Utilizing E-mail response time statistics for more efficient and effective user communication

• US 8,296,376 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goldberg, Itzhack, Kahn, Bruce A., Mizrachi, Boaz, O'Brien, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): JAKOVAC, RYAN J
• Application Number:
  US12/411,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method of increasing email correspondence responsiveness may include detecting a first set of email messages transmitted by a first correspondent to a second correspondent, creating a tracking record based on the responsiveness of the second correspondent to each email message of the first set of email messages, performing a first statistical analysis of the tracking record, generating a set of responsiveness metrics based on the first statistical analysis, detecting new outgoing email messages addressed to the second correspondent, and providing a user-configurable email message format for each detected outgoing message, the user-configurable email message format. According to the example embodiment, the user-configurable email message format is configured to increase effective email response time from the second correspondent and the user-configurable email message format is based on the set of responsiveness metrics.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of increasing email correspondence responsiveness, the method comprising:

detecting, at a computer processor, a first set of email messages transmitted by a first correspondent to a second correspondent;

creating a tracking record based on the responsiveness of the second correspondent to each email message of the first set of email messages;

performing a first statistical analysis of the tracking record;

generating a set of responsiveness metrics based on the first statistical analysis;

detecting new outgoing email messages addressed to the second correspondent; and

providing a user-configurable email message format for each detected outgoing message, the user-configurable email message format being configured to increase effective email response time from the second correspondent, and the user-configurable email message format being based on the set of responsiveness metrics;

wherein the user-configurable email message format includes a set of selectable alert options to the first correspondent using a set of user interface controls, and

wherein the set of selectable alert options includes a first option and a second option, the first option being for a first alert to be provided if the expected time at which the second correspondent will send a reply message to the new outgoing email message has passed, and the second option for a second alert to be provided upon the first correspondent composing a follow-up email message to the new outgoing email message to the second correspondent in the message composition window if the expected time at which the second correspondent will send a reply message to the new outgoing email message has not passed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a formatted representation of the set of responsiveness metrics to the first correspondent within an email client associated with the first correspondent, the email client storing the first set of email messages in a message store.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second set of email messages transmitted by the second correspondent to the first correspondent;

updating the tracking record based on the responsiveness of the second correspondent associated with each email message of the second set of email messages;

performing a second statistical analysis of the second set of email messages transmitted to the second correspondent; and

generating the set of responsiveness metrics based on the first statistical analysis and the second statistical analysis.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the second set of email messages includes a set of reply messages and a set of read receipt messages, each reply message of the set of reply messages having been sent by the second correspondent to the first correspondent in response to a corresponding message of the first set of email messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the set of reply messages indicates times at which a reply message was sent; and

the set of read receipt messages indicates elapsed times between a time at which a corresponding message of the first set of email messages was accessed by the second correspondent and a time at which said corresponding message was transmitted.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein detecting the second set of email messages comprises parsing each message of messages stored in an email client associated with the first correspondent to identify messages sent from the second correspondent to the first correspondent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of responsiveness metrics includes an average time metric, a median time metric, a maximal time metric, and a minimal time metric for response time periods associated with the first set of email messages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the set of responsiveness metrics includes at least one responsiveness metric based on a first set of response time periods;

each response time period of the first set of response time periods describes an amount of time elapsed between the time indicated by a respective reply message of the second set of email messages at which a respective reply message was sent in response to a corresponding message of the first set of email messages for the respective reply message;

the set of responsiveness metrics includes at least one responsiveness metric based on a set of email access time periods;

each response time period of the set of email access time periods describes the time at which a corresponding message of the first set of email messages for a respective reply message was first opened following delivery indicated by a respective read receipt message of the second set of email messages.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first set of email messages comprises parsing each message of messages stored in an email client associated with the first correspondent to identify messages sent from the first correspondent to the second correspondent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented within an email client, and wherein a representation describing the set of responsiveness metrics is displayed using a set of user interface controls provided through a user interface implemented by the email client.

11. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a computer executable program instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer executable program instructions, when executed by a computer processor, directs the computer processor to perform a method of increasing email correspondence responsiveness, the method comprising:

detecting a first set of email messages transmitted by a first correspondent to a second correspondent;

creating a tracking record based on the responsiveness of the second correspondent to each email message of the first set of email messages;

performing a first statistical analysis of the tracking record;

generating a set of responsiveness metrics based on the first statistical analysis;

detecting new outgoing email messages addressed to the second correspondent; and

providing a user-configurable email message format for each detected outgoing message, the user-configurable email message format being configured to increase effective email response time from the second correspondent, and the user-configurable email message format being based on the set of responsiveness metrics;

wherein the user-configurable email message format includes a set of selectable alert options to the first correspondent using a set of user interface controls, and

wherein the set of selectable alert options includes a first option and a second option, the first option being for a first alert to be provided if the expected time at which the second correspondent will send a reply message to the new outgoing email message has passed, and the second option for a second alert to be provided upon the first correspondent composing a follow-up email message to the new outgoing email message to the second correspondent in the message composition window if the expected time at which the second correspondent will send a reply message to the new outgoing email message has not passed.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a formatted representation of the set of responsiveness metrics to the first correspondent within an email client associated with the first correspondent, the email client storing the first set of email messages in a message store.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting a second set of email messages transmitted by the second correspondent to the first correspondent;

updating the tracking record based on the responsiveness of the second correspondent associated with each email message of the second set of email messages;

performing a second statistical analysis of the second set of email messages transmitted to the second correspondent; and

generating the set of responsiveness metrics based on the first statistical analysis and the second statistical analysis.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the second set of email messages includes a set of reply messages and a set of read receipt messages, each reply message of the set of reply messages having been sent by the second correspondent to the first correspondent in response to a corresponding message of the first set of email messages.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the set of reply messages indicates times at which a reply message was sent; and

the set of read receipt messages indicates elapsed times between a time at which a corresponding message of the first set of email messages was accessed by the second correspondent and a time at which said corresponding message was transmitted.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein detecting the second set of email messages comprises parsing each message of messages stored in an email client associated with the first correspondent to identify messages sent from the second correspondent to the first correspondent.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of responsiveness metrics includes an average time metric, a median time metric, a maximal time metric, and a minimal time metric for response time periods associated with the first set of email messages.

18. An email correspondence system comprising:

a first computer apparatus configured to provide email access to a first user through an email client executed on the first computer apparatus; and

a second computer apparatus in communication with the first computer apparatus, the second computer apparatus configured to provide email access to a second user through an email client executed on the second computer apparatus;

wherein computer readable instructions are stored in a memory of the second computer apparatus and the computer readable instructions, when executed by a processor of the second computer apparatus, cause the processor to execute a method of increasing email correspondence responsiveness, the method comprising;

detecting a first set of email messages transmitted by the second user to the first user;

creating a tracking record stored in the memory based on the responsiveness of the first user to each email message of the first set of email messages;

performing a first statistical analysis of the tracking record;

generating a set of responsiveness metrics based on the first statistical analysis;

detecting new outgoing email messages addressed to the first user; and

providing a user-configurable email message format for each detected outgoing message, the user-configurable email message format being configured to increase effective email response time from the first user, and the user-configurable email message format being based on the set of responsiveness metrics;

wherein the user-configurable email message format includes a set of selectable alert options to the first correspondent using a set of user interface controls, and

wherein the set of selectable alert options includes a first option and a second option, the first option being for a first alert to be provided if the expected time at which the second correspondent will send a reply message to the new outgoing email message has passed, and the second option for a second alert to be provided upon the first correspondent composing a follow-up email message to the new outgoing email message to the second correspondent in the message composition window if the expected time at which the second correspondent will send a reply message to the new outgoing email message has not passed.