E-mail based Semantic Web collaboration and annotation

• US 20060100995A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Martin, Sean J., Albornoz, Jordi A., Szekely, Benjamin H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Semantic Web attributes are transmitted via an electronic message such as an email message. The attributes are extracted from the message by a program agent according to a predetermined plan. The extracted attributes are saved in storage wherein the storage is optionally an annotation store.

Claims

1. A method for generating Semantic Web relationships comprising the steps of:

receiving an electronic message;

directing the electronic message to a Semantic Web Agent, the electronic message comprising one or more Semantic Web attributes and one or more Semantic Web data relationships;

extracting from the electronic message a first attribute of the one or more Semantic Web attributes and a first data relationship of the one or more Semantic Web relationships; and

saving the first attribute and the first data relationship in a searchable storage.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic message comprises any one of an email received over the internet or an Instant Message received over the internet.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the attributes and relationships comprise RDF.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the searchable database comprises an annotation store.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the extracting step comprises any one of keyword analysis or natural language analysis.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the extracting step comprises any one of the further steps of:

searching the electronic message for predefined syntactic patterns indicating information of interest;

parsing a predefined document format such as XML or RDF within the electronic message;

or

performing natural language analysis of the electronic message.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first attribute and first data relationship are appended to predetermined attributes and relationships in the searchable storage.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic message is directed to the Semantic Web agent when any one of:

the received electronic message comprises any one of a message address of the Semantic Web agent or a Semantic Web ID of the Semantic Web agent;

the received electronic message comprises an electronic identity of the Semantic Web agent, the identity located in a “

CC”

(Carbon Copy) portion of the electronic message;

the electronic message is received by way of a message exchange infrastructure comprising any one of the SMTP/POP3 protocols or SMTP/POP3 servers;

or

an electronic message client sending the electronic message comprises a direct communication to the Semantic Web agent.

9. The method according to claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

retrieving Semantic Web attributes and Semantic Web relationships from the searchable store, the attributes and relationships comprising the first attribute and the first relationship;

interpreting according to Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes, the retrieved Semantic Web attributes and Semantic Web relationships; and

presenting the interpreted Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes to a user wherein the presented Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes comprise any one of;

a project report, a conversation summary;

summarized project data;

summarized project data comprising references;

summarized project data comprising semantic relationships;

or

browsing capability of semantic web related interconnected web items.

10. The method according to claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

inserting in the electronic message at a client computer, the first attribute of the one or more Semantic Web attributes and the first data relationship of the one or more Semantic Web relationships; and

transmitting the electronic message over a network to the Semantic Web agent, the electronic message comprising the inserted first attribute and the inserted first data relationship.

11. The method according to claim 1 comprising the further step of associating authorization information with any one of the first attribute or the first relationship wherein the associating authorization information is based on any one of system configuration information or explicit directives, the explicit directives included in the electronic message.

12. A computer program product for generating Semantic Web relationships, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

receiving an electronic message;

directing the electronic message to a Semantic Web Agent, the electronic message comprising one or more Semantic Web attributes and one or more Semantic Web data relationships;

extracting from the electronic message a first attribute of the one or more Semantic Web attributes and a first data relationship of the one or more Semantic Web relationships; and

saving the first attribute and the first data relationship in a searchable storage.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the electronic message comprises any one of an email received over the internet or an Instant Message received over the internet.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the attributes and relationships comprise RDF.

15. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the searchable database comprises an annotation store.

16. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the extracting step comprises any one of keyword analysis or natural language analysis.

17. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the extracting step comprises any one of the further steps of:

searching the electronic message for predefined syntactic patterns indicating information of interest;

parsing a predefined document format such as XML or RDF within the electronic message;

or

performing natural language analysis of the electronic message.

18. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the first attribute and first data relationship are appended to predetermined attributes and relationships in the searchable storage.

19. The computer program product according to claim 12 wherein the electronic message is directed to the Semantic Web agent when any one of:

the received electronic message comprises any one of a message address of the Semantic Web agent or a Semantic Web ID of the Semantic Web agent;

the received electronic message comprises an electronic identity of the Semantic Web agent, the identity located in a “

CC”

(Carbon Copy) portion of the electronic message;

the electronic message is received by way of a message exchange infrastructure comprising any one of the SMTP/POP3 protocols or SMTP/POP3 servers;

or

an electronic message client sending the electronic message comprises a direct communication to the Semantic Web agent.

20. The computer program product according to claim 12 comprising the further steps of:

retrieving Semantic Web attributes and Semantic Web relationships from the searchable store, the attributes and relationships comprising the first attribute and the first relationship;

interpreting according to Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes, the retrieved Semantic Web attributes and Semantic Web relationships; and

presenting the interpreted Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes to a user wherein the presented Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes comprise any one of;

a project report, a conversation summary;

summarized project data;

summarized project data comprising references;

summarized project data comprising semantic relationships;

or

browsing capability of semantic web related interconnected web items.

21. The computer program product according to claim 12 comprising the further steps of:

inserting in the electronic message at a client computer, the first attribute of the one or more Semantic Web attributes and the first data relationship of the one or more Semantic Web relationships; and

transmitting the electronic message over a network to the Semantic Web agent, the electronic message comprising the inserted first attribute and the inserted first data relationship.

22. The method according to claim 12 comprising the further step of associating authorization information with any one of the first attribute or the first relationship wherein the associating authorization information is based on any one of system configuration information or explicit directives, the explicit directives included in the electronic message.

23. A system for generating Semantic Web relationships, the system comprising:

a network;

a computer system in communication with the network wherein the computer system includes instructions to execute a method comprising;

receiving an electronic message;

directing the electronic message to a Semantic Web Agent, the electronic message comprising one or more Semantic Web attributes and one or more Semantic Web data relationships;

extracting from the electronic message a first attribute of the one or more Semantic Web attributes and a first data relationship of the one or more Semantic Web relationships; and

saving the first attribute and the first data relationship in a searchable storage.

24. The system according to claim 23 wherein the electronic message comprises any one of an email received over the internet or an Instant Message received over the internet.

25. The system according to claim 23 wherein the attributes and relationships comprise RDF.

26. The system according to claim 23 wherein the searchable database comprises an annotation store.

27. The system according to claim 23 wherein the extracting step comprises any one of keyword analysis or natural language analysis.

28. The system according to claim 23 wherein the extracting step comprises any one of the further steps of:

searching the electronic message for predefined syntactic patterns indicating information of interest;

parsing a predefined document format such as XML or RDF within the electronic message;

or

performing natural language analysis of the electronic message.

29. The system according to claim 23 wherein the first attribute and first data relationship are appended to predetermined attributes and relationships in the searchable storage.

30. The system according to claim 23 wherein the electronic message is directed to the Semantic Web agent when any one of:

the received electronic message comprises any one of a message address of the Semantic Web agent or a Semantic Web ID of the Semantic Web agent;

the received electronic message comprises an electronic identity of the Semantic Web agent, the identity located in a “

CC”

(Carbon Copy) portion of the electronic message;

the electronic message is received by way of a message exchange infrastructure comprising any one of the SMTP/POP3 protocols or SMTP/POP3 servers;

or

an electronic message client sending the electronic message comprises a direct communication to the Semantic Web agent.

31. The system according to claim 23 comprising the further steps of:

retrieving Semantic Web attributes and Semantic Web relationships from the searchable store, the attributes and relationships comprising the first attribute and the first relationship;

interpreting according to Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes, the retrieved Semantic Web attributes and Semantic Web relationships; and

presenting the interpreted Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes to a user wherein the presented Semantic Web relationships and Semantic Web attributes comprise any one of;

a project report, a conversation summary;

summarized project data;

summarized project data comprising references;

summarized project data comprising semantic relationships;

or

browsing capability of semantic web related interconnected web items.

32. The system according to claim 23 comprising the further steps of:

inserting in the electronic message at a client computer, the first attribute of the one or more Semantic Web attributes and the first data relationship of the one or more Semantic Web relationships; and

transmitting the electronic message over a network to the Semantic Web agent, the electronic message comprising the inserted first attribute and the inserted first data relationship.

33. The system according to claim 23 comprising the further step of associating authorization information with any one of the first attribute or the first relationship wherein the associating authorization information is based on any one of system configuration information or explicit directives, the explicit directives included in the electronic message.