# US 12,184,602 B2 · Email forwarding method and apparatus, electronic device, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,184,602 B2 - Document ID: US12184602B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/529,610 - Filed: 2023-12-05 - Published: 2024-03-28 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-30 - Assignees: Beijing Bytedance Network Technology Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Beijing Bytedance Network Technology Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yudong Liao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12184602B2 ## CPC - H04L 51/56: Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM] - H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services - H04L 51/214: using selective forwarding - H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and a device for forwarding an email, an electronic device, and a storage medium are provided. The method includes: determining a to-be-forwarded email thread and a target instant messaging IM conversation, in response to a detection of an email forwarding operation, wherein the to-be-forwarded email thread includes a plurality of associated emails having same feature information; and forwarding the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client and causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation. The same feature information includes at least one of a same subject, sending times within a preset time range, a same sender, a same recipient, a replying reference relationship, and a forwarding reference relationship. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forwarding an email, comprising: determining a to-be-forwarded email thread and a target instant messaging, IM, conversation, in response to a detection of an email forwarding operation from an email client, wherein the to-be-forwarded email thread comprises a plurality of associated emails having same feature information; forwarding the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client; and causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation; wherein the same feature information comprises at least one of a same subject, sending times within a preset time range, a same sender, a same recipient, a replying reference relationship, and a forwarding reference relationship, wherein the determining a to-be-forwarded email thread comprises: determining a recommended email thread, wherein the recommended email thread is an email thread recommended to be forwarded and to be displayed on an email client interface of a forwarder; and determining the recommended email thread as the to-be-forwarded email thread, in response to a detection of a selection operation for the recommended email thread, wherein the recommended email thread is determined based on historical behavior information of the forwarder, and wherein the recommended email thread is determined by: acquiring historical email browsing information of the forwarder within a preset time period; determining, based on the historical email browsing information, an email thread having a browsing count greater than a preset threshold; and determining the email thread having the browsing count greater than the preset threshold, as the recommended email thread. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining a to-be-forwarded email thread comprises: receiving a selection operation for an email thread through an email client interface; and determining the email thread as the to-be-forwarded email thread, based on the selection operation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein after the determining a to-be-forwarded email thread, the method further comprises: determining a to-be-forwarded email from the to-be-forwarded email thread; and the forwarding the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client and causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation comprises: forwarding the to-be-forwarded email to the target IM conversation and causing the to-be-forwarded email to be displayed in the target IM conversation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein, in response to the detection of the email forwarding operation, the method further comprises: acquiring identification information of the to-be-forwarded email thread; and the forwarding the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client and causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation comprises: transmitting, to an email server, a forwarding request carrying the identification information, to trigger the email server to forward the to-be-forwarded email thread corresponding to the identification information to the target IM conversation through an IM server. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation comprises: causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in a form of a message card in the target IM conversation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the message card comprises a subject of the to-be-forwarded email thread and identification information of the to-be-forwarded email thread. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein after the forwarding the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client, the method further comprises: causing an email content corresponding to the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed, in response to a detection of a viewing operation for the email thread. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein an email in the to-be-forwarded email thread comprises an enclosed document, and wherein after the forwarding the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client and causing the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation, the method further comprises: determining, based on a permission of a forwarding destination user, whether a content of the enclosed document is displayed to the forwarding destination user, in response to a detection of a viewing trigger operation for the enclosed document made by a forwarding destination user in the target IM conversation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the determining, based on a permission of a forwarding destination user, whether a content of the enclosed document is displayed to the forwarding destination user comprises: transmitting a viewing request to a document server, to request the document server to authenticate a viewing permission of the forwarding destination user; and determining whether the content of the enclosed document is to be displayed based on an authentication result issued by the document server, wherein the enclosed document is a shared document. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the enclosed document is embedded in a body of the email. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein before making response to the detection of the viewing trigger operation for the enclosed document made by the forwarding destination user in the target IM conversation, the method further comprises: causing an abstract of the enclosed document to be displayed in a body of the email. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein after the forwarding the email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client, the method further comprises: causing a subject, a recipient and a sender of each email in the email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising: hiding bodies of the plurality of emails in the email thread. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining a target IM conversation comprises: determining an object through an email display interface of the to-be-forwarded email thread, as the target IM conversation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein after the forwarding the email thread to the target IM conversation, the method further comprises: forwarding, in response to a detection of a first email added to the email thread, the first email to the target IM conversation and causing the first email to be displayed in the target IM conversation, wherein the first email has the same feature information as the plurality of emails in the email thread. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the forwarding, in response to a detection of a first email added to the email thread, the first email to the target IM conversation comprises: determining a forwarding setting, in response to the detection of the first email added to the email thread; and forwarding the first email to the target IM conversation, in response to an indication of the forwarding setting. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, further comprising: receiving an email adding operation; and adding the first email to the email thread in response to the email adding operation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein before making response to the detection of the first email added to the email thread, the method further comprises: acquiring the first email; and adding the first email to the email thread, in response to the first email having the same feature information as the plurality of emails in the email thread. ### Claim 19 A device for forwarding an email, comprising: one or more processors; and a storage device configured to store one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine a to-be-forwarded email thread and a target instant messaging, IM, conversation, in response to a detection of an email forwarding operation, wherein the to-be-forwarded email thread comprises a plurality of associated emails having same feature information; forward the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client; and cause the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation, wherein the same feature information comprises at least one of a same subject, sending times within a preset time range, a same sender, a same recipient, a replying reference relationship, and a forwarding reference relationship, wherein the determining a to-be-forwarded email thread comprises: determining a recommended email thread, wherein the recommended email thread is an email thread recommended to be forwarded and to be displayed on an email client interface of a forwarder; and determining the recommended email thread as the to-be-forwarded email thread, in response to a detection of a selection operation for the recommended email thread, wherein the recommended email thread is determined based on historical behavior information of the forwarder, and wherein the recommended email thread is determined by: acquiring historical email browsing information of the forwarder within a preset time period; determining, based on the historical email browsing information, an email thread having a browsing count greater than a preset threshold; and determining the email thread having the browsing count greater than the preset threshold, as the recommended email thread. ### Claim 20 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to determine a to-be-forwarded email thread and a target instant messaging, IM, conversation, in response to a detection of an email forwarding operation, wherein to-be-forwarded email thread comprises a plurality of associated emails having same feature information; forward the to-be-forwarded email thread to the target IM conversation of an instant messaging client; and cause the to-be-forwarded email thread to be displayed in the target IM conversation, wherein the same feature information comprises at least one of a same subject, sending times within a preset time range, a same sender, a same recipient, a replying reference relationship, and a forwarding reference relationship, wherein the determining a to-be-forwarded email thread comprises: determining a recommended email thread, wherein the recommended email thread is an email thread recommended to be forwarded and to be displayed on an email client interface of a forwarder; and determining the recommended email thread as the to-be-forwarded email thread, in response to a detection of a selection operation for the recommended email thread, wherein the recommended email thread is determined based on historical behavior information of the forwarder, and wherein the recommended email thread is determined by: acquiring historical email browsing information of the forwarder within a preset time period; determining, based on the historical email browsing information, an email thread having a browsing count greater than a preset threshold; and determining the email thread having the browsing count greater than the preset threshold, as the recommended email thread.