MANAGEMENT AND SYNCHRONIZATION OF RELATED ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20130262594A1
• Filed: 04/03/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bastide, Paul R., Broomhall, Matthew E., Loredo, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product for managing and synchronizing electronic communications having one or more common topics. A computer system detects a first electronic communication involving a first user and a first set of users. The computer system analyzes the first electronic communication to identify a topic and determines whether the identified topic matches a topic of a second electronic communication involving the first user and a second set of users. Responsive to the identified topic of the first electronic communication matching a topic of the second electronic communication, the computer system provides to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication involving the first user and the first and second sets of users.

Claims

1. A method for managing and synchronizing electronic communications having a common topic, the method comprising:

a computer system detecting a first electronic communication involving a first user and a first set of one or more users that has been brought into active view on a user interface of the computer system;

the computer system analyzing the first electronic communication to identify a topic of the first electronic communication;

the computer system determining whether the identified topic of the first electronic communication matches a topic of a second electronic communication involving the first user and a second set of one or more users; and

responsive to the identified topic of the first electronic communication matching a topic of the second electronic communication, the computer system providing to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication involving the first user and the first and second sets of one or more users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electronic communication and the second electronic communication are each selected from the group consisting of:

an e-mail message, an instant message, an electronic chat session, a web forum, a SMS text message, and a MMS text message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer system identifying an electronic communication medium that can be accessed by the first user and the first and second sets of one or more users, and wherein said providing to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprises the computer system providing to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication in the identified electronic communication medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprises providing to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users a link to an electronic communication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprises providing to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users an e-mail message or instant message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprises providing to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users an invitation for an electronic chat session or telephone conference call.

7. A computer system for managing and synchronizing electronic communications having a common topic, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer-readable memories, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to detect a first electronic communication involving a first user and a first set of one or more users that has been brought into active view on a user interface of the computer system;

program instructions to analyze the first electronic communication to identify a topic of the first electronic communication;

program instructions to determine whether the identified topic of the first electronic communication matches a topic of a second electronic communication involving the first user and a second set of one or more users; and

program instructions to, responsive to the identified topic of the first electronic communication matching a topic of the second electronic communication, provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication involving the first user and the first and second sets of one or more users.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the first electronic communication and the second electronic communication are each selected from the group consisting of:

an e-mail message, an instant message, an electronic chat session, a web forum, a SMS text message, and a MMS text message.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media further comprise program instructions to identify an electronic communication medium that can be accessed by the first user and the first and second sets of one or more users, and wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication in the identified electronic communication medium.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users a link to an electronic communication.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users an e-mail message or instant message.

12. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users an invitation for an electronic chat session or telephone conference call.

13. A computer program product for managing and synchronizing electronic communications having a common topic, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to detect a first electronic communication involving a first user and a first set of one or more users that has been brought into active view on a user interface of a computer system;

program instructions to analyze the first electronic communication to identify a topic of the first electronic communication;

program instructions to determine whether the identified topic of the first electronic communication matches a topic of a second electronic communication involving the first user and a second set of one or more users; and

program instructions to, responsive to the identified topic of the first electronic communication matching a topic of the second electronic communication, provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication involving the first user and the first and second sets of one or more users.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the first electronic communication and the second electronic communication are each selected from the group consisting of:

an e-mail message, an instant message, an electronic chat session, a web forum, a SMS text message, and a MMS text message.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media further comprise program instructions to identify an electronic communication medium that can be accessed by the first user and the first and second sets of one or more users, and wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication in the identified electronic communication medium.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users a link to an electronic communication.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users an e-mail message or instant message.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the program instructions to provide to the first user an option to initiate an electronic communication comprise program instructions to provide to the first user a selectable element for selection by the first user to transmit to the first and second sets of one or more users an invitation for an electronic chat session or telephone conference call.