Patent Abstract:
An interface enables perception of information regarding e-mail communications. The interface includes an e-mail application user interface that enables perception of e-mail message information for one or more e-mails received by an e-mail participant and that enables active display of one or more of the received e-mails selected by the e-mail participant, The interface also includes a mechanism that determines a request for e-mail message information for one of the e-mails from within a desired e-mail message that is not actively displayed. The interface further includes an informational tool tip that provides a temporary perceivable indication to the e-mail participant of at least a portion of the requested information for the desired e-mail message while maintaining active display of the one or more selected e-mails.

Full Description:
[0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/615,475, filed on Sep. 13, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/036,949, filed on Feb. 28, 2011 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,429,543, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/115,193, filed on May 5, 2008 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,900,148, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/326,548, filed on Dec. 23, 2002 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,277, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/259,844, filed on Sep. 30, 2002 now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,421,661, which claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/376,181, filed Apr. 30, 2002. Each of the aforementioned patent(s), and application(s) are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The following description relates generally to providing a user interface and more particularly to providing an informational tool tip for an e-mail user interface. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Online service providers facilitate access to information and services by providing interactive L/Is (User Interfaces) that help users navigate to desired resources. Generally, a UI allows a user to execute particular commands or to link to certain locations by simply selecting screen objects such as icons, windows, and drop-down menus. The design of a UI has a significant impact on a user&#39;s online experience. In particular, the icons, the windows, and the menus of a UI may be arranged to enable a user to locate preferred information and services quickly and easily. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one general aspect, an interface enables perception of information regarding e-mail communications. The interface includes an e-mail application user interface that enables perception of e-mail message information for one or more e-mails received by an e-mail participant and that enables active display of one or more of the received e-mails selected by the e-mail participant. The interface also includes a mechanism that determines a request for e-mail message information for one of the e-mails from within a desired e-mail message that is not actively displayed. The interface further includes an informational tool tip that provides a temporary perceivable indication to the e-mail participant of at least a portion of the requested information for the desired e-mail message while maintaining active display of the selected e-mails. 
         [0005]    Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the tool tip may be activated in response to participant selection of the desired e-mail message. In one implementation, the participant selection is inferred based upon a position of an input device relative to a user interface. For instance, the selection may be inferred based upon maintaining the input device in a position relative to the user interface for a predetermined threshold period of time. In another implementation, the user selection may be an overt selection activity. For instance, the overt selection may be carried out by manipulating a user input device. 
         [0006]    In one implementation, the informational tool tip may be rendered in a pop up window, and may be rendered as an overlay. The tool tip may provide a perceivable indication of less than all of the determined content of the desired e-mail message session. The tool tip is closed automatically based on a timeout or an inferred intent to close the tool tip, rather than based on an express or overt closing instruction by the user. For example, intent to close the tool tip may be inferred based upon the position of a user input device, the movement of a user input device, or a combination of the position of a user input device and the expiration of a predetermined length of time. 
         [0007]    In one implementation, the user interface is a visual interface. For example, the desired e-mail message may include a text message and the temporary perceivable indication may include at least a portion of the text message. The desired e-mail message may also include an audio-video message (e.g., a video message) and the temporary perceivable indication may include at least a portion of the audio-video message. In another implementation, the user interface may be an audible interface. For example, the desired e-mail message may include an audio message and the temporary perceivable indication may include at least a portion of the audio message. 
         [0008]    In another general aspect, e-mail information for at least one received e-mail is shown on a visual user interface. The user interface receives a request for e-mail information other than the e-mail information shown by the visual user interface, and a pop-up window is rendered with e-mail information other than the information displayed on the visual user interface while the display of information in the visual user interface is maintained. 
         [0009]    Aspects of the informational tool tip may be implemented by an apparatus and/or by a computer program stored on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may comprise a disc, a client device, a host device, and/or a propagated signal. In addition, aspects of the informational tool tip may be implemented in a client/host context or in a standalone or offline client device. The informational tool tip may be rendered in a client/host context and may be accessed or updated through a remote device in a client/host environment. The informational tool tip also may be rendered by the standalone/offline device and may be accessed or updated through a remote device in a non-client/host environment such as, for example, a LAN server serving an end user or a mainframe serving a terminal device. 
         [0010]    Other features will be apparent from the following description, including the drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIGS. 1 and 2  are block diagrams of a communications system. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3 and 7  are flow charts of processes that may be implemented by the systems of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A,  6 B, and  6 C are illustrations of different graphical user interfaces that may be implemented by the systems of  FIGS. 1 and 2  when executing the processes of  FIGS. 3 and 7 . 
       
    
    
       [0014]    Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. For brevity, several elements in the figures described below are represented as monolithic entities. However, as would be understood by one skilled in the art, these elements each may include numerous interconnected computers and components designed to perform a set of specified operations and/or may be dedicated to a particular geographical region. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In general, an informational tool tip may be provided for an e-mail user interface (UI). An informational tool tip for the e-mail UI is capable of presenting to the user a perceivable indication of at least a portion of an e-mail message that is not being actively displayed. As such, the informational tool tip is able to accommodate a user who seeks to perceive information about one of the e-mail messages that is not actively displayed to the user, while maintaining active display of the currently displayed e-mail message. Although such functionality may be applied to other communications environments, it may have particular utility when applied to an e-mail environment, where it may be used to quickly view content from within a received message without requiring the user to open a persistent window dedicated to that message, and without requiring the user to otherwise change a current view. 
         [0016]    In order to activate the informational tool tip, the user may select a desired e-mail message that is not being actively displayed. For example, to activate and render the informational tool tip, the user may position a mouse or other viewer input device proximate to or over an interface tab or icon corresponding to the desired e-mail message. In response, the informational tool tip may be rendered as a pop-up window and may be rendered in any location on the display. 
         [0017]    The informational tool tip may be used to present all or a portion of the desired e-mail message other than the selected or default message displayed in the preview pane  417  or other e-mail message UI, and to do so without affecting the display of the default or selected e-mail message. In one implementation, a predetermined number of lines or characters of content from within the desired e-mail message are presented. In another implementation, one or more predetermined fields of the message are presented. In another implementation, the content presented in the tool tip is variable and may depend, for example, upon the manner or context in which the tool tip was invoked. The contents of the desired e-mail message may be made available to the tool tip by, for example, a client system or a host system, or a combination thereof. 
         [0018]    For illustrative purposes,  FIGS. 1 . and  2  show an example of a communications system for implementing techniques for transferring electronic data such as e-mail messages. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a communications system  100  is capable of delivering and exchanging data between a client system  105  and a host system  110  through a communications link  115 . The client system  105  typically includes one or more client devices  120  and/or client controllers  125 , and the host system  110  typically includes one or more host devices  135  and/or host controllers  140 . For example, the client system  105  or the host system  110  may include one or more general-purpose computers (e.g., personal computers), one or more special-purpose computers (e.g., devices specifically programmed to communicate with each other and/or the client system  105  or the host system  110 ), or a combination of one or more general-purpose computers and one or more special-purpose computers. The client system  105  and the host system  110  may be arranged to operate within or in concert with one or more other systems, such as, for example, one or more LANs (“Local Area Networks”) and/or one or more WANs (“Wide Area Networks”). 
         [0020]    The client device  120  and the host device  135  are generally capable of executing instructions under the command of, respectively, a client controller  125  and a host controller  140 . The client device  120  and the host device  135  are connected to, respectively, the client controller  125  and the host controller  140  by, respectively, wired or wireless data pathways  130  and  145 , which are capable of delivering data. 
         [0021]    The client device  120 , the client controller  125 , the host device  135 , and the host controller  140  typically each include one or more hardware components and/or software components. An example of a client device  120  or a host device  135  is a general-purpose computer (e.g., a personal computer) or software on such a computer capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. Other examples include a special-purpose computer, a workstation, a server, a device, a component, other physical or virtual equipment, or some combination of these capable of responding to and executing instructions. The client device  120  and the host device  135  may include devices that are capable of establishing peer-to-peer communications. 
         [0022]    An example of client controller  125  or host controller  140  is a software application loaded on the client device  120  or the host device  135  for commanding and directing communications enabled by the client device  120  or the host device  135 . Other examples include a program, a piece of code, an instruction, a device, a computer, a computer system, or a combination of these for independently or collectively instructing the client device  120  or the host device  135  to interact and operate as described. The client controller  125  and the host controller  140  may be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, storage medium, or propagated signal capable of providing instructions to the client device  120  and the host device  135 . 
         [0023]    The communications link  115  typically includes a delivery network  160  making a direct or indirect communication between the client system  105  and the host system  110 , irrespective of physical separation. Examples of a delivery network  160  include the 
         [0024]    Internet, the World Wide Web, WANs, LANs, analog or digital wired and wireless telephone networks (e.g. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL)), radio, television, cable, or satellite systems, and other delivery mechanisms for carrying data. The communications link  115  may include communication pathways  150  and  155  that enable communications through the one or more delivery networks  160  described above. Each of the communication pathways  150  and  155  may include, for example, a wired, wireless, cable or satellite communication pathway. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a communications system  200  including a client system  105  communicating with a host system  110  through a communications link  115 . 
         [0026]    The client device  120  typically includes a general-purpose computer  270  having an internal or external memory  272  for storing data and programs such as an operating system  274  (e.g., DOS, Windows™, Windows 95™, Windows 98™, Windows 2000™, Windows Me™, Windows XP™, Windows NT™, OS/2, or Linux) and one or more application programs. Examples of application programs include authoring applications  276  (e.g., word processing, database programs, spreadsheet programs, or graphics programs) capable of generating documents or other electronic content; client applications  278  (e.g., America Online (AOL) client, CompuServe client, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) client, interactive television (ITV) client, Internet Service Provider (ISP) client, or instant messaging (IM) client) capable of communicating with other computer users, accessing various computer resources, and viewing, creating, or otherwise manipulating electronic content; and browser applications  280  (e.g., Netscape&#39;s Navigator or Microsoft&#39;s Internet Explorer) capable of rendering standard Internet content and other content formatted according to standard protocols such as the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). 
         [0027]    One or more of the application programs may be installed in the internal or external memory  272  of the general-purpose computer  270 . Alternatively, in another implementation, the client controller  125  may access application programs externally stored in and/or performed by one or more device(s) external to the general-purpose computer  270 . 
         [0028]    The general-purpose computer  270  also includes a central processing unit  282  (CPU) for executing instructions in response to commands from the client controller  125 . The general-purpose computer  270  may include a communication device  284  for sending and receiving data. One example of the communication device  284  is a modem. Other examples include a transceiver, a set-top box, a communication card, a satellite dish, an antenna, a network adapter, or some other mechanism capable of transmitting and receiving data over the communications link  115  through a wired or wireless data pathway  150 . The general-purpose computer  270  also may include a television (“TV”) tuner  286  for receiving television programming in the form of broadcast, satellite, and/or cable TV signals. As a result, the client device  120  can selectively and/or simultaneously display network content received by communications device  284  and TV programming content received by the TV tuner  286 . 
         [0029]    The general-purpose computer  270  may include an input/output interface  288  that enables wired or wireless connection to various peripheral devices  290 . Examples of peripheral devices  290  include, but are not limited to, a mouse  291 , a mobile phone  292 , a personal digital assistant  293  (PDA), an MP3 player (not shown), a keyboard  294 , a display monitor  295  with or without a touch screen input, a TV remote control  296  for receiving information from and rendering information to users, and an audiovisual input device  298 . 
         [0030]    Although  FIG. 2  illustrates devices such as a mobile telephone  292 , a PDA  293 , and a TV remote control  296  as being peripheral with respect to the general-purpose computer  270 , in another implementation, such devices may themselves include the functionality of the general-purpose computer  270  and operate as the client device  120 . For example, the mobile phone  292  or the PDA  293  may include computing and networking capabilities and function as a client device  120  by accessing the delivery network  160  and communicating with the host system  110 . Furthermore, the client system  105  may include one, some or all of the components and devices described above. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , an exemplary procedure  300  generally involves rendering an informational tool tip for an e-mail UI. The procedure  300  may be implemented by any type of hardware, software, device, computer, computer system, equipment, component, program, application, code, storage medium, or propagated signal. 
         [0032]    In procedure  300 , the client system  105  receives one or more e-mail messages from one or more e-mail senders (step  305 ). For instance, client system  105  may connect to the host system  110  across a network (e.g., network  160 ) by supplying a user identification and password to a server (e.g., a login server) in order to obtain access to the host system  110 . The host system  110  may deliver an e-mail message from an e-mail sender across a network  160 , and the e-mail message may include, for example, a text message portion, a time of delivery, and a screen name or other identifier for its source. 
         [0033]    Next, the client system  105  renders a user interface (UI) illustrating aspects of at least one of the received messages, examples of which are described below with respect to  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  6 A,  6 B, and  6 C (step  310 ). In one implementation, the client system  105  renders the UI when an e-mail message from an e-mail sender is provided, and may render other portions of the UI separately at different times. In another implementation, the entire UI, including the e-mail message, may be rendered when the e-mail message is provided. In another implementation, the UI is rendered in response to a user action. For example, the UI may be rendered in response to user selection of an e-mail message. As shown, the UI may provide a preview of a default or selected message, or it may merely show the subjects of the e-mail messages. The UI may be presented using a Web page having text, images, audio, video, and/or other type of content. 
         [0034]    While maintaining the default or the selected message, the user may desire to perceive information about a received e-mail message other than the selected or default message, and may do so by activating an informational tool tip (step  315 ). For example, as discussed below with respect to  FIGS. 4B ,  5 B,  6 B, and  6 C, the user may invoke an informational tool tip by positioning a mouse  425  or other user input device proximate to or directly over an interface item corresponding to the desired e-mail message. In one implementation, the informational tool tip  430  is activated as soon as the mouse  425  or other user input device is positioned proximate to or directly over the interface tab. In another implementation, the informational tool tip  430  is activated and rendered after the mouse  425  or other user input device remains proximate to or positioned over the interface tab for a predetermined threshold period of time, or after some overt selection activity using the mouse or input device. In yet another implementation, the tool tip may be activated by positioning a mouse or other input device over or proximate to other features of the UI. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6B , a user may position the mouse over a new mail status indicator  615  to invoke a tool tip that displays at least a portion of a new message. Also, as shown in  FIG. 6C , a user may position the mouse over an icon representing the desired e-mail message  620  to enable activation of the tool tip. 
         [0035]    However, if the user is not configured to invoke the informational tool tip or the tool tip feature is not enabled, the current UI display is maintained (step  320 ). 
         [0036]    If the user is able to invoke the informational tool tip, then the tool tip is invoked (step  325 ). Invoking the tool tip may include rendering the tool tip for a selected e-mail message. As discussed with respect to  FIGS. 4B ,  5 B,  6 B, and  6 C, the informational tool tip  430  may display all or a portion of the desired e-mail message. In one implementation, a pre-determined or limited number of lines or characters of the desired e-mail message are displayed. In another implementation, a pre-determined number of e-mail fields are displayed. For instance, as shown with respect to tool tip  430  of  FIG. 4B , the tool tip may be limited to include two fields of the e-mail message (e.g., the “from” field  415   c  and the “subject” field  415   d ) in their entirety and a portion a third field (e.g., the message text). As shown in  FIGS. 5B ,  6 B, and  6 C, the tool tip  430  may be limited to include only two fields of the e-mail message (e.g., the “from” field  415   c  and the “subject” field  415   d ). The fields of the desired e-mail message may be made available to the tool tip by, for example, the client system  105  or the host system  110 , or a combination thereof. The informational tool tip may be rendered in various locations on the display, or it may be non-visual. 
         [0037]    Display of the informational tool tip may be maintained until revoked (step  330 ). Display of the tool tip may be revoked upon expiration of a predetermined period of time, or if the user takes some action to implicitly command removal of the tool tip, e.g., moving the cursor away from a position used to trigger the tool tip (step  335 ). For example, the informational tool tip  430  may be automatically closed or deactivated if the user moves the mouse or input device  425 , or if the mouse or input device  425  is moved from a position over or proximate to the desired e-mail message. 
         [0038]    If the user has revoked the informational tool tip and/or the user is no longer enabled to invoke the informational tool tip, then the display described with respect to step  320  is maintained. If the tool tip has not been revoked, then the display described with respect to step  330  is maintained. 
         [0039]    While some functions of procedure  300  may be performed entirely by the client system  105 , as described, other functions may be performed by the collective operation of the client system  105  and the host system  110 . For example, the informational tool tip may be rendered entirely by the client. However, the informational tool tip may be rendered based upon the host system acting in cooperation with the client. 
         [0040]    In one of various possible implementations, a client system  105  and a host system  110  may interact according to procedure  300  to provide an e-mail tool tip for an e-mail UI. Although not shown in  FIG. 3 , the client system  105  and the host system  110  may be directly or indirectly interconnected through known or described delivery networks, examples of which are described with respect to network  160  of  FIG. 1 . In such an environment, the e-mail UI may be accessed or updated through a remote device. In another implementation, the procedure  300  may be implemented in a standalone or offline client context. The e-mail UI may be rendered by the standalone/offline device and may be accessed or updated through a remote device in a non-client/host environment such as, for example, a LAN server serving an end user or a mainframe serving a terminal device. Thus, procedure  300  may be implemented for any e-mail UI of any OSP, ISP., or browser. 
         [0041]      FIG. 4A  illustrates one example of an e-mail user interface (UI)  400 A that may be presented to a user in response to user manipulation of a general interface actionable item, such as item  610  discussed with respect to  FIGS. 6A and 6B . Although UI  400 A may be generated remotely and delivered to a user client system  105 , in general, the UI  400 A will be rendered on or at the client system  105  using software stored on the client system  105 . The UI  400 A includes a folder list  405  that lists the various folders in which e-mail may be placed. For example, new mail folder  405   a  may contain new e-mail messages, old mail folder  405   b  may contain old e-mail messages, sent mail folder  405   c  may contain mail sent by the user, and deleted mail folder  405   d  may contain e-mail messages deleted by the user. 
         [0042]    UI  400 A also includes a display area  415  that displays e-mail messages within a designated folder  405   a  contained in folder list  405 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 4A , display area  415  contains a list of messages  410  contained in designated new mail folder  405   a.  The messages  410  include messages  410   a,    410   b,    410   c,    410   d,  and  410   e.  Each message  410  contains one or more fields. For example, the messages  410  shown in display area  415  each contain a type field  415   a,  a date field  415   b,  a from field  415   c,  and a subject field  415   d.  A set of controls  420  is provided for the user to manipulate each of the e-mail messages  410 . Controls  420  include a control  422  that enables the user to read one of the e-mail messages  410 . Once control  422  is acted on by a user, the corresponding e-mail message is read and a separate UI is rendered in order for the user to read the designated e-mail message. 
         [0043]    A preview pane  417  is provided to allow a user to preview a default or a selected message. In the example of  FIG. 4A , the preview pane  417  shows information about a selected or default message  410   a,  including the “From” field  415   c,  the “To” field  417   a,  the “Date” field  415   b,  the “Subject” field  415   d,  and a portion of the message text  417   b.  The preview pane display remains visible unless manually deactivated by user manipulation of UI display control options. 
         [0044]      FIG. 4B  illustrates another example of an e-mail UI  400 B that is similar to the example discussed above with respect to  FIG. 4A . In the example of  FIG. 4B , an informational tool tip  430  is invoked on the e-mail UI to provide the user with a perceivable indication of least of a portion of an e-mail message that is not otherwise being actively displayed. For example, the informational tool tip  430  may show all or a portion of the desired e-mail message  410   b.    
         [0045]    In the example of  FIGS. 4A and 4B , the standard interface being displayed includes a subject line for the non-selected e-mail messages  410   b,    410   c,    410   d,    410   e,  but it does not display the body of these non-selected e-mail messages. Yet, in the example of  FIG. 4B , in response to a user action with respect to e-mail message  410   b  (e.g., movement of a cursor  425  over e-mail  410   b ), the tool tip  430  is invoked to enable perception of at least a portion of the body of e-mail message  410   b.  More specifically, to activate and render the informational tool tip  430 , the user may position a pointer  425  of a mouse or other user input device proximate to or over a field corresponding to e-mail message  410   b.    
         [0046]    As shown in  FIG. 4B , the pointer  425  is positioned over the type field  415   a  for e-mail message  410   b.  In another implementation, the informational tool tip  430  is activated and rendered after the pointer  425  remains proximate to or positioned over a field of the desired e-mail message  410   b  for a predetermined threshold period of time, or after some overt activities taken using the mouse or input device with respect to e-mail  410   b.    
         [0047]    The user may close or deactivate the informational tool tip  430 . In one implementation, the informational tool tip  430  may be automatically closed or deactivated if the user moves the pointer  425 . For example, if the pointer  425  is moved from a position over or proximate to the desired e-mail message  410   b.  As shown in the implementation of  FIG. 4B , the informational tool tip shows all or a portion of the body of the desired e-mail message  410   b.    
         [0048]      FIG. 5A  illustrates one example of an e-mail user interface (UI)  500 A displaying a particular received e-mail message  410   a.  The UI  500 A shows information about the selected or default message  410   a,  including the “From” field  415   c,  the “To” field  417   a,  the “Date” field  415   b,  the “Subject” field  415   d,  and the message text  417   b.  UI  500 A may include interface controls  505 , including interface controls that display the previous  505   a  and the next  505   b  e-mail messages. 
         [0049]      FIG. 5B  illustrates an example of an UI  500 B similar to UI  500 A described above with respect to  FIG. 5A . In the example of  FIG. 5B , an informational tool tip  530  may be provided for UI  500 B to provide the user with a perceivable indication of at least a portion of an e-mail message that is not otherwise being actively displayed by UI  500 A. For example, in response to a mouse rollover of the Next button, the informational tool tip  530  may show all or a portion of the desired e-mail message  410   b  with e-mail sender “GabbyGrace,” without the user needing to take action that would cause the desired e-mail message  410   b  to replace e-mail message  410   a  as the selected or default message. In the example of  FIG. 5B , the tool tip  530  shows the from field and the subject field of message  410   b.  The informational tool tip may be rendered in various locations on the display. For example, the tool tip may be rendered proximate or close to the interface control  405   b  to which the tool tip corresponds, which, in this case, is near the Next button. 
         [0050]      FIG. 6A  illustrates an example of a user interface (UI)  600 A that may be presented to a user of an online service provider such as AOL. The UI  600  includes a toolbar  605  for quickly enabling activation of features such as, for example, reading or writing e-mail, exchanging IM messages with another user, entering chat areas with other users, shopping or accessing the Internet. The toolbar  605  may include one or more general interface actionable items  610 ,  620 ,  630 ,  640 , and  650 , each of which is configured to enable activation of an associated UI. The actionable item may be, for example, a button or a tab. 
         [0051]      FIG. 6B  illustrates another example of an e-mail user interface (UI)  600 B that may be presented to a user. UI  600 B is similar to the examples discussed above with respect to  FIG. 6A . In the example of  FIG. 6B , an informational tool tip  630  may be provided for the UI  600 B to provide the user with perceivable indication that at least a portion of an e-mail message not otherwise actively displayed. For example, as shown in  FIG. 6B , the display of all e-mail UIs have been minimized, and a new mail indicator  615  is provided for the user and indicates that a new e-mail message is present. As shown, a user has positioned a pointer  425  proximate to or directly over new mail indicator  615  in order to render the informational tool tip  630 . In response, the informational tool tip  630  is activated as described previously with respect to  FIGS. 4B and 5B . 
         [0052]      FIG. 6C  illustrates another example of an e-mail user interface (UI)  600 C that may be presented to a user. UI  600 C is similar to the examples discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 6A and 6B . In the example of  FIG. 6C , icons  620 ,  625 ,  630  correspond to e-mail messages which have been minimized and are not presently being displayed. In the example of  FIG. 6C , a user has positioned a pointer  425  proximate to or over icon  620  in order to render the informational tool tip  630 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary procedure  700  for opening and populating a tool tip window. The procedure  700  may be implemented by any type of hardware, software, device, computer, computer system, equipment, component, program, application, code, storage medium, or propagated signal. 
         [0054]    In procedure  700 , the overt or inferred selection of an interface tab or other interface item corresponding to an e-mail is detected (step  705 ). For example, a selection may be inferred by the positioning of a pointer over or proximate to the interface tab or other interface item. In one implementation, if the position of the pointer is proximate to or positioned over the interface tab, or remains so positioned for a predetermined threshold period of time, a selection of the interface tab or other interface item is inferred. An overt selection of an interface tab or other interface item may also be made. For example, a button or other control on a mouse or other input device may be manipulated to make the overt selection. 
         [0055]    The current window information is maintained (step  710 ). For example, referring to  FIG. 5A , display of the selected or default e-mail message  410   a  is maintained. 
         [0056]    Next content from within the e-mail message corresponding to the interface tab or other interface item is retrieved (step  715 ). In one implementation, all of the content of the e-mail message is retrieved. In another implementation, only a portion of the content of the e-mail message is retrieved. The tool tip is then opened and populated (step  720 ) with the retrieved content. For example, the tool tip may be opened and may appear as a rectangular pop-up window proximate to the interface tab over which the mouse is positioned. In other implementations, the tool tip may be opened in other locations on the display. The window may be automatically closed based on a timeout or based on an inferred intent to close the window, rather than an express or overt closing instruction by the user. 
         [0057]    The relative placement of steps of described processes with respect to other steps and with respect to each other, such as, for example, steps  305 - 335  in  FIG. 3  and steps  705 - 720  in  FIG. 7 , may vary, and one or more steps may be eliminated altogether. 
         [0058]    Other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. For example, although the examples above are given in an e-mail context, other communications systems with similar attributes may be used. Also, the UI may be a viewable interface, an audible interface, a tactile interface, or any combination thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7