CREATION OF CONTEXT FOR COMMUNICATIONS BASED ON PREVIOUS INTERACTIONS

• US 20090193038A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Butt, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

In one embodiment, an identification (ID) of a person involved in a current communication is utilized to access a communication log to determine an active time interval of a previous communication with the same person. The active time interval is utilized to identify the context material of the previous communication and access to the context material is provided during the current communication.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an identification (ID) of a person involved in a current communication;

accessing a communication log to determine an active time interval between start and finish times of a previous communication identified by the ID;

accessing a usage log to identify context material utilized during the active time interval; and

providing access to context material while the current communication is ongoing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying one or more pointers to the context material in a user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

storing all context information in a context database; and

applying a heuristic algorithm to the context information to determine which context material pointers to display.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein applying the heuristic algorithm comprises:

applying a most frequently used algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an ID comprises:

receiving an instant message handle ID; and

wherein accessing the communication log comprises;

accessing an instant message log.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving an ID comprises:

receiving a call ID; and

wherein accessing the communication log comprises;

accessing a call log.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving an identification (ID) of a person involved in a current communication;

means for accessing a communication log to determine an active time interval between start and finish times of a previous communication identified by the ID;

means for accessing a usage log to identify context material utilized during the active time interval; and

means for providing access to context material while the current communication is ongoing.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

means for displaying one or more pointers to the context material in a user interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

means for storing all context information in a context database; and

means for applying a heuristic algorithm to the context information to determine which context material pointers to display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 where the means for applying the heuristic algorithm comprises:

means for applying a most frequently used algorithm.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 where the means for receiving an ID comprises:

means for receiving an instant message handle ID;

and where the means for accessing the communication log comprises;

means for accessing an instant message log.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 where the means for receiving an ID comprises:

means for receiving a call ID;

and where the means for accessing the communication log comprises;

means for accessing a call log.

13. One or more computer readable media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions with the software operable to:

receive an identification (ID) of a person involved in a current communication;

access a communication log to determine an active time interval between start and finish times of a previous communication with the person identified by the ID;

access a usage log to identify context material utilized during the active time interval; and

provide access to context material while the current communication is ongoing.

14. The computer readable media of claim 13 encoded with software further operable to:

display one or more pointers to the context material in a user interface.

15. The computer readable media of claim 14 encoded with software further operable to:

store all context information in a context database; and

apply a heuristic algorithm to the context information to determine which context material pointers to display.

16. The computer readable media of claim 15 with the encoded software operable to apply the heuristic algorithm is operable to:

apply a most frequently used algorithm.

17. The computer readable media of claim 13 with the encoded software operable to receive an ID is operable to:

receive an instant message handle ID;

and with the software operable to access the communication log is operable to;

access an instant message log.

18. The computer readable media of claim 13 with the encoded software operable to receive an ID is operable to:

receive a call ID;

and where the encoded software operable to access the communication log is operable to;

access a call log.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing program code, a communication log, and a usage log; and

a processor, coupled to access the memory, configured to execute the program code to access the communication log to determine an active time interval between start and finish times of a previous communication identified by and identification (ID), to access the usage log to identify context material utilized during the active time interval, and to provide access to context material while the current communication is ongoing.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 with processor further configured to:

display one or more pointers to the context material in a user interface.