System and method for visual display of e-mail filters

A system for generating and displaying an e-mail filter using a filter visual display, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:
• receiving an indication of a selection of a simple filter icon by a user, wherein the simple filter icon represents a filter criterion and further includes a value assigned by the user;
• receiving an indication of a placement of a filter icon within a display area displaying by a user, wherein the value corresponds to one of an e-mail message being filtered if the e-mail message satisfies the one or more filter criteria or the e-mail message being filtered if the e-mail message fails the one or more filter criteria, the display area displaying a filter visual display comprising a visual representation of a collection of e-mail filters corresponding to the user;
• receiving an indication of a placement of an action icon within the display area, wherein the action icon represents an action to be performed with respect to the e-mail message;
• generating an e-mail filter based on the one or more filter criteria and the value, in response to receiving the indication of the placement of the action icon;
• assigning the action represented by the action icon to the e-mail filter;
• and
• providing the e-mail filter to be displayed within the display area, the displayed e-mail filter including the filter icon, a visual representation of the value, the action icon and a visual representation of the connection between the filter icon and the action icon.

A machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

• receiving an indication of a selection of a simple filter icon by a user, wherein the simple filter icon represents a filter criterion and further includes a value assigned by the user, wherein the value defines the output of the simple filter icon including one of an e-mail message satisfying the first filter criterion or an e-mail message failing the first filter criterion;
• receiving an indication of a placement of the simple filter icon within a display area, the display area displaying a filter visual display comprising a visual representation of a collection of e-mail filters corresponding to the user;
• receiving an indication of a placement of an action icon within the display area, wherein the action icon represents an action to be performed with respect to the e-mail message;
• generating an e-mail filter based on at least the filter criterion and the value in response to receiving the indication of the placement of the action icon;
• and
• assigning the action to the e-mail filter,
• wherein the e-mail filter is displayed within the display area including the simple filter icon, a visual representation of the value, the action icon, and a visual representation of the connection between the simple filter icon and the action icon.