Real-time notifications of concurrent email thread replies

Abstract

In an embodiment of the present invention, a first message is determined. The first message is associated with two or more users. The two or more users include a sender of the first message and one or more recipients of the first message. In response to determining that a first user of the two or more users is currently generating a second message, which is a response to the first message, it is determined whether a second user of the two or more users of the first message is currently generating a third message, which is a response to the first message. In response to determining that the second user is currently generating the third message, the first user is notified that the second user is currently generating the third message, and the second user is notified that the first user is currently generating the second message.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . receiving a first message, by one or more processors, where the first message includes an electronic communication content and a plurality of participants including at least a first participant and a second participant;
 determining, by the one or more processors, whether the first participant is generating a second message, where the second message is a response to the first message and the second message includes at least the second participant as a recipient;   responsive to the determination that the first participant is generating the second message, notifying, by the one or more processors, the second participant that the first participant is generating a message directed to the second participant; and   providing, by the one or more processors, the second participant a real-time communication option between the second participant and at least the first participant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the one or more processors, a thread identifier associated with the first message, the thread identifier including a list of past and present participants; and   responsive to the determination that the first participant is generating the second message, assigning, by the one or more processors, the thread identifier to the second message and the real-time communication option.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 responsive to the assigning the thread identifier to the second message, adding, by the one or more processors, the second participant to the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier;   determining, by the one or more processors, that the second participant is not responding to the second message; and   responsive to the determination that the second participant is not responding, removing, by the one or more processors, the second participant from the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining, by the one or more processors, that the first participant is generating a third message, where the third message includes an electronic communication content and a plurality of participants including the second participant and a third participant; and   notifying, by the one or more processors, each participant of the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier that the first user is composing a message including a new participant.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first, second and third messages are e-mail communications;   notifying the second participant that the first participant is generating a message includes displaying on a user interface of a computer device of the second participant information indicative of the first participant generating a message direct at the second participant; and   notifying each participant of the list of past and present participants that the first user is composing a message including a new participant includes displaying on a user interface of a computer device of at least one participant of the list of past and present participants information indicative of the first participant generating a message directed at a new participant.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the real-time communication option includes at least one of the following: (i) an instant messaging application, (ii) telephone, or (iii) video messaging. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program product comprising:
 a non-transitory machine readable storage device; and   computer code stored on the non-transitory machine readable storage device, with the computer code including instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations including the following:
 receiving a first message, by the one or more processors, where the first message includes an electronic communication content and a plurality of participants including at least a first participant and a second participant; 
 determining, by the one or more processors, whether the first participant is generating a second message, where the second message is a response to the first message and the second message includes at least the second participant as a recipient; 
 responsive to the determination that the first participant is generating the second message, notifying, by the one or more processors, the second participant that the first participant is generating a message directed to the second; and 
 providing, by the one or more processors, the second participant a real-time communication option between the second participant and at least the first participant. 
   
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 7 , wherein the computer code further includes instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following operations:
 determining, by the one or more processors, a thread identifier associated with the first message, the thread identifier including a list of past and present participants; and   responsive to the determination that the first participant is generating the second message, assigning, by the one or more processors, the thread identifier to the second message and the real-time communication option.   
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer code further includes instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following operations:
 responsive to the assigning the thread identifier to the second message, adding, by the one or more processors, the second participant to the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier;   determining, by the one or more processors, that the second participant is not responding to the second message; and   responsive to the determination that the second participant is not responding, removing, by the one or more processors, the second participant from the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier.   
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer code further includes instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following operations:
 determining, by the one or more processors, that the first participant is generating a third message, where the third message includes an electronic communication content and a plurality of participants including the second participant and a third participant; and   notifying, by the one or more processors, each participant of the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier that the first user is composing a message including a new participant.   
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first, second and third messages are e-mail communications;   notifying the second participant that the first participant is generating a message includes displaying on a user interface of a computer device of the second participant information indicative of the first participant generating a message direct at the second participant; and   notifying each participant of the list of past and present participants that the first user is composing a message including a new participant includes displaying on a user interface of a computer device of at least one participant of the list of past and present participants information indicative of the first participant generating a message directed at a new participant.   
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 7 , wherein the real-time communication option includes at least one of the following: (i) an instant messaging application, (ii) telephone, or (iii) video messaging. 
     
     
         13 . A computer system (CS) comprising:
 a processor(s) set;   a machine readable storage device; and   computer code stored on the machine readable storage device, with the computer code including instructions for causing the processor(s) set to perform operations including the following:
 receiving a first message, by the one or more processors, where the first message includes an electronic communication content and a plurality of participants including at least a first participant and a second participant; 
 determining, by the one or more processors, whether the first participant is generating a second message, where the second message is a response to the first message and the second message includes at least the second participant as a recipient; 
 responsive to the determination that the first participant is generating the second message, notifying, by the one or more processors, the second participant that the first participant is generating a message directed to the second; and 
 providing, by the one or more processors, the second participant a real-time communication option between the second participant and at least the first participant. 
   
     
     
         14 . The CS of  claim 13 , wherein the computer code further includes instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following operations:
 determining, by the one or more processors, a thread identifier associated with the first message, the thread identifier including a list of past and present participants; and   responsive to the determination that the first participant is generating the second message, assigning, by the one or more processors, the thread identifier to the second message and the real-time communication option.   
     
     
         15 . The CS of  claim 14 , wherein the computer code further includes instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following operations:
 responsive to the assigning the thread identifier to the second message, adding, by the one or more processors, the second participant to the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier;   determining, by the one or more processors, that the second participant is not responding to the second message; and   responsive to the determination that the second participant is not responding, removing, by the one or more processors, the second participant from the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier.   
     
     
         16 . The CS of  claim 14 , wherein the computer code further includes instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following operations:
 determining, by the one or more processors, that the first participant is generating a third message, where the third message includes an electronic communication content and a plurality of participants including the second participant and a third participant; and   notifying, by the one or more processors, each participant of the list of past and present participants of the thread identifier that the first user is composing a message including a new participant.   
     
     
         17 . The CS of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first, second and third messages are e-mail communications;   notifying the second participant that the first participant is generating a message includes displaying on a user interface of a computer device of the second participant information indicative of the first participant generating a message direct at the second participant; and   notifying each participant of the list of past and present participants that the first user is composing a message including a new participant includes displaying on a user interface of a computer device of at least one participant of the list of past and present participants information indicative of the first participant generating a message directed at a new participant.   
     
     
         18 . The CS of  claim 13 , wherein the real-time communication option includes at least one of the following: (i) an instant messaging application, (ii) telephone, or (iii) video messaging.