IP Library Granted Patent US 10,163,073
Granted Patent B2
US 10,163,073 · App. 15/786,598 · Granted Dec 25, 2018

Displaying complex messaging threads into a single display

Inventor: Eric Staats (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Oath Inc.
G06Q10/107G06F3/0481H04L51/16H04L51/22H04L51/34
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,163,073
App. No.
15/786,598
Granted
Dec 25, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for organizing a message thread containing one or more messages. A root message and reply groupings are identified, each reply grouping depending from the root message. Each reply grouping has one or more child reply messages depending from a common parent message. The child reply messages within each reply grouping are ordered in chronological order based on the time of each of the one or more child reply messages was received or sent. The reply groupings are hierarchically ordering based on a relationship between the reply grouping and its parent message. A single display allows a user to view the message thread and the content of all of the messages in accordance with the hierarchical ordering.

Claims (43)

1. A computer-implemented method for organizing an electronic message thread, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

identifying at least two reply groupings, each reply grouping having at least two child reply messages made in response to a parent message sent by a first user and including a first portion and a second portion in a content area;

ordering each of the at least two child reply messages in each reply grouping in chronological order based on the time each of the at least two child reply messages was sent or received;

generating electronic instructions to display, on a user device, the message thread including the parent message, at least a portion of content of a first inline response of a first child reply message being displayed between the first portion and the second portion of the parent message, and at least a portion of content of a second inline response of the first child reply message being displayed after the second portion of the parent message;

further generating instructions to display, on the user device, the two reply groupings, each reply grouping being hierarchically ordered based on a relationship between the parent message and the two reply groupings; and

generating a single display that allows a user to collapse and expand a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message included as part of the first child reply message.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a root message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating electronic instructions to display a response from a response content area of the first child reply message outside a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating electronic instructions to display the first and second inline responses as collapsed content.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising blocking the first and second inline responses from being displayed outside of a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating electronic instructions to display an indication of whether at least one of the parent message or the first child reply message have been accessed by the first user, a second user, or a third user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the parent message or the first child reply messages is an email message.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a second child reply message, wherein each of the first and second child reply messages include a duplicate of at least part of the parent message and inline responses in the duplicate of at least part of the parent message; and

generating electronic instructions to display at least a portion of content of the inline responses of the first and second child reply messages in the duplicate of at least part of the parent message.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating a single display that indents the child reply messages in a reply grouping in relation to their parent message.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

identify at least two reply groupings, each reply grouping having at least two child reply messages made in response to a parent message sent by a first user and including a first portion and a second portion in a content area;

order each of the at least two child reply messages in each reply grouping in chronological order based on the time each of the at least two child reply messages was sent or received;

generate electronic instructions to display, on a user device, the message thread including the parent message, at least a portion of content of a first inline response of a first child reply message being displayed between the first portion and the second portion of the parent message, and at least a portion of content of a second inline response of the first child reply message being displayed after the second portion of the parent message;

further generating instructions to display, on the user device, the two reply groupings, each reply grouping being hierarchically ordered based on a relationship between the parent message and the two reply groupings; and

generate a single display that allows a user to collapse and expand a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message included as part of the first child reply message.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to identify a root message.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate electronic instructions to display a response from a response content area of the first child reply message outside a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate electronic instructions to display the first and second inline responses as collapsed content.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to block the first and second inline responses from being displayed outside of a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate electronic instructions to display an indication of whether at least one of the parent message or the first child reply message have been accessed by the first user, a second user, or a third user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the parent message or the first child reply messages is an email message.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

identify a second child reply message, wherein each of the first and second child reply messages include a duplicate of at least part of part of the parent message; and

generate electronic instructions to display at least a portion of content of the inline responses of the first and second child reply messages in the duplicate of at least part of the parent message.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to generate a single display that indents the child reply messages in a reply grouping in relation to their parent message.

19. A system for organizing an electronic message thread, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions, the instructions being executable by the one or more processers to perform operations comprising:

identifying at least two reply groupings, each reply grouping having at least two child reply messages made in response to a parent message sent by a first user and including a first portion and a second portion in a content area;

ordering each of the at least two child reply messages in each reply grouping in chronological order based on the time each of the at least two child reply messages was sent or received;

generating electronic instructions to display, on a user device, the message thread including the parent message, at least a portion of content of a first inline response of a first child reply message being displayed between the first portion and the second portion of the parent message, and at least a portion of content of a second inline response of the first child reply message being displayed after the second portion of the parent message;

further generating instructions to display, on the user device, the two reply groupings, each reply grouping being hierarchically ordered based on a relationship between the parent message and the two reply groupings;

generating a single display that allows a user to collapse and expand a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message included as part of the first child reply message.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

identify a second child reply message, wherein each of the first and second child reply messages include a duplicate of at least part of the parent message and inline responses in the duplicate of at least part of the parent message; and

generate electronic instructions to display at least a portion of content of the inline responses of the first and second child reply messages in the duplicate of at least part of the parent message.

Assignments (6)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Sep 29, 2022
From: YAHOO ASSETS LLC
To: ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061571/0773 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2021
From: YAHOO AD TECH LLC (FORMERLY VERIZON MEDIA INC.)
To: YAHOO ASSETS LLC
Reel/Frame 058982/0282 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: OATH INC.
To: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
Reel/Frame 054258/0635 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2017
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 044285/0778 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 25, 2017
From: AOL INC.
To: OATH INC.
Reel/Frame 044293/0010 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 25, 2017
From: STAATS, ERIC
To: AOL LLC
Reel/Frame 043943/0950 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14557054 · Dec 1, 2014
Continuation 13493281 · Jun 11, 2012
Continuation 11462701 · Aug 5, 2006
Provisional Application 60803698 · Jun 1, 2006
Related Publication 20180130021A1 · May 10, 2018