Methods and apparatus to recall context relevant information

• US 7,783,645 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos Se)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hess, Christopher K., Sher, Mark H., Wynblatt, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, THU NGUYET T
• Application Number:
  US11/304,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136245A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 707 2- 4, 707/104.1, 707/751, 707/736, 707/999.006, 707/999.107
• US Class Current: 707/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate retrieval of context relevant information. According to some embodiments, an event associated with a computer system is captured. In response to the captured event, a subset of data objects are selected that may be related to the event. A list associated with the subset of data objects may then be created, wherein the list is at least partially ordered based on a degree of relevance between a data object in the list and the event. Information associated with the created list may then be provided.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating access to data objects, comprising:

capturing an event associated with a computer system;

in response to the captured event, selecting a subset of data objects that may be related to the event;

creating a list associated with the subset of data objects, wherein the list is at least partially ordered based on a degree of relevance ranking between a data object in the list and the event; and

outputting information associated with the created list;

wherein said event associated with a computing system comprises a data object gaining the focus of a graphical user interface;

wherein said data object gaining the focus of the graphical user interface comprises a window displaying an email message being opened or brought to the foreground;

wherein said outputting comprises displaying, in the window, indications of the subset of data objects; and

wherein the indications of the subset of data objects includes an indication of a data object stored in a database;

the method further comprising displaying a set of choices that includes a choice to remove the indication of the data object from the indications of the subset of data objects without completely removing the data object from the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting comprises transmitting the information to another application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of data objects includes:

associating the event with a trigger data object; and

selecting data objects directly related to the trigger data object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the subset of data objects further includes:

selecting data objects indirectly related to the trigger data object through another data object.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the subset of data objects further includes:

selecting additional data objects in accordance with a rule.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein applying the rule requires:

associating an entity to a data object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rule comprises selecting at least one of:

a phone number associated with an entity related to a data object,

an instant message identifier associated with an entity related to a data object,

contact information associated with an entity related to a data object,

a scheduled appointment associated with an entity related to a data object,

a recent email message to or from an entity related to a data object,

a message that is part of a communications thread to or from an entity related to a data object,

an instant message to or from an entity related to a data object,

a data object attachment to a communication to or from an entity related to a data object,

a telephone call to or from an entity related to a data object, or

a folder in which a data object resides.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically updating the window when another event is captured.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the window provides file system folder functionality.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the file system folder functionality includes at least one of:

dragging a visual representation of a first data object onto a visual representation of a second data object to move the first data object to a new location, or

dragging the visual representation of a data object onto an external application to copy the data object to the application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of indications of data objects in the list includes:

grouping some of the data objects together when those data objects are related to each other.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein different data object versions of an initial data object are grouped together.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein different data objects associated with a single communication thread are grouped together.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the indications include hyperlinks operable to access the data objects.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the indications are operable to set a data object as a trigger data object.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the indications are operable to remove a data object form the list.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of indications can be in a selected state simultaneously.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the captured event is associated with at least one of an application, a data object, a service, a peripheral, or a server.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from a telephony device when an inbound telephone call is received; and

determining an originating telephone number associated with the inbound call.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the telephony device is associated with at least one of:

(i) a private branch exchange, (ii) a soft switch, (iii) a telephony server, (iv) a communication server, (v) a modem, (vi) a Centrix device, (vii) a telephone handset device, or (viii) a software phone.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from a telephony device when an inbound telephone call is acknowledged; and

determining an originating telephone number associated with the inbound call.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from a telephony device when an outbound telephone call is initiated; and

determining a destination telephone number associated with the inbound call.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from a telephony device when an outbound telephone call is acknowledged; and

determining a destination telephone number associated with the inbound call.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from an application when a data object associated with a person is accessed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the data object comprises an application contact record.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from an application when a data object is accessed.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein capturing the event comprises:

receiving a signal from a messaging application when an inbound message is received.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting comprises transmitting properties associated with data objects in the list.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the properties include at least one of:

data object names,

data object types,

data object identifiers,

data object ranking information relative to a trigger data object, or

application specific instructions operable to access specific data objects when a host application is launched.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said event associated with a computing system comprises:

a data object indicating that it is ready to be accessed.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein said capturing an event associated with a computer system, selecting a subset of data objects that may be related to the event;

creating a list associated with the subset of data objects, wherein the list is at least partially ordered based on a degree of relevance ranking between a data object in the list and the event;

and outputting information associated with the created list are performed by a processor.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting further comprises displaying, in the window, a ranking next to each of the indications.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the indications of the subset of data objects includes indications of data objects most likely to be of interest to a user and wherein the outputting further comprises displaying, in the window, an icon placed proximate to the indications of the data objects most likely to be of interest to the user.

30. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method, said method comprising:

capturing a user-initiated event associated with a computer system;

in response to the captured event, determining a subset of data objects that may be related to the event;

creating a list associated with the subset of data objects, wherein the list is at least partially ordered based on a degree of relevance between a data object in the list and the event;

grouping data objects in the list based on relationships between data objects within the subset; and

outputting information associated with the created list;

wherein said event associated with a computer system comprises a data object gaining the focus of the graphical user interface;

wherein said data object gaining the focus of the graphical user interface comprises a window displaying an email message being opened or brought to the foreground;

wherein said outputting comprises displaying, in the window, names associated with data objects in the grouped list; and

wherein the indications of the subset of data objects includes an indication of a data object stored in a database;

the method further comprising displaying a set of choices that includes a choice to remove the indication of the data object from the indications of the subset of data objects without completely removing the data object from the database.

35. The medium of claim 30 wherein the capturing a user-initiated event associated with a computer system;

the determining a subset of data objects that may be related to the event;

the creating a list associated with the subset of data objects, and the grouping data objects in the list based on relationships between data objects within the subset are performed by the processor.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

an event monitor to capture events associated with a computer system;

a list selection engine to select a subset of data objects, wherein the list is at least partially ordered based on a degree of relevance between a data object in the list and the event; and

a display to display a graphical user interface;

wherein said event associated with a computing system comprises a data object gaining the focus of the graphical user interface;

wherein said data object gaining the focus of the graphical user interface comprises a window displaying an email message being opened or brought to the foreground;

wherein the display comprises a display to display, in the window, indications of the subset of data objects;

wherein the indications of the subset of data objects includes an indication of a data object stored in a database; and

wherein the display to display the indications of the subset of data objects comprises a display to display a set of choices that includes a choice to remove the indication of the data object from the indications of the subset of data objects without completely removing the data object from the database.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising:

a list grouping engine to group some of the data objects together when those data objects are related to each other.