# US 2013/0159879 A1 · Automatic Conversation Techniques > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0159879 A1 - Document ID: US20130159879A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/769,598 - Filed: 2013-02-18 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2008-06-24 - Assignees: Microsoft Corporation - Inventors: Michael Affronti; Andrew Brauninger; Robert Emmett McCann; James Edelen; Jorge Pereira - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130159879A1 ## CPC - H04L 51/216: Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads - G06Q 10/107: Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] - H04M 1/72436: for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - 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 - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract Automatic conversation techniques are described. An apparatus may comprise a computing device having an incoming message module operative to receive an incoming message, a conversation identification module communicatively coupled to the incoming message module, the conversation identification module operative to determine the incoming message is part of a conversation thread, and associate the incoming message with the conversation thread by setting a conversation identifier property of the incoming message to a conversation identifier for the conversation thread, and a conversation manager module communicatively coupled to the conversation identification module, the conversation manager module operative to determine a conversation rule is associated with the conversation thread, and apply the conversation rule to the incoming message. Other embodiments are described and claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: displaying, on a computing device, a user interface comprising a dialog box, the dialog box having an option button for ignoring a conversation comprising a plurality of stored conversation items; receiving a selection of the option button for ignoring the conversation; and moving, by the computing device, the plurality of stored conversation items to a deleted items folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button for ignoring the conversation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising creating an entry in a conversation action table for the conversation using a conversation ID. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving one or more new conversation items for the conversation; and automatically moving the one or more new conversation items to the deleted items folder when the one or more new conversation items matches the conversation ID. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein receiving one or more new conversation items for the conversation comprises receiving one or more new e-mail messages for the conversation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein moving, by the computing device, the plurality of stored conversation items to a deleted items folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button for ignoring the conversation comprises moving a plurality of stored e-mail messages to the deleted items folder. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying another dialog box in the user interface, the another dialog box having an option button to stop ignoring the conversation; receiving a selection of the option button in the another dialog box to stop ignoring the conversation; and moving the plurality of conversation items in the conversation to an inbox folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button in the another dialog box to stop ignoring the conversation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising removing an entry for an always delete conversation rule from a conversation action table. ### Claim 8 An article comprising a tangible computer-readable memory storage containing instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to: display a ribbon user interface comprising a dialog box, the dialog box having an option button for ignoring a conversation comprising a plurality of stored e-mail messages; receive a selection of the option button for ignoring the conversation; and move the plurality of stored email messages to a deleted items folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button for ignoring the conversation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The article of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to create an entry in a conversation action table for the conversation using a conversation ID. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The article of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to: receive one or more new e-mail messages for the conversation; and automatically move the one or more new e-mail messages to the deleted items folder when the one or more new e-mail messages matches the conversation ID. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The article of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to: display another dialog box in the ribbon user interface, the another dialog box having an option button to stop ignoring the conversation; receive a selection of the option button in the another dialog box to stop ignoring the conversation; and move the plurality of e-mail messages in the conversation to an inbox folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button in the another dialog box to stop ignoring the conversation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The article of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to remove an entry for an always delete conversation rule from a conversation action table. ### Claim 13 An apparatus comprising: a memory for storing executable program code; and a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to: display a ribbon user interface comprising a first dialog box, the first dialog box having an option button for ignoring a plurality of conversations, each of the plurality of conversations comprising one or more stored conversation items; receive a selection of the option button for ignoring the plurality of conversations; and move the one or more stored conversation items in each of the plurality of conversations to a deleted items folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button for ignoring the plurality of conversations. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to create an entry in a conversation action table for each of the plurality of conversations using a conversation ID. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operative to: receive one or more new conversation items for one or more of the plurality of conversations; and automatically move the one or more new conversation items for the one or more of the plurality of conversations to the deleted items folder when the one or more new conversation items matches the conversation ID. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more new conversation items comprises one or more new e-mail messages. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the one or more stored conversation items comprises one or more stored e-mail messages. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative to display a second dialog box in the ribbon user interface, the second dialog box having an option button to stop ignoring the plurality of conversations. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further operative to: receive a selection of the option button in the second dialog box to stop ignoring the plurality of conversations; and move the one or more stored conversation items in each of the plurality of conversations to an inbox folder in response to receiving the selection of the option button in the second dialog box to stop ignoring the plurality of conversations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operative to remove one or more corresponding entries for always delete conversation rules from a conversation action table.