Waiting prior to engaging in action for enhancement of automated service

• US 6,415,304 B1
• Filed: 05/17/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYYAN, SUSAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/313,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7-10, 709/700-863, 709/961-978, 709/204, 707/1-10, 707/500.1
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/216 using statistical methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/289 Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Waiting prior to engaging an automated service, for enhancement thereof, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method first determines an automated service to be performed. The method waits a predetermined time between a minimum time and a maximum time, before performing the automated service. In one embodiment, the method determines the predetermined time by performing a statistical regression as to the predetermined time that should be waited based on a length of a received text.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining an automated service to be performed;

determining a time to be waited prior to performing the automated service by performing a statistical regression as to the time based on a length of a received text;

waiting the time; and

,

performing the automated service.

2. A machine-readable medium having processor instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to cause performance of a method comprising:

determining an automated service to be performed in connection with a message;

determining a length of the message;

waiting a predetermined time between a minimum time and a maximum time, the predetermined time corresponding to the length of the message; and

performing the automated service.

3. The medium of claim 2, determining the predetermined time by performing a statistical regression as to the predetermined time that should be waited based on the length of the message.

4. The medium of claim 2, further comprising determining the predetermined time based on a model of at least one of a user'"'"'s goals, a user'"'"'s needs, or attention.

5. The medium of claim 2, further comprising determining the predetermined time based on at least one of:

real-time observations, a profile about user time preferences, and a direct specification of the user.

6. The medium of claim 2, wherein at least one of the minimum time and the maximum time is defined by a user.

7. A machine-readable medium having processor instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to cause performance of a method comprising:

determining an automated service to be performed;

determining a time to be waited prior to performing the automated service by performing a statistical regression as to the time based on a length of a received text;

waiting the time; and

,

performing the automated service.

8. A computerized system comprising:

a program in which a user is able to perform an action; and

,

an action direction program to determine an automated service to be performed in conjunction with the program after waiting a predetermined time between a minimum time and a maximum time.

9.The system of claim 8, wherein the action direction program determines the predetermined time by, for a text received, performing a statistical regression as to the predetermined time that should be waited based on a length of the text.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the minimum time and the maximum time is defined by a user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the action program comprises a computer program executed by a processor from a computer-readable medium.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the action direction program comprises a computer program executed by a processor from a computer-readable medium.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the action comprises one of scheduling, forwarding, paging, routing and moving.

13. A computerized system comprising:

a program in which a user is able to perform an action; and

,

an action direction program to determine an automated service to be performed in conjunction with the program after waiting a predetermined time between a minimum time and a maximum time, the predetermined time determined by performing a statistical regression as to the predetermined time based on a length of a received text.

14. The system of claim 14, wherein the action program comprises a computer program executed by a processor from a computer-readable medium.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the action direction program comprises a computer program executed by a processor from a computer-readable medium.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the action comprises one of scheduling, forwarding, paging, routing and moving.