Method, system, and apparatus for creating a knowledge interchange profile

• US 20060064431A1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kishore, Ajitesh, Sahasrabudhe, Sandeep
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method, system, and apparatus are provided for creating a knowledge interchange (“KI”) profile for a user that identifies the interests of the user, the individuals with which the user has communicated, and the topics on which the communication with the user was made. In order to create the KI profile, items of interest are gathered at the client computer by monitoring the interaction between a user and programs executing on the client computer. Once the items of interest have been identified, the KI profile is created by performing a social network analysis, an interest analysis, and a noun phrase analysis. Once the KI profile has been created, it may be uploaded to a server computer where it is aggregated with KI profiles created for other users.

Claims

1. A method for creating a knowledge interchange profile, the method comprising:

monitoring user interaction with one or more programs to identify one or more items of interest; and

based on the items of interest, creating a knowledge interchange profile that identifies the interests of the user, the individuals with which the user has communicated, and the topics on which the communication with the individuals was made.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises a word procession application program and wherein the items of interest comprise the documents opened or created by the user utilizing the word processing application program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises a spreadsheet application program and wherein the items of interest comprise the documents opened or created by the user utilizing the spreadsheet application program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises a presentation application program and wherein the items of interest comprise the documents opened or created by the user utilizing the presentation application program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises a personal information manager application program and wherein monitoring user interaction comprises identifying the electronic mail messages sent or received by the user utilizing the personal information manager application program.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises an instant messaging application program and wherein monitoring user interaction comprises identifying the instant messages sent or received by the user utilizing the instant messaging application program.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises an operating system program and wherein the items of interest comprise the names of folders or files created by the user utilizing the operating system program.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs comprises a web browser program and wherein the items of interest comprise the documents viewed by the user utilizing the web browser program.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the knowledge interchange profile comprises for each item of interest:

performing a social network analysis;

performing an interest analysis; and

performing a noun phrase analysis.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein performing a social network analysis comprises:

identifying the contacts related to an item of interest;

creating a weight for each contact related to an item of interest, the weight based in part on the relationship of each individual to the item; and

normalizing the weights for each contact.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein performing an interest analysis comprises:

identifying one or more keywords within an item of interest;

assigning a weight value to each of the keywords;

adjusting the weight value of each keyword depending on the location of the keyword within the item of interest;

adjusting the weight value of each keyword depending on the frequency of occurrence of the keyword in the item of interest; and

eliminating keywords having weights not greater than a predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein performing an interest analysis further comprises saving a word before and after each keyword for use in the noun phrase analysis.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the noun phrase analysis comprises:

identifying noun phrases by identifying within an item of interest one or more keywords that is repeated in conjunction with one or more other words; and

identifying noun phrases based on the location of keywords utilized in conjunction with other words within the item of interest.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising eliminating contacts based on an asymmetric relationship with the user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising eliminating keywords based on programmed factors.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the programmed factors comprise one or more of a consistency factor, a diffusion index, a folder factor, and equating a distribution list with a person.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the knowledge interest profile comprises:

the one or more keywords, the one or more noun phrases, and the one or more contacts.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the one or more contacts includes a set of keywords associated with the contact, the keywords for each contact derived from the communications between the user and the contact.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

20. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 1.