System and method for visual feedback of command execution in electronic mail systems

• US 7,071,943 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IncrediMail, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: IncrediMail, Ltd.
• Inventors: Adler, Yaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/333,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 348/594
• US Class Current: 345/473
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for visually informing a user that an email client has executed a desired command. The method comprises calculating an area within the email client that displays text of a message and mapping an identically sized set of texture mapped polygons to the area within the email client displaying the text of the message. The set of polygons texture mapped with a texture representing the text of the message. The invention further comprises displaying the texture mapped polygons on top of the text of the message, animating the texture mapped polygons in response to a particular command a user wishes to execute; and removing the texture mapped polygons from the area within the email client displaying the text of the message.

Claims

1. A method for visually informing a user that a desired command has been executed by an email client, the method comprising:

calculating an area within the email client that displays text of a message;

mapping an identically sized set of texture mapped polygons to the area within the email client displaying the text of the message, the set of polygons texture mapped with a texture representing the text of the message;

displaying the texture mapped polygons on top of the text of the message;

animating the texture mapped polygons in response to a particular command a user wishes to execute; and

removing the texture mapped polygons from the area within the email client displaying the text of the message.

2. The method of claim 1, the method comprising animating the set of texture mapped polygons to represent the message flying into space in response to the user executing a send message command to the email client.

3. The method of claim 1, the method comprising animating the set of texture mapped polygons to represent the message turning like a page in a book in response to the user instructing the email client to display a next message in a series of message.

4. The method of claim 1, the method comprising animating the set of texture mapped polygons to represent the message shredding in response to the user executing a next message command.

5. The method of claim 4, the method comprising animating the set of texture mapped polygons to represent the message crumbling in response to the user executing a delete command.

6. The method of claim 1, the method comprising generating a sound effect in response to the particular command the user wishes to execute.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the animation used in the animation operation is not fixed.

8. The method of claim 7, the method comprising randomly associating different animations with the particular command the user wishes to execute.

9. The method of claim 1, the method comprising supplying additional animations for presentation during the animation operation.

10. The method of claim 1, the method comprising

generating a set of polygons representing an external body;

texture mapping a desired texture to the set of polygons representing the external body;

displaying the external body; and

animating the external body in conjunction with the step of animating the texture mapped polygons in response to the particular command the user wishes to execute.

11. The method of claim 10, the method comprising generating multiple external bodies.

12. The method of claim 10, the method comprising generating a sound effect in response to the particular command the user wishes to execute.