# US 2013/0159878 A1 · Method and apparatus for managing message > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159878 A1 - Document ID: US20130159878A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/706,539 - Filed: 2012-12-06 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-19 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jinyong KIM; Yongho CHOI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159878A1 ## CPC - G06F 3/048: Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/0485: Scrolling or panning - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] - H04L 51/216: Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads - H04M 1/7243: with interactive means for internal management of messages - H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services - H04M 2250/22: including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector - H04W 4/12: Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and apparatus are provided for conveniently managing messages that are received from or sent to external devices through a network by a mobile device. At least one message is displayed and selected by a user for a further operation. Attribute information of the selected message is checked in a message history database. Based on the checked attribute information, a message related to the selected message is displayed. The selected message may be a previously marked message and the related message may be an unmarked message. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method operative in an electronic device for managing a message sent or received through a network, the method comprising: displaying at least one message; detecting a selection for one of the displayed at least one message; checking attribute information associated with the selected message in a message history database; and based on the checked attribute information, displaying a message related to the selected message. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the checking of the attribute information includes checking communication time when the selected message is sent or received. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the displaying of the related message includes at least one of displaying a message sent or received before the communication time and displaying a message sent or received after the communication time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the at least one message includes displaying a mark view containing at least one marked message or at least one object indicating the at least one marked message. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein detecting selection of one of the at least one displayed message includes detecting selection of the marked message or the object in the mark view. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: displaying a message view that contains at least one message or at least one object indicating the at least one message; and marking one of the at least one of the message and the at least one object in the message view, wherein the displaying of the mark view includes displaying the marked message or object extracted from the message view. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: performing a scroll of a message view containing at least one marked message or object; and reducing a speed of the scroll or stopping the scroll when the marked message or object is displayed during the scroll. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes at least one of time information indicating communication time when the selected message is sent or received, origin information indicating an origin of the selected message, link information indicating information about a target linked to the selected message, location information indicating information about a location when the selected message is sent or received, capacity information, category information, and user input information about the selected message inputted by a user. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the message sent or received through the network includes at least one of text, audio, video and multimedia. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for managing a message, the apparatus comprising: a memory unit configured to store a message history database that contains messages sent or received through a network and attribute information about the messages; a display unit configured to display at least one message stored in the memory unit; and a control unit configured to detect selection of one of the displayed at least one message, to check the attribute information associated with the selected message in the message history database, and based on the checked attribute information, to control a display of a message related to the selected message. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit is further configured to check communication time when the selected message is sent or received in the message history database, and the related message is a message selected in relation to the communication time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display unit is further configured to perform, under the control of the control unit, at least one of displaying a message sent or received before the communication time and displaying a message sent or received after the communication time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the display unit is further configured to display, under the control of the control unit, a mark view containing at least one marked message or at least one object indicating the at least one marked message. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the marked message or the object is selected in the mark view, control a display of a message related to the selected marked message or object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit is further configured to, when the marked message or object is displayed during a scroll of a message view, reduce a speed of the scroll or stop the scroll. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the attribute information includes at least one of time information indicating communication time when the selected message is sent or received, origin information indicating an origin of the selected message, link information indicating information about a target linked to the selected message, location information indicating information about a location when the selected message is sent or received, capacity information, category information, and user input information inputted to the selected message by a user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the message sent or received through the network includes at least one of text, audio, video and multimedia. ### Claim 18 A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions to cause an apparatus for managing a message sent or received through a network to: display at least one message; select one of the displayed at least one message; check attribute information associated with the selected message in a message history database; and based on the checked attribute information, display a message related to the selected message.