Method and system for updating message threads

1 . A method for updating an electronic mail (“email”) message presented to a user on a display screen of a data processing system, the email message belonging to a thread of email messages received by the data processing system, the method comprising:

determining whether one or more of the email messages in the thread was received after the email message is opened on the display screen; and,

if so, displaying an update message on the display screen indicating that one or more of the email messages in the thread was so received.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the email message belongs to the thread by comparing subject line text of the email message to subject line text of one or more of the email messages in the thread.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining further comprises comparing a time and date of receipt for the email message with times and dates of receipt for one or more of the email messages in the thread.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a number of email messages in the thread for including in the update message.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining an order for the email messages in the thread from the comparing for including in the update message.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising: determining whether one or more of the email messages in the thread has been opened by the user from a message read flag associated with each of the email messages in the thread; and, determining with the order at least one of a number of the email messages in the thread that were received before the email message and that have not been opened and a number of the email messages in the thread that were received after the email message and that have not been opened for including in the update message.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining by comparison whether text entered by the user for responding to the email message and text contained in one or more of the email messages in the thread have a similarity; and, if so, including a warning message in the update message indicating the similarity.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the update message in a non-scrolling field within the email message opened on the display screen.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the update message is at least one of a text message and an icon.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the data processing system is a wireless device having a clickable thumbwheel.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising opening the email message on the display screen when the email message is selected from a list of email messages by the user with the clickable thumbwheel.

12 . A system for updating an electronic mail (“email”) message presented to a user on a display screen, the email message belonging to a thread of email messages received by the system, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to an interface to a network and adapted for:

determining whether one or more of the email messages in the thread was received after the email message is opened on the display screen; and,

if so, displaying an update message on the display screen indicating that one or more of the email messages in the thread was so received.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further adapted for determining whether the email message belongs to the thread by comparing subject line text of the email message to subject line text of one or more of the email messages in the thread.

14 . The system of claim 12 wherein the determining further comprises comparing a time and date of receipt for the email message with times and dates of receipt for one or more of the email messages in the thread.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further adapted for determining a number of email messages in the thread for including in the update message.

16 . The method of claim 14 wherein the processor is further adapted for determining an order for the email messages in the thread for including in the update message.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further adapted for: determining whether one or more of the email messages in the thread has been opened by the user from a message read flag associated with each of the email messages in the thread; and, determining with the order at least one of a number of the email messages in the thread that were received before the email message and that have not been opened and a number of the email messages in the thread that were received after the email message and that have not been opened for including in the update message.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further adapted for: determining by comparison whether text entered by the user for responding to the email message and text contained in one or more of the email messages in the thread have a similarity; and, if so, including a warning message in the update message indicating the similarity.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further adapted for displaying the update message in a non-scrolling field within the email message opened on the display screen.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the update message is at least one of a text message and an icon.

21 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the system is a wireless device having a clickable thumbwheel.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further adapted for opening the email message on the display screen when the email message is selected from a list of email messages by the user with the clickable thumbwheel.

23 . A computer program product having a computer readable medium tangibly embodying computer executable code for directing a data processing system to update an electronic mail (“email”) message belonging to a thread of email messages received by the data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

code for determining whether one or more of the email messages in the thread was received after the email message is opened on the display screen; and,

code for, if so, displaying an update message on the display screen indicating that one or more of the email messages in the thread was so received.