Methods and apparatuses for modifying a search term utilized to identify an electronic mail message

• US 20080091675A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vitorino, Elena, Huang, Jimmy, Chu, Wilson, Iijima, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/549,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20080091675A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion

Abstract

In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect a message; detect an original search term; search for a match between the original search term and a term within the message; and selectively modify the original search term based on a number of matches.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a message;

detecting an original search term;

searching for a match between the original search term and a term within the message; and

selectively modifying the original search term based on a number of matches.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying the match between the original search term and the term within the message.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising detecting an upper threshold limit wherein modifying the original search term occurs when the number of matches exceeds the upper limit threshold.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising detecting a lower threshold limit wherein modifying the original search term occurs when the number of matches falls below the lower limit threshold.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein selectively modifying the original search term Comprises narrowing the search term and forming a narrowed search term.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising adding an additional term to limit the original search term.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein selectively modifying the original search term comprises broadening the original search term and forming a broadened search term.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising providing an alternative search term in addition to the original search term for forming the broadened search term.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the alternative search term is a synonym of the original search term.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the alternative search term is pronounced like of the original search term with a different spelling.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the alternative search term is a misspelling of the original search term.

12. The method according to claim 8 wherein the alternative search term is an abbreviation of the original search term.

13. The method according to claim 8 wherein the alternative search term is an equivalent of the original search term.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the message is a textual representation.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein the message is a graphical representation.

16. A method comprising:

detecting a message;

detecting an original search term;

searching for a match between the original search term and a term within the message; and

selectively adding an alternative search term to the original search term based on a number of matches;

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the alternative search term is a synonym of the original search term.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein the alternative search term is pronounced like of the original search term with a different spelling.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the alternative search term is a misspelling of the original search term.

20. The method according to claim 16 wherein the alternative search term is an abbreviation of the original search term.

21. The method according to claim 16 wherein the alternative search term is an equivalent of the original search term.

22. A system, comprising:

a message detection module configured to detect a message;

a search function module configured to detect an original search term within the message; and

a suggestion module configured to suggest an alternative search term based on the original search term wherein the alternative search term is utilized within a modified search term.

23. The system according to claim 22 further comprising a storage module configured to store the original search term and the alternative search term.

24. The system according to claim 22 wherein the modified search term is broader than the original search term.

25. The system according to claim 22 wherein the modified search term is narrower than the original search term.