Item attention tracking system and method

• US 8,924,375 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Bilsborough, Michael Terrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, HAU HAI
• Application Number:
  US13/484,896
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing

Abstract

User activity performed on an electronic data item is detected on a computing system. A record of the user activity is stored in an activity log that may be associated with the item, or in a separate file or system. The user activity is later scored, the score being based on one or more factors, including the user activity performed, characteristics of the electronic data item, and the user who performed the action. Optionally, activity logs from various computing systems may be combined into a master activity log. A request for a search is received, a search is performed, and ranked results of the search are presented to the requestor. Optionally, scores for a given user activity and electronic data item are combined with other scores, based on the activities being common, the item being common to the one or more activities, or other factors, according to user configuration.

Claims

1. A computing system implemented process comprising:

receiving indication that a user performed a user activity associated with an electronic data item;

determining the user activity that the user performed;

storing a record of the user activity in an activity log that is associated with the electronic data item;

determining if a search of user activity previously recorded in at least one activity log is desired or if there is additional user activity to record;

if a search is not desired, determining if there is additional user activity to detect and storing a record of the additional user activity in the activity log;

if a search is desired, aggregating activity logs, at a master scoring computing system from a plurality of computing systems, prior to scoring any of the user activities;

scoring the user activity by mapping the user activity to a score listed in a scoring table, wherein scoring takes place prior to receiving any search request;

storing score information in the aggregated activity logs;

receiving a search request for information relating to electronic data items, the request having search parameters and being issued by a requester, wherein the search request is received at the master scoring computing system, and wherein the search is performed at the master scoring computing system;

responsive to the search request, performing a search of the aggregated activity logs, resulting in search results matching the search parameters; and

presenting the search results to the requester.

2. The computing system implemented process of claim 1, wherein the activity log is a metadata file stored with the electronic data.

3. The computing system implemented process of claim 1 wherein the activity log is separate from the electronic data items.

4. The computing system implemented process of claim 1 wherein the requester is the user, the search parameters include scoring requirements, and the results are organized according to a cumulated score associated with each electronic data item.

5. The computing system implemented process of claim 1 further comprising:

distributing a scoring table from a master scoring computing system to the computing system, the scoring table comprising one or more score table user activities and score table scores to be associated with the one or more user activities, when the activity log is scored.

6. The computing system implemented process of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a default scoring table, the default scoring table for use when scoring the user activities, wherein the process is configured to replace the default scoring table with a newly received scoring template, responsive to receiving a new scoring table from a master scoring computing system.

7. The computing system implemented process of claim 1 further wherein the scoring table comprises a score table score and a score table user activity, the score table user activity being selected from the group consisting of:

forwarding the electronic data item to another user, opening the electronic data item,

clicking on a hyperlink embedded within the electronic data item,

reading through the electronic data item, and

scrolling through at least a portion of the electronic data item.

8. The computing system implemented process of claim 1 further comprising:

modifying a score attributed to a user activity performed on the electronic data item based on one or more characteristics of the electronic data item.

9. The computing system implemented process of claim 8 further wherein modifying a score attributed to a user activity performed on the electronic data item comprises increasing or decreasing the score normally associated with a particular user activity based on the electronic data item having one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

the electronic data item being tagged by any user as being important,

the electronic data item being an email having a subject that has more uppercase letters than lowercase letters,

the electronic data item being an email that was received by more than a predetermined number of recipients.

10. A system comprising:

one or more computing processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more computing processors, the one or more memories having stored therein instructions which when executed by the one or more computing processors, perform a process comprising;

receiving indication that a user performed a user activity associated with an electronic data item;

determining the user activity that the user performed;

storing a record of the user activity in an activity log that is associated with the electronic data item;

determining if a search of user activity previously recorded in at least one activity log is desired or if there is additional user activity to record;

if a search is not desired, determining if there is additional user activity to detect and storing a record of the additional user activity in the activity log;

if a search is desired, aggregating activity logs, at a master scoring computing system from a plurality of computing systems, prior to scoring any of the user activities;

scoring the user activity by mapping the user activity to a score listed in a scoring table, wherein scoring takes place prior to receiving any search request;

storing score information in the aggregated activity logs;

receiving a search request for information relating to electronic data items, the request having search parameters and being issued by a requester, wherein the search request is received at the master scoring computing system, and wherein the search is performed at the master scoring computing system;

responsive to the search request, performing a search of the aggregated activity logs, resulting in search results matching the search parameters; and

presenting the search results to the requester.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the activity log is a metadata file stored with the electronic data item.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the activity log is separate from the electronic data item.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the requester is the user, the search parameters include scoring requirements, and the results are organized according to a cumulated score associated with each item.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

distributing a scoring table from a master scoring computing system to the computing system, the scoring table comprising one or more score table user activities and score table scores to be associated with the one or more user activities, when the activity log is scored.

15. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

providing a default scoring table, the default scoring table for use when scoring the user activities, wherein the process is configured to replace the default scoring table with a newly received scoring template, responsive to receiving a new scoring table from a master scoring computing system.

16. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

modifying a score attributed to a user activity performed on the electronic data item based on one or more characteristics of the electronic data item.

17. The system of claim 16 further wherein modifying a score attributed to a user activity performed on the electronic data item comprises increasing or decreasing the score normally associated with a particular user activity based on the electronic data item having one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

the electronic data item being tagged by any user as being important, the electronic data item being an email having a subject that has more uppercase letters than lowercase letters,

the electronic data item being an email that was received by more than a predetermined number of recipients.

18. A computing program product comprising:

a non-transitory computing system readable storage medium, the computing system readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed by one or more computing processors, perform a process comprising;

receiving an indication that a user performed a user activity associated with an electronic data item;

determining the user activity that the user performed;

storing a record of the user activity in an activity log that is associated with the electronic data item;

if a search is not desired, determining if there is additional user activity to detect and storing a record of the additional user activity in the activity log;

determining if a search of user activity previously recorded in at least one activity log is desired or if there is additional user activity to record;

if a search is desired, aggregating activity logs, at a master scoring computing system from a plurality of computing systems, prior to scoring any of the user activities;

scoring the user activity by mapping the user activity to a score listed in a scoring table, wherein scoring takes place prior to receiving any search request;

storing score information in the aggregated activity logs;

receiving a search request for information relating to electronic data items, the request having search parameters and being issued by a requester, wherein the search request is received at the master scoring computing system, and wherein the search is performed at the master scoring computing system;

responsive to the search request, performing a search of the aggregated activity logs, resulting in search results matching the search parameters; and

presenting the search results to the requester.