Systems and methods for a search-based email client

Abstract

A search-based email client may incorporate a number of useful features. A search function can default to a search of all email contexts, thereby eliminating user cogitation over which context an email message may be stored in. Furthermore, the search function can automatically search for related personal content and / or related information on the internet or other computer network, and present this useful information to the user in addition to the returned emails. The search function can be integrated into a user interface to allow for one-click searches on any likely search field. The search function can search the body of email messages by default, thereby widening the scope of default searches and eliminating potentially missed information and user need to proactively widen their search. A search function can search attachments, which also provides a wider search scope.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 512,066, filed on Oct. 17, 2003, entitled “SEARCHED-BASED EMAIL CLIENT,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.COPYRIGHT NOTICE AND PERMISSION [0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document may contain material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice shall apply to this document: Copyright© 2003-2004, Stata Laboratories, Inc. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention is directed to systems and methods for integrating search functions into an email client user interface (UI). More particularly, it is directed to providing easily accessible search fun...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] In view of the foregoing, the present invention is directed to systems and methods for a search-based email client. There are a number of features that may be incorporated in such an email client. A search function default to a search of all email contexts, thereby eliminating user cogitation over which context an email message may be stored in. Furthermore, the search function can automatically search for related personal content and / or related information on the internet or other computer network, and present this useful information to the user in addition to the returned emails. The search function can also be integrated into a user interface (UI) so as to allow for one-click searches on a sender, a recipient, a subject line, or other likely search field. The search function can search the body of email messages by default, thereby widening the scope of default searches and eliminating potentially missed information and user need to proactively widen their search. A search function can search attachments, which also provides a wider search scope. Other features and embodiments of the present invention are described below.

Problems solved by technology

A growing number of people who typically manage large volumes of email are either beginning to outgrow or are becoming increasingly frustrated with the burden of mailbox overload, as well as the limitations and inefficiencies of traditional folder-based email clients.

While search functions are available in present folder-based email clients, these features generally require a user to define a scope for the search, and may not search all of the information needed to locate a desired item.

Moreover, the search features in present email clients can be cumbersome to access, and often require excessive user action to operate.

With the growing volume of personal digital content, especially within email but applicable to other personal digital content, it is increasingly difficult for the user to find what he is looking for in a timely manner.

It costs the user time and effort to correctly search over the proper domain of content.

However, these folder structures over time become exceedingly difficult and time-consuming to maintain as content grows.

When the user is looking for text-based content in an attachment, he is forced to also recall the title of the document, since search capabilities on the text content of the attachments are not readily available.

The mechanisms for searching for content and related information are time-consuming and frustrating.

The execution of a search with existing messaging clients is inefficient and slow.

This is in part due to text content that is not indexed in advance of a search, and in part due to cumbersome UI mechanisms for carrying out searches.

Additional user steps must be taken to increase the domain over which a search is executed, however, this typically comes at the cost of dramatically increasing the time to complete the search.

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