System and method for suggesting recipients in electronic messages

• US 20100017194A1
• Filed: 07/17/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Harpur, Liam, Boilard, Christopher J., Hammer, Mette, Denner, Gary, O'Sullivan, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,809 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically recognizing a potential recipient of an electronic message. The method includes receiving content input for an electronic communication. The electronic communication includes at least one field of a plurality of fields, including a subject line, a message body, and a recipient address field. The at least one field of the electronic communication is populated with the content input. The method also includes parsing the content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication. The method also includes semantically analyzing the parsed content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication to identify a content qualifier of a recipient rule. The method also includes suggesting a potential recipient of the electronic communication based on the content qualifier of the recipient rule associated with the content input of the at least one of field of the electronic communication.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium to store a computer readable program that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

receive content input for an electronic communication, wherein the electronic communication comprises at least one field of a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a subject line, a message body, and a recipient address field, and wherein the at least one field of the electronic communication is populated with the content input;

parse the content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication;

semantically analyze the parsed content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication to identify a content qualifier of a recipient rule; and

suggest a potential recipient of the electronic communication based on the content qualifier of the recipient rule associated with the content input of the at least one of field of the electronic communication.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform further operations comprising:

compare the parsed content input of the electronic communication with entries of a semantic database to determine a semantic meaning of at least a portion of the parsed content input, wherein the semantic database defines the recipient rule between the semantic meaning and the potential recipient; and

identify an omission of the potential recipient from the recipient address field of the electronic communication.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform further operations comprising:

compare the parsed content input of the electronic communication with a keyword, wherein the keyword is associated with the potential recipient;

determine a match exists between the keyword and the content qualifier; and

identify an omission of the potential recipient from the recipient address field of the electronic communication.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform further operations comprising:

identify a tone of the parsed content input of the electronic communication, wherein the tone is associated with the potential recipient; and

identify an omission of the potential recipient from the recipient address field of the electronic communication.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform further operations comprising:

recognize an identified recipient included in the recipient address field of the electronic communication, wherein the identified recipient is associated with the potential recipient; and

identify an omission of the potential recipient from the recipient address field of the electronic communication.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform operations to add the potential recipient to the recipient address field of the electronic communication according to a selection of a user.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

parse the content input of at least one field of a past electronic communication to identify a recipient addressing instruction; and

store the recipient addressing instruction in a recipient address database.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

parse the content input of a plurality of past electronic communications stored in an electronic communication database; and

identify a pattern between the parsed content input of a first of the plurality of past electronic communications and a second of the plurality of past electronic communications.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

generate the recipient rule based on the identified pattern between the first and the second of the plurality of past electronic communications; and

store the recipient rule in a memory device.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

allow a user to configure the recipient rule; and

store the recipient rule in a memory device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver to receive content input for an electronic communication, wherein the electronic communication comprises at least one field of a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a subject line, a message body, and a recipient address field, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of fields of the electronic communication is populated with the content input;

a parser coupled to the receiver, the parser to parse the content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication;

a comparator coupled to the parser, the comparator to semantically analyze the parsed content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication to identify a content qualifier of a recipient rule; and

a trigger coupled to the comparator, the trigger to suggest a potential recipient of the electronic communication based on the content qualifier of the recipient rule associated with the content input of the at least one of field of the electronic communication.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the comparator is further configured to compare the parsed content input of the electronic communication with entries of a semantic database to determine a semantic meaning of at least a portion of the parsed content input, wherein the semantic database defines the recipient rule between the semantic meaning and the potential recipient.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the trigger is further configured to identify an omission of the potential recipient from the recipient address field of the electronic communication based on a match between the parsed content input of the electronic communication and the entries of the semantic database.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pattern detector coupled to the parser and the comparator, the pattern detector to parse the content input of at least one field of a past electronic communication to identify a recipient addressing instruction and to store the recipient addressing instruction in a recipient address database.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the parser is further configured to parse the content input of a plurality of past electronic communications stored in an electronic communication database and to identify a pattern between the parsed content input of a first of the plurality of past electronic communications and a second of the plurality of past electronic communications.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the pattern detector is further configured to generate the recipient rule based on the identified pattern between the first and the second of the plurality of past electronic communications and to store the recipient rule in a memory device.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a potential recipient configuration interface coupled a memory device, the potential recipient configuration interface to allow a user to configure the recipient rule and to store the recipient rule in a memory device.

18. A method comprising:

receiving content input for an electronic communication, wherein the electronic communication comprises at least one field of a plurality of fields, the plurality of fields comprising a subject line, a message body, and a recipient address field, and wherein the at least one of the plurality of fields of the electronic communication is populated with the content input;

parsing the content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication;

semantically analyzing the parsed content input of the at least one field of the electronic communication to identify a content qualifier of a recipient rule; and

suggesting a potential recipient of the electronic communication based on the content qualifier of the recipient rule associated with the content input of the at least one of field of the electronic communication.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the parsed content input of the electronic communication with entries of a semantic database to determine a semantic meaning of at least a portion of the parsed content input, wherein the semantic database defines the recipient rule between the semantic meaning and the potential recipient;

identifying an omission of the potential recipient from the recipient address field of the electronic communication; and

adding the potential recipient to the recipient address field of the electronic communication according to a selection of a user.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

parsing the content input of a plurality of past electronic communications stored in an electronic communication database;

identifying a pattern between the parsed content input of a first of the plurality of past electronic communications and a second of the plurality of past electronic communications

generating the recipient rule based on the identified pattern between the first and the second of the plurality of past electronic communications; and

storing the recipient rule in a memory device