Task assignment from a file through a contextual action

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11075871-B2
Application number	US-201615264803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	Sep 14, 2016
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for assigning tasks to collaborators of a file through a contextual action. In one aspect, rendering of a file within an email application including a reading pane may be initiated. A task object may be created based on an input made with respect to the file. A reference point associated with the task object may be created within the file. The task object may be assigned to at least one collaborator of the file via the email application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to at least:
initiate rendering of an email attachment within an email application including a reading pane comprising content of an email, the email attachment comprising a file created via a collaboration application that is distinguished from the email application; and
subsequent to opening the file in the email application:
in response to detecting a selection of at least a portion of content of the email attachment, enabling display of a contextual menu associated with the email attachment, the contextual menu including at least one contextual action;
in response to activating the at least one contextual action, create a task object including an action corresponding to the file;
create a reference point within the file, where access to the reference point is provided, via the email application, in response to receiving an indication of interest made with respect to the task object; and
assign, via the email application, the task object to at least one collaborator of the file.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the task object is assigned to the at least one collaborator using at least one of an email message, a notification, and task list.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of content of the email attachment and the reading pane are displayed side by side within the email application.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein access to the reference point is provided via the email application by initiating rendering of at least a portion of the file in a user interface of the email application in response to receiving the indication of interest made with respect to the task object, wherein the portion of the file comprises the reference point.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein in response to receiving the indication of interest made with respect to the task object, the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to access the reference point by opening at least a portion of the file including the reference point.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to display the task object in the reading pane when the task object is assigned to the at least one collaborator.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to activate the at least one contextual action in response to a selection of the at least one contextual action.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the task object includes one or more parameters associated with the task object.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more parameters associated with the task object include at least a task description, a task deadline, a task reminder, and a task priority level.

10. A computer-implemented method for assigning a task associated with an email attachment, the method comprising:
initiating rendering of the email attachment in a user interface of an email application, the email attachment comprising a file created via a collaboration application that is distinguished from the email application; and
subsequent to opening the file in the email application:
in response to detecting a selection of at least a portion of content of the email attachment, enabling display of a contextual menu associated with the email attachment, the contextual menu including at least one contextual action;
in response to activating the at least one contextual action, creating a task object including an action corresponding to the file and a reference point within the file, where access to the reference point is provided, via the email application, in response to receiving an indication of interest made with respect to the task object; and
assigning, via the email application the task object to at least one collaborator of the file.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the file is rendered in the user interface within an email application including a reading pane.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the task object is assigned to the at least one collaborator using at least one of an email message, a notification, and task list.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising when the task object is assigned to the at least one collaborator using the email message, displaying the task object in the reading pane.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising when the task object is assigned to the at least one collaborator using the notification, displaying the task object in the notification.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further comprising when the task object is assigned to the at least one collaborator of using the task list, displaying the task object as an item in the task list.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising accessing the reference point the email application in response to receiving the indication of interest made with respect to the task object.

17. A computing apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage media; and
an email application embodied at least in part in program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media and comprising:
an email attachment displayed in a user interface for collaborating among a plurality of collaborators of the email attachment, the email attachment comprising a file created via a collaboration application that is distinguished from the email application;
a contextual menu displayed in response to detecting a selection of at least a portion of content of the email attachment, the contextual menu including at least one contextual action;
a task object, created subsequent to opening the file in the email application and in response to activating the at least one contextual action, assigned, via the email application, to at least one collaborator of the file; and
a reference point, created subsequent to opening the file in the email application, within the file at a location of the selection of at least the portion of content of the email attachment, where access to the reference point is provided, via the email application, in response to an indication of interest made with respect to the task object.

18. The computing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the task object includes a task complete option.

19. The computing apparatus of claim 18 , wherein in response to an indication of interest made with respect to the task complete option, the task object is set to a complete status.

20. The computing apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the task object comprises an action to be completed by a collaborator of the email attachment.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Soni Shahil
• Loh Philip Zhian
• Darrow Alexander
• Masterson Joseph

Classifications

• G06Q10/101 Primary

  Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services · CPC title

• H04L51/42 Primary

  Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes · CPC title

• H04L67/60

  Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources (admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70) · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• G06Q10/107

  Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] · CPC title