Mutable Message Attributes

• US 20130086486A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Ahiakpor, Michael James
• Application Number:
  US13/250,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20130086486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• 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

Abstract

Mutable message attribute techniques are described. In one or more implementations, functionality is exposed, via a user interface, that is configured to receive one or more inputs to specify an action and one or more conditions for an attribute of a message that is mutable over time. A rule is configured to perform the action to one or more messages in accordance with the one or more conditions for the attribute that is mutable over time.

Claims

1. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

exposing functionality, via a user interface, that is configured to receive one or more inputs to specify an action and one or more conditions for an attribute of a message that is mutable over time; and

configuring a rule to perform the action to one or more messages in accordance with the one or more conditions for the attribute that is mutable over time.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions for the attribute specify that the action is not to be performed responsive to a determination that the one or more conditions are met by a respective said message.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions for the attribute specify that the action is to be performed responsive to a determination that the one or more conditions are met by a respective said message.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the attribute is mutable over time in that that attribute is changeable over time for the one or more messages.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more inputs define a future point in time at which to perform the action.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the action is to delete, move, or archive a corresponding said message.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions for the attribute include whether a corresponding said message is read, unread, pinned, not pinned, flagged, not flagged, replied to, not replied to, forwarded, or not forwarded.

8. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising executing the rule to determine whether to perform the action to a respective said message based on whether the one or more conditions for the attribute are met by the respective said message.

9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the message is an email, a SMS text, a MMS text, or an instant message.

10. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

configuring a rule based on one or more inputs received from a user via a user interface, the rule defining a particular sender, an action to be performed on messages received from the particular sender, and one or more conditions for an attribute of the messages that is mutable over time; and

managing one or more messages received from the particular sender at a user'"'"'s account based on the rule.

11. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the particular sender is specified through selection of a message received from the sender in a user interface.

12. A method as described in claim 10, wherein rule defines a point in time in which to make a determination of whether to apply the rule based on the one or more conditions.

13. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the action is to delete, move, or archive a corresponding said message.

14. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the one or more conditions for the attribute include whether a corresponding said message is read, unread, pinned, not pinned, flagged, not flagged, replied to, not replied to, forwarded, or not forwarded.

15. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the one or more conditions for the attribute specify that the action is not to be performed responsive to a determination that the one or more conditions are met by a respective said message.

16. A method as described in claim 10, wherein the one or more conditions for the attribute specify that the action is to be performed responsive to a determination that the one or more conditions are met by a respective said message.

17. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

determining whether to perform an action to an email received from a sender specified in a rule based on whether one or more conditions for an attribute of the message that is mutable over time has been met; and

responsive to the determination that the one or more conditions are met by the email, performing the action to the email.

18. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the sender is specified through selection of a message received from the sender in a user interface.

19. A method as described in claim 17, wherein the determining is performed based on a point in time defined by the rule.

20. A method as described in claim 17, wherein:

the action is to delete, move, or archive a corresponding said message; and

the one or more conditions for the attribute include whether a corresponding said message is read, unread, pinned, not pinned, flagged, not flagged, replied to, not replied to, forwarded, or not forwarded.