SELF-ADJUSTING EMAIL SUBJECT AND EMAIL SUBJECT HISTORY

• US 20100100370A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Sanjeev, KHOURI, Joseph, Jain, Mukul, Philonenko, Laurent
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus for automated generation of subject line content for e-mail messages includes an input operable to receive content data including text-based information corresponding to a body of an e-mail message, a text analyzer including logic operable to analyze received content data, a topic extractor including logic operable to extract topic data in accordance with an output of the text analyzer, a string generator including logic operable to generate subject line data in accordance with an output of the topic extractor, and a message output operable to output a multi-field e-mail message having a body field inclusive of the content data and a subject line field inclusive of generated subject line data.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automated generation of subject line content for e-mail messages comprising:

an input operable to receive content data including text-based information corresponding to a body of an e-mail message;

a text analyzer including logic operable to analyze received content data;

a topic extractor including logic operable to extract topic data in accordance with an output of the text analyzer;

a string generator including logic operable to generate subject line data in accordance with an output of the topic extractor; and

a message output operable to output a multi-field e-mail message having a body field inclusive of the content data and a subject line field inclusive of generated subject line data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a prompt generator operable to generate a prompt inclusive of the extracted topic data to an associated user;

a selector operable to receive, from the associated user, confirmation data corresponding to acceptability of the extracted topic data; and

wherein

the string generator further includes logic operable to generate the subject line data in accordance with received confirmation data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

the string generator further includes logic operable to generate a plurality of alternative subject lines in accordance with the output of the topic extractor;

the prompt generator is further operable to generate the prompt inclusive of data corresponding to each of the plurality of alternative subject lines;

the selector is further operable to receive from the associate user, selection data corresponding to a selected one of the alternative subject lines; and

the string generator further includes logic operable to generate the subject line data in accordance with received selection data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the content data further includes prior e-mail data corresponding to at least one prior e-mail, and wherein the text analyzer includes logic operable to analyze the prior e-mail data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

the topic extractor further including logic operable to extract body topic data corresponding to the e-mail body and prior e-mail topic data corresponding to the at least one prior e-mail;

test logic operable to test the body topic data relative to prior e-mail topic data; and

the string generator further inclusive of logic to alter the subject line data in accordance with an output of the test logic.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the altered subject line data includes link data corresponding to the at least one prior e-mail.

7. A method for automated generation of subject line content for e-mail messages comprising the steps of:

receiving content data including text-based information corresponding to a body of an e-mail message;

analyzing the received content data;

extracting topic data in accordance with an output of the analyzing step;

generating subject line data in accordance with an output of the extraction step; and

outputting a multi-field e-mail message having a body field inclusive of the content data and a subject line field inclusive of generated subject line data.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

generating a prompt inclusive of the extracted topic data to an associated user;

for receiving, from the associated user, confirmation data corresponding to acceptability of the extracted topic data; and

generating the subject line data in accordance with received confirmation data.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

a plurality of alternative subject lines are generated in accordance with the output of the extraction step;

the prompt inclusive is generated of data corresponding to each of the plurality of alternative subject lines;

selection data is received from the user corresponding to a selected one of the alternative subject lines; and

the subject line data is generated in accordance with received selection data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the content data further includes prior e-mail data corresponding to at least one prior e-mail, and wherein the analyzing step further includes analyzing the prior e-mail data.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

extracting body topic data corresponding to the e-mail body and prior e-mail topic data corresponding to the at least one prior e-mail;

testing body topic data relative to prior e-mail topic data; and

altering the subject line data in accordance with an output of the testing means.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the altered subject line data includes link data corresponding to the at least one prior e-mail.

13. A system for automated generation of subject line content for e-mail messages comprising:

means adapted for receiving content data including text-based information corresponding to a body of an e-mail message;

analyzing means adapted for analyzing received content data;

extraction means adapted for extracting topic data in accordance with an output of the analyzing means;

generator means adapted for generating subject line data in accordance with an output of the extraction means; and

means adapted for outputting a multi-field e-mail message having a body field inclusive of the content data and a subject line field inclusive of generated subject line data.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

prompting means adapted for generating a prompt inclusive of the extracted topic data to an associated user;

selection means adapted for receiving, from the associated user, confirmation data corresponding to acceptability of the extracted topic data; and

wherein

the generator means includes means adapted for generating the subject line data in accordance with received confirmation data.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the generator means includes means adapted to generate a plurality of alternative subject lines in accordance with the output of the extraction means;

the prompting means includes means adapted for generating the prompt inclusive of data corresponding to each of the plurality of alternative subject lines;

the selection means includes means adapted for receiving, from the associate user, selection data corresponding to a selected one of the alternative subject lines; and

the generator means includes means adapted for generating the subject line data in accordance with received selection data.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the content data further includes prior e-mail data corresponding to at least one prior e-mail, and wherein the analyzing means further includes means adapted for analyzing the prior e-mail data.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

the extraction means inclusive of means adapted for extracting body topic data corresponding to the e-mail body and prior e-mail topic data corresponding to the at least one prior e-mail;

testing means adapted for testing body topic data relative to prior e-mail topic data; and

the generator means further including means adapted for altering the subject line data in accordance with an output of the testing means.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the altered subject line data includes link data corresponding to the at least one prior e-mail.

19. Logic encoded in one or more tangible medium for execution for automated generation of subject line content for e-mail messages and when executed operable to:

receive content data including text-based information corresponding to a body of an e-mail message;

analyze the received content data;

extract topic data in accordance with an output of the analyzing step;

generate subject line data in accordance with an output of the extraction step; and

output a multi-field e-mail message having a body field inclusive of the content data and a subject line field inclusive of generated subject line data.

20. The logic according to claim 19 when executed further operable to:

generate a prompt inclusive of the extracted topic data to an associated user;

receive, from the associated user, confirmation data corresponding to acceptability of the extracted topic data; and

,

generate the subject line data in accordance with received confirmation data.