Managing delivery of electronic messages

• US 8,924,497 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ent Services Development Corporation LP (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheridan, William A., Wick, Corey W., Risov, Marie, Kasravi, Kas, Mayes, Stephen F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desrosiers, Evans
• Application Number:
  US11/941,737
• Publication Number:
  US 20090132662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,601 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a method for managing delivery of electronic messages includes receiving an electronic message, the electronic message having an intended recipient, and analyzing the electronic message to determine a priority for the electronic message. The method further includes determining, based on the determined priority for the electronic message; whether to deliver the electronic message to the intended recipient at the current time. If it is determined, based on the determined priority for the electronic message, that the electronic message should be delivered to the intended recipient at the current time, delivery of the electronic message to the intended recipient is initiated.

Claims

1. A method for managing delivery of electronic messages, comprising:

receiving an electronic message, the electronic message having an intended recipient and comprising content;

analyzing the electronic message to determine a priority of the electronic message in relation to at least one other electronic message, wherein determining the priority comprises;

computing a numeric priority value of the electronic message; and

determining a priority level based on the computed numeric priority value, the priority of the electronic message comprising the priority level, wherein the priority level is one of a plurality of priority levels, each priority level associated with a corresponding range of numeric priority values;

wherein determining the priority level of the electronic message comprises;

determining a particular range of numeric priority values within which the computed priority value falls; and

determining that the priority level of the electronic message comprises the priority level that corresponds to the particular range of numeric priority values;

determining, based on the determined priority of the electronic message, whether to deliver the electronic message to the intended recipient at the current time;

if it is determined, based on the determined priority of the electronic message, that the electronic message should be delivered to the intended recipient at the current time, initiating delivery of the electronic message to the intended recipient;

receiving feedback from the intended recipient, the feedback comprising an indication of whether the electronic message should have been delivered in the manner in which the electronic message was delivered; and

using one or more machine learning techniques to determine whether to generate update one or more analyzer heuristics for determining priority of future electronic messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic message to determine the priority of the electronic message comprises:

accessing a set of analyzer heuristics comprising one or more analyzer heuristics; and

analyzing the first electronic message based on the accessed set of analyzer heuristics to determine the priority of the electronic message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more heuristics in the set of analyzer heuristics comprises one or more rules related to one or more of the following:

a white list;

a black list;

a subject of the electronic message;

a calendar of the intended recipient; and

workplace semantics.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the electronic message to determine the priority of the electronic message comprises using a machine learning mechanism to determine the priority of the electronic message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined priority comprises a numeric priority value.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising comparing the priority to a priority threshold to determine whether to send the electronic message.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising, if it is determined based on the determined priority of the electronic message that the electronic message should not be delivered to the intended recipient at the current time, initiating holding of the electronic message for delivery to the intended recipient at a later time.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, if it is determined that the electronic message should be held for delivery at a later time, reanalyzing the electronic message after the passage of a particular amount of time to determine whether to initiate delivery of the electronic message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the manner in which the electronic message was delivered comprises one or more of:

whether the electronic message should have been delivered to the intended recipient; and

whether the electronic message should have been delivered to the intended recipient at the time at which the electronic message was delivered.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises one or more of the following:

an email message;

an instant message (IM);

a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) message; and

a text message.

11. A system for managing delivery of electronic communications, comprising:

a memory device operable to store one or more analyzer heuristics; and

one or more processing devices operable to;

receive an electronic message, the electronic message having an intended recipient and comprising content;

analyze the electronic message, based on one or more of the analyzer heuristics, to determine a priority of the electronic message in relation to at least one other electronic message, wherein when the processing device determines the priority, the processing device;

computes a numeric priority value of the electronic message; and

determines a priority level based on the computed numeric priority value, the priority of the electronic message comprising the priority level, wherein the priority level is one of a plurality of priority levels, each priority level associated with a corresponding range of numeric priority values;

wherein when the processing device determines the priority level of the electronic message, the processing device;

determines a particular range of numeric priority values within which the computed priority value falls; and

determines that the priority level of the electronic message comprises the priority level that corresponds to the particular range of numeric priority values;

determine, based on the determined priority of the electronic message, whether to deliver the electronic message to the intended recipient at the current time;

if it is determined, based on the determined priority of the electronic message, that the electronic message should be delivered to the intended recipient at the current time, initiate delivery of the electronic message to the intended recipient;

receive feedback from the intended recipient, the feedback comprising an indication of whether the electronic message should have been delivered in the manner in which the electronic message was delivered; and

use one or more machine learning techniques to determine whether to generate update one or more analyzer heuristics for determining priority of future electronic messages.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more analyzer heuristics comprise one or more rules related to one or more of the following:

a white list;

a black list;

a subject of the electronic message;

a calendar of the intended recipient; and

workplace semantics.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein analyzing the electronic message to determine the priority of the electronic message comprises using a machine learning mechanism to determine the priority of the electronic message.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the determined priority comprises a numeric priority value.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to compare the priority to a priority threshold to determine whether to send the electronic message.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein one or more processing units are operable to, if it is determined based on the determined priority of the electronic message that the electronic message should not be delivered to the intended recipient at the current time, initiate holding of the electronic message for delivery to the intended recipient at a later time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing units are further operable to, if it is determined that the electronic message should be held for delivery at a later time, reanalyze the electronic message after the passage of a particular amount of time to determine whether to initiate delivery of the electronic message.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the manner in which the electronic message was delivered comprises one or more of:

whether the electronic message should have been delivered to the intended recipient; and

whether the electronic message should have been delivered to the intended recipient at the time at which the electronic message was delivered.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the electronic message comprises one or more of the following:

an email message;

an instant message (IM);

a voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) message; and

a text message.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive an electronic message, the electronic message having an intended recipient and comprising content;

analyze the electronic message to determine a priority of the electronic message in relation to at least one other electronic message, wherein when the processor determines the priority, the processor;

computes a numeric priority value of the electronic message; and

determines a priority level based on the computed numeric priority value, the priority of the electronic message comprising the priority level, wherein the priority level is one of a plurality of priority levels, each priority level associated with a corresponding range of numeric priority values;

wherein when the processor determines the priority level of the electronic message, the processor;

determines a particular range of numeric priority values within which the computed priority value falls; and

determines that the priority level of the electronic message comprises the priority level that corresponds to the particular range of numeric priority values;

determine, based on the determined priority of the electronic message, whether to deliver the electronic message to the intended recipient at the current time;

if it is determined, based on the determined priority of the electronic message, that the electronic message should be delivered to the intended recipient at the current time, initiate delivery of the electronic message to the intended recipient;

receive feedback from the intended recipient, the feedback comprising an indication of whether the electronic message should have been delivered in the manner in which the electronic message was delivered; and

use one or more machine learning techniques to determine whether to generate update one or more analyzer heuristics for determining priority of future electronic messages.