Patent · US Expired

Time-sensitive messages and events

US7305441B2 · kind B2 · utility

51Cited by
18References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 20, 2001
Grant dateDec 4, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 10, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06Q10/107
  • WIPO fieldIT methods for management
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for enabling message senders and event creators to convey time-sensitivity of their messages and events (such as electronic mail messages, electronic calendar entries, and “to-do” items), and for handling such messages and events at a receiver. A message sender marks messages as to whether they are time-sensitive, and may also identify a starting and ending time and/or date during which the time-sensitive status applies. When such a message arrives at a recipient, it is evaluated and if the time-sensitive period has been reached, the message is automatically displayed to the recipient. Preferably, the recipient must handle the displayed message before continuing on to other messages. The disclosed techniques enable messages to be viewed in a timely manner, according to the sender's representation of the time-sensitivity of the message. As a result of these improvements, communication between senders and receivers may become more effective.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.