Email conversation linking

• US 10,044,662 B1
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mesters, Floor, van Doorn, Ivo
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tam T
• Application Number:
  US14/546,800
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A system adapted to link email conversations is disclosed. An email client identifies email conversations from email header information and presents the conversations along with other emails in a user'"'"'s inbox. The user interface receives user inputs selecting first and second email conversations and specifying that the two should be linked. The email client generates an identifier and associates the identifier with emails that are comprised in the selected first and second conversations. When a recipient receives an email that is part of a conversation that has been linked by another user, the recipient'"'"'s email client notifies the user of the prior linking and provides a button with which the recipient may also implement the link. A user may select to create a new email and link the new email to an existing conversation. An identifier is generated and associated with the new email and emails in the selected conversation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for linking email conversations, comprising:

processing, for emails received by a first user, email header information to identify a first email conversation comprising a first email and replies to the first email;

identifying that one or more emails in the first email conversation has an associated identifier indicating the first email conversation was associated by a second user with a second email conversation comprising a second email and replies to the second email, wherein identifying that one or more emails in the first email conversation has an associated identifier indicating the first email conversation was associated by the second user with a second email conversation comprises identifying a group identifier in email header information is associated with emails in the first email conversation and with emails in the second email conversation;

presenting a user interface displaying the first email conversation and the second email conversation;

receiving input selecting an email in the first email conversation;

displaying an indication the selected email is in the first email conversation that was associated with the second email conversation by the second user;

receiving input from the first user and based on the indication, the input specifying to create a link between the first email conversation and the second email conversation; and

storing data indicating the first user has established the link between the first email conversation and the second email conversation.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing email header information to identify a first email conversation comprises identifying emails listed in a header references field.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a user interface visually indicating that the first email conversation and the second email conversation are linked.

4. A computing system for linking email conversations, comprising:

a non-transitory computing memory having stored therein computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to;

process, for emails received, email header information to identify a first email conversation comprising a first email and replies to the first email;

identify that one or more emails in the first email conversation has an associated identifier indicating the first email conversation was associated by a second user with a second email conversation comprising a second email and replies to the second email, wherein identifying that one or more emails in the first email conversation has an associated identifier indicating the first email conversation was associated by the second user with the second email conversation comprises identifying a group identifier in email header information is associated with emails in the first email conversation and with emails in the second email conversation;

generate a user interface identifying that an email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by the second user;

present a user interface displaying the first email conversation and the second email conversation;

receive input from a first user selecting an email in the first email conversation;

display an indication the selected email is in the first email conversation that was associated with the second email conversation by the second user;

receive input from the first user and based on the indication, the input specifying to create a link between the first email conversation and the second email conversation;

store data identifying that the first user has linked the first email conversation to the second email conversation.

5. The computing system of claim 4, the non-transitory computing memory having stored therein computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to:

generate a user interface comprising a listing of emails, the listing of emails comprising the first email conversation and the second email conversation; and

receive a selection of an email in the first email conversation;

wherein the instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to generate the user interface identifying that an email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by a second user comprise instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to display on the user interface a preview of the selected email and a user interface feature identifying that a related email conversation exists.

6. The computing system of claim 5, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to display on the user interface a preview of the selected email and a user interface feature identifying that a related email conversation exists comprise instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to display on the user interface a preview of the selected email and a user interface feature that is selectable to retrieve information regarding a related email conversation.

7. The computing system of claim 5,

the non-transitory computing memory having stored therein computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to display on the user interface a user interface feature selectable to request to create a link, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to receive input identifying to link the first email conversation to the second email conversation comprise instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to receive input indicating the interface feature selectable to request to create a link has been selected.

8. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to display on a user interface a user interface feature selectable to request to create a link comprise instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to display on the user interface a button selectable to request to create the link.

9. The computing system of claim 4, the non-transitory computing memory having stored therein computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause the system to generate a user interface visually displaying the first email conversation and second email conversation are linked.

10. The computing system of claim 4, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to process the email header information to identify the first email conversation further comprising instructions that upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to identify emails listed in a header references field.

11. The computing system of claim 4, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to present the user interface further comprising instructions that upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to visually indicate that the first email conversation and the second email conversation are linked.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, at least cause a computing system to:

process, for emails received, email header information to identify a first email conversation comprising a first email and replies to the first email;

identify that one or more emails in the first email conversation has an associated identifier indicating the first email conversation was associated by a second user with a second email conversation comprising a second email and replies to the second email, wherein identifying that one or more emails in the first email conversation has an associated identifier indicating the first email conversation was associated by the second user with the second email conversation comprises identifying a group identifier in email header information is associated with emails in the first email conversation and with emails in the second email conversation;

generating a user interface listing emails received for a first user, the user interface listing emails identifying that an email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by a second user;

present a user interface displaying the first email conversation and the second email conversation;

receive input from a first user selecting an email in the first email conversation;

display an indication the selected email is in the first email conversation that was associated with the second email conversation by the second user;

receive input from the first user and based on the indication, the input specifying to create a link between the first email conversation and the second email conversation;

store data identifying that the first user has linked the first email conversation to the second email conversation.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein generating a user interface listing emails received for a first user, the user interface identifying that an email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by a second user, comprises generating a user interface displaying text indicating that the email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by another user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13,

wherein generating a user interface displaying text indicating that the email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by another user comprises generating a user interface comprising a user interface button for generating a link;

and

wherein receiving at the user interface input instructing the system to link the first email conversation to the second email conversation comprises receiving input indicating that the user interface button for generating a link has been depressed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein generating a user interface listing emails received for a first user, the user interface identifying that an email is associated with a first email conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by a second user, comprises generating a user interface adapted to, upon selection of the email in a listing of emails, identify that the email is associated with a first conversation that was previously linked to a second email conversation by a second user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the computing system generating a user interface displaying emails received for a first user, the user interface identifying that the first email conversation is linked to the second email conversation, comprises generating a user interface displaying the first email conversation in proximity to the second email conversation.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to process the email header information to identify the first email conversation further comprising instructions that upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to identify emails listed in a header references field.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to present the user interface further comprising instructions that upon execution by the one or more processors, at least cause the computer system to visually indicate that the first email conversation and the second email conversation are linked.