Displaying complex messaging threads into a single display
AssigneeAOL Inc.
InventorEric Staats
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for organizing a message thread containing one or more messages. A root message and reply groupings are identified, each reply grouping depending from the root message. Each reply grouping has one or more child reply messages depending from a common parent message. The child reply messages within each reply grouping are ordered in chronological order based on the time of each of the one or more child reply messages was received or sent. The reply groupings are hierarchically ordering based on a relationship between the reply grouping and its parent message. A single display allows a user to view the message thread and the content of all of the messages in accordance with the hierarchical ordering.
Claims20
1-18. (canceled)
A method for organizing an electronic message thread, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:
- identifying a parent message from a first user, the parent message comprising a first portion and a second portion;
- identifying a first child reply message from a second user, the first child reply message including a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message, a first inline response within the duplicate of the at least a part of the parent message and related to the first portion of the parent message, and a second inline response related to the second portion of the parent message;
- and
- generating electronic instructions to display the message thread including the parent message, at least a portion of content of the first inline response of the first child reply message being displayed between the first portion and the second portion of the parent message with a first header providing information identifying the second user and displayed between the first portion and the second portion, and at least a portion of content of the second inline response of the first child reply message being displayed after the second portion of the parent message with a second header providing information identifying the second user and displayed after the second portion.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
- identify a parent message from a first user, the parent message comprising a first portion and a second portion;
- identify a first child reply message from a second user, the first child reply message including a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message, a first inline response within the duplicate of the at least a part of the parent message and related to the first portion of the parent message, and a second inline response related to the second portion of the parent message;
- and
- generate electronic instructions to display the message thread including the parent message, at least a portion of content of the first inline response of the first child reply message being displayed between the first portion and the second portion of the parent message with a first header providing information identifying the second user and displayed between the first portion and the second portion, and at least a portion of content of the second inline response of the first child reply message being displayed after the second portion of the parent message with a second header providing information identifying the second user and displayed after the second portion.
A system for organizing a message thread, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- a memory storing instructions, the instructions being executable by the one or more processers to perform operations comprising:
- identifying a parent message from a first user, the parent message comprising a first portion and a second portion;
- identifying a first child reply message from a second user, the first child reply message including a duplicate of at least a part of the parent message, a first inline response within the duplicate of the at least a part of the parent message and related to the first portion of the parent message, and a second inline response related to the second portion of the parent message;
- and
- generating electronic instructions to display the message thread including the parent message, at least a portion of content of the first inline response of the first child reply message being displayed between the first portion and the second portion of the parent message with a first header providing information identifying the second user and displayed between the first portion and the second portion, and at least a portion of content of the second inline response of the first child reply message being displayed after the second portion of the parent message with a second header providing information identifying the second user and displayed after the second portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.