Methods and systems to support adaptive multi-participant thread monitoring

• US 10,587,553 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 03/10/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entefy Inc.
• Original Assignee: Entefy Inc.
• Inventors: Ghafourifar, Alston, Ghafourifar, Mehdi, Ghafourifar, Brienne
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs, Lashonda T
• Application Number:
  US15/859,158
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatuses, methods, and computer readable media for improved message presentation to a user with respect to correlation of messages in a multi-participant message thread. Conversational awareness may be determined by analyzing contents of individual messages and assigning them to an existing context or creating a new context. Association of messages to contexts allows for grouping related messages related to their subject matter. Further, analysis of individual users within a multi-party communication stream (e.g., a thread with a group of participants) can be used to report previous and predict future user activity of a specific user. Groups of different sizes have been determined to sometimes have different participation dynamics. For example, people communicate differently in small groups versus large groups and within a given group, individual participation dynamics can be further analyzed. Disclosed systems learn and leverage this communication dynamic.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a first message at a first device, the first message from a first sending entity intended for a first set of users, the first message associated with a first multi-participant message thread;

parsing the first message to identify a first set of key identifiers within the first message;

categorizing the first message based on the first set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the first message with at least one first context;

receiving a second message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device, the second message from a second sending entity intended for a second set of users, the second set of users including each user of the first set of users;

parsing the second message to identify a second set of key identifies within the second message;

categorizing the second message based on the second set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the second message with at least one second context;

creating a first chunk association between the at least one first context and the at least one second context, the first chunk association based on similarities identified between the first set of key identifiers and the second set of key identifiers; and

using the first chunk association to provide an indication of a first chunk of related messages to a user selected from the first set of users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if there are one or more new recipients, the one or more new recipients representing users in the second set of users not in the first set of users; and

retrieving information representative of previous participation in a multi-participant message thread for at least one of the one or more new recipients.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of users equals the first set of users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sending entity is different than the first sending entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one key identifier from the first or second set of key identifiers is within the body of the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one key identifier from the first or second set of key identifiers is within the one or more attachments of the message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an indication of active user participation with respect to the first chunk of related messages as part of the indication of the first chunk of related messages.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication of active user participation with respect to the first chunk of related messages comprises a ratio of total users within the first multi-participant message thread to users within the first multi-participant message thread that have messages included in the first chunk of related messages.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device;

parsing the third message to identify a third set of key identifiers within the third message;

categorizing the third message based on the third set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the third message with at least one third context;

determining there are not sufficient similarities identified between the third set of key identifiers and either of the first or second set of key identifiers; and

maintaining the third message in the first multi-participant message thread independently of the first chunk of related messages.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a fourth message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device;

parsing the fourth message to identify a fourth set of key identifiers within the fourth message;

categorizing the fourth message based on the fourth set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the fourth message with at least one fourth context;

determining there are not sufficient similarities identified between the fourth set of key identifiers and either of the first or second set of key identifiers;

creating a second chunk association between the at least one fourth context and the at least one third context, the second chunk association based on similarities identified between the fourth set of key identifiers and the third set of key identifiers; and

using the second chunk association to provide an indication of a second chunk of related messages to the user selected from the first set of users.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second message is received at a time period between receipt of the third message and the fourth message and each of the first chunk association and second chunk association include messages from an overlapping time period.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions stored thereon to cause one or more processing units to:

receive a first message at a first device, the first message from a first sending entity intended for a first set of users, the first message associated with a first multi-participant message thread;

parse the first message to identify a first set of key identifiers within the first message;

categorize the first message based on the first set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the first message with at least one first context;

receive a second message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device, the second message from a second sending entity intended for a second set of users, the second set of users including each user of the first set of users;

parse the second message to identify a second set of key identifies within the second message;

categorize the second message based on the second set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the second message with at least one second context;

create a first chunk association between the at least one first context and the at least one second context, the first chunk association based on similarities identified between the first set of key identifiers and the second set of key identifiers; and

use the first chunk association to present an indication of a first chunk of related messages to a user selected from the first set of users.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising executable instructions to cause the one or more processing units to:

determine if there are one or more new recipients, the one or more new recipients representing users in the second set of users not in the first set of users; and

retrieve information representative of previous participation in a multi-participant message thread for at least one of the one or more new recipients.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising executable instructions to cause the one or more processing units to:

provide an indication of active user participation with respect to the first chunk of related messages as part of the indication of the first chunk of related messages.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the indication of active user participation with respect to the first chunk of related messages comprises a ratio of total users within the first multi-participant message thread to users within the first multi-participant message thread that have messages included in the first chunk of related messages.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising executable instructions to cause the one or more processing units to:

receive a third message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device;

parse the third message to identify a third set of key identifiers within the third message;

categorize the third message based on the third set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the third message with at least one third context;

determine there are not sufficient similarities identified between the third set of key identifiers and either of the first or second set of key identifiers; and

maintain the third message in the first multi-participant message thread independently of the first chunk of related messages.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising executable instructions to cause the one or more processing units to:

receive a fourth message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device;

parse the fourth message to identify a fourth set of key identifiers within the fourth message;

categorize the fourth message based on the fourth set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the fourth message with at least one fourth context;

determine there are not sufficient similarities identified between the fourth set of key identifiers and either of the first or second set of key identifiers;

create a second chunk association between the at least one fourth context and the at least one third context, the second chunk association based on similarities identified between the fourth set of key identifiers and the third set of key identifiers; and

use the second chunk association to provide an indication of a second chunk of related messages to the user selected from the first set of users.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a network communications interface;

a memory; and

one or more processing units, communicatively coupled to the memory and the network communications interface, wherein the memory stores instructions configured to cause the one or more processing units to;

receive a first message at a first device, the first message from a first sending entity intended for a first set of users, the first message associated with a first multi-participant message thread;

parse the first message to identify a first set of key identifiers within the first message;

categorize the first message based on the first set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the first message with at least one first context;

receive a second message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device, the second message from a second sending entity intended for a second set of users, the second set of users including each user of the first set of users;

parse the second message to identify a second set of key identifies within the second message;

categorize the second message based on the second set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the second message with at least one second context;

create a first chunk association between the at least one first context and the at least one second context, the first chunk association based on similarities identified between the first set of key identifiers and the second set of key identifiers; and

use the first chunk association to present an indication of a first chunk of related messages to a user selected from the first set of users.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

receive a third message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device;

parse the third message to identify a third set of key identifiers within the third message;

categorize the third message based on the third set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the third message with at least one third context;

determine there are not sufficient similarities identified between the third set of key identifiers and either of the first or second set of key identifiers; and

maintain the third message in the first multi-participant message thread independently of the first chunk of related messages.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processing units to:

receive a fourth message associated with the first multi-participant message thread at the first device;

parse the fourth message to identify a fourth set of key identifiers within the fourth message;

categorize the fourth message based on the fourth set of key identifiers, wherein categorizing includes associating the fourth message with at least one fourth context;

determine there are not sufficient similarities identified between the fourth set of key identifiers and either of the first or second set of key identifiers;

create a second chunk association between the at least one fourth context and the at least one third context, the second chunk association based on similarities identified between the fourth set of key identifiers and the third set of key identifiers; and

use the second chunk association to provide an indication of a second chunk of related messages to the user selected from the first set of users.