KR20120058489A - Method and computer-readable medium for previewing and performing actions on attachments to electronic mail messages - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An attachments preview method in electronic mails and computer readable medium are provided to display header information for the electronic mails on a list pane by visually creating preview information. CONSTITUTION: An electronic mail client application displays electronic mail messages on a list pane(402). The email client application receives attachments of the electronic mail selected by a user(406). The electronic mail client application displays created previews on a reading pane(408). The electronic mail client application identifies operation for the attachments(410). The electronic mail client application executes the selected operation(416).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM FOR PREVIEWING AND PERFORMING ACTIONS ON ATTACHMENTS TO ELECTRONIC MAIL MESSAGES}

This patent application relates to a method and a computer readable medium for previewing an attachment of an electronic mail message and performing an operation thereon.

This patent application is incorporated by reference and filed with US Patent Application (Attorney Docket No. 60046.416US01), entitled “Methods, Systems, and Apparatus for Providing Document Preview,” hereby incorporated and filed together by reference. Related.

Users of an e-mail (“e-mail”) client application program are usually frustrated by the number of steps a user must take to view the content of a document attached to an e-mail message. A preview is a read-only rendering of a document that mimics what the user sees when the document is opened by the application program associated with the document. However, in a typical case, a user needs to select an attachment and launch an application program associated with the attachment in order to view the contents of the attachment.

When this conventional process for viewing the contents of an email attachment is performed, the user needs to change the application contexts between the email client application and the application used to view the attachment. When the user has finished viewing the attachment, the user must switch back to the application context by closing the application program and returning to the email client application. Switching the application context in this way to see a preview of the email attachment can be time consuming and frustrating for the user.

In addition, users of an email client application program may be frustrated by the number of steps required to generate a reply to an email message with modifications to the attached document. Typically, the user should select the attached document for editing in order to open an application program for editing the document. Once the document for editing is opened, the user can make corrections. Once the modification is complete, the modified document should be stored in a location on the computer (and in many cases, the user interface desktop). The user then needs to create an email message as a reply to the original message and attach the modified document to the reply message. The modified document can then be sent along with the email message. This massive process of replying to an e-mail with an attachment with a modification to that attachment is also time consuming and frustrating for computer users.

In connection with these and other considerations, various embodiments of the invention are made.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the above and other problems are solved by a method and a computer readable medium for previewing an attachment of an email message and performing an action thereon. Various embodiments of the present invention allow a user to quickly preview the content of an email attachment without having to switch application context. In addition, the user can quickly perform a number of custom actions on the email attachment, including the rapid creation of a reply message that includes the modified attachment.

Based on the foregoing, various embodiments of the present invention include a method, system, apparatus, and computer readable medium for previewing an attachment of an email message and performing operations thereon. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

1 is a computer system architecture diagram illustrating a computer system used and provided by various embodiments of the present invention.
2 and 3 are screen display diagrams illustrating various screen displays provided by various embodiments of the invention.
4 and 5 are flowcharts illustrating various processes provided by various embodiments of the present invention.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for generating a visual preview of a document attached to an email message. According to the method, header information for a number of email messages can be displayed in a list pane. The header information may include such items as the sender's identity, subject line, when the email message was sent, and other information. In addition to the header information, for each attachment in the email message, an indication is displayed that identifies the attachment and indicates the email message to which the attachment is attached. The attachment indication may include an icon that identifies the type of attachment, the name of the attachment, the size of the attachment, and other information.

According to another aspect of the invention, the attachment indication may be selected by the user. In response to the selection, a preview of the attachment is generated and displayed in the adjacent window pane. Since the preview is displayed in adjacent window panes, there is no need to switch application context to see the preview. Other attachments can also be selected and immediately previewed in adjacent window panes.

According to another aspect of the invention, the operations that may be performed on the attachment may be identified based on the attachment file type. User interface objects, such as selectable buttons, may be displayed for actions that may be performed on the attachment. For example, if the attachment includes a picture, one action that can be performed is the creation of an image slide show for that picture and any other pictures attached to the message. The slide show can be started by selecting a user interface object corresponding to the slide show.

According to another aspect of the present invention, if an attachment includes a document, an operation may be provided that allows for the rapid generation of a reply message that includes a modified version of the document. When selected, this action will cause the application program to edit the document to be started. Through the application program, the user can modify the document. When the user has completed the modification, the user can choose to send a reply message with the modified document attached. When the reply message is sent, the user returns to the preview display.

The invention may be embodied as an article of manufacture, such as a computer process, computing system or computer program product or computer readable medium. The computer program product may be a computer storage medium readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process. The computer program product may also be embodied as a propagated signal on a carrier readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program with instructions for executing a computer process.

These various features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[Example]

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, various aspects of the invention will be described. In particular, FIG. 1 and the associated description are intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable computing environment in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented. While the invention will be described in the general context of program modules executed in combination with program modules executed on an operating system on a personal computer, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be implemented in combination with other types of computer systems and program modules. I will understand.

Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, components, data structures, and other types of structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the present invention may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

In FIG. 1, an exemplary computer architecture for the computer 2 used in various embodiments of the invention will be described. The computer architecture shown in FIG. 1 includes a conventional desktop comprising a system memory 7 comprising a CPU 5, a RAM 9 and a ROM 11 and a system bus 12 connecting the memory to the CPU 5. Or show a laptop computer. For example, a basic input / output system including a basic routine that assists in transferring information between components in a computer at startup is stored in the ROM 11. The computer 2 further includes a mass storage device 14 for storing the operating system 16, application programs and other program modules, which will be described in detail later.

The mass storage device 14 is connected to the CPU 5 via a mass storage controller (not shown) connected to the bus 12. Mass storage device 14 and its associated computer readable medium provide non-volatile storage for computer 2. Although descriptions of computer readable media included herein refer to mass storage devices such as hard disks or CD-ROM drives, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any computer readable media can be accessed by the computer 2. It will be appreciated that it may be an available medium.

By way of example only and not of limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. The computer storage medium may be used to store RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other optical storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device or desired information and the computer 2 Includes, but is not limited to, any other medium that can be accessed by.

According to various embodiments of the present invention, the computer 2 may be operated in a network environment using a logical connection to a remote computer via a network 18 such as the Internet. The computer 2 may be connected to the network 18 via a network interface unit 20 connected to the bus 12. It should also be understood that network interface unit 20 may be used to connect other types of networks and remote computer systems. Computer 2 may also include an input / output controller 22 for receiving and processing input from a number of other devices (not shown in FIG. 1), including a keyboard, mouse or electronic stylus. Similarly, input / output controller 22 may provide output to a display screen, printer, or other type of output device.

As briefly mentioned above, numerous program modules and data files, including an operating system 16 suitable for controlling the operation of a networked personal computer, such as the WINDOWS XP operating system from MICROSOFT CORPORATION, Redmond, Washington Can be stored in the mass storage device 14 and RAM 9 of the computer 2. In particular, mass storage device 14 and RAM 9 may store email client application 24. Email client application 24 operates to send and receive email messages 26 over network 18. Sent or received email messages may also include an attachment 28. Attachments may include any file type and typically include pictures, word processing documents, compressed files, and other types of files.

As detailed herein, the email client application 24 operates to provide a user interface for displaying a preview of a document attached to an email message without the user switching to another application program. Details regarding such a user interface and the process for generating it are described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, respectively. The email client application 24 also operates to identify one or more actions that may be performed on the document attached to the email message. The user interface object for performing the operation may be displayed to the user as part of the preview user interface.

One of the operations provided by the email client application 24 includes an operation for quickly creating an email message as a reply to an email message with attachments. To provide this functionality, the email client application 24 can launch an application program 30 that can edit the original attachment. The user can then be allowed to edit the attachment and quickly send the modified attachment as a reply to the original email message. Further details regarding the operation for replying to the email message with the modified attachment are described below with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the email client application 24 includes an OUTLOOK Personal Information Manager application program from MICROSOFT CORPORATION. However, it should be understood that the present invention may be used with other application programs capable of sending and receiving e-mail messages, provided by other manufacturers. According to an embodiment of the invention, the application 30 includes a word processing application program, such as a WORD word processing application program from MICROSOFT CORPORATION. However, it should be understood that other types of application programs and other word processing application programs from other manufacturers may be used to implement various aspects of the present invention.

To generate a preview of the attachment of the email message, the email client application 24 utilizes the services of a preview handler 32. The preview processor 32 is responsible for locating and executing the previewer, which can generate a visual preview of the attachment. The previewer renders the preview into a window provided by the email client application 24. In this way, although the preview was rendered by a separate previewer, it appears as if rendered by the email client application program 24. Of an exemplary preview processor in US Patent Application (Attorney Docket No. 60046.416US01), entitled "Methods, Systems, and Apparatus for Providing Document Preview," which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference and filed together. The operation is described.

In Figure 2, an exemplary user interface provided by various embodiments of the present invention is described. In particular, FIG. 2 shows a screen display 40 generated by an email client application 24. Screen display 40 includes a user interface window having a list pane 42 in which one or more email messages 44A-44D are identified. As shown in FIG. 2, email messages 44A-44D are identified by displaying a portion of email header information including the sender's name, message subject, and the time the message was sent. It is to be understood that other information for identifying email messages 44A- 44D may be displayed in list pane 42.

As shown in FIG. 2, the email message 44D includes three attached documents 46A- 46C. Attachments 46A- 46C are marked as being attachments of email message 44D by a line extending from email message 44D to each attachment. The attachments 46A-46C are also identified by an icon corresponding to the document type, the name of each attachment, and an indication of the size of each attachment. In addition, the indications for attachments 46A-46C are offset from the indications for email message 44D to indicate child / parent relationships. Different types of information may be displayed for each attachment. In addition, although a paper clip icon is displayed in connection with the email message 44D to indicate that an attachment exists, any type of icon or visual indication may be used.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a user may select one of the attachments 46A- 46C using an appropriate user input device. For example, a single mouse click may be made on the attachment to select the attachment 46A. In response to this selection, a preview 50 of the attachment will be generated and displayed in the reading pane 48. The read pane 48 is displayed adjacent to the list pane 42. Further, read pane 48 may include other information about attachment 46A, such as the name and size of the attachment. In addition, information specific to the type of attachment may be displayed, for example the number of pixels of the attached picture.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, email client application 24 may operate to identify one or more operations that may be performed on an attachment and to display the available operations associated with preview 50. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, many actions 52A- 52D are identified for attachment 42A. In particular, operation 52A allows attachments to be stored in mass storage 14, operation 52B causes slide shows to be generated and displayed for attachments 46A-46C, and operation 52C is previously Viewed attachment 46A is printed and operation 52D causes the attachment to be deleted.

It should be understood that many different types of operations can be identified for each file type. For example, slide show actions may be available for pictures and presentation documents, actions for accepting or rejecting an attached meeting request may be available, and attached contact files may be contacted within a personal information manager. It may be added to the list, the control of the reproduction may be displayed for the audio file, and operations may be provided for displaying the attached facsimile document. Other actions appropriate for all file types may be displayed, such as open, save, delete and print. In one embodiment, only actions specific to the particular file type are displayed adjacent to preview 50. Other actions common to all file types are displayed on a tool bar 54. The header and preview shown when multiple attachments are selected may be for the first attachment. Only actions available for all selected attachments may be displayed in the vicinity of preview 50.

In FIG. 3, an exemplary user interface provided by various embodiments of the present invention is described. In particular, FIG. 3 illustrates a screen display 60 generated by a word processing application used in connection with various embodiments of the present invention. As noted above, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, an operation may be provided for certain types of attachments that allow a user to quickly edit an attachment and send a reply email containing the modified document as an attachment. . In response to the selection of this operation, a word processing application program for editing the attached document is started. Screen display 60, shown in FIG. 3, shows the screen display that appears once a word processing application has been launched in this manner.

As shown in FIG. 3, the word processing application program provides a conventional tool for editing the document 28. In addition, a "Reply with changes" button 62 is displayed in relation to the user interface for editing the document 28. Selecting button 62 generates a reply message with email fields and with document 28 attached. The user then edits the content of the reply message and sends the message. By integrating the email client application 24 and the word processing application in this manner, the user is freed from the cumbersome process for editing the document attached to the email message, which was required by the previous email client application.

Although embodiments of the invention described herein are described in the context of word processing application programs, it should be understood that other types of application programs may similarly be used. For example, if an e-mail message includes a presentation document as an attachment, the presentation program can be started in response to a request to send a reply message containing the modified attachment. Any other type of document can be edited and sent in a similar manner.

In FIG. 4, an example routine 400 is described that illustrates a process performed by an email client application 24 to preview and perform an action on an attachment of an email message. Although embodiments of the invention described herein are described in the context of an email client application program 24, it is to be understood that the invention may be used in other types of application programs.

In reading the description of the routines described herein, the logical operations of the various embodiments of the present invention may comprise (1) a series of computer-implemented actions or program modules executed on a computing system and / or ( 2) It should be understood that they are implemented as interconnected machine logic circuits or circuit modules within a computing system. Implementation is a matter of choice that depends on the performance requirements of the computing system implementing the invention. Thus, the logical operations shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and the implementation of the embodiments of the invention described herein are referred to variously as operations, structural devices, operations or modules. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such operations, structural devices, operations and modules may be implemented in software, firmware, special purpose digital logic and any combination thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims herein. I will understand that.

Routine 400 begins at operation 402, where email client application 24 displays an email message in list pane 42. The routine 400 then continues to operation 404, where the attached document of the email message shown in the list pane is also displayed. The attachment may be displayed in the manner described above with reference to FIG. 2. The routine 400 continues from operation 404 to operation 406.

In operation 406, the email client application 24 receives a user selection of an attachment of the email message. In response to the selection, the email client application 24 instructs the preview processor 32 to identify the previewer for the attachment and generate a preview of the attachment. Subsequently, in operation 408, the generated preview is displayed in read pane 48 by email client application 24. The routine 400 continues from operation 408 to operation 410.

In operation 410, the email client application 24 identifies the action that can be performed on the attachment. User interface objects such as buttons are displayed adjacent to the preview 50 for the identified actions. This occurs in operation 412. The routine 400 continues from operation 412 to operation 414, where a request is received from the user to perform one of the displayed operations. The request can be made, for example, via selection of one of the displayed user interface objects. The routine 400 then continues to operation 416, where the requested operation is performed. Routine 400 continues from operation 416 to operation 418, where it ends.

In FIG. 5, an example routine 500 is described for performing an operation for replying to an email message with a modification to an attached document. Routine 500 begins at operation 502 where an email message with attachments is received by email client application 24. Routine 500 continues from operation 502 to operation 504, where a request is received to reply to the original email with modifications to the attached document. Such a request may be made, for example, via user selection of one of the actions associated with the preview. The routine 500 continues from operation 504 to operation 506.

In operation 506, the email client application 24 starts an application program associated with the attachment. For example, if the attachment includes a word processing document, email client application 24 launches a word processing application for editing the document. The application program may be started in a specially specified state for previewing and modifying the document. This state is commonly referred to as a "review" mode and provides the ability to make document modifications in a manner that allows modifications to be easily identified and read by another user.

As briefly described above, the application program may be started in such a way that the "respond with modification" button 62 is displayed in relation to the edit screen. This occurs in operation 506 and allows the user to easily and quickly send the modified document as a reply to the original email message. The routine 500 continues from operation 506 to operation 508, where modifications to the attached document are received from the user. The routine 500 then continues to operation 510 where a request is received from the user to send a reply email message containing the modified document through the selection of the button 62.

In response to receiving a request to send a reply email containing the modified document, routine 500 proceeds to operation 512 where a reply message is generated with the modified attached document. The user then adds a comment. If the user indicates that a message should be sent, the routine continues to operation 516, where the email client application sends a reply email with the modified attached document. The application program is closed and the user returns to the display provided by the email client application 24. The user can then preview other attachments and interact with the email client application 24 in the manner described above. The routine 500 continues from operation 514 to operation 518, where it ends.

24: Email client application
26: email message
28: Email Message Attachments
30: application program
32: Preview handler

Claims (1)

A method for providing a visual preview of a document attached to an e-mail message, the method comprising:
Displaying header information associated with the e-mail message;
Displaying an indication that the document is attached to the e-mail message;
Receiving a selection of the indication;
In response to receiving the selection of the display, displaying a preview of the document without having to change the context.
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