System and method for providing information on a received communication for an electronic communication device

1. A method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device in a network, the method comprising:

while an outbound communication message is being composed on the device, generating and sending a notification to a server in the network with particulars on the outbound communication message; and

generating a message on a display of the device indicating receipt of an inbound communication that is related to the outbound communication, the message providing options for processing the inbound communication depending on whether the outbound communication is initiated as either a reply to the inbound communication or a forwarding of the inbound communication, the options including

a first set of options for processing the inbound communication when the outbound communication is initiated as a reply to the inbound communication; and

at least one of

a second set of options for processing the inbound communication when the outbound communication is initiated as a forwarding of the inbound communication; or

a third set of options for processing the inbound communication when the outbound communication is initiated as a reply to all to the inbound communication.

2. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the notification is sent after a lock-down event has occurred for the outbound communication message.

3. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:

the lock-down event is one of passage of a given amount of time or recognition that the outbound message is a reply to an existing communication string.

4. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:

the notification contains details relating to the outbound communication including at least one of a subject line, a time stamp and a list of addressees.

5. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining a database tracking received inbound communications destined for the device; and

updating the database upon receipt of the inbound communication for the device.

6. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising:

updating the database to delete a record relating to the outbound communication if the outbound communication is cancelled prior to its transmission from the device.

7. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

the server is an email server;

the outbound communication is an email being composed;

the inbound communication is a received email;

the device is operating email client software; and

the received email is being forwarded to the device from the email server.

8. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the email client software and the email server communicate through generation and transmission of messages therebetween relating to received emails and emails being composed.

9. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

upon activation of a send command for the outbound communication from the device, generating and providing a second message on the display of the device indicating receipt of the inbound communication.

10. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the second message provides an option to reply to an addressee of the outbound communication with a new message for the outbound communication or to continue sending the outbound communication.

11. The method for providing information relating to a recently received communication for a device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

when the outbound communication is initiated as the reply, a warning message is generated if a distribution list of addressees associated with the outbound communication differs from a distribution list of the inbound communication.

12. An electronic communication device providing processing of inbound and outbound communications, comprising:

memory;

a module to compose an outbound communication;

a notification module to generate and transmit a notification about the outbound communication when the outbound communication is being composed;

a module to monitor for receipt of an inbound communication or a second notification;

a module to evaluate information in the inbound communication against information of the outbound communication to determine whether the inbound communication is related to the outbound communication; and

a module to generate a message on a display of the device if the inbound communication is related to the outbound communication, the message providing options for processing the inbound communication, the options including:

a first set of options for processing the inbound communication when the outbound communication is initiated as a reply to the inbound communication; and

at least one of

a second set of options for processing the inbound communication when the outbound communication is initiated as a forwarding of the inbound communication; or

a third set of options for processing the inbound communication when the outbound communication is initiated as a reply to all to the inbound communication.

13. The electronic communication device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the notification module:

sends the notification after a lock-down event has occurred for the outbound communication message.

14. The electronic communication device as claimed in claim 13 , wherein:

the lock-down event is one of passage of a given amount of time or recognition that the outbound message is a reply to an existing communication string.

15. The electronic communication device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:

the notification contains details relating to the outbound communication including at least one of a subject line, a time stamp and a list of addressees; and

merging of the inbound communication to the outbound communication is selectively undone to remove text of the inbound communication from the outbound communication.

16. The electronic communication device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:

the device is operating email client software; and

the email client software and the email server communicate through generation and transmission of messages relating to received emails and emails being composed.

17. The electronic communication device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein an option is provided on the device to merge at least part of the inbound communication to the outbound communication after the inbound communication is determined to be related to the outbound communication.