Scheduled electronic mail deletions

Abstract

Described are a system and method of managing electronic mail messages in an email account. An email message is displayed to a user on a display screen of a device. In response to detecting intent of the user to close the email message, the user is automatically presented with a plurality of deletion options for deleting the email message. The user selects one of deletion options, causing the email message to close and setting a deletion criterion for deleting the email message based on the selected deletion option. In response to detecting intent of the user to send an email message, the user is presented with a plurality of deletion options for the deleting a self-copy email message. The user selects one of the deletion options, causing the email message to be sent, and the deletion criterion to be set for the self-copy based on the selected deletion option.

1 . A method of managing electronic mail (email) messages in an email account, the method comprising: 
 displaying to a user a first email message on a display screen of a device;    presenting the user with a plurality of deletion options in response to detecting an intent of the user to perform an action on the first email message;    receiving an input signal from the user that selects one of deletion options; and    in response to the input signal, performing the action on the first email message and setting a deletion criterion for a second email message based on the selected deletion option.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second email message is the first email message and the action is to close the first email message.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the action is to send the first email message and the second email message is a copy of the sent first email message.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes associating deletion of the second email message to an occurrence of a scheduled item.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the scheduled item is an appointment in a calendar.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the scheduled item is a task in a task list.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes scheduling deletion of the second email message to a specified time.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising prompting the user for confirmation before deleting the second email message based on the deletion criterion.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising defining by the user each deletion option to be presented.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a mailbox view listing a plurality of email messages, and providing an indicator for each email message scheduled for deletion.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising activating the indicator for one of the email messages to display deletion criterion associated with that email message.  
   
   
       12 . A computing system for managing electronic mail (email) messages in an email account, the computing system comprising: 
 a display screen;    an input device receiving a first signal from a user of the computer system indicating an intent of the user to perform an action on a first email message displayed on the display screen; and    a processor executing an email client program to display a plurality of deletion options on the display screen in response to the first signal, the email client program performing the action on the first email message and setting a deletion criterion for a second email message in response to a second signal received by the input device that selects one of the deletion options.    
   
   
       13 . The computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the second email message is the first email message and the action is to close the first email message.  
   
   
       14 . The computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the action is to send the first email message to a recipient and the second email message is a copy of the sent first email message.  
   
   
       15 . The computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the deletion criterion for deleting the second email message is associated with an occurrence of a scheduled item.  
   
   
       16 . The computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the deletion criterion for deleting the second email message includes an expiration date.  
   
   
       17 . The computing system of  claim 12 , wherein the email client program displays on the display screen a mailbox view listing a plurality of email messages and an indicator for each email message scheduled for deletion.  
   
   
       18 . The computing system of  claim 17 , wherein the email client program displays on the display screen deletion criterion associated with deleting one of the email messages for which the indicator is activated.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus for managing electronic mail (email) messages in an email account, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for displaying to a user a first email message on a display screen of a device;    means for presenting the user with a plurality of deletion options in response to detecting an intent of the user to perform an action on the first email message;    means for receiving an input signal from the user that selects one of deletion options; and    means, responsive to the input signal, for performing the action on the first email message and for setting a deletion criterion for a second email message based on the selected deletion option.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the second email message is the first email message and the action is to close the first email message.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the action is to send the first email message to a recipient and the second email message is a copy of the sent first email message.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the means for setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes means for associating deletion of the second email message to an occurrence of a scheduled item.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the means for setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes means for scheduling deletion of the second email message to a specified time.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising means for displaying a mailbox view listing a plurality of email messages and for providing an indicator for each email message scheduled for deletion.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , further comprising means for activating the indicator for one of the email messages to display deletion criterion associated with that email message.  
   
   
       26 . A computer program product for use with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising: 
 program code for displaying to a user a first email message on a display screen of a device;    program code for presenting the user with a plurality of deletion options in response to detecting an intent of the user to perform an action on the first email message;    program code for receiving an input signal from the user that selects one of deletion options; and    program code, responsive to the input signal, for performing the action on the first email message and for setting a deletion criterion for a second email message based on the selected deletion option.    
   
   
       27 . The computer program product of  claim 26 , wherein the second email message is the first email message and the action is to close the first email message.  
   
   
       28 . The computer program product of  claim 26 , wherein the action is to send the first email message to a recipient and the second email message is a copy of the first email message.  
   
   
       29 . The computer program product of  claim 26 , wherein the program code for setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes program code for associating deletion of the second email message to an occurrence of a scheduled item.  
   
   
       30 . The computer program product of  claim 26 , wherein the program code for setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes program code for scheduling deletion of the second email message to a specified time.  
   
   
       31 . The computer program product of  claim 26 , further comprising program code for displaying a mailbox view listing a plurality of email messages, and program code for providing an indicator for each email message scheduled for deletion.  
   
   
       32 . The computer program product of  claim 31 , further comprising program code for activating the indicator for one of the email messages to display deletion criterion associated with that email message.  
   
   
       33 . A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for use with a computer system having a display and capable of generating a user interface through which a user may interact with the computer system, the computer data signal comprising: 
 program code for displaying to a user a first email message on a display screen of a device;    program code for presenting the user with a plurality of deletion options in response to detecting an intent of the user to perform an action on the first email message;    program code for receiving an input signal from the user that selects one of deletion options; and    program code, responsive to the input signal, for performing the action on the first email message and for setting a deletion criterion for a second email message based on the selected deletion option.    
   
   
       34 . The computer data signal of  claim 33 , wherein the second email message is the first email message and the action is to close the first email message.  
   
   
       35 . The computer data signal of  claim 33 , wherein the action is to send the first email message to a recipient and wherein the second email message is a copy of the first email message.  
   
   
       36 . The computer data signal of  claim 33 , wherein the program code for setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes program code for associating deletion of the second email message to an occurrence of a scheduled item.  
   
   
       37 . The computer data signal of  claim 33 , wherein the program code for setting the deletion criterion for the second email message includes program code for scheduling deletion of the second email message to a specified time.  
   
   
       38 . The computer data signal of  claim 33 , further comprising program code for displaying a mailbox view listing a plurality of email messages, and program code for providing an indicator for each email message scheduled for deletion.  
   
   
       39 . The computer data signal of  claim 33 , further comprising program code for activating the indicator for one of the email messages to display deletion criterion associated with that email message.