Collaborative agent for a work environment

• US 20060026231A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wriessnegger, Klaus, Degenhardt, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 7,996,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for connecting information resources in a collaborative work environment. A system includes at least one information source providing collaboration data, and a repository framework including at least one source for storing the collaboration data. A collaborative bot service is connected with the repository framework, and includes one or more bots, or autonomous programs, configured to traverse the source via the repository framework, extract a topic from a portion of the collaboration data, and create a link between the portion of the collaboration data and an information resource related to the collaboration data based on the topic.

Claims

1. A method of connecting information resources in a collaborative work environment, the method comprising:

traversing a source of collaboration data;

extracting a topic from a portion of collaboration data in the source of collaboration data; and

creating a link between the portion of collaboration data and an information resource related to the collaboration data based on the topic.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information resource is a second source of collaboration data.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

traversing the second source of collaboration data; and

extracting a topic from a portion of collaboration data in the second source of collaboration data.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising accessing the source of collaboration data via a repository framework.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information resource is associated with an expert related with the topic.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising:

traversing collaboration data provided by the expert; and

extracting a topic from a portion of collaboration data provided by the expert.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising comparing the topic from the portion of collaboration data in the source of collaboration data with the topic from the portion of collaboration data provided by the expert.

8. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising storing in a table the topic from the portion of collaboration data provided the expert.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising setting a schedule for traversing the source of collaboration data.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the information resource is a second portion of collaboration data in the repository of collaboration data.

11. A system for connecting information resources in a collaborative work environment, the system comprising:

at least one information source providing collaboration data;

a repository framework including at least one source for storing the collaboration data; and

a collaborative bot service connected with the repository framework, the collaborative bot service including one or more bots configured to traverse the source via the repository framework, extract a topic from a portion of the collaboration data, and create a link between the portion of the collaboration data and an information resource related to the collaboration data based on the topic.

12. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein each of the one or more bots is preprogrammed to run in a batch mode according to a schedule.

13. A system in accordance with claim 11, wherein each of the one or more bots is preprogrammed to run in real time corresponding to creating of the portion of the collaboration data.

14. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a discussion service configured to insert the link into a discussion thread associated with the information resource.

15. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a people selector service configured to insert the link into an information source associated with an expert related to the topic.

16. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising a text mining tool under control of the one or more bots.

17. A system in accordance with claim 11, further comprising an administration interface for receiving user commands and for configuring each of the one or more bots.

18. A system for connecting information resources in a collaborative work environment, the system comprising:

a collaborative bot service comprising one or more bots configured to traverse a source of collaboration data, extract a topic from a portion of the collaboration data, and create a link between the portion of the collaboration data and an information resource related to the collaboration data based on the topic.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a repository framework providing access to a plurality of information sources including the source of collaboration data.

20. A system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising a text mining tool used by the one or more bots to extract the topic.