Most recently used list for attaching files to messages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9455939-B2
Application number	US-201113096922-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2011
Priority date	Apr 28, 2011
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A user may select an attachment for an electronic message from a most recently used (MRU) list of files. For example, when a user is composing an electronic message, they may select a file to attach to the message from the MRU list. The recently used files that are included within the MRU list may be related to or more applications/locations and/or one or more computing devices. For example, the MRU list may include files accessed by one or more different authoring applications and/or files that have recently been accessed/created that are associated with the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for selecting an attachment for an electronic message, comprising:
displaying the electronic message within a messaging application user interface;
displaying a most recently used (MRU) list within the messaging application user interface while displaying the electronic message, wherein the MRU list comprises a list of files including files recently accessed from a first computing device and files recently accessed from a second computing device;
presenting indicia for at least one file, the indicia indicating whether the first computing device or the second device most recently accessed the at least one file;
receiving a selection of a file that is displayed within the MRU list;
attaching the selected file to the electronic message; and
sending the electronic message to a recipient using the messaging application.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating the MRU list from files recently accessed by different applications by both the first computing device and the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the different applications are applications comprising at least one of: a word processing application; a spreadsheet application; and a messaging application.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating the MRU list from files recently stored on a client computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the MRU list comprises displaying a name of each file and a time when the file was recently used.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining preferences that indicate a type of file and a type of application to include within the MRU list.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the MRU list from another application.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the selected file to the electronic message comprises attaching a link to the selected file.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messaging application user interface is part of a social media application for a mobile device.

10. A system for selecting an attachment for an electronic message, comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory operatively connected to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, perform a method comprising:
displaying the electronic message;
displaying a most recently used (MRU) list that comprises a list of files including files recently accessed from a first computing device and files recently accessed from a second computing device, wherein the MRU list is displayed within the same user interface as the electronic message;
presenting indicia for at least one file, the indicia indicating whether the first computing device or the second device most recently accessed the at least one file;
receiving a selection of a file that is displayed within the MRU list;
attaching the selected file to the electronic message; and
sending the electronic message to a recipient.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises creating the MRU list from files recently accessed by different applications accessed from the first and second computing devices.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the different applications are authoring applications comprising at least one of: a word processing application; a spreadsheet application; and a messaging application.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first computing device and second computing device are both mobile devices.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein displaying the MRU list comprises displaying a name of each file and a time when the file was recently used.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises obtaining preferences that indicate a type of file and a type of application to include within the MRU list.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein attaching the selected file to the electronic message comprises attaching a link to the selected file.

17. A system for selecting an attachment for an electronic message, comprising:
a network connection that is configured to connect to a network;
a processor, memory, and a computer-readable storage medium;
an operating environment stored on the computer-readable storage medium and executing on the processor;
a messaging application; and
an attachment manager operating in conjunction with the messaging application that is configured to perform actions comprising:
displaying an electronic message that is being composed;
in response to a selection of an option in the messaging application, displaying a most recently used (MRU) list that comprises a list of files including files recently accessed from a first computing device and files recently accessed from a second computing device wherein the MRU list is displayed in a user interface that also includes the electronic message;
presenting indicia for at least one file, the indicia indicating whether the first computing device or the second device most recently accessed the at least one file;
receiving a selection of a file that is displayed within the MRU list;
attaching the selected file to the electronic message; and
sending the electronic message to a recipient.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising creating the MRU list from files recently accessed by different applications and files accessed from both the first computing device and the second computing device.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the different applications are authoring applications comprising at least one of: a word processing application; a spreadsheet application; and a messaging application.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein attaching the selected file to the electronic message comprises attaching a link to the selected file.

Assignees

• Meisels Joshua Adam
• Costenaro Daniel Paul
• Brown Jedidiah
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Meisels Joshua Adam
• Costenaro Daniel Paul
• Brown Jedidiah

Classifications

• G06Q10/107 Primary

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

• G06F40/134

  Hyperlinking · CPC title

• H04L51/08 Primary

  Annexed information, e.g. attachments · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• H04L67/535

  Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title