Predicting email response patterns

• US 8,862,519 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'Sullivan, Patrick Joseph, Stern, Edith Helen, Weir, Robert Cameron, Willner, Barry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): PELLETT, DANIEL T
• Application Number:
  US12/344,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An email activity pattern of a user is analyzed. A time probability for the user to act on an email sent to the user is determined based upon, at least in part, the email activity pattern of the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a selection of a user from at least one recipient of a drafted email before the drafted email is sent;

determining, by the computing device, an email activity pattern of the user by analyzing a plurality of factors associated with an email inbox of the user including analyzing email activity of the user with a plurality of senders;

determining, by the computing device, based upon, at least in part, the email activity pattern, a time probability for the user to act on an email sent to the user, wherein determining the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is based upon, at least in part, timing of the email sent to the user and the email activity of the user with the plurality of senders, wherein the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is determined for a plurality of time periods; and

displaying, by the computing device, the plurality of time periods and associated time probabilities for the user to act on the email sent to the user on a computing device via a pop-up from the drafted email, wherein the pop-up includes a read option and a reply option to filter displayed results based upon, at least in part, the time probability for the user to read the email and the time probability for the user to reply to the email;

wherein the time probability includes the plurality of time periods and a probability of the user responding to an email within each of the plurality of time periods.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of factors includes determining a previous time for the user to act on one or more previous emails.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of factors includes determining a change in time for the user to act on a plurality of previous emails.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of factors is based upon, at least in part, a work schedule of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is the time probability for the user to read the email.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is the time probability for the user to respond to the email.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user comprises determining an inbox status for the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is based upon, at least in part, an attribute of the email.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the timing of the email sent to the user includes a time of day.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a selection of a user from at least one recipient of a drafted email before the drafted email is sent;

determining an email activity pattern of the user by analyzing a plurality of factors associated with an email inbox of the user including analyzing email activity of the user with a plurality of senders;

determining, based upon, at least in part, the email activity pattern, a time probability for the user to act on an email sent to the user, wherein determining the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is based upon, at least in part, timing of the email sent to the user and the email activity of the user with the plurality of senders, wherein the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is determined for a plurality of time periods; and

displaying the plurality of time periods and associated time probabilities for the user to act on the email sent to the user on a computing device via a pop-up from the drafted email, wherein the pop-up includes a read option and a reply option to filter displayed results based upon, at least in part, the time probability for the user to read the email and the time probability for the user to reply to the email;

wherein the time probability includes the plurality of time periods and a probability of the user responding to an email within each of the plurality of time periods.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the plurality of factors includes determining a previous time for the user to act on one or more previous emails.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the plurality of factors includes determining a change in time for the user to act on a plurality of previous emails.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of factors is based upon, at least in part, a work schedule of the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is the time probability for the user to read the email.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is the time probability for the user to respond to the email.

16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the instructions for determining the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user comprise instructions for determining an inbox status for the user.

17. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein determining the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is based upon, at least in part, an attribute of the email.

18. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the timing of the email sent to the user includes a time of day.

19. A computing system comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one memory architecture coupled with the at least one processor;

a first software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the first software module is configured to receive a selection of a user from at least one recipient of a drafted email before the drafted email is sent;

a second software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the second software module is configured to determine an email activity pattern of the user by analyzing a plurality of factors associated with an email inbox of the user including analyzing email activity of the user with a plurality of senders;

a third software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the third software module is configured to determine, based upon, at least in part, the email activity pattern, a time probability for the user to act on an email sent to the user, wherein the second software module is configured to determine the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user is based upon, at least in part, timing of the email sent to the user and the email activity of the user with the plurality of senders, wherein the second software module is configured to determine the time probability for the user to act on the email sent to the user for a plurality of time periods; and

a fourth software module executed on the at least one processor and the at least one memory architecture, wherein the fourth software module is configured to display the plurality of time periods and associated time probabilities for the user to act on the email sent to the user on a computing device via a pop-up from the drafted email, wherein the pop-up includes a read option and a reply option to filter displayed results based upon, at least in part, the time probability for the user to read the email and the time probability for the user to reply to the email;

wherein the time probability includes the plurality of time periods and a probability of the user responding to an email within each of the plurality of time periods.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of factors includes determining a previous time for the user to act on one or more previous emails.

21. The computing system of claim 19, wherein the timing of the email sent to the user includes a time of day.