Method and apparatus for electronic mail interaction with grouped message types

• US 20030167310A1
• Filed: 01/27/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kellmeran, Seymour, Rohall, Steven L., Gruen, Daniel M., Moody, Paul B., Patterson, John, Kerr, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,359,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• 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

An electronic mail inbox uses a mail agent to categorize incoming electronic mail to facilitate more flexible and rapid viewing and possible response thereto. Several special functions for collection of regularly sent types of mail, such as newsletters, office memos, press releases, etc., are utilized. In addition, special menu items are provided for collection and presentation of different priority items, such as urgent correspondence and approval requests. The electronic mail inbox facilitates multiple viewing options so that collections of regularly sent or different priority types of mail may be viewed separately and/or interleaved with other items in the a main mail inbox. In addition, items that require an affirmative response, such as approval requests, may include a special preview format that allows for rapid viewing of pertinent details and approval directly from the from the mail inbox without review of the complete item.

Claims

1. In a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, a method comprising:

(A) defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;

(B) determining if a received electronic mail document is associated with one of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;

(C) receiving selection criteria as to which of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents are to be displayed; and

(D) displaying received electronic mail documents associated with less than all of the plurality of categories in accordance with the selection criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein (D) comprises:

(D) displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a first of the plurality of categories in a first window region on a user interface while simultaneously displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a second of the plurality of categories in a second window region on the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(E) presenting a graphic representation of the first category.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

(F) presenting a graphic representation of each of the received electronic mail documents associated with a first category, upon selection of the graphic representation of the first category.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein (F) comprises:

(F1) displaying one of the received electronic mail document and a surrogate document derived from the received electronic mail document upon selection of the graphic representation of one of the received electronic mail documents associated with the first category.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of categories of electronic mail documents has an identifying characteristic associated therewith.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein (B) further comprises:

(B1) determining if a received electronic mail document contains an identifying characteristic associated with one of the plurality of categories.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein each of the electronic mail documents associated with one of the plurality of categories comprises a requests for an affirmative response by a recipient thereof.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the plurality of categories are selected from the group consisting of approvals, urgent, newsletters, memos, and press releases.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein (E) further comprises:

(E1) presenting a graphic representation of the number of received electronic mail documents associated with the first category.

11. A computer program product for use with a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:

(A) program code for defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;

(B) program code for determining with which of the plurality of categories a received electronic mail document is associated;

(C) program code for displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a first of the plurality of categories in a first window region on a user interface while simultaneously displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a second of the plurality of categories in a second window region on the user interface.

12. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for use with a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, the computer data signal comprising:

(A) program code for defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;

(B) program code for determining with which of the plurality of categories a received electronic mail document is associated; and

(C) program code for displaying received electronic mail documents associated with a first of the plurality of categories while simultaneously displaying a graphic representation of a second category of the plurality of categories.

13. An apparatus for use with a computer system operatively connectable to a network and capable of executing a communication process for sending and receiving electronic mail documents, the apparatus comprising:

(A) program logic for defining a plurality of categories of electronic mail documents;

(B) program logic for determining with which of the plurality of categories a received electronic mail document is associated;

(C) a memory for storing received electronic mail documents,

(D) program logic for storing a received electronic mail document in the memory in accordance with which of the plurality of categories the received electronic mail document is associated; and

(E) program logic for simultaneously displaying received electronic mail documents associated with selected of the plurality of categories in accordance with selection criteria.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

(F) program logic for presenting a graphic representation of each of the received electronic mail documents with a first category.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

(F) program logic for presenting a graphic representation of a first category.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

(G) program logic for presenting a graphic representation of each of the received electronic mail documents associated with the first category upon selection of the graphic representation of the first category.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein (G) comprises:

(G1) program logic for displaying one of the received electronic mail document and a surrogate document derived from the received electronic mail document upon selection of the graphic representation of said one received electronic mail document.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein (G) further comprises:

(G1) program logic for presenting a graphic representation of the first category in conjunction with a graphic representation of the number of received electronic mail documents associated with the first category.