Content filtering for personal productivity applications

• US 10,171,473 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hariharan, Rajaraman, Kumar, Krishna C., Muthuswamy, Srinivasan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Kuen S
• Application Number:
  US15/156,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20160261603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 707754
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A set of context profiles containing profile content rules for filtering which content within a set of personal productivity applications (such as e-mail, chat, calendar, and contacts applications) is accessible by a user. Content rules support filtering content by, for example, content originator, and/or subject matter. The context profiles are centrally maintained for control of integrated, non-integrated, and/or independently administered personal productivity applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a set of content rules that controls delivery of messages stored on a user device by an e-mail application running on the user device according to a first context profile;

receiving a selection of the first context profile from a set of context profiles;

responsive to the selection of the first context profile, filtering a first set of messages associated with the e-mail application to identify context-specific messages by applying the set of content rules; and

causing the e-mail application to deliver only the context-specific messages for display on the user device;

wherein;

each context profile of the set of context profiles is associated with a corresponding set of content rules; and

the determining a set of content rules includes identifying the corresponding set of content rules associated with a context profile selected from the set of context profiles.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of content rules includes message filtering based on an identity of respective message originators.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of content rules includes message filtering based on an identity of one of a set of message recipients.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering e-mail application with a registration service;

wherein;

the registration service provides the processing hardware and machine logic to apply the set of content rules to the e-mail application; and

the e-mail application and the registration service are administered by different entities.

5. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructions stored therein which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to filter application content by:

determining a set of content rules that controls delivery of messages stored on a user device by an email application running on the user device according to a first context profile;

receiving a selection of the first context profile from a set of context profiles;

responsive to the selection of the first context profile, filtering a first set of messages associated with the e-mail application to identify context-specific messages by applying the set of content rules; and

causing the e-mail application to deliver only the context-specific messages for display on the user device;

wherein;

each context profile of the set of context profiles is associated with a corresponding set of content rules; and

the determining a set of content rules includes identifying the corresponding set of content rules associated with a context profile selected from the set of context profiles.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the set of content rules includes message filtering based on an identity of respective message originators.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the set of content rules includes message filtering based on an identity of one of a set of message recipients.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, further causing the processor to filter application content by:

registering the e-mail application with a registration service;

wherein;

the registration service provides the processing hardware and machine logic to apply the set of content rules to the e-mail application; and

the e-mail application and the registration service are administered by different entities.

9. A computer system comprising:

a processor set; and

a computer readable storage medium;

wherein;

the processor set is structured, located, connected, and/or programmed to run program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium; and

the program instructions which, when executed by the processor set, cause the processor set to filter application content by;

determining a set of content rules that controls delivery of messages stored on a user device by an email application running on the user device according to a first context profile;

receiving a selection of the first context profile from a set of context profiles;

responsive to the selection of the first context profile, filtering a first set of messages associated with the e-mail application to identify context-specific messages by applying the set of content rules; and

causing the e-mail application to deliver only the context-specific messages for display on the user device;

wherein;

each context profile of the set of context profiles is associated with a corresponding set of content rules; and

the determining a set of content rules includes identifying the corresponding set of content rules associated with a context profile selected from the set of context profiles.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the set of content rules includes message filtering based on an identity of respective message originators.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the set of content rules includes message filtering based on an identity of one of a set of message recipients.

12. The computer system of claim 9, further causing the processor set to filter application content by:

registering the e-mail application with a registration service;

wherein;

the registration service provides the processing hardware and machine logic to apply the set of content rules to the e-mail application; and

the e-mail application and the registration service are administered by different entities.