Methods and systems for analyzing email messages

• US 8,032,604 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gozoom.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gozoom.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Yu, Tonny
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park; Jeong S
• Application Number:
  US12/559,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Multiple modules are provided, each one of which is configured to analyze email messages in a different manner than other ones of the modules. For a received email message, a plurality of the modules are used to determine one or more module outputs indicative of a level of sameness of the received email message with one or more prior email messages. At least two of the modules being used are each assigned a non-zero weight indicative of the performance level of the module. An overall level of sameness of the received email message with one or more prior email messages is determined by combining the module outputs of at least two of the plurality of modules using the non-zero weights assigned to the modules.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing email messages, comprising:

(a) providing multiple modules each one of which is configured to analyze email messages in a different manner than other ones of the modules;

(b) for each of a plurality of received email messages, using a plurality of the modules to each independently determine a module output indicative of a level of sameness of the received email message with one or more prior email messages, wherein at least two of the modules being used are each assigned a non-zero weight indicative of the performance level of the module;

(c) for each of the plurality of received email messages, determining an overall level of sameness of the received email message with one or more prior email messages by combining the module outputs of at least two of the plurality of modules using the non-zero weights assigned to the modules;

(d) monitoring performance levels of the modules; and

(e) adjusting the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules based on their performance levels;

wherein at least one of steps (a), (b) and (c) is performed using at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

classifying each of the plurality of received email messages into one of a plurality of different categories by

determining, based on the overall level of sameness determined for the received email message, whether the received email message is considered the same as one of the one or more prior email messages that has already been classified into one of the categories;

if the received email message is not considered the same as one of the one or more prior email messages that has already been classified into one of the categories, then performing a set of computations to thereby classify the received email message into one of the categories; and

if the received email message is considered the same as one of the one or more prior email messages that has already been classified into one of the categories, then classifying the received email message in the same category as the prior email message that the received email message is considered to be the same as, without performing the set of computations for the received email message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

classifying each of the plurality of received email messages into one of a plurality of different categories by performing a set of computations, at least one of which uses the overall level of sameness determined for the received email message in a computation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules at step (e) includes increasing the non-zero weight of at least one of the modules and reducing the non-zero weight of at least another one of the modules.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting of the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules at step (e) is performed using Bayesian analysis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

step (d) includes measuring the performance of at least two of the modules against a known standard using Bayesian analysis; and

step (e) includes adjusting the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules using results of the Bayesian analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) discontinuing use of one or more of the modules, based on the performance levels of the modules.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

step (f) includes discontinuing use of a lowest performing one of the modules.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) discontinuing use of one or more of the modules determined to be redundant.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) discontinuing use of one or more of the modules, based comparisons of incremental values that the modules provide to costs of executing the modules.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

step (f) includes discontinuing use of a said module, whose incremental value that the said module provides does not justify the cost of executing the said module.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the modules determines a single module output for each of the plurality of received email messages.

13. A system for analyzing email messages, comprising:

one or more computer implemented processor for executing instructions included in one or more non-transitory machine-readable medium, the one or more non-transitory machine-readable medium including;

instructions for providing multiple modules each one of which is configured to analyze email messages in a different manner than other ones of the modules;

instructions for receiving email messages;

instructions for using a plurality of the modules to each independently determine a module output indicative a level of sameness of each of a plurality of received email messages with one or more prior email messages, wherein at least two of the modules being used are each assigned a non-zero weight indicative of the performance level of the module;

instructions for determining, for each of the plurality of received email messages, an overall level of sameness of the received email message with one or more prior email messages by combining the module outputs of at least two of the plurality of modules using the non-zero weights assigned to the modules;

instructions for monitoring performance levels of the modules; and

instructions for adjusting the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules based on their performance levels;

wherein the one or more non-transitory machine readable medium stores the instructions.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for classifying each of the plurality of received email messages into one of a plurality of different categories, including

instructions for determining, based on the overall level of sameness determined for the received email message, whether the received email message is considered the same as one of the one or more prior email messages that has already been classified into one of the categories;

instructions for performing a set of computations to thereby classify the received email message into one of the categories, if the received email message is not considered the same as one of the one or more prior email messages that has already been classified into one of the categories; and

instructions for classifying the received email message in the same category as the prior email message that the received email message is considered to be the same as, without performing the set of computations for the received email message, if the received email message is considered the same as one of the one or more prior email messages that has already been classified into one of the categories.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for classifying each of the plurality of received email messages into one of a plurality of different categories by performing a set of computations, at least one of which uses the overall level of sameness determined for the received email message in a computation.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions for adjusting of the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules includes instructions for increasing the non-zero weight of at least one of the modules and reducing the non-zero weight of at least another one of the modules.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions for adjusting of the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules includes instructions for using Bayesian analysis.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the instructions for monitoring performance levels of the modules includes instructions for measuring the performance of at least two of the modules against a known standard using Bayesian analysis; and

the instructions for adjusting the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules based on their performance levels includes instructions for adjusting the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules using results of the Bayesian analysis.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for discontinuing use of one or more of the modules, based on the performance levels of the modules.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions for discontinuing use of one or more of the modules includes instructions for discontinuing use of a lowest performing one of the modules.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for discontinuing use of one or more of the modules determined to be redundant.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

instructions for discontinuing use of one or more of the modules, based comparisons of incremental values that the modules provide to costs of executing the modules.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the instructions for discontinuing use of one or more of the modules includes instructions for discontinuing use of a said module, whose incremental value that the said module provides does not justify the cost of executing the said module.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the modules determines a single module output for each of the plurality of received email messages.

25. A system for analyzing email messages, comprising:

multiple modules each one of which is configured to analyze email messages in a different manner than other ones of the modules; and

a server configured to receive email messages;

wherein a plurality of the modules are used to each independently determine a module output indicative a level of sameness of each of a plurality of received email messages with one or more prior email messages;

wherein at least two of the modules being used are each assigned a non-zero weight indicative of the performance level of the module; and

wherein the server is configured to determine an overall level of sameness of each of the plurality of received email messages with one or more prior email messages by combining the module outputs of at least two of the plurality of modules using the non-zero weights assigned to the modules;

wherein the server is configured to monitor performance levels of the modules; and

wherein the server is configured to adjust the non-zero weights of at least two of the modules based on their performance levels.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the multiple modules are independent processes that are implemented by the server.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein each of the modules determines a single module output for each of the plurality of received email messages.