Messaging Interface Filtered Index for Sent Message Clutter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Messaging clients on wireless, hand-held devices often display all messages, including sent and received, leading to a cluttered and confusing interface, with no efficient solution to hide specific types of messages, such as sent messages.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that allow users to configure the messaging interface to create a filtered index of messages, excluding specific types like sent messages, and present a display list based on this filtered index, using a FilteredMergedCollection class that registers with a MergedCollection object to manage and update the filtered index according to user-defined criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all messages (sent and received) are displayed in the main messaging interface, then complete message reference is provided, but the interface becomes cluttered and confusing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the message display into two separate indices: a complete index that contains all message references (for information completeness) and a filtered index that excludes sent messages (for interface clarity). The messaging client can switch between displaying references from the complete index or the filtered index based on user needs, thus resolving the contradiction between providing complete message references and maintaining interface clarity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts sent messages from the complete message set to create a filtered index. By removing (taking out) the unwanted element (sent messages) from the aggregation, the system provides a cleaner display of only received messages when needed, while the complete index remains available for full message reference when required.
2Ease of operation
If sent messages are hidden to reduce clutter, then interface clarity is improved, but access to sent message references becomes less efficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-building both the complete index and the filtered index of message references. This allows the system to quickly switch between displaying all messages or filtered messages without requiring real-time filtering when a user needs to access sent messages, thus maintaining both interface clarity and efficient access time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the message reference structure in the form of a filtered index that mirrors the complete index but excludes sent messages. This copied structure allows rapid display of filtered messages while the original complete index remains intact for accessing sent messages when needed, eliminating the time penalty of filtering during display operations.
3Ease of operation
If a filtered index is created to exclude sent messages, then display clutter is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal messaging client architecture that can handle multiple display modes (complete index view and filtered index view) through a single system. The messaging client is designed to work with both the complete index and filtered index, providing multi-functionality that accommodates different user needs without requiring separate applications or complex management overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Based on user configuration, a main messaging user interface screen on a messaging device either presents a list of references to messages stored on the device based on a complete index of references to the stored messages or based on a filtered index of references to the stored messages. References to stored messages of a predetermined type are not maintained in the filtered index.