Email Thread Association Management for Multi-Thread Response

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in locating and managing multiple email threads related to the same topic or project across different mailing lists and time periods, and in responding to multiple threads simultaneously without clear indications of previous replies.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for generating associations between separate email threads by tagging them based on common topics or projects, allowing users to conveniently view and perform operations on associated threads, and publishing these associations to users, enabling simultaneous response to multiple threads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If users perform search to locate related email threads, then they can find the threads, but it takes a significant amount of time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime spent searching for email threadsVSAvoidease of locating email threads

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating associations between email threads based on common topics, projects, or keywords before users need to search. This pre-organization of email threads into associated groups eliminates the need for time-consuming searches, as threads are already grouped and accessible through the generated associations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If users manually track multiple email threads, then they can respond to each thread, but they cannot clearly indicate replies to multiple threads simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about replies to multiple threadsVSAvoidcomplexity of tracking multiple threads

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the tracking and reply functions for multiple email threads by generating associations between threads and enabling a single reply action to be applied to all associated threads simultaneously. This combining of operations allows users to respond to multiple threads at once while automatically tracking and recording which threads received replies, eliminating the need for manual tracking of each thread separately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If email threads are kept separate, then each thread maintains its independence, but related threads are hard to locate and manage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of managing related email threadsVSAvoidconnection information between related threads

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of generated associations that link related email threads together without merging the threads themselves. These associations act as mediators that preserve the independence of individual threads while simultaneously providing the connections needed for easy location and management of related threads. The associations are generated based on common topics, projects, or keywords and can be viewed and manipulated as a group.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS7930356B2Management of email threads

Publication Date: 2011.04.19 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

A method and system are provided for managing email threads. The method includes receiving a plurality of separate email threads. The method further includes generating associations between at least two email threads of the plurality of separate email threads. The method further includes displaying the associations of the at least two email threads. As a result, users can conveniently view the associated email threads and perform operations on particular email threads.