# US 2014/0195517 A1 · Providing Snippets Relevant to a Search Query in a Conversation-Based Email System > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0195517 A1 - Document ID: US20140195517A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/094,730 - Filed: 2013-12-02 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2004-03-31 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google Inc. - Inventors: Paul T. Buchheit; Bay-Wei Chang; Peter D. Mattis; Brian D. Rakowski; Terry A. Winograd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195517A1 ## CPC - G06F 16/248: Presentation of query results - G06F 16/24: Querying - 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 - 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) ## Abstract A system and method for searching messages is disclosed. The system and method includes receiving a search query and, in response to receiving the search query: (1) obtaining, from a message repository, conversations relevant to the search query, (2) creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the obtained conversations, where each conversation in the list of conversations is represented as a single item, and at least one of the conversations in the list of conversations comprises two or more electronic messages from distinct senders, (3) identifying, for each conversation in the list of conversations, a portion of conversation content relevant to the search query, and (4) producing, for concurrent display at a client, a search result including at least the list of conversations, and the identified portion of conversation content for each conversation in the list of conversations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of searching messages, comprising: at one or more servers: receiving a search query; in response to receiving the search query: obtaining, from a message repository, conversations relevant to the search query; creating a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the obtained conversations, wherein each conversation in the list of conversations is represented as a single item, and at least one of the conversations in the list of conversations comprises two or more electronic messages from distinct senders; identifying, for each conversation in the list of conversations, a portion of conversation content relevant to the search query; and producing, for concurrent display at a client, a search result including at least the list of conversations, and the identified portion of conversation content for each conversation in the list of conversations. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each obtained conversation is associated with a unique numeric conversation identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including: obtaining a conversation topic for each conversation in the list of conversations; and producing formatting information associated with the conversation topic of a respective conversation, such that, when displayed, the conversation topic is highlighted when the conversation includes at least one message that has not been viewed or marked as read by the user. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the conversation topic for one or more conversations in the list of conversations is determined by heuristically examining the contents of one or more messages in the respective conversation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying within the identified conversation content portion first text relevant to the search query; identifying within the identified conversation content portion second text which surrounds the first text; and including the first text and second text in the search result. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the search result further includes formatting information associated with the first text and second text such that, when displayed at a client, the first text is visually differentiated from the second text. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the identified portion of the conversation content is a portion of a message body of a message associated with a respective conversation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including, for one or more conversations in the list of conversations, obtaining one or more labels associated with the respective conversation; and wherein producing the search result for concurrent display at the client includes producing the obtained labels for concurrent display. ### Claim 9 A conversation-based message system, comprising: one or more conversation servers, the one or more conversation servers comprising: memory; one or more processors; and one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions to: receive a search query; in response to receiving the search query: obtain, from a message repository, conversations relevant to the search query; create a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the obtained conversations, wherein each conversation in the list of conversations is represented as a single item, and at least one of the conversations in the list of conversations comprises two or more electronic messages from distinct senders; identify, for each conversation in the list of conversations, a portion of conversation content relevant to the search query; and produce, for concurrent display at a client, a search result including at least the list of conversations, and the identified portion of conversation content for each conversation in the list of conversations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein each obtained conversation is associated with a unique numeric conversation identifier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to produce formatting information associated with the conversation topic of a respective conversation, such that, when displayed, the conversation topic is highlighted when the conversation includes at least one message that has not been viewed or marked as read by the user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to: identify within the identified conversation content portion first text relevant to the search query; identify within the identified conversation content portion second text which surrounds the first text; and include the first text and second text in the search result. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the search result further includes formatting information associated with the first text and second text such that, when displayed at a client, the first text is visually differentiated from the second text. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the identified portion of the conversation content is a portion of a message body of a message associated with a respective conversation. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions to: receive a search query; in response to receiving the search query: obtain, from a message repository, conversations relevant to the search query; create a list of conversations representing at least a subset of the obtained conversations, wherein each conversation in the list of conversations is represented as a single item, and at least one of the conversations in the list of conversations comprises two or more electronic messages from distinct senders; identify, for each conversation in the list of conversations, a portion of conversation content relevant to the search query; and produce, for concurrent display at a client, a search result including at least the list of conversations, and the identified portion of conversation content for each conversation in the list of conversations. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The storage medium of claim 15, wherein each obtained conversation is associated with a unique numeric conversation identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to produce formatting information associated with the conversation topic of a respective conversation, such that, when displayed, the conversation topic is highlighted when the conversation includes at least one message that has not been viewed or marked as read by the user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions to: identify within the identified conversation content portion first text relevant to the search query; identify within the identified conversation content portion second text which surrounds the first text; and include the first text and second text in the search result. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the search result further includes formatting information associated with the first text and second text such that, when displayed at a client, the first text is visually differentiated from the second text. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the identified portion of the conversation content is a portion of a message body of a message associated with a respective conversation.