System for regulating flow of information to user by using time dependent function to adjust relevancy threshold

• US 6,571,238 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abuzz Technologies, Inc. (Times Co. Digital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Abuzz Technologies, Inc. (Times Co. Digital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stevenson, Jeremy, Umanoff, Zak, Pollack, Jordan
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US09/330,505
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/6, 707/4, 707/10, 707/201, 707/103.R, 707/5, 707/3, 706/11, 706/15
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

Method and apparatus for regulating a flow of information to one or more users is disclosed. A system includes a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user. A method for regulating a flow of information to a user of the system is disclosed. The method determines whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold, and delivers to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold. The method adjusts the relevancy threshold by an amount determined by a time-dependent function when the relevancy score of the incoming message does not satisfy the relevancy threshold.

Claims

1. In a system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold;

(B) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(C) adjusting the relevancy threshold by an amount determined by a time-dependent function when the relevancy score of the incoming message does not satisfy the relevancy threshold.

2. In a system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(B) delivering to the user message Information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the step (B) comprises a step of;

(B)(1) adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

3. In a system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(B) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the step (B) comprises a step of;

(B)(1) adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and an amount determined by a time-dependent function of the relevancy threshold.

4. In a system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time;

(B) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(C) delivering the incoming message to the user when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step (A) comprises a step of:

(A)(1) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step (A)(1) comprises steps of:

receiving user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user; and

calculating the function of time based on the user volume input.

7. In a system including a relevancy threshold for a user and a plurality of incoming messages having relevancy scores, the relevancy scores indicating relevancy'"'"'s of the plurality of incoming messages to the user, a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising a step of:

(A) delivering to the user message information derived from at least some of the incoming messages having relevancy scores satisfying the relevancy threshold at a rate specified by the user, wherein the step (A) comprises steps of;

(A)(1) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time;

(A)(2) determining whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold;

(A)(3) delivering to the user message information derived from those incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold; and

(A)(4) adjusting the relevancy threshold when it is determined in the step (A)(2) that at least one of the relevancy scores satisfies the relevancy threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (A)(1) comprises a step of:

(A)(1)(a) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step (A)(1)(a) comprises steps of:

receiving user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user; and

calculating the function of time based on the user volume input.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (A)(4) comprises a step of:

adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step (A)(4) comprises a step of:

adjusting the relevancy threshold by an amount specified by the user.

12. A method for regulating a flow of information to a user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) maintaining, in a constant number of storage locations in a computer-readable memory, values corresponding to a relevancy threshold for the user, a volume indicating a frequency of message delivery desired by the user, and a previous receipt time indicating a time at which a message was last delivered to the user; and

(B) determining whether to deliver incoming messages to the user based on the relevancy threshold, the volume, and the previous receipt time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the incoming messages have relevancy scores indicating relevancies of the incoming messages to the user, and wherein the step (B) comprises steps of:

(B)(1) determining whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold; and

(B)(2) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step (B) comprises a step of:

(B)(1) generating a decay value as a function of the volume and the previous receipt time; and

(B)(2) adjusting the relevancy threshold by the decay value.

15. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

a user profiles database including a relevancy threshold for the user;

a relevancy engine to generate a relevancy score for an incoming message, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user; and

a salience engine to deliver to the user message information derived from the incoming message and to adjust the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the salience engine is adapted to adjust the relevancy threshold by an amount determined by a time-dependent function when the relevancy score of the incoming message does not satisfy the relevancy threshold.

16. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

a user profiles database including a relevancy threshold for the user;

a relevancy engine to generate a relevancy score for an incoming message, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user; and

a salience engine to deliver to the user message information derive from the incoming message and to adjust the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the salience engine is adapted to adjust the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

17. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

a user profiles database including a relevancy threshold for the user;

a relevancy engine to generate a relevancy score for an incoming message, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user; and

a salience engine to deliver to the user message information derived from the incoming message and to adjust the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the salience engine is adapted to adjust the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and an amount determined by a time-dependent function of the relevancy threshold.

18. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

a user profiles database including a relevancy threshold for the user;

a relevancy engine to generate a relevancy score for an incoming message, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user; and

a salience engine to calculate the relevancy threshold as a function of time and to deliver to the user message information derived from the incoming message when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the salience engine is adapted to calculate the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the salience engine is adapted to receive user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user, and wherein the salience engine is adapted to calculate the function of time based on the user volume input.

21. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

a user profiles database including a relevancy threshold for the user;

a relevancy engine to generate relevancy scores for a plurality of incoming messages, the relevancy scores indicating relevancy'"'"'s of the incoming messages to the user; and

a salience engine to deliver to the user message information derived from at least some of the incoming messages having relevancy scores satisfying the relevancy threshold at a rate specified by the user; and

wherein the salience engine is adapted to calculate the relevancy threshold as a function of time, determine whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold, deliver to the user message information derived from those incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold, and adjust the relevancy threshold when it is determined that at least one of the relevancy scores satisfies the relevancy threshold.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the salience engine is adapted to calculate the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the salience engine is adapted to receive user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user;

and wherein the salience engine is adapted to calculate the function of time based on the user volume input.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the salience engine is adapted to adjust the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the salience engine is adapted to adjust the relevancy threshold by an amount specified by the user.

26. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

at least one computer-readable memory storing, in a constant number of storage locations, values corresponding to a relevancy threshold for the user, a volume indicating a frequency of message delivery desired by the user, and a previous receipt time indicating a time at which a message was last delivered to the user; and

a salience engine to determine whether to deliver incoming messages to the user based on the relevancy threshold, the volume, and the previous receipt time.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

a relevancy engine to generate relevancy scores indicating relevancies of the incoming messages to the user;

and wherein the salience engine is adapted to determine whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold and to deliver to the user message information derived from the incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the salience engine is adapted to generate a decay value as a function of the volume and the previous receipt time, and to adjust the relevancy threshold by the decay value.

29. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

means for storing a relevancy threshold for the user;

means for receiving an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user;

means for determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold;

means for delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold by an amount determined by a time-dependent function when the relevancy score of the incoming message does not satisfy the relevancy threshold.

30. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

means for storing a relevancy threshold for the user;

means for receiving an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user;

means for determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

means for delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the means for delivering comprises;

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

31. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

means for storing a relevancy threshold for the user;

means for receiving an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user;

means for determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

means for delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the means for delivering comprises;

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and an amount determined by a time-dependent function of the relevancy threshold.

32. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

means for storing a relevancy threshold for the user;

means receiving an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user;

means for calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time;

means for determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

means for delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for calculating comprises:

means for calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for calculating comprises:

means for receiving user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user; and

means for calculating the function of time based on the user volume input.

35. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

means for storing a relevancy threshold for the user;

means for receiving a plurality of incoming messages having relevancy scores, the relevancy scores indicating relevancy'"'"'s of the plurality of incoming messages to the user;

means for delivering to the user message information derived from at least some of the incoming messages having relevancy scores satisfying the relevancy threshold at a rate specified by the user; and

wherein the means for delivering comprises;

means for calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time;

means for determining whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold;

means for delivering to the user message information derived from those incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold; and

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold when it is determined that at least one of the relevancy scores satisfies the relevancy threshold.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the means for calculating comprises:

means for calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the means for calculating comprises:

means for receiving user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user; and

means for calculating the function of time based on the user volume input.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the means for adjusting comprises:

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein the means for adjusting comprises:

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold by an amount specified by the user.

40. A system for regulating a flow of information to a user, the system comprising:

means for maintaining, in a constant number of storage locations in a computer-readable memory, values corresponding to a relevancy threshold for the user, a volume indicating a frequency of message delivery desired by the user, and a previous receipt time indicating a time at which a message was last delivered to the user; and

means for determining whether to deliver incoming messages to the user based on the relevancy threshold, the volume, and the previous receipt time.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the incoming messages have relevancy scores indicating relevancies of the incoming messages to the user, and wherein the means for determining comprises:

means for determining whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold; and

means for delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the means for determining comprises:

means for generating a decay value as a function of the volume and the previous receipt time; and

means for adjusting the relevancy threshold by the decay value.

43. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a computer system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, the program, when executed on the computer system, performs a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold;

(B) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(C) adjusting the relevancy threshold by an amount determined by a time-dependent function when the relevancy score of the incoming message does not satisfy the relevancy threshold.

44. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a computer system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, the program, when executed on the computer system, performs a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(B) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the step (B) comprises a step of;

(B)(1) adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

45. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a computer system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, the program, when executed on the computer system, performs a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(B) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message and adjusting the relevancy threshold when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold,

wherein the step (B) comprises a step of;

(B)(1) adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and an amount determined by a time-dependent function of the relevancy threshold.

46. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a computer system including a relevancy threshold for a user and an incoming message having a relevancy score, the relevancy score indicating a relevancy of the incoming message to the user, the program, when executed on the computer system, executes a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising steps of:

(A) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time;

(B) determining whether the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold; and

(C) delivering to the user message information derived from the incoming message when the relevancy score of the incoming message satisfies the relevancy threshold.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 46, wherein the step (A) comprises a step of:

(A)(1) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the step (A)(1) comprises steps of:

receiving user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user; and

calculating the function of time based on the user volume input.

49. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for execution on a computer system including a relevancy threshold for the user and a plurality of incoming messages having relevancy scores, the relevancy scores indicating relevancy'"'"'s of the plurality of incoming messages to the user, the program, when executed on the computer system, performs a method for regulating a flow of information to the user, the method comprising a step of:

(A) delivering to the user message information derived from at least some of the incoming messages having relevancy scores satisfying the relevancy threshold at a rate specified by the user;

wherein the step (A) comprises steps of;

(A)(1) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time;

(A)(2) determining whether the relevancy scores of the incoming messages satisfy the relevancy threshold;

(A)(3) delivering to the user message information derived from those incoming messages whose relevancy scores satisfy the relevancy threshold; and

(A)(4) adjusting the relevancy threshold when it is determined that at least one of the relevancy scores satisfies the relevancy threshold.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the step (A)(1) comprises a step of:

(A)(1)(a) calculating the relevancy threshold as a function of time that is specified by the user.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the step (A)(1)(a) comprises steps of:

receiving user volume input from the user, the user volume input indicating a desired frequency of message delivery to the user; and

calculating the function of time based on the user volume input.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the step (A)(4) comprises a step of:

adjusting the relevancy threshold by a function of the difference between the relevancy threshold and a maximum relevancy value.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the step (A)(4) comprises a step of:

adjusting the relevancy threshold by an amount specified by the user.