Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting quoted text within a document, such as an email message or email thread, is described. A text comparison is performed to identify a block of quoted text within the document. The boundaries of the block of quoted text are identified by performing a character-by-character analysis on text surrounding the identified block of quoted text. The block of quoted text is elided so that an individual can easily identify the block of quoted text as having previously been viewed.

Abstract: Advertisers are permitted to put targeted ads on page on the web (or some other document of any media type). The present invention may do so by (i) obtaining content that includes available spots for ads, (ii) determining ads relevant to content, and/or (iii) combining content with ads determined to be relevant to the content.

Abstract: Advertisers are permitted to put targeted ads on page on the web (or some other document of any media type). The present invention may do so by (i) obtaining content that includes available spots for ads, (ii) determining ads relevant to content, and/or (iii) combining content with ads determined to be relevant to the content.

Abstract: Methods and systems for saving draft electronic communications, such as web e-mails, are described herein. One such described method comprises automatically saving a draft web-email in the e-mail web page. A second such described method comprises saving a draft web e-mail in a cookie residing on the client machine. A third such described method comprises automatically saving a draft web e-mail at the host that provides the Web e-mail service. A fourth such described method comprises interacting with a central installed client component to save a draft web e-mail one the user's machine at the client side.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the transfer of client device data on a network are described. One described method comprises causing non-time-sensitive client device data to be identified on a client device, causing the non-time-sensitive client device data to be prepared for output and stored by the client device, and causing the non-time-sensitive client device data to be output with a request signal upon satisfaction of a condition.

Abstract: A client assistant, sometimes called a browser helper, runs on a client computer. The client assistant monitors a user's browsing activities and infers one or more next documents that are most likely to be requested by the user. The client assistant attempts to locate a fresh copy of the inferred next document within a client cache. If a fresh copy of the inferred document is not found in the client cache, the client assistant submits a document download request to a document server.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed that provide a variable length snippet when returning snippets in response to a search request. Under conditions where the search query matches a document with a high degree of certainty, a shorter snippet is provided than when the document does not match the search query with a high level certainty. A variable snippet length is also based on an estimate of how likely a user will recognize the document. For example, shorter snippets are provided is a user has recently viewed a document, but longer snippets are provided if a user has not recently viewed the document.

Abstract: An email system receives a plurality of electronic messages directing to a user, each message having a unique message identifier assigned to it. As each message is received, the system associates the with a respective conversation, each conversation having a unique conversation identifier, where each conversation includes a set of one or more electronic messages. The system furthermore displays a list of conversations in a predetermined order, each conversation being represented as a single item in the list.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a frame environment that supports navigation between the various views that have been displayed in the frame environment using the forward and back buttons of the web browser.

Abstract: An asynchronous and opportunistically available scheme under which a user's e-mail (or a document including e-mail content) is rendered immediately, and later updated with appropriate advertisements if and when they became available, is described. This scheme ensures that the availability of advertisements will not adversely affect the rendering of the e-mail content. For example, a Web-based e-mail server may facilitate the serving of advertisements with e-mail by (a) accepting a request for a document including e-mail, (b) generating a request identifier, (c) serving the requested document in association with the request identifier, and (d) obtaining at least one ad relevant to content of the e-mail. The Web-based e-mail server may further (e) store the obtained ad(s), (f) accept an ad request, (g) read the stored ad(s) using information from the ad request, and (h) serve the ad(s).

Abstract: A system and method for searching messages is disclosed that includes searching a message repository to identify one or more messages relevant to a search query, Each identified message belongs to a respective conversation, where each conversation includes one or more messages which share a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria. For at least one of the identified messages, the conversation to which it is associated is identified as well as a message content portion from identified message. The content portion includes content relevant to at least one search term of the search query. The conversation is produced as the search result, including the content portion.

Abstract: An email system has a repository of messages. The message repository is searched to identify one or more messages relevant to a search query. Each identified message is associated with a conversation, and each such conversation has one or more messages and a unique conversation identifier. A set of conversation identifiers associated with the identified messages is collected and a list of conversations is created, where conversation in the list corresponds to a respective conversation identifier in the set of conversation identifiers.

Abstract: A method and system of processing messages is described that includes receiving a plurality of messages directed to a user, wherein each message has a unique message identifier. Each of the received messages is associated with a respective conversation to which it belongs. Each conversation includes a respective conversation identifier and a set of one or more messages which share a common set of characteristics that meet certain predefined criteria. A list of conversations to which the various messages belong is displayed in an order determined in accordance with other predefined criteria, such as ordering the conversations by the last date a message was received in a particular conversation. Each conversation is represented as a single item in the list. Other information displayed relating to the conversation includes labels, senders, date/time values, recipients, number of message in a conversation, and whether or not the conversation contains any unread messages.

Abstract: A client-side application (such as a browser, a browser plug-in, a browser toolbar plug-in, etc. on an end user's computer) is used to support the serving of content-relevant ads to the client device. The client-side application may provide such support by sending document information (such as a document identifier, document content, content relevance information, etc.) to a content ad server. The client-side application may also be used to combine content of the document and the content-relevant ads. For example, the client-side application may combine content of the document and the ads in a window (e.g., in a browser window), may provide the ads in a window above, below, adjacent to a document window, may provide the ads in “chrome” of the browser, etc.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for viewing and responding to electronic messages. In one embodiment, when an electronic message is displayed, a portion of the electronic message is elided to aid in the viewing experience. In one embodiment, a method of viewing a first electronic message, comprises: identifying an extraneous portion within a second electronic message; eliding the extraneous portion within the second electronic message; and generating the first electronic message wherein the first electronic message includes the second electronic message with the extraneous portion of the second electronic message suppressed.

Abstract: Advertisers are permitted to put targeted ads on page on the web (or some other document of any media type). The present invention may do so by (i) obtaining content that includes available spots for ads, (ii) determining ads relevant to content, and/or (iii) combining content with ads determined to be relevant to the content.

Abstract: Advertisers are permitted to put targeted ads on e-mails. The present invention may do so by (i) obtaining information of an e-mail that includes available spots for ads, (ii) determining one or more ads relevant to the e-mail information, and/or (iii) providing the one or more ads for rendering in association with the e-mail.