Message Classification and Management

• US 20130086180A1
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Published: 04/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Vemula, Vasantha K., Vitaldevara, Krishna, Walter, Jason D., Gillum, Eliot C., Costea, Mihai, Hines, Douglas J., Jiang, Wei, Davis, Malcolm H., Ahiakpor, Michael James, Albert, Samuel J. L., Midgen, Paul M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,292,600 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

Message management and classification techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a message received from a sender for delivery via a user account is examined to extract one or more features of the message. A determination is then made as to whether the message corresponds to one or more categories based on the extracted features, the categories usable to enable features to be applied to the message in a user interface.

Claims

1. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

examining a message received from a sender for delivery via a user account to extract one or more features of the message; and

determining whether the message corresponds to one or more categories based on the extracted features, the categories usable to expose functionality to be applied to the message in a user interface.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured for display by a client device, via which, messages in the user account are accessed.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the examining is performed to ascertain whether the message is to be classified as a newsletter.

4. A method as described in claim 3, wherein the determining is based at least in part on an email address of a sender of the message or a reputation of a sender of the message, whether communications from the sender are one-way communications, whether communications from the sender are periodic, whether recipients of the message read the message, and an amount of time that has passed from receipt of a message and when a user interacts with the message.

5. A method as described in claim 3, wherein the determining is based at least in part on whether the message includes text specifying not to reply to the message or whether the message includes an option to unsubscribe from receiving the message.

6. A method as described in claim 3, wherein the determining is based at least in part on content training that is used to extrapolate patterns in the message that are indicative of whether the message is a newsletter.

7. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the examination is performed to determine whether the message is related to one or more of a transaction, a travel document, a social network, an electronic card, dating site messages, financial news, material that is unsafe for children, transactions, targeted advertisements based on types of messages received, or a receipt.

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the message is an email, a SMS text, a MMS text, or an instant message.

9. A method implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving a message and data indicating a category as classified by a network service that maintains a user account through which the message is communicated, the category based on an examination of the message by the network service; and

configuring a user interface to display the message based on the category.

10. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the configuring is performed to support specification of a rule to be applied to one or more messages specific to a corresponding said category.

11. A method as described in claim 9, wherein the category is a newsletter.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the configuring is performed to enable functionality to unsubscribe from receipt of a subsequent newsletter from a sender of the newsletter.

13. A method as described in claim 12, wherein the configuring is performable to output to option that is selectable to cause the client device to unsubscribe automatically and without further user intervention.

14. A method as described in claim 13, wherein the option is selectable to cause the client device to:

communicate with the sender of the message to stop communication of the subsequent newsletter to the user account;

or

block receipt of the subsequent newsletter from the sender.

15. A method as described in claim 13, wherein the option is selectable to cause the client device to unsubscribe to the subsequent newsletter from the sender and permit communication of at least one category of message that is not a newsletter from the sender.

16. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the configuring is performed to unsubscribe from receipt of subsequent said newsletters by surfacing a user interface automatically and without user intervention via which a user may interact with unsubscribe functionality of the sender.

17. A method as described in claim 9, further comprising forming a communication for receipt by the network service and that includes feedback that describes interaction with the message.

18. A method implemented by one or more computing devices of a network service, the method comprising:

forming a communication for delivery to a client device that is configured to access a user account of the network service, the communication including a message and data indicating a category for the message as classified by a network service based on an examination of the message by the network service; and

receiving feedback from the client device that describes interaction with the message; and

adjusting one or more techniques usable to perform the classification by the network service based on the received feedback.

19. A method as described in claim 18, wherein the described interaction involves reclassification of the message at the client device.

20. A method as described in claim 18, wherein the category describes that the message relates to one or more of a transaction, a travel document, a social network, an electronic card, dating site messages, financial news, transactions, targeted advertisements, or a receipt.