SOCIAL ATTENTION MANAGEMENT

• US 20110276628A1
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pell, Barney Darryl
• Application Number:
  US12/774,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20110276628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are described herein for providing social attention management. An attention management device (“AMD”) can receive a request associated with one or more users of a social networking service. In response to receiving the request, the AMD collects and/or analyzes interaction data obtained from one or more systems or devices in communication with the AMD. The AMD surfaces or presents the interaction data to a user for consumption during the request review process. In response to receiving input from the user, the AMD can alter communications with one or more contacts. Methods for social attention management also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for social attention management, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving a request relating to one or more contacts, the request comprising one or more of

a request to add the one or more contacts to a contact list associated with a user,

a request to remove the one or more contacts from the contact list,

a request to organize the one or more contacts in the contact list, or

a request to expand communications between the user and the one or more contacts;

obtaining interaction data relating to at least one of the contacts or the user;

determining an action to take in response to the request; and

executing the determined action with respect to the one or more contacts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction data comprises social networking data relating to at least one of the one or more contacts and the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the interaction data comprises collecting the interaction data at a client device associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein obtaining the interaction data further comprises:

sensing an interaction;

collecting the interaction data, in response to sensing the interaction; and

storing the interaction data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein sensing the interaction comprises determining that a device associated with the contact is proximate to the client device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein collecting the interaction data comprises capturing audio at the client device.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein collecting the interaction data comprises establishing a data connection between the client device and the device and receiving contact information associated with the contact via the data connection.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein sensing the interaction further comprises:

obtaining calendar data from a calendar associated with the user;

obtaining location data at the client device; and

determining that the interaction is occurring based, at least partially, upon analysis of the location data and the calendar data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction data comprises communication data relating to communications associated with at least one of the one or more contacts and the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to add a contact to a contact list associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to prune a contact from a contact list associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action comprises presenting the request and the interaction data to the user and receiving input from the user in response to the presenting.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the action comprises:

identifying a proxy associated with the user; and

analyzing the proxy to determine how the proxy would respond to the request.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the proxy comprises receiving from the user an input identifying the proxy.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying the proxy comprises:

comparing social networking activity associated with the user to social networking activity associated with the proxy; and

determining, based upon the comparing, that the proxy and the user have similar social networking activity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a request to expand communications between the one or more contacts and the user.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein obtaining the interaction data comprises:

receiving user social networking data relating to the user and receiving contact social networking data relating to the one or more contacts, the user social networking data and the contact social networking data being received from one or more social networking servers; and

receiving communications data from one or more communications servers, the communications data comprising data relating to communications associated with at least one of the one or more contacts and the user.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a request relating to one or more contacts, the request being associated with a user of a social networking service, and the request comprising one or more of

a request to add the one or more contacts to a contact list associated with the user,

a request to remove the one or more contacts from the contact list,

a request to organize the one or more contacts in the contact list, or

a request to expand communications between the user and the one or more contacts;

obtaining interaction data relating to at least one of the contacts or the user;

determining an action to take in response to the request; and

executing the determined action with respect to the one or more contacts.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein obtaining the interaction data comprises:

sensing an interaction at a client device associated with the user, the interaction comprising an in-person interaction between the user and at least one of the one or more contacts;

collecting the interaction data, in response to sensing the interaction; and

storing the interaction data at a data storage location.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a request relating to one or more contacts, the request being associated with a user of a social networking service and comprising one or more of

a request to add the one or more contacts to a contact list associated with the user,

a request to remove the one or more contacts from the contact list,

a request to organize the one or more contacts in the contact list, or

a request to expand communications between the user and the one or more contacts;

obtain interaction data relating to at least one of the contacts or the user, the interaction data comprising social networking data received from one or more social networking servers, communications data from one or more communication servers, and data collected by a client device associated with the user, wherein collecting the data comprises

sensing an interaction at the client device using one or more sensors of the client device and an interaction tracking application executing on the client device, the interaction comprising an interaction between the user and at least one of the one or more contacts, and

collecting the interaction data in response to sensing the interaction;

determine an action to take in response to the request, the action comprising one or more of

accepting the request to add the one or more contacts,

denying the request to add the one or more contacts,

removing the one or more contacts,

organizing the one or more contacts into contact lists, or

expanding communications between the user and the one or more contacts; and

execute the determined action with respect to the one or more contacts.