Tracking conversation threads among electronic communications

• US 10,033,677 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ross, Martin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Tauqir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moreau, Austin
• Application Number:
  US14/736,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20160366082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method for identifying a conversation thread among electronic communications. The method includes a computer processor identifying that a user is accessing a first electronic communication from a plurality of electronic communications. The method further includes a computer processor analyzing meta-data of the first electronic communication to identify a unique identifier included in the meta-data. The method further includes a computer processor determining that the unique identifier is associated with content included in the first electronic communication that was copied from a second electronic communication. The method further includes a computer processor providing the user that is accessing the first electronic communication access to the second electronic communication.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a conversation thread among electronic communications, the method comprising:

maintaining a database that indexes and cross-references between;

(i) a plurality of unique identifiers corresponding to each of a plurality of electronics communications, (ii) one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with meta-data of an electronic communication, (iii) one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with instances of copied content, and (iv) another one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with meta-data corresponding to the instances of copied content;

identifying, by one or more computer processors, that a user is accessing a first electronic communication from the plurality of electronic communications;

analyzing, by one or more computer processors, meta-data of the first electronic communication to identify two or more unique identifiers included in the meta-data, wherein the unique identifiers are universally unique identifiers (UUID);

determining, by one or more computer processors, that a first identified UUID is associated with content included in the first electronic communication that was copied from a second electronic communication, and a second identified UUID corresponds to the second electronic communication;

determining, by one or more computer processors, that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication based, at least in part, on cross-referencing the first identified UUID associated with the first electronic communication that the user has access to with the second identified UUID associated with the second electronic communication; and

responsive to determining that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication, providing, by one or more computer processors, the user that is accessing the first electronic communication access to the second electronic communication, wherein providing the user access to the second electronic communication further comprises;

determining, by one or more computer processors, that the second electronic communication includes at least a third UUID associated with a different instance of copied content; and

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the user is provided access to the different instance of copied content based, at least in part, on cross-referencing the third UUID within the database with one or more other UUIDs associated with other electronic communications associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic communications include:

received electronic communications, sent electronic communications, filed electronic communications, drafted electronic communications, and stored electronic communications.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

copying, by one or more computer processors, additional content from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication;

generating, by one or more computer processors, a fourth UUID that is respectively associated with the copied additional content from the second electronic communication;

storing, by one or more computer processors, the fourth UUID in meta-data of the first electronic communication.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

identifying, by one or more computer processors, meta-data associated with the second electronic communication, wherein the meta-data includes at least one of;

one or more additional UUIDs, a subject line, an author, one or more users carbon copied on the second electronic communication, an IP address, and a host name; and

storing, by one or more processors, the identified meta-data associated with the second electronic communication in the first electronic communication.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

updating, by one or more computer processors, the database to include and cross-reference the fourth UUID associated with the additional content copied from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by one or more computer processors, whether the user has authority to access the second electronic communication;

wherein determining that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication is based on a log file of an electronic communication program,

wherein the log file identifies electronic communications accessed by the user; and

wherein each electronic communication is associated with a respective UUID.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

copying, by one or more computer processors, additional content from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication;

generating, by one or more computer processors, a fourth UUID and a fifth UUID that are respectively associated with (i) the copied additional content from the second electronic communication, and (ii) meta-data associated with the copied additional content;

identifying, by one or more computer processors, meta-data associated with the second electronic communication and the copied additional content, wherein the meta-data includes at least one of;

one or more additional UUIDs, a subject line, an author, one or more users carbon copied on the second electronic communication, an IP address, and a host name; and

updating, by one or more processors, the database to include and cross-reference;

(i) the fourth UUID, (ii) the fifth UUID, (iii) the copied additional content, (iv) the identified respective meta-data associated the copied additional content, and (v) the identified meta-data associated with the second electronic communication.

8. A computer program product for identifying a conversation thread among electronic communications, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to maintain a database that indexes and cross-references between;

(i) a plurality of unique identifiers corresponding to each of a plurality of electronics communications, (ii) one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with meta-data of an electronic communication, (iii) one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with instances of copied content, and (iv) another one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with meta-data corresponding to the instances of copied content;

program instructions to identify that a user is accessing a first electronic communication from the plurality of electronic communications;

program instructions to analyze meta-data of the first electronic communication to identify two or more unique identifiers included in the meta-data, wherein the unique identifiers are universally unique identifiers (UUID);

program instructions to determine that a first identified UUID is associated with content included in the first electronic communication that was copied from a second electronic communication, and a second identified UUID corresponds to the second electronic communication;

program instruction to determine that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication based, at least in part, on cross-referencing the first identified UUID associated with the first electronic communication that the user has access to with the second identified UUID associated with the second electronic communication; and

responsive to determining that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication, program instructions to provide the user that is accessing the first electronic communication access to the second electronic communication, wherein program instructions to provide the user access to the second electronic communication further comprises;

program instructions to determine that the second electronic communication includes at least a third UUID associated with a different instance of copied content; and

program instructions to determining whether the user is provided access to the different instance of copied content based, at least in part, on cross-referencing the third UUID within the database with one or more other UUIDs associated with other electronic communications associated with the user.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to copy additional content from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication;

program instructions to generate a fourth UUID that is respectively associated with the copied additional content from the second electronic communication; and

program instructions to store the fourth UUID in meta-data of the first electronic communication.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions to identify meta-data associated with the second electronic communication, wherein the meta-data includes at least one of;

one or more additional UUIDs, a subject line, an author, one or more users carbon copied on the second electronic communication, an IP address, and a host name; and

program instructions to store the identified meta-data associated with the second electronic communication in the first electronic communication.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions to update the database to include and cross-reference the fourth UUID associated with the additional content copied from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to determine whether the user has authority to access the second electronic communication;

wherein determining that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication is based on a log file of an electronic communication program,

wherein the log file identifies electronic communications accessed by the user; and

wherein each electronic communication is associated with a respective UUID.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions to copy additional content from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication;

program instructions to generate a fourth UUID and a fifth UUID that are respectively associated with (i) the copied additional content from the second electronic communication, and (ii) meta-data associated with the copied additional content;

program instructions to identify meta-data associated with the second electronic communication and the copied additional content, wherein the meta-data includes at least one of;

one or more additional UUIDs, a subject line, an author, one or more users carbon copied on the second electronic communication, an IP address, and a host name; and

program instructions to update the database to include and cross-reference;

(i) the fourth UUID, (ii) the fifth UUID, (iii) the copied additional content, (iv) the identified respective meta-data associated the copied additional content, and (v) the identified meta-data associated with the second electronic communication.

14. A computer system for identifying a conversation thread among electronic communications, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to maintain a database that indexes and cross-references between;

(i) a plurality of unique identifiers corresponding to each of a plurality of electronics communications, (ii) one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with meta-data of an electronic communication, (iii) one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with instances of copied content, and (iv) another one or more unique identifiers respectively associated with meta-data corresponding to the instances of copied content;

program instructions to identify that a user is accessing the first electronic communication from a plurality of electronic communications;

program instructions to analyze meta-data of the first electronic communication to identify two or more unique identifiers included in the meta-data, wherein the unique identifiers are universally unique identifiers (UUID);

program instructions to determine that a first identified UUID is associated with content included in the first electronic communication that was copied from a second electronic communication, and a second identified UUID corresponds to the second electronic communication;

program instruction to determine that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication based, at least in part, on cross-referencing the first identified UUID associated with the first electronic communication that the user has access to with the second identified UUID associated with the second electronic communication; and

responsive to determining that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication, program instructions to provide the user that is accessing the first electronic communication access to the second electronic communication, wherein program instructions to provide the user access to the second electronic communication further comprises;

program instructions to determine that the second electronic communication includes at least a third UUID associated with a different instance of copied content; and

program instructions to determining whether the user is provided access to the different instance of copied content based, at least in part, on cross-referencing the third UUID associated with the different instance of copied content within the database with one or more other UUIDs associated with other electronic communications associated with the user.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of electronic communications include:

received electronic communications, sent electronic communications, filed electronic communications, drafted electronic communications, and stored electronic communications.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions to copy additional content from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication;

program instructions to generate a fourth UUID that is respectively associated with the copied additional content from the second electronic communication; and

program instructions to store the fourth UUID in meta-data of the first electronic communication.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions to identify meta-data associated with the second electronic communication, wherein the meta-data includes at least one of;

one or more additional UUIDs, a subject line, an author, one or more users carbon copied on the second electronic communication, an IP address, and a host name; and

program instructions to store the identified meta-data associated with the second electronic communication in the first electronic communication.

18. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions to update the database to include and cross-reference the fourth UUID associated with the additional content copied from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication.

19. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions to determine whether the user has authority to access the second electronic communication;

wherein determining that the user has authority to access the second electronic communication is based on a log file of an electronic communication program,

wherein the log file identifies electronic communications accessed by the user; and

wherein each electronic communication is associated with a respective UUID.

20. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions to copy additional content from the second electronic communication to the first electronic communication;

program instructions to generate a fourth UUID and a fifth UUID that are respectively associated with (i) the copied additional content from the second electronic communication, and (ii) meta-data associated with the copied additional content;

program instructions to identify meta-data associated with the second electronic communication and the copied additional content, wherein the meta-data includes at least one of;

one or more additional UUIDs, a subject line, an author, one or more users carbon copied on the second electronic communication, an IP address, and a host name; and

program instructions to update the database to include and cross-reference;

(i) the fourth UUID, (ii) the fifth UUID, (iii) the copied additional content, (iv) the identified respective meta-data associated the copied additional content, and (v) the identified meta-data associated with the second electronic communication.