Workflow and in-context e-mail recipient handling

• US 9,742,716 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Fields, Brendan C., Schwend, Diana J., Pereira, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Chirag R
• Application Number:
  US14/570,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20150143257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that improve the workflow process for resolving data elements, such as email addresses. These technologies and techniques allow the user to perform such tasks in the same context as the activity or message. In addition, user can start and stop the resolution process at any point in the process of composing the activity or email. The activity cannot be finalized, such as an email message being sent, until all of the data elements are resolved.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

at least one memory storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processing unit cause the computer system to perform a resolution process on data elements in-context with an activity, the method comprising;

receiving at least a portion of a data element via a user interface screen for performing the activity;

determining that the data element is unresolved;

displaying one or more potential matches for the unresolved data element within the same user interface screen for performing the activity;

allowing a user to stop the resolution process to continue working with the user interface screen for performing the activity;

allowing the user to later complete the resolution process in the same user interface screen; and

receiving a selection of a corrected data element from the one or more potential matches.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least the portion of the data element is received via a user interface screen for creating a message.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein displaying the one or more potential matches for the unresolved data element comprises:

retrieving the one or more potential matches from a web server.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least the portion of the data element comprises at least part of an email address.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein allowing the user to later complete the resolution process in the same user interface screen comprises:

allowing the user to select the corrected data element from the one or more potential matches after performing the activity in the same user interface screen.

6. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the one or more potential matches in a menu within the same user interface screen for performing the activity.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the one or more potential matches do not exactly match the unresolved data element.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the one or more potential matches exactly matches the unresolved data element.

9. A computer-readable storage device storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processing unit cause a computer system to perform a resolution process on data elements in-context with an activity, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of a data element via a user interface screen for performing the activity;

determining that the data element is unresolved;

displaying one or more potential matches for the unresolved data element within the same user interface screen for performing the activity;

allowing a user to stop the resolution process to continue working with the user interface screen for performing the activity;

allowing the user to later complete the resolution process in the same user interface screen; and

receiving a selection of a corrected data element from the one or more potential matches.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein at least the portion of the data element is received via a user interface screen for creating an email message.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein at least the portion of the data element comprises at least part of an email address.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein allowing the user to later complete the resolution process in the same user interface screen comprises:

allowing the user to select the corrected data element from the one or more potential matches after performing the activity in the same user interface screen.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying the one or more potential matches in a menu within the same user interface screen for performing the activity.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the one or more potential matches do not exactly match the unresolved data element.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein at least two of the one or more potential matches exactly matches the unresolved data element.

16. A method for performing a resolution process on data elements in-context with an activity, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of a data element via a user interface screen for performing the activity;

determining that the data element is unresolved;

displaying one or more potential matches for the unresolved data element within the same user interface screen for performing the activity;

allowing a user to stop the resolution process to continue working with the user interface screen for performing the activity;

allowing the user to later complete the resolution process in the same user interface screen; and

receiving a selection of a corrected data element from the one or more potential matches.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least the portion of the data element is received via a user interface screen for creating an email message.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein at least the portion of the data element comprises at least part of an email address.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein allowing the user to later complete the resolution process in the same user interface screen comprises:

allowing the user to select the corrected data element from the one or more potential matches after performing the activity in the same user interface screen.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying the one or more potential matches in a menu within the same user interface screen for performing the activity.