System, method and computer program product for prioritizing contacts

• US 20050203929A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Clearcontext Corp.
• Original Assignee: Clearcontext Corp.
• Inventors: Hazarika, Devapratim, Kang, Frank
• Application Number:
  US11/074,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203929A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for ranking contacts are described. In one embodiment, contacts of a user may be identified. For each contact, a score may be calculated based on messages associated with the contact. The contacts may then be ranked based on the calculated scores.

Claims

1. A method for ranking contacts, comprising:

identifying contacts of a user;

for each contact, calculating a score based on messages associated with the contact; and

ranking the contacts based on the calculated scores.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contacts are identified from a messaging application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the contacts are identified from a contact database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact database comprises a contact list.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the messages comprise email messages.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the contacts are identified from the messages.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the messages are stored in a message database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated score is based on at least one of a number of messages sent by the user to the contact and a number of messages received by the user from the contact.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated score is based on a scaled sum of a number of messages sent by the user to the contact and a number of messages received by the user from the contact.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated score is adjusted based on a ratio of a number of messages sent by the user to the contact to a number of messages received by the user from the contact if the number of messages sent by the user to the contact meets a threshold value.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated score is decreased based on a threshold scaling factor if a number of messages sent by the user to the contact is less than a threshold value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated score is adjusted based on the ages of the messages.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a statistical analysis is performed on the calculated scores to rank the contacts.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the statistical analysis comprises a frequency analysis of the calculated scores.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the calculated score is adjusted based on the ages of the messages.

15. A system for ranking contacts, comprising:

logic for identified contacts of a user;

logic for calculating a score for each contact based on messages associated with the contact; and

logic for ranking the contacts based on the calculated scores.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the contacts are identified from a messaging application.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the calculated score is based on at least one of a number of messages sent by the user to the contact and a number of messages received by the user from the contact.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the calculated score is adjusted based on a ratio of a number of messages sent by the user to the contact to a number of messages received by the user from the given contact if the number of messages sent by the user to the given contact meets a threshold value.

20. A computer program product for ranking contacts, comprising:

computer code for identified contacts of a user;

computer code calculating a score for each contact based on messages associated with the contact; and

computer code for ranking the contacts based on the calculated scores.