Message management method

• US 9,565,154 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2016
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bastide, Paul R., Broomhall, Matthew E., Loredo, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cox, Natisha
• Application Number:
  US15/224,792
• Time in Patent Office: 190 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A method for managing computer based messaging involves monitoring messages collectively making up a communication history; identifying related messages within the communication history; automatically analyzing the related messages, using natural language analytics, based upon: (i) subject, (ii) sentiment, (iii) context, and (iv) frequency of transmittals, wherein the analyzing comprises assigning at least: a first value based upon sentiment, a second value based upon content, and a third value based upon frequency; calculating a trend score as a function of the first value, second value and third value; comparing the trend score to a threshold value; and automatically generating and issuing at least one of: (i) a summary of the related messages, or (ii) a timing based notification message, when the trend score reflects a change over time corresponding to at least: an increasing or decreasing trend, an inflection point, a variation outside a tolerance amount, a sine or cosine pattern.

Claims

1. A method for managing computer based messaging comprising:

A) monitoring messages transmitted among persons within a messaging system over time, the messaging system comprising computer devices, each having at least one processor, at least some of the computer devices being individually associated with each of the persons, wherein the messages are stored in non-transitory storage, and wherein the messages collectively comprise a communication history;

B) identifying related messages within the communication history;

C) automatically analyzing the related messages, spanning a time interval, within the communication history, using a processor and natural language analytics, the analyzing being based upon;

(i) subject of each of the related messages,

(ii) sentiment within each message of the related messages,

(iii) context of each of the related messages, and

(iv) frequency of transmittals of the related messages,

wherein the analyzing comprises assigning, using the processor, at least;

a first value based upon the sentiment, a second value based upon content, and a third value based upon frequency;

D) calculating a messaging trend score for the related messages as a function of the first value, second value and third value;

E) comparing the messaging trend score to a pre-specified threshold value; and

F) automatically generating and issuing to at least one of the persons, using the processor, at least one of;

(i) a summary of the related messages, or

(ii) a timing based notification message to at least one of the persons,

when the messaging trend score reflects a change over time that corresponds to at least one member from the group consisting of;

an increasing trend, a decreasing trend, an inflection point, a variation outside a tolerance amount, a sine pattern, or a cosine pattern.