The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 02, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1998
Scott A Thurlow, Kirkland, WA (US);
William J Bliss, Medina, WA (US);
Douglas E Stumberger, Kirkland, WA (US);
David R Goodhand, Seattle, WA (US);
Brian W MacDonald, Bellevue, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Processing electronic messages by applying a rule representing a combination of additions, actions, or exceptions. A conditions window is displayed to present conditions upon which a rule for processing electronic messages cause an action to be taken. A condition can be selected in response to an input signal. In turn, an actions window is displayed to present actions that may be taken in response to the selected condition. An action is selected in response to receipt of an input signal. The actions window is updated to display the current state of the rule in a natural language format presented as a contiguous string of appended clauses corresponding to both the selected condition and the selected action. To create a rule including an exception, an exceptions window is displayed to present a list of exceptions associated with the selected condition. In response to receiving an input signal, an exception corresponding to the input signal is selected. Based on the selection of that exception, the exceptions window is updated to display the current state of the rule in a natural language format presented as a contiguous string of appended clauses corresponding to the selected condition, the selected action, and the selected exception.