System and method for solving ambiguous meanings of unknown words used in instant messaging

• US 7,933,960 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Li, Xiao, Lun, Li, Yongcheng
• Primary Examiner(s): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US11/966,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 709202-207, 709226-229
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A system and method for identifying an unknown word'"'"'s likely definition based upon a common social networking group is presented. A user receives a message and selects an unknown word in the message. In turn, the recipient client identifies a common social networking group between the sending client and the recipient client. The recipient client then uses the common social networking group to identify the unknown word'"'"'s definitions using one or more unknown word repositories, such as the sending client unknown word repository, the recipient client unknown word repository, or a mutual client unknown word repository, which corresponds to a mutual client included in the common social networking group. Once the recipient client identifies the unknown word'"'"'s definitions, the recipient client orders and displays the definitions based upon the common social networking group and social networking group frequency values.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a message from a sending client at a recipient client, the recipient client including a processor;

detecting, by the processor, an unknown word selection at the recipient client, wherein the unknown word selection corresponds to an unknown word included in the message, the unknown word having a plurality of definitions;

identifying, by the processor, a common social networking group between the sending client and the recipient client by matching a sending client user profile with a recipient client user profile, the sending client user profile corresponding to the sending client and the recipient client user profile corresponding to the recipient client;

determining, by the processor, whether the unknown word is included in an unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word in the unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the unknown word repository, selecting, by the processor, one of the plurality of definitions included in the unknown word repository that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

providing the selected definition to a user at the recipient client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the unknown word repository is a sending client unknown word repository that corresponds to the sending client, the method further comprising:

in response to determining that the unknown word is not included in the unknown word repository, retrieving a recipient client unknown word repository that corresponds to the recipient client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in the recipient client unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word included in the recipient client unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of recipient client definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the recipient client unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of recipient client definitions that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

displaying the selected recipient client definition at the recipient client.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

retrieving a recipient client user profile that corresponds to the recipient client;

using the recipient client user profile to identify a social networking group frequency order, wherein the common social networking group is first in the social networking group frequency order and other social networking groups are ordered based upon a corresponding social networking group frequency value for each of the other social networking groups that is included in the recipient client user profile;

organizing the plurality of recipient client definitions into a definition order based upon the social networking group frequency order; and

displaying the plurality of recipient client definitions in the definition order.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

in response to determining that the unknown word is not included in the recipient client unknown word repository, identifying a mutual client that is included in the identified common social networking group;

receiving a mutual client unknown word repository that corresponds to the mutual client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word included in the mutual client unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of mutual client definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of mutual client definitions that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

displaying the selected mutual client definition at the recipient client.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, including the unknown word and corresponding mutual client definitions from the mutual client unknown word repository in the sending client unknown word repository and the recipient client unknown word repository.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

requesting a sending client user profile from the sending client;

in response to the request, receiving the sending client user profile;

using the sending client user profile to identify a social networking group frequency order, wherein the common social networking group is first in the social networking group frequency order and other social networking groups are ordered based upon a corresponding social networking group frequency value for each of the other social networking groups that is included in the sending client user profile;

organizing the plurality of sending client definitions into a definition order based upon the social networking group frequency order; and

displaying the plurality of sending client definitions in the definition order.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of definitions of the unknown word are based upon a context in which the unknown word is utilized.

8. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media, the computer operable media containing instructions for execution by a computer, which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to implement a method of identifying a definition of an unknown word, the method comprising:

receiving a message from a sending client at a recipient client;

detecting an unknown word selection at the recipient client, wherein the unknown word selection corresponds to an unknown word included in the message, the unknown word having a plurality of definitions;

identifying a common social networking group between the sending client and the recipient client by matching a sending client user profile with a recipient client user profile, the sending client user profile corresponding to the sending client and the recipient client user profile corresponding to the recipient client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in an unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word in the unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of definitions included in the unknown word repository that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

providing the selected definition to a user at the recipient client.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the unknown word repository is a sending client unknown word repository that corresponds to the sending client, the method further comprising:

in response to determining that the unknown word is not included in the unknown word repository, retrieving a recipient client unknown word repository that corresponds to the recipient client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in the recipient client unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word included in the recipient client unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of recipient client definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the recipient client unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of recipient client definitions that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

displaying the selected recipient client definition at the recipient client.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises:

retrieving a recipient client user profile that corresponds to the recipient client;

using the recipient client user profile to identify a social networking group frequency order, wherein the common social networking group is first in the social networking group frequency order and other social networking groups are ordered based upon a corresponding social networking group frequency value for each of the other social networking groups that is included in the recipient client user profile;

organizing the plurality of recipient client definitions into a definition order based upon the social networking group frequency order; and

displaying the plurality of recipient client definitions in the definition order.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the unknown word is not included in the recipient client unknown word repository, identifying a mutual client that is included in the identified common social networking group;

receiving a mutual client unknown word repository that corresponds to the mutual client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word included in the mutual client unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of mutual client definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of mutual client definitions that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

displaying the selected mutual client definition at the recipient client.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, including the unknown word and corresponding mutual client definitions from the mutual client unknown word repository in the sending client unknown word repository and the recipient client unknown word repository.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

requesting a sending client user profile from the sending client;

in response to the request, receiving the sending client user profile;

using the sending client user profile to identify a social networking group frequency order, wherein the common social networking group is first in the social networking group frequency order and other social networking groups are ordered based upon a corresponding social networking group frequency value for each of the other social networking groups that is included in the sending client user profile;

organizing the plurality of sending client definitions into a definition order based upon the social networking group frequency order; and

displaying the plurality of sending client definitions in the definition order.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of definitions of the unknown word are based upon a context in which the unknown word is utilized.

15. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by one or more of the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by one or more of the processors; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory, wherein one or more processors execute the set of instructions in order to perform actions of;

receiving a message from a sending client at a recipient client;

detecting an unknown word selection at the recipient client, wherein the unknown word selection corresponds to an unknown word included in the message, the unknown word having a plurality of definitions;

identifying a common social networking group between the sending client and the recipient client by matching a sending client user profile with a recipient client user profile, the sending client user profile corresponding to the sending client and the recipient client user profile corresponding to the recipient client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in an unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word in the unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of definitions included in the unknown word repository that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

providing the selected definition to a user at the recipient client.

16. The information handling system of claim 15 wherein the unknown word repository is a sending client unknown word repository that corresponds to the sending client, the information handling system comprising an additional set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

in response to determining that the unknown word is not included in the unknown word repository, retrieving a recipient client unknown word repository that corresponds to the recipient client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in the recipient client unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word included in the recipient client unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of recipient client definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the recipient client unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of recipient client definitions that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

displaying the selected recipient client definition at the recipient client.

17. The information handling system of claim 16 further comprising an additional set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

retrieving a recipient client user profile that corresponds to the recipient client;

using the recipient client user profile to identify a social networking group frequency order, wherein the common social networking group is first in the social networking group frequency order and other social networking groups are ordered based upon a corresponding social networking group frequency value for each of the other social networking groups that is included in the recipient client user profile;

organizing the plurality of recipient client definitions into a definition order based upon the social networking group frequency order; and

displaying the plurality of recipient client definitions in the definition order.

18. The information handling system of claim 16 further comprising an additional set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

in response to determining that the unknown word is not included in the recipient client unknown word repository, identifying a mutual client that is included in the identified common social networking group;

receiving a mutual client unknown word repository that corresponds to the mutual client;

determining whether the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, wherein each unknown word included in the mutual client unknown word repository corresponds to a plurality of mutual client definitions;

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, selecting one of the plurality of mutual client definitions that corresponds to the unknown word, wherein the selection is based upon the identified common social networking group; and

displaying the selected mutual client definition at the recipient client.

19. The information handling system of claim 18 further comprising an additional set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

in response to determining that the unknown word is included in the mutual client unknown word repository, including the unknown word and corresponding mutual client definitions from the mutual client unknown word repository in the sending client unknown word repository and the recipient client unknown word repository.

20. The information handling system of claim 15 further comprising an additional set of instructions in order to perform actions of:

requesting a sending client user profile from the sending client;

in response to the request, receiving the sending client user profile;

using the sending client user profile to identify a social networking group frequency order, wherein the common social networking group is first in the social networking group frequency order and other social networking groups are ordered based upon a corresponding social networking group frequency value for each of the other social networking groups that is included in the sending client user profile;

organizing the plurality of sending client definitions into a definition order based upon the social networking group frequency order; and

displaying the plurality of sending client definitions in the definition order.