Thread identification and classification
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for grouping an electronic message into one of a plurality of threads, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of search criteria comprising a subject, a date range and set of correspondents;
performing a search query on a plurality of electronic messages within a storage device, the search query being based on the plurality of search criteria;
identifying the electronic message stored within the storage device based on the subject, the date range and the set of correspondents;
retrieving the electronic message from the storage device, the storage device being coupled via a network to a computer having a computer display;
parsing the electronic message to identify a message subject, a message date and a message set of correspondents of the electronic message;
identifying a first subset of the plurality of threads comprising;
a thread subject that matches the message subject of the electronic message;
the subject defining a first search criteria from which a plurality of electronic messages are searched, the plurality of electronic messages comprising the first subset;
a thread date range within which the message date of the electronic message is located, the thread date range defining a second search criteria from which the plurality of electronic messages are searched;
identifying a second subset of threads, the second subset comprising a subset of the first subset, that comprise the same correspondents as the set of correspondents of the electronic message;
responsive to the second subset comprising a single thread, adding the electronic message to the thread; and
displaying on the computer display a representation of the single thread including the electronic message.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System, methods and apparatus for analyzing electronic messages and grouping them into threads are described. In addition, the present invention may classify threads based on their relationship to other threads.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method for grouping an electronic message into one of a plurality of threads, comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of search criteria comprising a subject, a date range and set of correspondents; performing a search query on a plurality of electronic messages within a storage device, the search query being based on the plurality of search criteria; identifying the electronic message stored within the storage device based on the subject, the date range and the set of correspondents; retrieving the electronic message from the storage device, the storage device being coupled via a network to a computer having a computer display; parsing the electronic message to identify a message subject, a message date and a message set of correspondents of the electronic message; identifying a first subset of the plurality of threads comprising; a thread subject that matches the message subject of the electronic message;
the subject defining a first search criteria from which a plurality of electronic messages are searched, the plurality of electronic messages comprising the first subset;a thread date range within which the message date of the electronic message is located, the thread date range defining a second search criteria from which the plurality of electronic messages are searched; identifying a second subset of threads, the second subset comprising a subset of the first subset, that comprise the same correspondents as the set of correspondents of the electronic message; responsive to the second subset comprising a single thread, adding the electronic message to the thread; and displaying on the computer display a representation of the single thread including the electronic message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for grouping an electronic message into one of a plurality of threads, comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of search criteria comprising a subject, a date range and set of correspondents; performing a search query on a plurality of electronic messages within a storage device, the search query being based on the plurality of search criteria; identifying the electronic message stored within the storage device based on the subject, the date range and the set of correspondents; retrieving the electronic message from the storage device, the storage device being coupled via a network to a computer having a computer display; parsing the electronic message to identify a thread identifying header and a set of message correspondents; identifying a first subset of the plurality of existing threads that match the thread identifying header, the thread identifying header comprising a subject line and a temporal characteristic related to a date range in which electronic communication occurred, both the subject line and the temporal characteristic are search criteria from which a plurality of electronic messages are searched, the plurality of electronic messages comprising the first subset; identifying a second subset of threads, the second subset comprising a subset of the first subset, that comprise the same correspondents as the set of message correspondents of the electronic message; responsive to the second subset comprising a single thread, adding the electronic message to the thread; and displaying on the computer display a representation of the single thread including the electronic message. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for grouping an electronic message into one of a plurality of existing threads, comprising:
-
receiving a plurality of search criteria comprising a subject, a date range and set of correspondents; performing a search query on a plurality of electronic messages within a storage device, the search query being based on the plurality of search criteria; identifying the electronic message stored within the storage device based on the subject, the date range and the set of correspondents; retrieving the electronic message from the storage device, the storage device being coupled via a network to a computer having a computer display; parsing the electronic message to identify one or more header fields; responsive to identifying a thread identifying header; comparing the thread identifying header with each of the plurality of existing threads to identify a first set of the plurality of existing threads that matches the thread identifying header; comparing a first set of correspondents of the electronic message with a second set of correspondents of each set of the first set of threads to identify a first preferred thread with the same set of correspondents; adding the electronic message to the first preferred thread responsive to not identifying a thread identifying header; comparing a message subject and a message date of the electronic message with a thread subject and a thread date range of each of the plurality of existing threads to identify a second set of the plurality of existing threads to which the electronic message may belong; comparing a set of message correspondents of the electronic message with a set of thread correspondents of each set of the second set of threads to identify a second preferred thread with the same set of correspondents; adding the electronic message to the second preferred thread with the same set of correspondents; and displaying on the computer display a representation of the single thread including the electronic message. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
Specification