System and method for automatically populating a dynamic resolution list
First Claim
1. An electronic contact resolution method, comprising:
- automatically extracting contact information from any of a plurality of file types included in a data store, said data store including at least one of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
wherein extracting the contact information includes automatically examining the complete contents of one or more of the files in the data store and extracting any contact information located within those contents;
maintaining a list of at least one contact entry derived from the contact information extracted from the data store;
automatically computing a weight for each entry in the list;
tracking contact information associated with the contact entry; and
automatically resolving contact entries in real time by dynamically providing specific contact entries from the maintained list based on the weight of each entry in the list.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The system and method of the present invention automatically provides dynamically generated completion information for facilitating user input of email addresses or contact information. This completion information is developed from a “data store” comprised of multiple data sources such as previously sent or received email, and other types of electronic files such as word processor or spreadsheet files. The present invention monitors and uses the information in the data store to automatically store, track, maintain, and organize data entries in a dynamic “resolution list”. As a user begins to input an email address or contact, the present invention can either automatically complete the entry using a most probable result from the resolution list, or can display a list of likely matches from which the user may select the desired email address or contact.
138 Citations
53 Claims
-
1. An electronic contact resolution method, comprising:
-
automatically extracting contact information from any of a plurality of file types included in a data store, said data store including at least one of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
wherein extracting the contact information includes automatically examining the complete contents of one or more of the files in the data store and extracting any contact information located within those contents;
maintaining a list of at least one contact entry derived from the contact information extracted from the data store;
automatically computing a weight for each entry in the list;
tracking contact information associated with the contact entry; and
automatically resolving contact entries in real time by dynamically providing specific contact entries from the maintained list based on the weight of each entry in the list. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 31)
-
-
4-8. -8. (canceled)
-
13-30. -30. (canceled)
-
32. A system for automatically generating a dynamic list of entries containing contact information comprising:
-
a data store comprising electronic files, said electronic files including at least one of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
a scan module that fully scans the contents of any of the electronic files included in the data store;
an extract module that extracts all contact information contained within any of the scanned files;
a populate module that populates the list with the information extracted from the scanned files; and
a weight module that dynamically computes a weight for each entry in the dynamic list. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 40, 41, 42, 45)
-
-
35-39. -39. (canceled)
-
43-44. -44. (canceled)
-
46-47. -47. (canceled)
-
48. A method for automatically generating a dynamic list of entries containing contact information comprising:
-
fully scanning the entire contents of at least one of a plurality of file types in a data store containing electronic files including at least one of word processor files, spreadsheet files, and presentation files;
extracting any contact information contained within any of the scanned files; and
populating entries of the list with the information extracted from the scanned files. - View Dependent Claims (49, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
50. (canceled)
Specification