Method, apparatus, and user interface for managing electronic mail and alert messages

• US 7,467,183 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bacioiu, Radu, Arcuri, Michael Philip, Sareen, Chaitanya Dev, Daley, Paul, White, Christopher Cameron, Beeman, Anthony Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Karen C
• Application Number:
  US10/367,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224, 709/206, 709/225, 709/245, 709/207, 709/229, 709/232, 709/238, 709/204, 709/205, 705/10, 705/22, 370/485, 715/700, 715/713
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and user interface are provided for managing e-mail rules and alert subscriptions from multiple sources. Alert messages and persistent state objects, such as cookies, are examined to determine whether they relate to an alert subscription. If an e-mail message or persistent state object is determined to relate to an alert subscription, a network address for a subscription source identified by the contents of the e-mail message or state object are added to a list of subscription sources. A request may then be received to manage one or more alert subscriptions. In response to the request, each subscription source identified in the list of subscription sources is validated. Each validated subscription source is added to a current subscriptions list, which is displayed to a user. Each subscription in the current subscriptions list may be modified or deleted by the user through a unified user interface for managing e-mail rules and alert subscriptions. Schema and data structures are also provided for communication between an e-mail and alert subscription client and a subscription source.

Claims

1. A method for managing electronic mail and alert messages, the method comprising:

receiving communication wherein contents of the communication comprises a header, and wherein the header comprises data configured to identify a network address for accessing an alert interface code on a subscription source, the alert interface code configured to use an XML schema for passing parameters to the alert interface code and for receiving results of queries made to the alert interface code, the alert interface code configured to expose an interface for at least one of the following;

determining an alert subscription, deleting the alert subscription, and adding a new alert subscription;

wherein the communication comprises an electronic mail message and a persistent state object;

determining, based on the contents of the communication, whether the communication is related to the alert subscription;

in response to determining that the communication is related to the alert subscription, adding the subscription source identified by the contents of the communication to a list of subscription sources;

wherein the communication comprises data identifying the network address at which communication may be made with the subscription source;

determining, based on the content of the communication, whether the communication identifies a new alert subscription source;

in response to determining based on the contents of the communication, that the communication identifies a new alert subscription source, adding the new alert subscription source to the list of subscription sources;

maintaining a list of active trusted subscription sources;

determining whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources is associated with at least one of the list of trusted subscription sources;

determining whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources that is associated with at least one of the listed trusted subscription sources is valid wherein each subscription source comprises a computer responds to requests associated with the alert interface code;

in response to receiving a request to manage at least one subscription source, displaying the list of subscription sources that are associated with at least one of the listed trusted subscription sources and whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources is valid;

receiving a request to manage one or more alert subscriptions;

in response to said request, determining whether each subscription source identified in the list of subscription source may be validated;

retrieving from each validated subscription source the identify of one or more subscriptions;

adding each subscription to a current subscriptions list and displaying the current subscription list;

receiving a request to add a new alert subscription;

in response to the request, receiving the identify of a subscription source providing the new alert subscription, the subscription source for the new alert subscription comprising a validated subscription source, or a previously visited alert provider, or a manually provided network address for the subscription source; and

displaying information for defining the new alert subscription provided by the subscription source providing the new alert subscription, wherein the displaying information includes;

the validated subscription sources that are currently active, the subscription sources that is previously visited using a web browser application, and the subscription sources that a user has accessed or stored documentation on.

2. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

3. A computer-controlled apparatus comprising a processor performs the method of claim 1.

4. A method for managing alert subscriptions, the method comprising:

receiving a communication wherein contents of the communication comprises a header, and wherein the header comprises data identify a network address configured to identify a network address for accessing an alert interface code on a subscription source, the alert interface code configured to use an XML schema for passing parameters to the alert interface code and for receiving results of queries made to the alert interface code, the alert interface code configured to expose an interface for at least one of the following;

determining an alert subscription, deleting alert subscription, adding new alert subscriptions and performing other functions related to the management of alert subscriptions;

wherein the communication comprises an electronic mail message and a persistent state object;

determining, based on the contents of the communication, whether the communication is related to the alert subscription;

wherein the communication comprises data identifying the network address at which communication may be made with the subscription source;

in response to determining that the communication is related to the alert subscription, adding the subscription source identified by the contents of the communication to a list of subscription sources;

determining, based on the content of the communication, whether the communication identifies a new alert subscription source;

in response to determining, based on the contents of the communication, that the communication identifies a new alert subscription source, adding the new alert subscription source to the list of subscription sources;

maintaining a list of active trusted subscription sources;

determining whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources is associated with at least one of the trusted subscription sources;

determining whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources that is associated with at least one of the listed trusted subscription sources is valid wherein each subscription source comprises a computer responds to requests associated with the alert interface code;

in response to receiving a request to manage at least one subscription source, displaying the list of subscription sources that is associated with at least one of the listed trusted subscription sources and whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources is valid;

receiving a request to manage one or more alert subscriptions;

in response to said request, determining whether each subscription source identified in the list of subscription source may be validated;

retrieving from each validated subscription source the identify of one or more subscriptions;

adding each subscription to a current subscriptions list and displaying the current subscription list,

receiving a request to add a new alert subscription;

in response to the request, receiving the identify of a subscription source providing the new alert subscription, the subscription source for the new alert subscription comprising a validated subscription source, or a previously visited alert provider, or a manually provided network address for the subscription source; and

displaying information for defining the new alert subscription provided by the subscription source providing the new alert subscription, wherein the displaying information includes;

the validated subscription sources that are currently active, the subscription sources that is previously visited using a web browser application, and the subscription sources that a user has accessed or stored documentation on.

5. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 4.

6. A system for managing alert subscriptions, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit receive a communication wherein contents of the communication comprises a header, and wherein the header comprises data identify a network address configured to identify a network address for accessing an alert interface code on a subscription source, the alert interface code configured to use an XML schema for passing parameters to the alert interface code and for receiving results of queries made to the alert interface code, the alert interface code configured to expose an interface for at least one of the following;

determining an alert subscription, deleting alert subscription, adding new alert subscriptions and performing other functions related to the management of alert subscriptions, wherein the communication comprises an electronic mail message and a persistent state object,

determine, based on the contents of the communication, whether the communication is related to the alert subscription, wherein the communication comprises data identifying the network address at which communication may be made with the subscription source;

in response to determining that the communication is related to the alert subscription, add the subscription source identified by the contents of the communication to a list of subscription sources;

determine, based on the content of the communication, whether the communication identifies a new alert subscription source;

in response to determining, based on the contents of the communication, that the communication identifies a new alert subscription source, add the new alert subscription source to the list of subscription sources;

maintain a list of active trusted subscription sources;

determine whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources is associated with at least one of the list of trusted subscription sources;

determining whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources that is associated with at least one of the listed trusted subscription sources is valid wherein each subscription source comprises a computer responds to requests associated with the alert interface code;

in response to receiving a request to manage at least one subscription source, displaying the list of subscription sources that are associated with at least one of the listed trusted subscription sources and whether each subscription source in the list of subscription sources is valid;

receiving a request to manage one or more alert subscriptions;

in response to said request, determining whether each subscription source identified in the list of subscription source may be validated;

retrieving from each validated subscription source the identify of one or more subscriptions;

adding each subscription to a current subscriptions list and displaying the current subscription list;

receiving a request to add a new alert subscription;

in response to the request, receiving the identify of a subscription source providing the new alert subscription, the subscription source for the new alert subscription comprising a validated subscription source, or a previously visited alert provider, or a manually provided network address for the subscription source; and

displaying information for defining the new alert subscription provided by the subscription source providing the new alert subscription, wherein the displaying information includes;

the validated subscription sources that are currently active, the subscription sources that is previously visited using a web browser application, and the subscription sources that a user has accessed or stored documentation on.