Message notification system

摘要

A method and system may for notifying a user of an incoming message may include a message server configured to apply a filter to a message header of a received message. A message program may be configured to filter the message based on at least one filter, the filter being established via a filter interface and including a plurality of filter options. The message program may be configured to display at least one message indicator in a message interface in response to applying the filter options of the filter to the message.

主权项

1. A notification system comprising:
a message server having a processor configured to send and receive electronic messages, each of the electronic messages having a message header; and an application program interface configured to communicate with the message server, with a message interface, and with a notification interface, wherein the application program interface is configured to provide functions allowing a user to, via the message interface, read, draft, and send the electronic messages, wherein the application program interface is configured to apply first and second filters to the message header of at least a portion of the electronic messages received by the message server thereby resulting in respective first and second filtered messages and to cause the notification interface to display first and second graphical indicators having different shapes and colors for the respective first and second filtered messages based on the application of the respective first and second filters, wherein the notification interface is part of a toolbar that is different from the message interface and is configured to display the first and second graphical indicators in response to the first and second filtered messages, regardless of whether the message interface is activated, wherein the notification interface is configured to change the shape or color of the at least one of the first and second graphical indicators based on at least one newly filtered message from one of the first and second filtered messages, wherein the application program interface is configured to provide functions allowing the user to concurrently select, via the notification interface as part of the toolbar, a different type for each of the first and second graphical indicators from first and second graphical indicator types for each of the respective first and second filters, and wherein the first graphical indicator type is displayed as part of the toolbar in response to filtered messages associated with the first filter and the second graphical indicator type is displayed concurrently as part of the toolbar in response to filtered messages associated with the second filter.