DETERMINING PROBABLE TOPICS OF CONVERSATION BETWEEN USERS OF TWO COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20150172461A1
• Filed: 12/12/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte., Ltd. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cudak, Gary D., Do, Lydia M., Hardee, Christopher J., Roberts, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,456,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4365 based on information specified by the calling party, e.g. priority or subject
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A computer program product includes computer readable program code for identifying a proposed call between a caller using a first communication device and a recipient using a second communication device, computer readable program code for determining probable topics of conversation of the proposed call, and computer readable program code for displaying the probable topics of conversation on either the first communication device, the second communication device or both the first and second communication devices before the proposed call is connected.

Claims

1. A computer program product including computer readable program code embodied on a computer readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for identifying a proposed call between a caller using a first communication device and a recipient using a second communication device;

computer readable program code for determining probable topics of conversation of the proposed call; and

computer readable program code for displaying the probable topics of conversation on either the first communication device, the second communication device, or both the first and second communication devices before the proposed call is connected.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer readable program code for displaying the probable topics of conversation includes computer readable program code for indicating which of the probable topics of conversation are favored for discussion, which of the probable topics of conversation should be avoided, or which of the probable topics are tentatively acceptable for discussion.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing a previous conversation between the caller using the first communication device and the recipient using the second communication device to identify keywords associated with a probable topic of conversation.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing the most recent conversations involving the caller using the first communication device to identify keywords associated with a probable topic of conversation.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, further comprising:

computer readable program code for increasing a probability of a probable topic of conversation in response to detecting that the probable topic of conversation has seen an increase in prevalence on news websites or trending higher on online social media.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing most recent conversations between the caller using the first communication device and at least one other person to identify keywords associated with a probable topic of conversation, wherein the caller, the recipient and the at least one other person are all members of the same social group.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing recent messages exchanged between the caller using the first communication device and the recipient using the second communication device to identify keywords associated with a probable topic of conversation, wherein the messages are selected from email messages, text message, voicemail messages, and combinations thereof.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing content recently viewed by the caller using the first communication device to identify keywords associated with a probable topic of conversation.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer readable program code for increasing a probability associated with a probable topic of conversation as a function of an amount of time the caller using the first communication device has viewed the content or the number of websites recently viewed that contain about the same probable topic of conversation.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing recent posts to an identified social media account of the caller using the first communication device to identify keywords associated with a probable topic of conversation.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, where the computer readable program code for determining a probable topic of conversation of the proposed call includes computer readable program code for analyzing an identified social media account of the caller to identify a recent change in relationship status of the caller.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an indication of probability associated with each of the probable topics of conversation.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the probability associated with each of the probable topics of conversation is based upon a factor selected from a number of calls involving the caller within a recent time frame on the probable topic, a number of social media posts or blog entries of the caller on the probable topic, an amount of time the caller has spent viewing online content on the probable topic, a number of recent updates on a predetermined news website on the probable topic, and combinations thereof.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the identity of a person, other than the recipient, in proximity to the second communication device;

determining which of the probable topics of conversation are to be avoided based on the identity of the person in proximity to the second communication device; and

displaying the probable topics of conversation to the caller on the first communication device along with an indication of which of the probable topics of conversation are to be avoided.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the second communication device or a network server determine which of the probable topics of conversation are to be avoided.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable program code for determining the identity of a person, other than the recipient, in proximity to the second communication device includes:

computer readable program code for using a camera on the second communication device to capture an image and analyzing the image using a facial recognition software module to identify the person from among a stored contact list;

computer readable program code for using a microphone on the second communication device to capture sounds and analyzing the sounds using a voice recognition software module to identify the person from among a stored contact list;

or

computer readable program code for using a wireless receiver on the second communication device to detect another communication device in proximity of the second communication device and determine the identity of a person whose communication device is detected by the wireless receiver.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code for determining which of the probable topics of conversation are to be avoided based on the identity of the person in proximity to the second communication device includes computer readable program code for determining whether the person has a negative sentiment about each of the probable topics of conversation and identifying the probable topics of conversation for which the person has been determined to have a negative sentiment.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable program code for determining whether the person has a negative sentiment about each of the probable topics of conversation includes computer readable program code for analyzing previous conversations with the person or posts to a social media account of the person.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable program code for determining which of the probable topics of conversation are to be avoided based on the identity of the person in proximity to the second communication device includes computer readable program code for determining whether the identified people are younger than a predetermined age restriction for the probable topics.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable program code for determining which of the probable topics of conversation are to be avoided based on the identity of the person in proximity to the second communication device includes computer readable program code for determining whether the recipient is using a speakerphone.