Method, system, and graphical user interface for dynamically updating transmission characteristics in a web mail reply

• US 8,346,859 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Bay-Wei, Lim, Jing Yee, Singh, Sanjeev
• Primary Examiner(s): ENG, DAVID Y
• Application Number:
  US13/221,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail

Abstract

A method, system and graphical user interface for dynamically updating transmission characteristics in a web mail reply are described. In one embodiment of the invention, a graphical user interface includes a web mail reply form that includes: one or more address fields; an input area for inputting a reply message; and a plurality of response options selectable by a user. In response to selection of a response option by a user, one or more of the address fields in the reply form are changed while maintaining the reply message in the input area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a computer;

displaying a first web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields;

an input area for a reply message;

a plurality of response options selectable by a user; and

a tear-off mechanism;

in response to selection of a reply response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, changing one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, changing one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area;

in response to selection of a forward response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, changing one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to detecting a selection of the tear-off mechanism, displaying a second web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields; and

an input area for the reply message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a button.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second web mail reply form further includes a plurality of response options selectable by the user.

5. The method of claim 4, including:

in response to selection of a reply response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, changing one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, changing one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to selection of a forward response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, changing one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area.

6. A computer, wherein the computer is configured to:

display a first web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields;

an input area for a reply message;

a plurality of response options selectable by a user; and

a tear-off mechanism;

in response to selection of a reply response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area;

in response to selection of a forward response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, change one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to detecting a selection of the tear-off mechanism, display a second web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields; and

an input area for the reply message.

7. The computer of claim 6, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a link.

8. The computer of claim 6, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a button.

9. The computer of claim 6, wherein the second web mail reply form further includes a plurality of response options selectable by the user.

10. The computer of claim 9, wherein the computer is further configured to:

in response to selection of a reply response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to selection of a forward response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, change one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area.

11. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

display a first web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields;

an input area for a reply message;

a plurality of response options selectable by a user; and

a tear-off mechanism;

in response to selection of a reply response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area;

in response to selection of a forward response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, change one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to detecting a selection of the tear-off mechanism, display a second web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields; and

an input area for the reply message.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a link.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a button.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the second web mail reply form further includes a plurality of response options selectable by the user.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, including instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

in response to selection of a reply response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, change one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to selection of a forward response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, change one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form while maintaining the reply message in the input area.

16. A graphical user interface on a computer, comprising:

a web mail reply form that includes;

one or more address fields;

an input area for a reply message;

a plurality of response options selectable by a user; and

a tear-off mechanism;

wherein;

in response to selection of a reply response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form is changed while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form is changed while maintaining the reply message in the input area;

in response to selection of a forward response option within the first web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the first web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, one or more of the address fields in the first web mail reply form is changed while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to detecting a selection of the tear-off mechanism, a second web mail reply form is displayed that includes;

one or more address fields; and

an input area for the reply message.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a link.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the tear-off mechanism is a button.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the second web mail reply form further includes a plurality of response options selectable by the user.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein:

in response to selection of a reply response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply-to-all response or a forward response, one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply is changed form while maintaining the reply message;

in response to selection of a reply-to-all response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a forward response, one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form is changed while maintaining the reply message in the input area; and

in response to selection of a forward response option within the second web mail reply form by the user when the one or more address fields within the second web mail reply form correspond to a reply response or a reply-to-all response, one or more of the address fields in the second web mail reply form is changed while maintaining the reply message in the input area.