Acquisition and particular association of inference data indicative of inferred mental states of authoring users

• US 8,082,215 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Jung, Edward K. Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Levien, Royce A., Lord, Robert W., Malamud, Mark A., Rinaldo, John D. Jr., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US12/284,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20090292659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 706/11
• US Class Current: 706/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: acquiring a first inference data indicative of an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message, acquiring a second inference data indicative of an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message; and associating the first inference data and the second inference data with the particular item. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an inference data acquisition module configured to acquire inference data including a first inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message and a second inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message; and

an inference data association module configured to associate the first inference data and the second inference data with the particular item.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said inference data acquisition module configured to acquire inference data including a first inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message and a second inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message comprises:

an inference data reception module configured to receive at least the first inference data and the second inference data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said inference data reception module configured to receive at least the first inference data and the second inference data comprises:

an inference data reception module configured to receive a first inference data that was obtained based, at least in part, on one or more physical characteristics of the first authoring user sensed during or proximate to an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said inference data reception module configured to receive a first inference data that was obtained based, at least in part, on one or more physical characteristics of the first authoring user sensed during or proximate to an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user comprises:

an inference data acquisition module configured to receive a second inference data that was obtained based, at least in part, on one or more physical characteristics of the second authoring user sensed during or proximate to an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the second authoring user.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said inference data reception module configured to receive at least the first inference data and the second inference data comprises:

an inference data reception module configured to receive an indication of an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said inference data reception module configured to receive an indication of an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user comprises:

an inference data reception module configured to receive an indication of another action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the second authoring user.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said inference data acquisition module configured to acquire inference data including a first inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message and a second inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message comprises:

an inference data determination module configured to determine the first inference data based, at least in part, on one or more observed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and to determine the second inference data based, at least in part, on one or more observed physical characteristics of the second authoring user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said inference data determination module configured to determine the first inference data based, at least in part, on one or more observed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and to determine the second inference data based, at least in part, on one or more observed physical characteristics of the second authoring user further comprises:

a physical characteristic observation module configured to observe the one or more physical characteristics of the first authoring user during or proximate to a first action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user, and to observe the one or more physical characteristics of the second authoring user during or proximate to a second action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the second authoring user.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said inference data acquisition module configured to acquire inference data including a first inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message and a second inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message comprises:

a mental state inference module configured to infer a mental state of the first authoring user based, at least in part, on one or more observed physical characteristics of the first authoring user, and to infer a mental state of the second authoring user based, at least in part, on one or more observed physical characteristics of the second authoring user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said inference data association module configured to associate the first inference data and the second inference data with the particular item comprises:

an inference data inclusion module configured to include into the electronic message the first inference data and the second inference data into the electronic message.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said inference data inclusion module configured to include into the electronic message the first inference data and the second inference data into the electronic message comprises:

an inference data inclusion module configured to include into the electronic message an indication of an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said inference data inclusion module configured to include into the electronic message an indication of an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the first authoring user comprises:

an inference data inclusion module configured to include into the electronic message an indication of an action executed in connection with the particular item and performed, at least in part, by the second authoring user.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a source identity acquisition module configured to acquire source identity data including a first source identity data and a second source identity data, the first source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the first inference data and the second source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the second inference data.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said source identity acquisition module configured to acquire source identity data including a first source identity data and a second source identity data, the first source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the first inference data and the second source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the second inference data comprises:

an authoring user identification (ID) acquisition module configured to acquire identities of the first authoring user and the second authoring user.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said source identity acquisition module configured to acquire source identity data including a first source identity data and a second source identity data, the first source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the first inference data and the second source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the second inference data comprises:

an inference technique or model identification (ID) acquisition module configured to acquire one or more identities of one or more inference techniques or models used to derive the first inference data and the second inference data.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said source identity acquisition module configured to acquire source identity data including a first source identity data and a second source identity data, the first source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the first inference data and the second source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the second inference data comprises:

a database or library identification (ID) acquisition module configured to acquire one or more identities of one or more databases or libraries used to derive the first inference data and the second inference data.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said source identity acquisition module configured to acquire source identity data including a first source identity data and a second source identity data, the first source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the first inference data and the second source identity data providing one or more identities of one or more sources that provide a basis for the second inference data comprises:

a sensor identification (ID) acquisition module configured to acquire one or more identities of one or more sensors used to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data being based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, respectively.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a source identity association module configured to associate the first source identity data and the second source identity data with the particular item.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said source identity association module configured to associate the first source identity data and the second source identity data with the particular item comprises:

a source identity association module configured to associate with the particular item identities of the first authoring user and the second authoring user.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said source identity association module configured to associate the first source identity data and the second source identity data with the particular item comprises:

a source identity association module configured to associate with the particular item one or more identities of one or more inference techniques or models used to derive the first inference data and the second inference data.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said source identity association module configured to associate the first source identity data and the second source identity data with the particular item comprises:

a source identity association module configured to associate with the particular item one or more identities of one or more databases or libraries used to derive the first inference data and the second inference data.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said source identity association module configured to associate the first source identity data and the second source identity data with the particular item comprises:

a source identity association module configured to associate with the particular item one or more identities of one or more sensors used to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data being based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, respectively.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said source identity association module configured to associate the first source identity data and the second source identity data with the particular item comprises:

a source identity inclusion module configured to include into the electronic message the first source identity data and the second source identity data.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

one or more sensors configured to sense at least one cerebral characteristic of the first authoring user or the second authoring user.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

one or more sensors configured to sense at least one cardiopulmonary characteristic of the first authoring user or the second authoring user.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

one or more sensors configured to sense at least one systemic physiological characteristic of the first authoring user or the second authoring user.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) device.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

a functional near-infrared imaging (fNIR) device.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

an electroencephalography (EEG) device.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

a magnetoencephalography (MEG) device.

32. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, comprises:

at least one of a galvanic skin sensor device, a heart rate sensor device, a blood pressure sensor device, or a respiration sensor device.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user comprises:

at least one of a facial expression sensor device or a skin characteristic sensor device.

34. The system of claim 24, wherein said one or more sensors to sense physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user, the first inference data and the second inference data derived based, at least in part, on the sensed physical characteristics of the first authoring user and the second authoring user comprises:

a voice response device.

35. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry for acquiring inference data including a first inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message and a second inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message; and

circuitry for associating the first inference data and the second inference data with the particular item.

36. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium bearing;

one or more instructions for acquiring inference data including a first inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a first authoring user in connection with a particular item of an electronic message and a second inference data that indicates an inferred mental state of a second authoring user in connection with the particular item of the electronic message; and

one or more instructions for associating the first inference data and the second inference data with the particular item.