across a plurality of users including the first user.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the one or more system message clusters includes a message cluster selected from the group consisting of a message cluster for personal electronic messages, a message cluster for social electronic messages, a message cluster for electronic messages pertaining to promotions, a message cluster for electronic messages pertaining to updates, and a message cluster for electronic messages pertaining to forums.