Method and system for feature extraction from outgoing messages for use in categorization of incoming messages

• US 20040162795A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sophos Plc (Sophos Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sophos Plc (Sophos Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dougherty, Jesse, Ascher, David
• Application Number:
  US10/747,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162795A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Certain embodiments provide a method and system for dynamic classification of incoming electronic messages in a communication system which includes formulating classification rules for classifying electronic messages according to criteria, extracting feature information from outgoing messages, modifying the classification rules based on the feature information extracted from outgoing messages, and analyzing an incoming message according to the classification rules. The extracting step may also include creating copies of the outgoing messages and extracting feature information from the copies of the outgoing messages. The method may further include classifying the incoming message according to the classification rules. The method may also include routing the incoming message to a destination based on the classification rules.

Claims

1. A method for improved classification of electronic messages, said method comprising:

extracting information associated with at least one feature from an outgoing electronic message transmitted from a site; and

analyzing an incoming message received at said site to determine a presence of said information associated with said at least one feature in said incoming message.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising analyzing said incoming message to determine a presence of spam feature information in said incoming message, said spam feature information identified from a previous incoming message determined to be undesirable.

3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising storing said information associated with said at least one feature in a features database for use in analyzing said incoming message.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising creating a set of categorization rules for categorizing said incoming message.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising modifying said set of categorization rules based on said information associated with said at least one feature extracted from said outgoing electronic message.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising categorizing said incoming message based on said information associated with said at least one feature.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising routing said incoming message to a destination based on said categorizing step.

8. A method for dynamic classification of incoming electronic messages in a communication system, said method comprising:

formulating classification rules for classifying electronic messages;

extracting feature information from outgoing messages;

modifying said classification rules based on said feature information extracted from outgoing messages; and

analyzing an incoming message according to said classification rules.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising classifying said incoming message according to said classification rules.

10. The method of claim 8, and further comprising routing said incoming message to a destination based on said classification rules.

11. The method of claim 8, and further comprising modifying said classification rules based on feature information extracted from an undesirable message.

12. The method of claim 8, and further comprising modifying said classification rules based on feature information extracted from a desirable message.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said extracting step further comprises:

creating copies of said outgoing messages; and

extracting feature information from said copies of said outgoing messages.

14. A dynamic electronic message categorization system, said system comprising:

a set of desirable feature information for categorizing a desirable electronic message;

a set of undesirable feature information for categorizing an undesirable electronic message;

a message categorizer for categorizing an incoming message using said set of desirable feature information and said set of undesirable feature information; and

a feature extractor for extracting feature information from an outgoing message, said feature extractor modifying at least one of said set of desirable feature information and said set of undesirable feature information based on said extracted feature information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said message categorizer further comprises a first classifier including a predetermined set of feature information and a second classifier including a dynamic set of feature information dynamically adjustable by said feature extractor.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said message categorizer further comprises a binary classifier analyzing said incoming message using classification rules formed from at least one of said set of desirable feature information and said set of undesirable feature information.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said message categorizer routes said incoming message to a destination based on a categorization.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said feature extractor creates a copy of said outgoing message to extract feature information from said copy of said outgoing message.

19. The system of claim 14, and further comprising a features database including said set of desirable feature information and said set of undesirable feature information.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein said set of desirable feature information is dynamically adjusted by feature information extracted from outgoing messages, and wherein said set of undesirable feature information is dynamically adjusted by feature information extracted from previously received undesirable messages.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said feature information further comprises information regarding at least one of content, circulation, consent, character set, word patterns, word relationships, and word occurrences.