IP Library Granted Patent US 10,949,053
Granted Patent B2
US 10,949,053 · App. 16/279,781 · Granted Mar 16, 2021

E-mail interface having an informational tooltip

Inventors: James Andrew Canfield (Arlington, VA); Kenneth Carbone (Annandale, VA); David Fairlie Colburn (Reston, VA); Linda Nols Myers (Purcellville, VA); Thomas E. Van Lenten (Ashburn, VA); Gregory Alan Willis (Arlington, VA)
Assignee: FACEBOOK, INC.
G06F3/04812G06F3/048G06F3/04842G06Q10/107H04L51/04H04L51/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,949,053
App. No.
16/279,781
Granted
Mar 16, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An interface enables perception of information regarding e-mail communications. The interface includes an e-mail application user interface that enables perception of e-mail message information for one or more e-mails received by an e-mail participant and that enables active display of one or more of the received e-mails selected by the e-mail participant, The interface also includes a mechanism that determines a request for e-mail message information for one of the e-mails from within a desired e-mail message that is not actively displayed. The interface further includes an informational tool tip that provides a temporary perceivable indication to the e-mail participant of at least a portion of the requested information for the desired e-mail message while maintaining active display of the one or more selected e-mails.

Claims (48)

1. A method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface for display on a client device;

providing, within the graphical user interface, a display of a current window;

receiving an electronic message originating from a sender client device; and

based on receiving the electronic message, providing, for a predetermined period of time, an information interface element within the graphical user interface that comprises a portion of content contained within a body portion of the electronic message while maintaining the display of the current window and without actively displaying the electronic message within the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of content contained within the body portion of the electronic message comprises a predetermined number of text lines of the electronic message.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the information interface element that comprises the portion of content contained within the body portion of the electronic message comprises providing the information interface element for display within the graphical user interface together with the display of the current window and without opening a persistent window dedicated to the electronic message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, while providing the information interface element within the graphical user interface, a user interaction within the display of the current window; and

removing, from within the graphical user interface, the information interface element in response to the user interaction within the display of the current window.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information interface element covers a first display area of the graphical user interface that is smaller than a second display area corresponding to the current window.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising revoking display of the information interface element upon expiration of the predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a user interaction to remove the information interface element; and

removing the information interface element from the graphical user interface while maintaining the display of the current window.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting a user interaction with the information interface element; and

providing an entirety of the electronic message in response to detecting the user interaction with the information interface element.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer device to:

provide a graphical user interface for display on a client device;

provide, within the graphical user interface, a display of a current window;

receive an electronic message originating from a sender client device; and

based on receiving the electronic message, provide, for a predetermined period of time, an information interface element within the graphical user interface that comprises a portion of content contained within a body portion of the electronic message while maintaining the display of the current window and without actively displaying the electronic message within the graphical user interface.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the portion of content contained within the body portion of the electronic message comprises a predetermined number of characters of the electronic message.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein providing the information interface element that comprises the portion of content contained within the body portion of the electronic message comprises providing the information interface element for display within the graphical user interface together with the display of the current window and without opening a persistent window dedicated to the electronic message.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

detect, while providing the information interface element within the graphical user interface, a user interaction within the display of the current window; and

remove, from within the graphical user interface, the information interface element in response to the user interaction within the display of the current window.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the information interface element covers a first display area of the graphical user interface that is smaller than a second display area corresponding to the current window.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to revoke display of the information interface element upon expiration of the predetermined period of time.

15. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

provide a graphical user interface for display on a client device;

provide, within the graphical user interface, a display of a current window;

receive an electronic message originating from a sender client device; and

based on receiving the electronic message, provide, for a predetermined period of time, an information interface element within the graphical user interface that comprises a portion of content contained within a body portion of the electronic message while maintaining the display of the current window and without actively displaying the electronic message within the graphical user interface.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the portion of content contained within the body portion of the electronic message comprises a predetermined number of text lines of the electronic message.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

detect, while providing the information interface element within the graphical user interface, a user interaction within the display of the current window; and

remove, from within the graphical user interface, the information interface element in response to the user interaction within the display of the current window.

18. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to revoke display of the information interface element upon expiration of the predetermined period of time.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

detect a user interaction to remove the information interface element; and

remove the information interface element from the graphical user interface while maintaining the display of the current window.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

detect a user interaction with the information interface element; and

provide an entirety of the electronic message in response to detecting the user interaction with the information interface element.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: CANFIELD, JAMES ANDREW; CARBONE, KENNETH; COLBURN, DAVID FAIRLIE; MYERS, LINDA NOLS; VAN LENTEN, THOMAS E.; WILLIS, GREGORY ALAN
To: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 048386/0971 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
To: AOL LLC
Reel/Frame 048389/0443 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 048389/0451 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2019
From: AOL INC.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 048389/0524 →
Continuity (9)
Continuation 14992890 · Jan 11, 2016
Continuation 14869948 · Sep 29, 2015
Continuation 13615475 · Sep 13, 2012
Continuation 13036949 · Feb 28, 2011
Continuation 12115193 · May 5, 2008
Continuation 10326548 · Dec 23, 2002
Continuation In Part 10259844 · Sep 30, 2002
Provisional Application 60376181 · Apr 30, 2002
Related Publication 20190187874A1 · Jun 20, 2019