Stationery for electronic messaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8935335-B2
Application number	US-49899906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2006
Priority date	Aug 4, 2006
Publication date	Jan 13, 2015
Grant date	Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

Stationery templates for electronic messages are provided in an electronic messaging system. For one embodiment, a user can select from a list of categories and within each category is a set of one or more stationery templates from which a user can choose. The user may edit the stationery template. The user can also create custom stationery and share it with other users. Upon selection or creation of a stationery template, the user is presented with a formatted electronic message and can add, remove, or edit text content or replace media content. Alternatively, a stationery template can be changed or added to the electronic message after the user has begun composing and editing the text content. The content and format of the text and media components are carried over into the new template. When the message is sent, it is saved and transmitted in a format such that it can be rendered to look the same at the receiving machine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine implemented method of sending electronic messages, the method comprising:
identifying, at a computer, a template for an electronic message from a plurality of templates, wherein the identified template comprises a plurality of frames;
receiving text for the electronic message;
placing a plurality of images into the plurality of frames of the identified template, wherein each image is placed according to a set of frame attributes of a corresponding frame;
compositing the plurality of images into a single composite image, wherein the composite image comprises a plurality of regions corresponding to the plurality of images, wherein each region has an associated link for downloading the corresponding image; and
transmitting the electronic message, wherein the electronic message comprises the received text, the composite image, and the links associated with the different regions of the composite image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of frame attributes for each frame comprises a size and orientation for an image to be inserted into the frame.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting an appearance of an image within a frame of the template by changing a pan or a zoom of the image.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving user input to edit the electronic message.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the text for the electronic message is at least partially composed prior to selecting a new template for the electronic message; and
the composed text of the message is automatically transferred and formatted to conform to the selected new template.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
modifying the template; and
saving the modified template.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the template is identified from a list of one or more categories of templates.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the template is obtained from another user or other third party.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the template of the electronic message is created by the user.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the electronic message comprises transmitting at least a portion of the electronic message in HyperText Markup Language (HTML).

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by a first program for sending and receiving electronic messages, wherein a recipient device utilizes a second different program for sending and receiving electronic messages.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the template is a first template, wherein the method further comprises receiving user input to select a different second template for the electronic message after the plurality of images has been placed according to the sets of frame attributes of the plurality of frames of the first template, wherein the images are automatically transferred and placed in frames of the second template according to the sets of frame attributes of the frames in the second template.

13. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing a program executable by at least one processing unit, the program for sending electronic messages, the program comprising sets of instructions for:
identifying a template for an electronic message from a plurality of templates, wherein the identified template comprises a plurality of frames;
receiving text for the electronic message;
placing a plurality of images into the plurality of frames of the identified template, wherein each image is placed according to a set of frame attributes of a corresponding frame;
compositing the placed plurality of images into a single composite image, wherein the placed plurality of images are arranged in the composite image according to the sets of frame attributes of the corresponding frames, wherein each of the plurality of images has a corresponding region in the composite image, wherein each region has an associated link for downloading the original corresponding image; and
transmitting the electronic message, wherein the electronic message comprises the received text, the composite image, and the links associated with the different regions of the composite image.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for adjusting an appearance of an image within a frame of the template by changing a pan or a zoom of the image.

15. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the set of frame attributes for each frame comprises a size and orientation for an image to be inserted into the frame.

16. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the template is a first template, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for receiving user input to select a different second template for the electronic message after the plurality of images has been placed according to the sets of frame attributes of the plurality of frames of the first template, wherein the images are automatically transferred and placed in frames of the second template according to the sets of frame attributes of the frames in the second template.

17. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:
the text for the electronic message is at least partially composed prior to selecting a new template for the electronic message; and
the composed text of the message is automatically transferred and formatted to conform to the selected new template.

18. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:
modifying the template; and
saving the modified template.

19. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the template is obtained from another user or other third party.

20. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the template of the electronic message is created by the user.

21. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the set of instructions for transmitting the electronic message comprises a set of instructions for transmitting at least a portion of the electronic message in HyperText Markup Language (HTML).

22. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the program is a first program for sending and receiving electronic messages, wherein a recipient device utilizes a second different program for sending and receiving electronic messages.

23. A data processing system comprising:
a selection module for identifying a template for an electronic message from a plurality of templates, wherein the identified template comprises a plurality of frames;
an input module for receiving text for the electronic message;
an image placement module for placing a plurality of images into the plurality of frames of the identified template, wherein each image is placed according to a set of frame attributes of a corresponding frame;
a compositing module for compositing the plurality of images into a single composite image, wherein the composite image comprises a plurality of regions corresponding to the plurality of images, wherein each region has an associated link for downloading the corresponding image; and
a transmitting module for transmitting the electronic message, wherein the electronic message comprises the received text, the composite image, and the links associated with the different regions of the image.

Assignees

• Lemay Stephen
• Christie Gregory
• Ording Bas
• Langoulant Brendan
• Forstall Scott
• Halchin Judy
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Lemay Stephen
• Christie Gregory
• Ording Bas
• Langoulant Brendan
• Forstall Scott
• Halchin Judy

Classifications

• G06Q10/107 Primary

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

• G06F40/186 Primary

  Templates · CPC title

• G06F17/248 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04L51/214

  using selective forwarding · CPC title