(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau. 1 July 2010 (01.07.2010) (1) International Patent Classification G06Q 10700 (2006.01) Gid6Q S00 2006.01) 21, International Application Number: PCT/US2009/068578, (22) International Filing Date: 16 November 2009 (16.11.2008) 25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (0) Priority Data: 12342,937 23 December 2008 (23.12.2008) US. (TD Applicant (for ail designated States except US): M- CROSOFT CORPORATION [US/US]; Attn: Tuan ‘Nag, (uamngo), 8/2287, LCA, Intemational Patents De- partment, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399 (US), (2) Inventors: VANKAMAMIDI, Sandhya; cio Microsoit Corporation, LCA, International Patents Department, One Microsoft Way, Redinoad, Washington 98052-6399 (US). SAHA, Sutirtha; cio Microsoft Corporation, LCA, Inter- national Patents Department, One Microsoft Way, Red- mond, Washington 98052-6399 (US). GUPTA, Ab- hishek, K.; cio Mierosott Cosporation, LCA, Internation al Patents Department, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399 (US). BAPU, Kaladhar; ci Microsoft Corporation, LCA, International Patents NTE A000 0 A 0 (10) International Publication Number WO 2010/074834 Al parent, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 19802-6399 (US), Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BIT, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL; CN; CO, CR; CU; CZ, DE, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, BS, Fl, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HIN, HIR, HU, 1D, IL, IN, 1S, 3, KE, KG, KM, KN, KP, KR, KZ, LA LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, Mk, MN, MW,'MX. MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI NO, NZ, OM, PE, PO SE,SG, ay (8H Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, 8Z, TZ, UG. ZM, AW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, ‘TMD, Furopean (AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SE, Sl SK, SM TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CL, CM, GA, GN, GQ. GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG) Published with international search report (Art. 21(3)) = before the expiration of the time limit for amending the claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of ‘amendments (Rate 48.208) < x 2 & + x & s (64 Title: TECHNIQUE Data Gammnication Data smanngvinent 0) m 16 Threading Component Display Component FIG. "TO MANAGE AND DISPLAY RELATED COMMUNICATIONS Sustem 100 ‘Conversation component me (87) Abstract; Techniques to manage and display related communications are described, A system may comprise a communica- & tion management tool (CMT) operative on a comput rality of communications from 2 plurality of communication types with # conversation thread, anda display component operative the CMT comprising a threading component operative to associate a phn to display communications in a conversation thread as a conversation view. Other embodiments are described! and claimed WoO 2110 20 25 30 WO 2010/074834 PCT/US2009/064578 TECHNIQUES TO MANAGE AND DISPLAY RELATED COMMUNI CATIONS, BACKGROUND. [0001] Various computer-implemented tools allow users to keep track of communication with others. Some email clients, for example, can group email messages around a subject. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools allow customer support personnel to track a series of interactions with a customer about a service issue. In reality, however, conversations are rarely confined to only one communication channel. For example, an email message may prompt a phone call, or a customer may need to send or receive information by fax to continue a conversation. [0002] It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed, UMMARY [0003] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. [0004] Various embodiments are generally directed to techniques to manage and display related communications. Some embodiments are particularly directed to techniques to manage and display related communications for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications and tools. In one embodiment, for example, a computer implemented system may comprise a communication management tool (CMT) operative on a computer, the CMT comprising a threading component operative to associate a plurality of communications from a plurality of communication types with a conversation thread, and a display component operative to display communications in a conversation thread as a conversation view. Other embodiments are described and claimed.25 30 WO 2010/074834 PCT/US2009/064578 [0005] These and other features and advantages will be apparent from a reading of the following detailed description and a review of the associated drawings. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory only and are not restrictive of aspects as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS, (0006) FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a first system. [0007] FIG. [0008] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow. [0009] FIG. 10010) FIG, 5 illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow. illustrates an embodiment of a distributed system, lustrates an embodiment of a view. [0011] FIG, 6 illustrates an embodiment of a logic flow. [0012] FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a computing architecture. [0013] FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a communications architecture. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0014] Various embodiments are directed to techniques for managing related communications from a variety of channels. Conventionally, communications that occur in different channels may be grouped separately, breaking up the conversational components, Some conventional tools may also group all communications together, without distinguishing to which conversation the communication belongs. [0015] Embodiments may group communications about a particular topic together in one thread, and may display the thread as a conversation. As a result, the embodiments can improve understanding of the context of a conversation by logically grouping all of the related communications together. The embodiments may also improve efficiency, productivity and effectiveness of the user. [0016] FIG. lustrates a block gram for a system 100 to manage and display related communications. In one embodiment, for example, the system 100 may comprise a computer-implemented system 100 having a communication management tool 106 which may have multiple components 108, 110, 112. As used herein the terms “system”, “tool” and “component” are intended to refer to a computer-related entity, comprising