Mechanism for implementing reminders in an electronic messaging system

• US 8,856,244 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Misaki Acquisitions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Madnani, Rajkumar R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NANO, SARGON N
• Application Number:
  US13/070,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,293 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 707/736, 707/951, 715/752
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A mechanism is disclosed for generating a composite email for an email conversation. The composite email includes content automatically extracted from a plurality of the emails in the email conversation, and may be generated in response to a user accessing just one of the emails in the email conversation. A mechanism is also disclosed for discovering and recovering lost emails in an email conversation. A mechanism is further disclosed for automatically moving emails from one container to another after an email has been read. These and other advantageous email generating, manipulation, and organization mechanisms are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

associating a first user-specified reminder with a first electronic message, the first user-specified reminder having a first reminder date associated therewith;

determining whether the first reminder date satisfies a first date filtering criterion; and

responsive to determining that the first reminder date satisfies the first date filtering criterion, causing a first user interface (UI) component to be displayed on an electronic display, wherein the first UI component comprises a count corresponding to a first amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the first amount includes the first electronic message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the first UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a user-specified reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the user-specified reminder text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic message is stored in a first logical container, and wherein the method further comprises:

causing a second UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the second UI component comprises a count corresponding to a second amount of electronic messages stored in the first logical container having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the second amount includes the first electronic message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the second UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a user-specified reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the user-specified reminder text.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

associating a second user-specified reminder with a second electronic message, the second user-specified reminder having a second reminder date associated therewith;

determining whether the second reminder date satisfies the first date filtering criterion; and

responsive to determining that the second reminder date satisfies the first date filtering criterion, incrementing the count.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the first UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message and information pertaining to the second electronic message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a first reminder text associated therewith, wherein the second user-specified reminder has a second reminder text associated therewith, wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the first reminder text, and wherein the information pertaining to the second electronic message comprises at least a portion of the second reminder text.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first electronic message is stored in a first logical container, wherein the second electronic message is stored in a second logical container, and wherein the method further comprises:

causing a second UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the second UI component comprises a count corresponding to a second amount of electronic messages stored in the first logical container having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the second amount includes the first electronic message but not the second electronic message.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

causing a third UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the third UI component comprises a count corresponding to a third amount of electronic messages stored in the second logical container having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the third amount includes the second electronic message but not the first electronic message.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the second UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message but no information pertaining to the second electronic message.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a user-specified reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the user-specified reminder text.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the third UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the second electronic message but no information pertaining to the first electronic message.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second user-specified reminder has a user-specified reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the second electronic message comprises at least a portion of the second user-specified reminder text.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

associating a second user-specified reminder with a second electronic message, the second user-specified reminder having a second reminder date associated therewith;

determining whether the second reminder date satisfies a second different date filtering criterion; and

responsive to determining that the second reminder date satisfies the second date filtering criterion, causing a second UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the second UI component comprises a count corresponding to a second amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the second date filtering criterion, and wherein the second amount includes the second electronic message but not the first electronic message; and

wherein the first amount includes the first electronic message but not the second electronic message.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

causing a third UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the third UI component comprises a count corresponding to a third amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith, and wherein the third amount includes both the first electronic message and the second electronic message.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the third UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message and information pertaining to the second electronic message.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a first reminder text associated therewith, wherein the second user-specified reminder has a second reminder text associated therewith, wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the first reminder text, and wherein the information pertaining to the second electronic message comprises at least a portion of the second reminder text.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the first UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message but no information pertaining to the second electronic message.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a first reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the first reminder text.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

responsive to a user selection of the second UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the second electronic message but no information pertaining to the first electronic message.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second user-specified reminder has a second reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the second electronic message comprises at least a portion of the second reminder text.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user-specified reminder identifies at least one of a user-specified reminder text and a user-specified date to be used for the first reminder date.

25. A memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

associating a first user-specified reminder with a first electronic message, the first user-specified reminder having a first reminder date associated therewith;

determining whether the first reminder date satisfies a first date filtering criterion; and

responsive to determining that the first reminder date satisfies the first date filtering criterion, causing a first user interface (UI) component to be displayed on an electronic display, wherein the first UI component comprises a count corresponding to a first amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the first amount includes the first electronic message.

26. The memory device of claim 25, wherein the first electronic message is stored in a first logical container, and wherein the operations further comprise:

causing a second UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the second UI component comprises a count corresponding to a second amount of electronic messages stored in the first logical container having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the second amount includes the first electronic message.

27. The memory device of claim 26, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the second UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message.

28. The memory device of claim 27, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a user-specified reminder text associated therewith, and wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the user-specified reminder text.

29. The memory device of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

associating a second user-specified reminder with a second electronic message, the second user-specified reminder having a second reminder date associated therewith;

determining whether the second reminder date satisfies the first date filtering criterion; and

responsive to determining that the second reminder date satisfies the first date filtering criterion, incrementing the count.

30. The memory device of claim 29, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the first UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message and information pertaining to the second electronic message.

31. The memory device of claim 29, wherein the first electronic message is stored in a first logical container, wherein the second electronic message is stored in a second logical container, and wherein the operations further comprise:

causing a second UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the second UI component comprises a count corresponding to a second amount of electronic messages stored in the first logical container having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the second amount includes the first electronic message but not the second electronic message.

32. The memory device of claim 31, wherein the operations further comprise:

causing a third UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the third UI component comprises a count corresponding to a third amount of electronic messages stored in the second logical container having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the first date filtering criterion, and wherein the third amount includes the second electronic message but not the first electronic message.

33. The memory device of claim 32, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the second UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message but no information pertaining to the second electronic message.

34. The memory device of claim 32, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the third UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the second electronic message but no information pertaining to the first electronic message.

35. The memory device of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise:

associating a second user-specified reminder with a second electronic message, the second user-specified reminder having a second reminder date associated therewith;

determining whether the second reminder date satisfies a second different date filtering criterion; and

responsive to determining that the second reminder date satisfies the second date filtering criterion, causing a second UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the second UI component comprises a count corresponding to a second amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the second date filtering criterion, and wherein the second amount includes the second electronic message but not the first electronic message; and

wherein the first amount of electronic messages includes the first electronic message but not the second electronic message.

36. The memory device of claim 35, wherein the operations further comprise:

causing a third UI component to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the third UI component comprises a count corresponding to a third amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith, and wherein the third amount includes both the first electronic message and the second electronic message.

37. The memory device of claim 36, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the third UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message and information pertaining to the second electronic message.

38. The memory device of claim 37, wherein the first user-specified reminder has a first reminder text associated therewith, wherein the second user-specified reminder has a second reminder text associated therewith, wherein the information pertaining to the first electronic message comprises at least a portion of the first reminder text, and wherein the information pertaining to the second electronic message comprises at least a portion of the second reminder text.

39. The memory device of claim 36, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the first UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the first electronic message but no information pertaining to the second electronic message.

40. The memory device of claim 36, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a user selection of the second UI component, causing a first electronic message listing to be displayed on the electronic display, wherein the first electronic message listing includes information pertaining to the second electronic message but no information pertaining to the first electronic message.

41. The memory device of claim 25, wherein the first user-specified reminder identifies at least one of a user-specified reminder text and a user-specified date to be used for the first reminder date.

42. An apparatus, comprising:

means for associating a user-specified reminder with an electronic message, the reminder having a reminder date associated therewith;

means for determining whether the reminder date satisfies a date filtering criterion; and

means for causing a user interface (UI) component to be displayed on an electronic display responsive to determining that the reminder date satisfies the date filtering criterion, wherein the UI component comprises a count corresponding to a first amount of electronic messages having reminders associated therewith that have reminder dates that satisfy the date filtering criterion, and wherein the first amount includes the electronic message.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the user-specified reminder identifies at least one of a user-specified reminder text and a user-specified date to be used for the reminder date.