System and method for analyzing communications
First Claim
1. A method for analyzing one or more user'"'"'s communication messages that contain communications from a plurality of contacts, the method comprising:
- a) accessing a plurality of communication messages; and
b) processing the plurality of communication messages, wherein the processing of the plurality of communication messages includes;
1) identifying the plurality of contacts;
2) assigning a relative priority ranking to each of the plurality of contacts based on the plurality of communication messages; and
3) inferring relationships between or among the contacts, and relationships between the one or more users and the contacts based on the plurality of communication messages;
wherein the relative priority rankings assigning step includes assigning the relative priority rankings based on an equation;
Importance=Kx1+Lx2+Mx3+Nx4,wherein;
x1=a number of messages the user replies to from the originating contact;
x2=a number of messages the user sends to the contact excluding replies;
x3=a number of reply messages from the contact;
x4=a combined total of messages that are not composed by the user in which the contact is mentioned in the cc or to lines, plus messages from the contact that are not replies; and
K, L, M and N are constant weightings.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a system and method for analyzing a collection of communication messages. The communication messages may be any one of a collection of electronic mail messages, voicemail messages, instant messaging dialogues and other forms of communications. The collections of communications, such as electronic mail messages, may be selected by a user and then subsequently processed to determine the identity of any of the user'"'"'s contacts within the communications. The contacts may then be arranged in a relative priority arrangement whereby contacts which have been identified as engaging in prior reciprocal communications with the user are given higher priority. Higher priority may also be given to contacts which engage in more recent communications with the user. Specific contact relationships may be inferred from the communications depending on whether specific contacts are repeatedly mentioned within the communication messages.
130 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for analyzing one or more user'"'"'s communication messages that contain communications from a plurality of contacts, the method comprising:
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a) accessing a plurality of communication messages; and b) processing the plurality of communication messages, wherein the processing of the plurality of communication messages includes; 1) identifying the plurality of contacts; 2) assigning a relative priority ranking to each of the plurality of contacts based on the plurality of communication messages; and 3) inferring relationships between or among the contacts, and relationships between the one or more users and the contacts based on the plurality of communication messages; wherein the relative priority rankings assigning step includes assigning the relative priority rankings based on an equation;
Importance=Kx1+Lx2+Mx3+Nx4,wherein; x1=a number of messages the user replies to from the originating contact; x2=a number of messages the user sends to the contact excluding replies; x3=a number of reply messages from the contact; x4=a combined total of messages that are not composed by the user in which the contact is mentioned in the cc or to lines, plus messages from the contact that are not replies; and K, L, M and N are constant weightings. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for processing user communication files to determine identities of contacts within the communication files, to prioritize relative importance of the contacts identified and to infer relationships between the contacts, the method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of communication files, wherein the communication files involve a plurality of different contacts; reviewing the plurality of communication files to identify contacts, to assign relative priority rankings to the contacts, and to infer relationships between or among the contacts and relationships between the one or more users and the contacts; and outputting the identities of the contacts identified in the communication files, the relative contact priority rankings and any inferred relationships; wherein the relative priority rankings assigning step includes assigning the relative priority rankings based on an equation;
Importance=Kx1+Lx2+Mx3+Nx4,wherein; x1=a number of messages the user replies to from the originating contact; x2=a number of messages the user sends to the contact excluding replies; x3=a number of reply messages from the contact; x4=a combined total of messages that are not composed by the user in which the contact is mentioned in the cc or to lines, plus messages from the contact that are not replies; and K, L, M and N are constant weightings. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for identifying a user'"'"'s potential contacts, relatively prioritizing these potential contacts, and inferring any relationships between these potential contacts based on a plurality of stored messages, the method comprising:
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a) analyzing the plurality of stored messages, the analyzing including; 1) identifying the potential contacts within the stored messages; 2) assigning relative priority rankings to the respective identified potential contacts based on the plurality of stored messages; and 3) inferring relationships between the potential contacts mentioned in the stored messages based on the stored messages; and b) receiving from the user, approvals of the potential contacts that have been identified and priority ranked; wherein the relative priority rankings assigning step includes assigning the relative priority rankings based on an equation;
Importance=Kx1+Lx2+Mx3+Nx4,wherein; x1=a number of messages the user replies to from the originating contact; x2=a number of messages the user sends to the contact excluding replies; x3=a number of reply messages from the contact; x4=a combined total of messages that are not composed by the user in which the contact is mentioned in the cc or to lines, plus messages from the contact that are not replies; and K, L, M and N are constant weightings. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification