SUGGESTING RELATED ITEMS

• US 20140181219A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Hui, Wang, Yanling, Kalvass, Jeffrey, Jaffe, Diana, Pickford, Misty
• Granted Patent: US 10,270,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Recommendations, such as recipients and attachments, are determined from content that is associated with a message item. A user may enter one or more: recipients; attachments; and message content for the message that may be used in determining recommendations. Keywords may also be identified by analyzing the content of the message to determine recommended content/recipients. Behavior patterns may also be used to determine recommendations. The recommended users/content of a message may be obtained from a messaging program, a local data store, a network data store, a cloud service, and the like. The recommended items (e.g. users/content) determined from analyzing the content are displayed such that they may be used by the user when editing the message item. The recommended items may be ranked by relevancy using metrics such as keywords, people, time last viewed and use patterns.

Claims

1. A method for recommending items, comprising:

accessing an electronic message item that is displayed for composing;

determining content from the electronic message item;

accessing data sources comprising at least two of. potential recipients for the message item;

potential attachments for the message item; and

potential content for the message item;

determining recommended items from the data sources; and

displaying the items near the electronic message item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the recommended items comprises determining a list of recommended participants for the electronic message item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the list of recommended participants for the electronic message item comprises determining a suggested recipient and frequent contacts associated with a sender of the message item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the recommended items comprises determining recommended attachments for the electronic message item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the list of recommended participants for the electronic message item comprises determining a suggested recipient and frequent contacts associated with a sender of the message item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein accessing the data sources comprises accessing a messaging program comprising calendar items and contacts and a local data store.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising accessing a cloud service that provides electronic messaging services.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the items near the electronic message item comprises displaying suggested contacts and frequent contacts based on at least one of. an entered recipient of the electronic message item and an attachment to the electronic message item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the items near the electronic message item comprises displaying suggested contacts, frequent contacts, suggested documents, and recently viewed documents based on at least one of. an entered recipient of the electronic message item and an attachment to the electronic message item.

10. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for recommending items, comprising:

accessing a message item that is displayed for composing at least one of. an electronic message and an electronic appointment invitation;

determining content from the message item;

accessing data sources comprising potential users to include potential recipients for the task;

potential attachments for the task; and

potential content for the task;

determining recommended items from the data sources; and

displaying the items near the message item.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining the recommended items comprises determining a list of recommended contacts to associated with the message item including determining a suggested contact and frequent contacts.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein determining the recommended items comprises determining recommended attachments for the message item.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein accessing the data sources comprises accessing a messaging program comprising calendar items and contacts.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising accessing a cloud service that provides electronic messaging services.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein displaying the items near the message item comprises displaying suggested contacts and frequent contacts based on at least one of. an entered recipient of the message item and an attachment to the message item.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein displaying the items near the message item comprises displaying suggested contacts, frequent contacts, suggested documents, and recently viewed documents based on at least one of. an entered recipient of the message item and an attachment to the message item.

17. A system for recommending items, comprising:

a display that is configured to receive touch input;

a processor and memory;

an operating environment executing using the processor;

a display; and

a recommendation manager that is configured to perform actions comprising;

accessing a message item that is displayed for composing at least one of. an electronic message and an electronic appointment invitation;

determining content from the message item;

accessing data sources comprising potential users to include potential recipients for the task;

potential attachments for the task; and

potential content for the task;

determining recommended items from the data sources; and

displaying the items near the message item.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the recommended items comprises determining a list of recommended contacts to associated with the message item including determining a suggested contact and frequent contacts.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the recommended items comprises determining recommended attachments for the message item.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein displaying the items near the message item comprises displaying suggested contacts, frequent contacts, suggested documents, and recently viewed documents based on at least one of. an entered recipient of the message item and an attachment to the message item.