Method and apparatus for filtering incoming information using a search engine and stored queries defining user folders

• US 6,226,630 B1
• Filed: 07/22/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Billmers, Meyer Alvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Application Number:
  US09/120,780
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 345/356, 345/968, 345/333, 707/3-7, 707/206, 707/1, 707/200, 707/500, 707/201, 707/219, 707/229, 707/225
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/31 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A new system for organizing received messages for a user does not require the user to examine and categorize each received message, and enables the user to conveniently and efficiently modify filtering rules used to define folders that organize received messages. The system includes a received information database for storing received messages. One or more message filters are provided, for example where a separate message filter is provided to handle each specific message source or message type. Each message filter generates indices corresponding to portions of the received messages it processes. The message filters store the indices into a database index such that the indices are associated with the message and message portions to which they correspond. The system includes a plurality of message folders, such that received messages are organized based on a predetermined set of message characteristics. The system stores a search query within each folder. When the user requests to view the contents of a given folder, the search query for that folder is passed to a search engine. The search engine generates search results based on the search query and a search of the received message index. Messages are thus associated with the given folder, as defined by the search query, and appear to the user to be contained within that folder. In an example embodiment, the system includes an alert engine which periodically determines whether a message has been received that matches alert characteristics provided by the user.

Claims

1. A system for organizing received information for a user, comprising:

a received information database storing a received message;

a filter responsive to said received message, said filter generating indices of portions of said received message, said filter storing said indices into a index database such that said indices (i) are associated with said portions and said received message, and (ii) enable subsequent retrieval of said received message from a search on the indices;

a plurality of message folders, each folder storing a previously defined search query; and

a search engine coupled to said received information database, said index database and said plurality of message folders, in response to user selection of a desired one of the message folders the search engine (i) searching at least said index database for received messages satisfying a search query stored in the user selected message folder and (ii) enabling display of received messages satisfying said search query, such that received messages appear to a user to be stored in the user selected message folder.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a viewing graphical user interface for receiving indication of said user selected one of the message folders.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a query graphical user interface for inputting said previously defined search query in one or more of said message folders in the plurality of message folders.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said portions of said received message are words and the index database is a text database.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said received message further comprises a number of fields, wherein said database index is organized into sub-indexes, each one of said sub-indexes corresponding to one of said message fields.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said received message is associated with a first message source, and wherein said message filter is responsive only to messages received from said message source.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second message source; and

a second message filter responsive to messages received from said second message source.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein one of said number of fields is a subject field.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein one of said number of fields is an organization field.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein one of said number of fields is an electronic signature field.

11. The system of claim 2, wherein said search engine provides a set of search results to said viewing graphical user interface for display of received messages satisfying the search query.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said viewing graphical user interface further comprises:

code for displaying a set of messages indicated by said search results.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert engine that generates alert events in response to an incremental index, wherein said incremental index includes indices of message portions in messages received during a previous time slice or period.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said alert events include a bell sound.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said incremental index is one of a plurality of incremental indexes stored in an incremental index queue.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said alert engine is responsive to one or more alert queries, and wherein said alert engine uses said search engine to execute said one or more alert queries.

17. A method for organizing received information for a user, comprising:

storing a received message in a received information database;

generating indices of portions of said received message,

storing said indices into a index database such that said indices (i) are associated with said portions and said received message, and (ii) enable subsequent retrieval of said received message from a search on the indices;

storing a plurality of previously defined search queries in a corresponding plurality of message folders; and

in response to user selection of a desired one of the message folders, (i) searching at least said index database for received messages satisfying one of said plurality of previously defined search queries stored in the user selected message folder and (ii) enabling display of received messages satisfying said one of said plurality of previously defined search queries, such that received messages appear to a user to be stored in the user selected message folder.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving indication of said user selected message folder through a viewing graphical user interface.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

inputting said plurality of previously defined search queries within said plurality of message folders through a query graphical user interface.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said portions of said received message are words.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said received message further comprises a number of fields, wherein said database index is organized into sub-indexes, each one of said sub-indexes corresponding to one of said message fields.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said received message is associated with a first message source, and wherein said message filter is responsive only to messages received from said message source.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving a second message, by a second message filter, from a second message source.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein one of said number of fields is a subject field.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein one of said number of fields is an organization field.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein one of said number of fields is an electronic signature field.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a set of search results to said viewing graphical user interface for display of received messages satisfying said ones of search queries.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising said viewing graphical user interface displaying a set of messages indicated by said search results.

29. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating alert events, by an alert engine, in response to an incremental index, wherein said incremental index includes indices of message portions in messages received during a previous time slice or period.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said alert events include a bell sound.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said incremental index is one of a plurality of incremental indexes stored in an incremental index queue.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of searching is performed by a search engine coupled to the received information database, the index database and the plurality of message folders, and

said alert engine is responsive to one or more alert queries, and wherein said alert engine uses a search engine to execute one or more alert queries.

33. A computer program product, including a computer readable media, said computer readable media having computer program code for organizing received information for a computer user encoded thereon, said computer program code comprising:

program code that stores a received message in a received information database;

filter code, responsive to said received message, that generates indices of portions of said received message, said filter code storing said indices into a index database such that said indices (i) are associated with said portions and said received message, and (ii) enable subsequent retrieval of said received message from a search on the indices;

program code that stores a plurality of previously defined search queries in a corresponding plurality of message folders; and

search engine code that in response to user selection of a desired one of the message folders, (i) searches at least said index database for received messages satisfying one of said plurality of previously defined search queries stored in the user selected message folder, and (ii) enables the display of received messages satisfying said ones of search queries, such that received messages appear to a user to be stored in the user selected message folder.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, said computer program code further comprising:

a viewing graphical user interface code, for receiving indication of said user selected message folder.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, said computer program code further comprising:

program code for inputting said plurality of previously defined search queries within said plurality of message folders through a query graphical user interface.

36. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said portions of said received message are words.

37. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said received message further comprises a number of fields, wherein said database index is organized into sub-indexes, each one of said sub-indexes corresponding to one of said message fields.

38. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said received message is associated with a first message source, and wherein said message filter is responsive only to messages received from said message source.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, further comprising program code for receiving a second message, within a second message filter, from a second message source.

40. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein one of said number of fields is a subject field.

41. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein one of said number of fields is an organization field.

42. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein one of said number of fields is an electronic signature field.

43. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the search engine code further provides a set of search results to said viewing graphical user interface code for display of received messages satisfying said ones of search queries.

44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein said viewing graphical user interface code further displays a set of messages indicated by said search results.

45. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising:

alert engine code for generating alert events in response to an incremental index, wherein said incremental index includes indices of message portions in messages received during a previous time slice or period.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein said alert events include a bell sound.

47. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein said incremental index is one of a plurality of incremental indexes stored in an incremental index queue.

48. The computer program product of claim 46, wherein said alert engine code is responsive to one or more alert queries, and wherein said alert engine code uses said search engine code to execute said one or more alert queries.

49. A system for organizing received information for a user, comprising:

a received information database storing a received message;

a filter responsive to said received message, said filter generating indices of portions of said received message, said filter storing said indices into a index database such that said indices are associated with said portions and said received message;

plurality of message folders, each folder storing a previously defined search query; and

a search engine responsive to said received information database, said index database and said plurality of message folders, for searching said received information database responsive to a search query stored in a selected one of said plurality of message folders; and

an alert engine that generates alert events in response to an incremental index wherein said incremental index includes indices of message portions in messages received during a previous time slice or period.

50. The system as claimed in claim 49 wherein said alert events include a bell sound.

51. The system of claim 49 wherein said incremental index is one of a plurality of incremental indices stored in an incremental index queue.

52. The system of claim 49 wherein said alert engine is responsive to one or more alert queries and wherein said alert engine uses said search engine to execute said one or more alert queries.

53. A method for organizing received information for a user, comprising:

storing a received message in a received information database;

generating indices of portions of said received message, by a filter responsive to said received message, said filter storing said indices into a index database such that said indices are associated with said portions and said received message;

storing a plurality of previously defined search queries in a corresponding plurality of message folders;

searching said received information database, by a search engine responsive to said received information database, said index database and said plurality of message folders, said searching including performing one of said plurality of previously defined searched queries stored in a selected one of said plurality of message folders using said search engine; and

generating alert events by an alert engine in response to an incremental index wherein said incremental index includes indices of message portions in messages received during a previous time slice or period.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein said alert events include a bell sound.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein said incremental index is one of a plurality of incremental indices stored in an incremental index queue.

56. The method of claim 53 wherein said alert engine is responsive to one or more alert queries and wherein said alert engine uses said search engine to execute said one or more alert queries.

57. A computer program product, including a computer readable media, said computer readable media having computer program code for organizing received information for a computer user encoded thereon, said computer program code comprising:

program code that stores a received message in a received information database;

filter code, responsive to said received message, that generates indices of portions of said received message, said filter code storing said indices into a index database such that said indices are associated with said portions and said received message;

program code that stores a plurality of previously defined search queries in a corresponding plurality of message folders;

program code that searches said received information database, using a search engine responsive to said received information database, said index database and said plurality of message folders, said searching including performing one of said plurality of previously defined search queries stored in a selected one of said plurality of message folders using said search engine; and

program code for generating alert events within an alert engine, in response to an incremental index, wherein said incremental index includes indices of message portions in messages received during a previous time slice or period.

58. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein said alert events include a bell sound.

59. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein said incremental index is one of a plurality of incremental indices stored in an incremental index queue.

60. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein said alert engine is responsive to one or more alert queues and wherein said alert engine uses said search engine to execute said one or more alert queues.