System and Methods for Providing Relevant Assets in Collaboration Mediums

• US 20080168134A1
• Filed: 01/10/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jania, Frank L., Goodman, Brian D., Shaw, Darren M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,020,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method for providing assets in a collaboration medium includes receiving information from an entity; analyzing the information to identify metadata; searching a system to locate assets relevant to the identified metadata; filtering the assets located on the system according to at least one of a predetermined user profile or a environment profile; sending pointers to the filtered assets on the entity'"'"'s system to a second entity'"'"'s system; and displaying pointers to the filtered assets in the collaboration medium.

Claims

1. A method for providing assets in a collaboration medium, comprising:

receiving information from an entity;

analyzing the information to identify metadata;

searching a system to locate assets relevant to the identified metadata;

filtering the assets located on the entity'"'"'s system according to at least one of a predetermined user profile or an environment profile;

sending pointers to the filtered assets on the entity'"'"'s system to a second entity'"'"'s system; and

displaying pointers to the filtered assets in the collaboration medium.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the received information comprises at least one of text, documents, images, bookmarks, links, e-mails, sounds, files, embedded information, attached information, or uploaded information.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of keywords, pronouns, phone numbers, fax numbers, web links, author, title, dates, personal names, places, addresses, proper nouns, adjectives, verbs, phrases, tracking numbers, billing numbers, or concepts.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the assets comprise at least one of documents, sounds, pictures, movies, presentations, slides, spreadsheets, e-mails, icons, or avatars.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the assets comprise prior conversations, notes, screen recordings, mouse/keyboard recordings, changes in settings over the course of prior interactions, or meetings between entities using the collaboration medium.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined user profile comprises at least one preference.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one preference comprises whether or not the entity wants to view and/or share types of assets or specific assets.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one preference comprises a list of other people with whom the entity'"'"'s assets may be shared.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the environment profile comprises at least one of the current time;

whether or not a system supports modem or wireless access;

the speed of such access;

whether or not a system has audio or video;

the default language of a system;

whether other programs may be running on a system;

or how many pointers a user wants to display.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein, based upon the identification of entities using the collaboration medium, the environment profile may adjust a security level depending upon characterization of at least one entity as an employee, a contractor, an officer, a salesperson, a government official, or an outsider.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the collaboration medium comprises shared web applications, shared web experiences, shared web browsing, web shopping sites, instant messaging, text messaging, online bulletin boards, shared whiteboards, shared document production, discussion forums, discussion threads, or voice over IP.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the pointers comprises a Universal Resource Indicator that points to an asset.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pointers to the filtered assets are displayed as a list of at least one icon, link, button, or thumbnail in a graphical user interface.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the pointers to the filtered assets are displayed as a list that is continually updated.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the collaboration medium comprises instant messaging.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein an entity may directly access a filtered asset from another entity'"'"'s system via the collaboration medium.

17. A method for providing assets in a collaboration medium, comprising:

receiving information from a first entity;

analyzing the information to identify metadata;

searching the first entity'"'"'s local system for assets relevant to the identified metadata;

filtering the assets located on the first entity'"'"'s local system according to at least one of a predetermined user profile or an environment profile;

sending pointers to the filtered assets on the first entity'"'"'s local system to a second entity'"'"'s local system;

searching the second entity'"'"'s local system for assets relevant to the filtered assets on the first entity'"'"'s local system;

filtering the assets located on the second entity'"'"'s local system according to at least one of a predetermined user profile or a environment profile; and

displaying pointers to the filtered assets from each entity'"'"'s local system in the collaboration medium.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising operating the method in reverse, either independently or concurrently, beginning with the second entity'"'"'s local system.

19. A system, comprising:

a server comprising a collaboration medium;

an agent comprising at least one client comprising;

a message pre-processor for analyzing metadata in information entered into the collaboration medium;

a search engine for searching a local system for assets relevant to the metadata;

or

a message post-processor for filtering relevant assets according to at least one of a predetermined user profile or an environment profile.

20. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to;

receive information from an entity;

analyze the information to identify metadata;

search a system to locate assets relevant to identified metadata;

filter the assets located on the system according to at least one of a predetermined user profile or a environment profile;

send pointers to the filtered assets on the entity'"'"'s system to a second entity'"'"'s system; and

display pointers to the filtered assets in the collaboration medium.