METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATIVE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20150081826A1
• Filed: 11/24/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tagatoo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tagatoo Incorporated
• Inventors: Borna, Amir
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

A communication system includes a communication server configured to receive a request to generate a communication and receive a request to associate the communication with one or more classifications from a plurality of classifications. The system further includes a store coupled to the communication server and configured to store the communications and/or store the classification received in the association request. The classifications are associated with a request for information from a recipient of the communication. The classifications are associated with a request for information from a recipient of the communication, a request for sharing information with the recipient of the communication, and a request for action from the recipient of the communication.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a. a client processor configured to provide a client application comprising;

i. a software generating module configured to provide an interface to generate a communication life cycle by composing an electronic communication and assigning to the electronic communication one or more pieces of classification data from a plurality of pieces of classification data, wherein a first piece of classification data indicates an inquiry, a second piece of classification data indicates a task, and a third piece of classification data indicates an FYI, and wherein the interface comprises one or more interface elements to assign the one or more pieces of classification data to the electronic communication, and wherein the one or more pieces of classification data are stored in metadata of the electronic communication;

ii. a software receiving module configured to receive the electronic communication, identify an electronic communication type based on the metadata of the electronic communication, and organize the electronic communication according to the electronic communication type, the electronic communication type comprising an inquiry, a task, or an FYI; and

iii. a software responding module configured to provide an interface to respond to the electronic communication, wherein a response to a task electronic communication comprises one or more of accepting the task, declining the task, indicating an amount completion of the task, and delegating the task to another recipient, and wherein a response to an inquiry electronic communication comprises one or more of responding to the inquiry electronic communication, forwarding the inquiry electronic communication to another recipient, and deleting the inquiry electronic communication, and wherein a response to an FYI electronic communication requires generation of another communication life cycle; and

b. a server comprising a store and a server processor configured to provide a server application comprising;

a software parsing module configured to parse and store the metadata of the electronic communication, wherein the stored metadata comprises classification data and one or more of;

identification information of a user sending the electronic communication, identification information of a user receiving the electronic communication, a task start date, a task due date, a task completion date, an inquiry due date, a dependency between more than one task, a dependency between more than one inquiry, and a dependency between more than one user.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the classification data further comprises a user defined classification.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the software receiving module configured to receive the electronic communication is configured to allow or disallow delivery of the electronic communication based on the one or more classification data assigned to the electronic communication.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the allowance or disallowance is based on a user hierarchy, a user preference, an organization hierarchy, or an organization preference.

16. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communication classified as a task or an inquiry comprises a time limit by which to complete the task or respond to the inquiry, respectively.

17. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communication comprises a header and a body, the header and body stored with the metadata.

18. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the electronic communication comprises an email, an instant message, a text message, or a voice message.

19. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a software tracking module configured to generate and send a tracking electronic communication to a sender of a delegation when a recipient of the delegation responds by accepting or declining the delegation, the tracking electronic communication comprising a response to the delegation.

20. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the server comprises:

a. a software tracking module configured to track the communication life cycle by storing a status of the task or the inquiry, the status of the task or the inquiry extracted from the electronic communication metadata; and

b. a software update transmission module configured to transmit the status to the client processor.

21. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the status comprises one or more of a percent completion, a delegation of at least part of the task, ownership of the task, ownership of the inquiry, acceptance of the task, declining of the task, the task start date, the task due date, the task completion date, and a priority for completion of the task or the inquiry.

22. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the software tracking module is configured to track the communication life cycle by storing a plurality of statuses between a plurality of tasks, the plurality of statuses defining a hierarchy of the plurality of tasks.

23. The communication system of claim 20, the software tracking module is configured to track the communication life cycle by storing a plurality of statuses between a plurality of inquiries, the plurality of statuses defining a hierarchy of the plurality of inquiries.

24. The communication system of claim 20, the software tracking module is configured to track the communication life cycle by storing a plurality of statuses between a plurality of tasks and a plurality of inquiries, the plurality of statuses defining a hierarchy of the plurality of tasks and the plurality of inquiries.

25. The communication system of claim 20, wherein the client processor comprises a software receiving module configured to receive the status from the server and update the metadata of the electronic communication with the status.

26. The communication system of claim 25, wherein the client processor comprises a software displaying module configured to parse the metadata and display the status of the task, the inquiry, or the task and the inquiry.

27. The communication system of claim 26, wherein the client processor further comprises a software reporting module configured to generate a report based on one or more of the classification data and the metadata, the report comprising one or more of a delegation chart, a list, a Gantt chart, a timeline chart, and a calendar.

28. The communication system of claim 27, wherein the report comprises a first status of a first task, the first status comprising a percent complete.

29. The communication system of claim 28, wherein the report comprises a second status of a second task, the second task related to the first task, dependent on the first task, delegated from the first task, or a combination thereof.

30. The communication system of claim 29, wherein the second status comprises a percent complete.

31. The communication system of claim 27, wherein the client processor is configured to communicate the report to members of a communication life cycle group.

32. The communication system of claim 31, wherein the report provides a collaborative overview of the communication life cycle.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

33. A communication system comprising:

a. a client processor configured to provide a client application comprising;

i. a software generating module configured to provide an interface to generate a communication life cycle by composing an electronic communication and assigning to the electronic communication one or more pieces of classification data from a plurality of pieces of classification data, wherein a first piece of classification data indicates a request for action and a second piece of classification data indicates an FYI, and wherein the interface comprises one or more interface elements to assign the one or more pieces of classification data to the electronic communication, and wherein the one or more pieces of classification data are stored in metadata of the electronic communication;

ii. a software receiving module configured to receive the electronic communication, identify the electronic communication type based on the metadata of the electronic communication, and organize the electronic communication according to the electronic communication type, the electronic communication type comprising a request for action or an FYI; and

iii. a software responding module configured to provide an interface to respond to the electronic communication, wherein a response to a request for action electronic communication comprises one or more of accepting the request for action, declining the request for action, indicating an amount completion of the request for action, and delegating the request for action to another recipient, and wherein a response to an FYI electronic communication requires generation of another communication life cycle,

b. a server comprising a store and a server processor configured to provide a server application comprising;

a software parsing module configured to parse and store the metadata of the electronic communication, wherein the stored metadata comprises classification data and one or more of;

identification information of a user sending an electronic communication, identification information of a user receiving an electronic communication, a request for action start date, a request for action due date, a request for action completion date, a dependency between more than one request for action, and a dependency between more than one user.

34. The communication system of claim 33, wherein the software receiving module configured to receive the electronic communication is configured to allow or disallow delivery of the communication based on the one or more classification data assigned to the communication.

35. The communication system of claim 33, wherein the allowance or disallowance is based on a user hierarchy, a user preference an organization hierarchy, or an organization preference.

36. The communication system of claim 33, wherein the request for action comprises a task or an inquiry.

37. The communication system of claim 33, wherein the server comprises:

a. a software tracking module configured to track the communication life cycle by storing a status of the request for action, the status of the request for action extracted from the electronic communication metadata; and

b. a software update transmission module configured to transmit the status to the client processor.

38. The communication system of claim 37, wherein the status comprises one or more of a percent complete, a delegation of at least part of the request for action, ownership of the request for action, acceptance of the request for action, declining the request for action, the request for action start date, the request for action due date, and the request for action completion date.

39. The communication system of claim 37, wherein the software tracking module is configured to track the communication life cycle by storing a plurality of statuses between a plurality of requests for action, the plurality of statuses defining a hierarchy of the plurality of requests for action.

40. The communication system of claim 37, wherein the client processor comprises a software receiving module configured to receive the status from the server and update the metadata of the electronic communication with the status.

41. The communication system of claim 40, wherein the client processor further comprises a software reporting module configured to generate a report based on one or more of the classification data and the metadata, the report comprising one or more of a delegation chart, a list, a Gantt chart, a timeline chart, and a calendar.