IP Library Granted Patent US 9,306,893
Granted Patent B2
US 9,306,893 · App. 14/187,120 · Granted Apr 5, 2016

Systems and methods for progressive message flow

Inventors: Phillip Sharp (Mountain View, CA); David Nachum (San Francisco, CA); Keith Coleman (Palo Alto, CA); Xander Pollock (Palo Alto, CA); Jason Briggs Cornwell (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Google Inc.
H04L51/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,306,893
App. No.
14/187,120
Granted
Apr 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for managing electronic messages are disclosed. In some implementations, a method includes, at a computing device, causing an electronic message to be displayed to a user in an electronic message folder. Responsive to detecting that the user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, without user intervention, the electronic message is removed from the electronic message folder. In some implementations, the electronic message folder is a message inbox and the electronic message is removed from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder. In some implementations, the computing device includes one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors.

Claims (28)

1. A method comprising:

at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors:

displaying an indication of an electronic message to a receiving user within a cluster graphic corresponding to a first message cluster in a plurality of message clusters, wherein the first message cluster includes a plurality of electronic messages, and wherein the plurality of message clusters is in an inbox folder;

detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message other than the indication of the electronic message;

determining whether the receiving user has taken an affirmative action to retain the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic within a predefined time period after detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, wherein the affirmative action comprises pinning the electronic message or flagging the electronic message to be kept;

when it is determined that the receiving user has not taken the affirmative action, automatically removing the indication of the electronic message from the cluster graphic and automatically removing the electronic message from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder; and

when it is determined that the receiving user has taken the affirmative action, retaining the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message comprises detecting a predefined user action indicating that the receiving user has completed reading the electronic message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising ceasing to display the cluster graphic when a predefined number of electronic messages in the first message cluster have had corresponding indications removed from the cluster graphic.

4. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory, configured for execution by the one or more processors, and include instructions for:

displaying an indication of an electronic message to a receiving user within a cluster graphic corresponding to a first message cluster in a plurality of message clusters, wherein the first message cluster includes a plurality of electronic messages, and wherein the plurality of message clusters is in an inbox folder;

detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message other than the indication of the electronic message;

determining whether the receiving user has taken an affirmative action to retain the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic within a predefined time period after detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, wherein the affirmative action comprises pinning the electronic message or flagging the electronic message to be kept;

when it is determined that the receiving user has not taken the affirmative action, automatically removing the indication of the electronic message from the cluster graphic and automatically removing the electronic message from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder; and

when it is determined that the receiving user has taken the affirmative action, retaining the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message comprises detecting a predefined user action indicating that the receiving user has completed reading the electronic message.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for ceasing to display the cluster graphic when a predefined number of electronic messages in the first message cluster have had corresponding indications removed from the cluster graphic.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors of a computing system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

displaying an indication of an electronic message to a receiving user within a cluster graphic corresponding to a first message cluster in a plurality of message clusters, wherein the first message cluster includes a plurality of electronic messages, and wherein the plurality of message clusters is in an inbox folder;

detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message other than the indication of the electronic message;

determining whether the receiving user has taken an affirmative action to retain the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic within a predefined time period after detecting that the receiving user has read at least a portion of the electronic message, wherein the affirmative action comprises pinning the electronic message or flagging the electronic message to be kept;

when it is determined that the receiving user has not taken the affirmative action, automatically removing the indication of the electronic message from the cluster graphic and automatically removing the electronic message from the message inbox to an archive or delete folder; and

when it is determined that the receiving user has taken the affirmative action, retaining the indication of the electronic message in the cluster graphic.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication of the electronic message is a snippet drawn from the electronic message.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the indication of the electronic message is a snippet drawn from the electronic message.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044566/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2016
From: SHARP, PHILLIP; NACHUM, DAVID; COLEMAN, KEITH; POLLOCK, XANDER; CORNWELL, JASON BRIGGS
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 037730/0217 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61922601 · Dec 31, 2013
Related Publication 20150188870A1 · Jul 2, 2015