Sometimes patents that describe what sounds like very simple and iterative functionalities offer the most complex explanations.

Take for example a newly published BlackBerry patent application entitled "System and method of automatically determining whether or not to include message text of an original electronic message in a reply electronic message."

This refers to how much- if at all- of the original message will appear below your reply.

Now, BlackBerry says they have devised alorithms and related methodology that is supposed to determine this automatically. Fortunately, you are able to override these settings.

I could really dig myself a deep hole here by going into the intricate details. I'll leave that to this Patent Application's literature, which I link to in the Read link below this post.

But let me at least give you the Abstract for the flavor of what this patent app stipulates:

"A system and method for automatically determining whether or not original message text should be included in a reply electronic message is provided," the Abstract says. " In one broad aspect, the original message text is included in the reply electronic message as a function of the original message. In a first example, the original message text is included as a function of a domain name of an originating address. In a second example, the original message text is included as a function of maintained information used for determining if original message text should be included in reply electronic messages. In a third example, the original message text is included as a function of an indicative encoding inside the original electronic message. In a fourth example, the original message text is included as a function of maintained information used for detecting address aliases.

"In another broad aspect, " explains the Anstract, "the original electronic message is encoded with an indicative encoding as to whether or not a reply electronic message should include the original message text."