Enriching information streams with contextual content

• US 20040064431A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Ruggaber, Rainer, Dorner, Elmar
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,887 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Methods and systems for enriching information streams with supplemental content are disclosed. A contextual publisher may eavesdrop on an information distribution service, such as a news wire, and detect the presence of particular messages having subject matter in which the contextual publisher has expertise. The contextual publisher may thus generate content that is supplemental to the messages, and forward this supplemental content to the original recipients of the messages. In this way, users may receive timely information about topics in which they have a current interest.

Claims

1. A method for supplementing content, the method comprising:

inputting a primary media asset, the primary media asset including primary content and primary content metadata characterizing individual elements of the primary content;

accessing supplemental content logic, the supplemental content logic including rules for the selection of supplemental content based on the primary content metadata; and

outputting a supplemental media asset, based on the supplemental content logic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting a primary media asset comprises:

selecting a topic for supplemental content; and

monitoring the information distribution service for a media asset concerning the topic to be utilized as the primary media asset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the information distribution service comprises subscribing to a channel of a channel-based subscription service, wherein the channel corresponds to the topic.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the information distribution service comprises:

subscribing to a content-based messaging system; and

analyzing the media asset for selectively inputting as the primary media asset, based on the primary content metadata.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting a primary media asset comprises:

monitoring an information distribution service, the information distribution service operable to route the primary media asset from a sender to a recipient based on routing information associated with the primary media asset.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein outputting a supplemental media asset comprises sending the supplemental media asset to the recipient, based on the routing information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sending the supplemental media asset comprises sending the supplemental media asset via the information distribution service.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the routing information is an email address.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the routing information is channel-subscription information.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the recipient is a client application operable to convert the message into a user-accessible format.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring an information distribution service comprises:

caching a media asset prior to a time that the recipient requests the primary media asset; and

utilizing the media asset as the primary media asset in outputting the supplemental media asset.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting a primary media asset, accessing supplemental content logic, and outputting a supplemental media asset are performed electronically.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the information distribution system is a content-based messaging system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the routing information includes the primary content metadata.

15. A system for delivering content, the system comprising:

a message reader operable to monitor an information distribution service and input therefrom a message being sent from a sender to a recipient;

a supplemental content selector operable to analyze the message and determine a subject matter of the message and routing information associated with the message, and generate supplemental content that is supplemental to the subject matter; and

a transmitter operable to transmit the supplemental content to the recipient based on the routing information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the message reader is further operable to select a topic for supplemental content, and monitor the information distribution service to thereby determine that the message is related to the topic.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the message reader is subscribed to a channel of a channel-based subscription service, wherein the channel corresponds to the topic.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the message reader is subscribed to a content-based messaging system, and further wherein the message reader is operable to selectively input the message based on a relation between a content of the message and the topic.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the message contains message metadata characterizing individual elements of content of the message, and further wherein the supplemental content selector is operable to generate the supplemental content based on the message metadata.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is further operable to send the supplemental media asset via the information distribution service.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the routing information is an email address.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the routing information is channel-subscription information.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the information distribution system is a content-based messaging system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the routing information is supplemental content metadata characterizing individual elements of the supplemental content.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the supplemental content selector specializes in a particular subject matter of supplemental content.

26. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions including:

a first code segment for reading a message from an information distribution service;

a second code segment for determining a subject matter of the message;

a third code segment for generating supplemental subject matter that is relevant to the subject matter; and

a fourth code segment for transmitting the supplemental subject matter via the information distribution service.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first code segment comprises a fifth code segment for determining a destination of the message.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the fifth code segment determines the destination based on an email address associated with the message.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the fifth code segment determines the destination based on channel-subscription information associated with the message.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a sixth code segment for transmitting the supplemental subject matter to the destination.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the message contains message metadata characterizing individual elements of content of the message, and further wherein the second code segment is operable to determine the subject matter of the message based on the message metadata.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the information distribution service is a content-based messaging system.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the third code segment comprises:

a fifth code segment for comparing the subject matter to a pre-determined topic; and

a sixth code segment for disregarding the message when the message does not correspond to the topic.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the fourth code segment transmits the supplemental subject matter based on metadata characterizing individual elements of a subject matter of the message.

35. A system for delivering content, the system comprising:

means for monitoring messages on an information distribution service;

means for determining a subject matter of each of the messages;

means for generating supplemental content, the supplemental content including supplemental subject matter that is relevant to the subject matter of at least one monitored message; and

means for sending the supplemental subject matter to a recipient of the monitored message.