IP Library Granted Patent US 10,917,370
Granted Patent B2
US 10,917,370 · App. 16/540,348 · Granted Feb 9, 2021

Electronic communication-based storage of documents to support multiple workflows

Inventors: Joseph Masterson (Maple Valley, WA); Jeremy de Souza (Bellevue, WA); Nathan Waddoups (Redmond, WA); Russell L. Simpson, Jr. (Clyde Hill, WA); Michael B. Palmer (Edmonds, WA); Jin Ma (Redmond, WA); Elena Catrinescu (Woodinville, WA); Kenneth Fern (Bellevue, WA)
Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
H04L51/08G06F3/0482G06F3/04842G06Q10/107H04L51/02H04L51/046H04L12/1822
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,917,370
App. No.
16/540,348
Granted
Feb 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Electronic communication-based storage of content items to support multiple workflows is provided. When an attached content item is received with an electronic communication, a receiving user may select the attached content item for review and editing in an immersive view pane that may be launched adjacent to or in proximity to an electronic mail viewing pane. When the received content item is edited, a copy of the edited content item is temporarily stored with the electronic communication with which the content item was received at an associated electronic communication server. When the receiving user then desires to dispose of the edited content item, for example, by replying back to the sending user with the edited content item as an attachment, the edited content item may be retrieved from the electronic communication server automatically for attachment to the responsive communication.

Claims (89)

1. A method, comprising:

in a user interface of an electronic communication application, providing an electronic communication viewing pane in which an electronic communication is displayed, the electronic communication including an attachment;

receiving a selection of the attachment;

in response to receiving the selection of the attachment, providing for simultaneous display a content item corresponding to the attachment in a view pane and the electronic communication in the electronic communication viewing pane, wherein the view pane comprises a first control function to edit the displayed content item;

receiving a selection of the first control function;

in response to receiving the selection of the first control function:

launching, in the view pane, an instance of an application corresponding to the displayed content item and providing for display an application functionality control in the view pane for selectively applying a functionality to the displayed content item;

automatically generating a new electronic communication;

replacing the electronic communication displayed in the electronic communication viewing pane with the new electronic communication; and

providing for display, in the electronic communication viewing pane, a function to dispose of the displayed content item;

receiving an edit to the displayed content item in the view pane through the application functionality control to produce an edited version of the displayed content item;

receiving a selection of the function to dispose of the displayed content item; and

in response to receiving the selection of the function to dispose of the displayed content item:

automatically providing, in the electronic communication viewing pane, an electronic item of a functionality of the electronic communication application that is one of a meeting request, an electronic notes document, a calendar item, an electronic task or an electronic reminder; and

automatically attaching the edited version of the displayed content item as an attachment to the electronic item.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

automatically storing, at an electronic communication server associated with the electronic communication application, a temporary copy of the edited version of the displayed content item.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

applying a filename for the temporary copy that includes an original filename for the displayed content item and a user editing the displayed content item.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein automatically attaching the edited version of the displayed content item as the attachment to the electronic item comprises:

retrieving, from the electronic communication server, the temporary copy of the edited version of the displayed content item for attachment to the electronic item.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the function to dispose of the displayed content item is of a first type for attaching the edited version of the displayed content item to the one of the meeting request, the electronic notes document, the calendar item, the electronic task or the electronic reminder.

6. The method of claim 5 , the method further comprising:

providing for display in the electronic communication viewing pane at least a second type of function to dispose of the displayed content item, the second type of function for attaching the edited version of the displayed content item to the new electronic communication for transmission.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the second type of function is a save and send function.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving a selection of the second type of function; and

in response to the selection of the second type of function:

automatically attaching the edited version of the displayed content item to the new electronic communication; and

sending the new electronic communication to a provided recipient.

9. The method of claim 8 , the method further comprising:

prior to receiving the selection of the second type of function, receiving a text entry in the new electronic communication.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically generating the new electronic communication comprises:

generating a reply electronic communication as the new electronic communication for transmission to an original sender of the electronic communication.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein automatically generating the new electronic communication comprises:

generating a forwarding electronic communication as the new electronic communication for transmission to one or more recipients.

12. A computing device for providing content item editing in an immersive view pane of an electronic communication application user interface, the computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:

in a user interface of an electronic communication application, provide an electronic communication viewing pane in which an electronic communication is displayed, the electronic communication including an attachment;

receive a selection of the attachment;

in response to receiving the selection of the attachment, provide for simultaneous display a content item corresponding to the attachment in a view pane and the electronic communication in the electronic communication viewing pane, wherein the view pane comprises a first control function to edit the displayed content item;

receive a selection of the first control function;

in response to receiving the selection of the first control function:

launch, in the view pane, an instance of an application corresponding to the displayed content item and provide for display an application functionality control in the view pane for selectively applying a functionality to the displayed content item;

automatically generate a new electronic communication;

replace the electronic communication displayed in the electronic communication viewing pane with the new electronic communication; and

provide for display, in the electronic communication viewing pane, a function to dispose of the displayed content item;

receive an edit to the displayed content item in the view pane through the application functionality control to produce an edited version of the displayed content item;

receive a selection of the function to dispose of the displayed content item; and

in response to receiving the selection of the function to dispose of the displayed content item:

automatically provide, in the electronic communication viewing pane, an electronic item of a functionality of the electronic communication application that is one of a meeting request, an electronic notes document, a calendar item, an electronic task or an electronic reminder; and

automatically attach the edited version of the displayed content item as an attachment to the electronic item.

13. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

automatically store, at an electronic communication server associated with the electronic communication application, a temporary copy of the edited version of the displayed content item, wherein the temporary copy is stored in association with the electronic communication.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

receive a selection to transmit the new electronic communication; and

in response to the selection to transmit the new electronic communication:

retrieve, from the electronic communication server, the temporary copy of the edited version of the displayed content item;

attach the edited version of the displayed content item as an attachment to the new electronic communication; and

send the new electronic communication to a provided recipient.

15. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the computing device to:

prior to receiving the selection to transmit the new electronic communication, receive a text entry in the new electronic communication; and

send the new electronic communication with the text entry and the attachment to the provided recipient.

16. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein to automatically generate the new electronic communication, the instructions cause the computing device to one of:

generate a reply electronic communication as the new electronic communication for transmission to an original sender of the electronic communication; and

generate a forwarding electronic communication as the new electronic communication for transmission to one or more recipients.

17. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the electronic communication is of a communication type belonging to one or more of an electronic communication, a text message communication, a chat session communication, an instant messaging communication, a video communication, an electronic calendar item, an electronic task item, and an electronic reminder item.

18. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the application corresponding to the displayed content item is one or more of a word processing application, a spreadsheet application, a slide presentation application, a notes taking application, a desktop publishing application, a calendar application, a tasks application and a reminders application.

19. Computer storage media containing computer executable instructions, which when executed by a processor perform a method for providing content item editing in an immersive view pane of an electronic communication application user interface, the method comprising:

in a user interface of an electronic communication application, providing an electronic communication viewing pane in which an electronic communication is displayed, the electronic communication including an attachment;

receiving a selection of the attachment;

in response to receiving the selection of the attachment, providing for simultaneous display a content item corresponding to the attachment in a view pane and the electronic communication in the electronic communication viewing pane, wherein the view pane comprises a first control function to edit the displayed content item;

receiving a selection of the first control function;

in response to receiving the selection of the first control function:

launching, in the view pane, an instance of an application corresponding to the displayed content item and providing for display an application functionality control in the view pane for selectively applying a functionality to the displayed content item;

automatically generating a new electronic communication;

replacing the electronic communication displayed in the electronic communication viewing pane with the new electronic communication; and

providing for display, in the electronic communication viewing pane, a function to dispose of the displayed content item;

receiving an edit to the displayed content item in the view pane through the application functionality control to produce an edited version of the displayed content item;

receiving a selection of the function to dispose of the displayed content item; and

in response to receiving the selection of the function to dispose of the displayed content item:

automatically providing, in the electronic communication viewing pane, an electronic item of a functionality of the electronic communication application that is one of a meeting request, an electronic notes document, a calendar item, an electronic task or an electronic reminder; and

automatically attaching the edited version of the displayed content item as an attachment to the electronic item.

20. The computer storage media of claim 19 , the method further comprising:

receiving a selection to transmit the new electronic communication; and

in response to the selection to transmit the new electronic communication:

attaching the edited version of the displayed content item as an attachment to the new electronic communication; and

sending the new electronic communication to a provided recipient.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2019
From: MASTERSON, JOSEPH; DE SOUZA, JEREMY; WADDOUPS, NATHAN; SIMPSON, RUSSELL J., JR.; PALMER, MICHAEL B.; MA, JIN; CATRINESCU, ELENA; FERN, KENNETH
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 050067/0488 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2019
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 050073/0001 →