SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A PREVIEW OF MESSAGE CONTENT ON A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20080171535A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Scian, Anthony Fabian, Carmody, Michael James, Robertson, Ian Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

Embodiments of a system and method for providing a preview of the content of messages (e.g. electronic mail messages) to users of mobile devices. A portion of the message body of a message associated with a user-identified list entry of a message list is shown in an area of a display screen (e.g. in a window) that overlaps the area in which one or more list entries of the message list is displayed.

Claims

1. A method of providing a preview of message content in a display on a mobile device, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying, in a first area of the display, a message list comprising at least one list entry, wherein each list entry provides details of a message associated with the respective list entry;

determining a user-identified list entry from the message list; and

displaying at least a portion of a message body of the message associated with the user-identified list entry in a second area of the display, such that the second area overlaps at least a part of the first area in which one or more list entries of the message list is displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at the step of displaying at least a portion of the message body of the message associated with the user-identified list entry, the portion of the message body is displayed in a window, wherein the window overlaps at least a part of the first area in which one or more list entries of the message list is displayed.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at the step of displaying at least a portion of the message body of the message associated with the user-identified list entry, the portion of the message body is displayed as scrolling content in a window, wherein the window overlaps at least a part of the first area in which one or more list entries of the message list is displayed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the scrolling content scrolls in a vertical direction.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the scrolling content scrolls in a horizontal direction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-identified list entry is a list entry that has been identified by the user using a selection means.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user-identified list entry is a list entry that has been identified using a highlight bar.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the user-identified list entry is a list entry that has been identified using a pointer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying at least a portion of the message body of the message associated with the user-identified list entry is performed after a first, pre-determined time period has elapsed.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of opening the message associated with the user-identified list entry after a second, pre-determined time period has elapsed.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying at least one additional portion of the message body of the message associated with the user-identified list entry after a third, pre-determined time period has elapsed.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining when the user-identified list entry is no longer identified by the user, and terminating the display of the portion of the message body when the user-identified list entry is no longer identified by the user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of marking the message associated with the user-identified list entry as read.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is an e-mail message.

15. A computer-readable medium on which a plurality of executable instructions is stored, the instructions for performing the steps of the method of providing a preview of message content in a display on a mobile device as claimed in claim 1.

16. A system for providing a preview of message content in a display on a mobile device, wherein the system comprises a processor adapted to execute a software application programmed to:

display, in a first area of the display, a message list comprising at least one list entry, wherein each list entry provides details of a message associated with the respective list entry;

determine a user-identified list entry from the message list; and

display at least a portion of a message body of the message associated with the user-identified list entry in a second area of the display, such that the second area overlaps at least a part of the first area in which one or more list entries of the message list is displayed.