CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRONIC MESSAGES BASED ON CONTENT

• US 20100235367A1
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terrace Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chitiveli, Srinivas V., Holt, Alexander W., Emanuel, Barton W., Moran, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes

Abstract

Classifying electronic mail (e-mail) based on content and predefined categories. Content of a received e-mail may be analyzed to determine one of a plurality of predefined categories into which the e-mail is classified. A relevancy score may also be calculated to indicate the strength of correlation between the e-mail and the category. A user may be allowed to sort e-mails in an e-mail box based on the category names and/or relevancy scores.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for classifying an electronic message, comprising:

configuring one or more computer processors with an electronic message program to perform an operation comprising;

for each category in a predefined list of categories;

calculating a relevancy score based on one or more key words found in a body of the electronic message and having a predefined association with the category, wherein the relevancy score indicates a correlation between the electronic message and the category;

determining a category having a strongest correlation with the electronic message based on calculated relevancy scores;

associating the electronic message with the category having the strongest correlation with the electronic message; and

dynamically changing the relevancy score of the category having the strongest correlation in response to receiving a predefined user action associated with the electronic message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

displaying the category of the electronic message along with categories of a plurality of other classified electronic messages in an electronic message box;

receiving a request to sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective categories; and

upon receiving the request, sorting the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective categories.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

displaying the relevancy score of the electronic message along with relevancy scores of a plurality of other classified electronic messages in an electronic message box;

receiving a request to sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective relevancy scores; and

upon receiving the request, sorting the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective relevancy scores.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more key words associated with each category have an associated weight value, the weight value indicating a correlation between the key word and the category.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the weight value is adjusted to strengthen the correlation between key word and the category upon receiving the predefined user action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined user action comprises one of replying to the electronic message and archiving the electronic message.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the weight value is adjusted to weaken the correlation between key word and the category upon receiving the predefined user action.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined user action comprises deleting the electronic message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail.

10. A computer program product for classifying electronic messages, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code configured for:

for each category in a predefined list of categories;

calculating a relevancy score based on one or more key words found in a body of the electronic message and having a predefined association with the category, wherein the relevancy score indicates a correlation between the electronic message and the category;

determining a category having a strongest correlation with the electronic message based on calculated relevancy scores;

associating the electronic message with the category having the strongest correlation with the electronic message; and

dynamically changing the relevancy score of the category having the strongest correlation in response to receiving a predefined user action associated with the electronic message.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises:

displaying the category of the electronic message along with categories of a plurality of other classified electronic messages in an electronic message box;

receiving a request to sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective categories; and

upon receiving the request, sorting the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective categories.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the operation further comprises:

displaying the relevancy score of the electronic message along with relevancy scores of a plurality of other classified electronic messages in an electronic message box;

receiving a request to sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective relevancy scores; and

upon receiving the request, sorting the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective relevancy scores.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein each of the one or more key words associated with each category have an associated weight value, the weight value indicating a correlation between the key word and the category.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the weight value is adjusted to strengthen the correlation between key word and the category upon receiving the predefined user action.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the weight value is adjusted to weaken the correlation between key word and the category upon receiving the predefined user action.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail.

17. A system, comprising:

a memory comprising an electronic message program; and

at least one processor which, when executing the electronic message program is configured to;

for each category in a predefined list of categories;

calculate a relevancy score based on one or more key words found in a body of the electronic message and having a predefined association with the category, wherein the relevancy score indicates a correlation between the electronic message and the category;

determine a category having a strongest correlation with the electronic message based on calculated relevancy scores;

associate the electronic message with the category having the strongest correlation with the electronic message; and

dynamically change the relevancy score of the category having the strongest correlation in response to receiving a predefined user action associated with the electronic message.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display the category of the electronic message along with categories of a plurality of other classified electronic messages in an electronic message box;

receive a request to sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective categories; and

upon receiving the request, sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective categories.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display the relevancy score of the electronic message along with relevancy scores of a plurality of other classified electronic messages in an electronic message box;

receive a request to sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective relevancy scores; and

upon receiving the request, sort the electronic messages in the electronic message box based on respective relevancy scores.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the one or more key words associated with each category have an associated weight value, the weight value indicating a correlation between the key word and the category.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the weight value to strengthen the correlation between key word and the category upon receiving the predefined user action.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the weight value to weaken the correlation between key word and the category upon receiving the predefined user action.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the electronic message is an e-mail.