System and Method for Modeling and Applying a People Network Representation

• US 20090198568A1
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elliott Waingold
• Original Assignee: Elliott Waingold
• Inventors: Waingold, Elliott
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and method for applying a people network representation to aid contact between a member of an organization and a target individual selects a contact path between the member and the target supported by analysis of the level of interaction between members of the organization based on network communications of the organization. Level of interaction is analyzed using network communications that take into account the recentness and frequency of interactions, such as email, ICQ, or phone interaction. To contact a targeted individual, for instance such as to obtain expertise in a desired area, the model of the people network allows determination of a contact path between the member and target which improves the likelihood of obtaining the target'"'"'s expertise. A contact path from a member may include a suggestion to contact the target through one or more intervening organization members.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for determining a contact path between a first individual and a target individual, the method comprising:

storing in a memory data associated with multiple individuals;

tracking network communications of the individuals;

determining a level of interaction between the individuals based on the network communications to develop a people network;

determining a contact path between the first individual and the target individual, the contact path including one or more of the individuals having at least a predetermined level of interaction with the first individual and the target individual and the contact path identifies one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual; and

providing the contact path to the first individual.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

modeling the people network as a directed graph having plural nodes representing the individuals and plural edges representing levels of interaction between a plurality of the individuals;

wherein determining the level of interaction comprises analyzing the edges associated with the first individual and the target individual.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein each edge comprises one or more weights, each weight representing a level of interaction for one type of network communication.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for e-mail communication.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for electronic data communication.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for telephone communication.

32. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

storing one or more areas of expertise for a plurality of the individuals; and

identifying an area of expertise desired by the first individual;

wherein the contact path comprises one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first member to contact the target individual having the desired expertise, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein:

determining a contact path further comprises determining plural contact paths, each contact path representing a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual having the desired expertise.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising graphically depicting the plural contact paths as nodes representing a plurality of the individuals and edges representing the level of interaction between the plurality of the individuals, each node and edge having an appearance that corresponds to the strength of the contact path.

35. A system for determining a people network of multiple individuals, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more electronic data storage devices, coupled to the one or more processors, to store data associated with the individuals and to store code executable by the one or more processors to;

track network communications of the individuals;

determine a level of interaction between the individuals based on the network communications to develop a people network;

determine a contact path between the first individual and the target individual, the contact path including one or more of the individuals having at least a predetermined level of interaction with the first individual and the target individual and the contact path identifies one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual; and

provide the contact path to the first individual.

42. A method of utilizing a computer system for determining a contact path between a first individual and a target individual, the method comprising:

storing in a memory of the computer system data associated with multiple individuals; and

executing one or more modules in the computer system to;

track network communications of the individuals;

determine a level of interaction between the individuals based on the network communications to develop a people network;

determine a contact path between the first individual and the target individual, the contact path including one or more of the individuals having at least a predetermined level of interaction with the first individual and the target individual and the contact path identifies one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual; and

provide the contact path to the first individual.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising:

executing one or more modules in the computer system to model the people network as a directed graph having plural nodes representing the individuals and plural edges representing levels of interaction between a plurality of the individuals;

wherein to determine the level of interaction comprises analyzing the edges associated with the first individual and the target individual.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein each edge comprises one or more weights, each weight representing a level of interaction for one type of network communication.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for e-mail communication.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for electronic data communication.

47. The method of claim 44 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for telephone communication.

48. The method of claim 43 further comprising:

executing one more modules in the computer system to;

store one or more areas of expertise for a plurality of the individuals; and

identify an area of expertise desired by the first individual;

wherein the contact path comprises one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first member to contact the target individual having the desired expertise, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein:

determining a contact path further comprises determining plural contact paths, each contact path representing a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual having the desired expertise.

50. The method of claim 49 further comprising executing one more modules in the computer system to graphically depict the plural contact paths as nodes representing a plurality of the individuals and edges representing the level of interaction between the plurality of the individuals, each node and edge having an appearance that corresponds to the strength of the contact path.

51. An apparatus for determining a contact path between a first individual and a target individual, the method comprising:

a computer readable medium for storing data associated with multiple individuals; and

one or modules stored in one or more computer readable media to;

track network communications of the individuals;

determine a level of interaction between the individuals based on the network communications to develop a people network;

determine a contact path between the first individual and the target individual, the contact path including one or more of the individuals having at least a predetermined level of interaction with the first individual and the target individual and the contact path identifies one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual; and

provide the contact path to the first individual.

52. The apparatus of claim 51 further comprising:

one or modules stored in the one or more computer readable media to model the people network as a directed graph having plural nodes representing the individuals and plural edges representing levels of interaction between a plurality of the individuals;

wherein to determine the level of interaction comprises analyzing the edges associated with the first individual and the target individual.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein each edge comprises one or more weights, each weight representing a level of interaction for one type of network communication.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for e-mail communication.

55. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for electronic data communication.

56. The apparatus of claim 53 wherein one weight represents the level of interaction for telephone communication.

57. The apparatus of claim 52 further comprising:

one or modules stored in the one or more computer readable media to;

store one or more areas of expertise for a plurality of the individuals; and

identify an area of expertise desired by the first individual;

wherein the contact path comprises one or more of the individuals that represent a proposed path through the people network for the first member to contact the target individual having the desired expertise, wherein the one or more individuals of the contact path include one or more individuals other than the first individual and the target individual.

58. The apparatus of claim 57 wherein:

to determine a contact path further comprises determining plural contact paths, each contact path representing a proposed path through the people network for the first individual to contact the target individual having the desired expertise.

59. The apparatus of claim 58 further one or modules stored in the one or more computer readable media to graphically depict the plural contact paths as nodes representing a plurality of the individuals and edges representing the level of interaction between the plurality of the individuals, each node and edge having an appearance that corresponds to the strength of the contact path.