System and method for dynamic adaptive user-based prioritization and display of electronic messages

• US 7,941,491 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MessageMind LLC
• Original Assignee: MessageMind LLC
• Inventors: Sood, Manish Chander
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Rupal D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US11/144,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

A method and system that dynamically ranks electronic messages based on their situational and inherent dimensions, which are judged by a set of filters. These filters evaluate the different elemental metadata constituting a message and produce a priority value based on filters relevance and importance. The system iterates through queued messages, examine the structured content for expected attributes, statistically analyze unstructured content, apply dynamically weighted rules and policies to deliver a priority ranking, and then display the message and its vital attributes in accordance with the priority ranking. The system also adaptive learns and adjusts its weighted rules and policies to permit priority ranking to change on real-time or interval-based (may be user-defined) schedule. The system includes a GUI for increasing reading and processing efficiency. The GUI performs supervised and unsupervised learning from the user'"'"'s behaviors, and displays messages in accordance with their priority classification.

Claims

1. A method of adaptive, user-based prioritization of electronic messages comprising the steps of:

monitoring a message queue for receipt of an electronic message;

extracting statistical data associated with each message by parsing historical information and content analysis from the electronic message;

computing a message prioritization score for the extracted data through filter analysis, wherein the message prioritization score is based on an overall combined situational and inherent prioritization model that incorporates a situational prioritization value and an inherent prioritization value;

determining the situational prioritization value utilizing a first set of filters that implements a curve modeling a time-dependent equation representing the message'"'"'s relative priority, where a weight is given to the importance of the type of curve in comparison to other curves, and efficiency representing the validity of the filter at a particular time, wherein the situational prioritization value is updated during a lifecycle of the electronic communication;

determining the inherent prioritization value utilizing a second set of filters that implements a first factor based on message attributes, message content analysis, and personal or organizational rules and policies, a second factor representing an importance of the message'"'"'s context dimensions being analyzed, and a third factor representing an estimated accuracy and validity based on an amount of information for the message'"'"'s dimension being analyzed, wherein the inherent prioritization value is further based on statistical data and context analysis;

associating the message prioritization score to the respective electronic message;

displaying a plurality of the electronic messages in order of the associated message prioritization score in a graphical user interface (GUI);

obtaining feedback from a user'"'"'s interaction with the GUI to analyze user behavior so as to adapt the message parsing filter analysis;

reapplying the adapted message parsing and filter analysis to recalculate the message prioritization score;

wherein the message prioritization score is a function of Situational priority and Inherent priority according to the following derived formula;

Message priority=function (Situational, Inherent);

Message priority=function [Situational f(event dimensions), Inherent f(content dimensions)];

Situational f(event dimensions)=function (Relevance, Importance);

Inherent f(content dimensions)=function (Relevance, Importance);

therefore;

Message priority=function [Situational f(event dimensions f(Relevance, Importance)), Inherent f(content dimensions(Relevance, Importance))]; and

calculating an overall priority value (PV) of a message based on the result of at least two independent adaptive filters, the PV being derived by the following;

Filter Values (Weight, Result, Efficiency)=f(Message)

Situational f(event dimensions)=f(Weight, Result, Efficiency)

Inherent f(content dimensions)=f(Weight, Result, Efficiency)

Importance=f(Weight, Result)

Relevance=f(Efficiency)

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step further comprises the step of listing summarized views of all electronic messages in the GUI.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

parsing the electronic message for at least one of a Security Context, and Inherent Metadata, and a Time factor;

storing the results of the parsing in a repository of collected values; and

applying the parsing results in the overall combined situational and inherent prioritization model;

wherein a Security Context includes at least one of Source, Destination, Intermediate Paths, and Sensitivity;

wherein an Inherent Metadata includes at least one of a Priority Classification, Category, Conversation, and Thread; and

wherein Time Factor includes at least one of Sent, Received, Transactional Qualifications, and Acknowledgement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content analysis of an internal unstructured message content involves a probabilistic correlation of all jargon files present in a user'"'"'s system, and computed word scores from a given message to select the right jargon file.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of increasing the accuracy of the message summary by selecting the right jargon file as input for a Keyword(s) identification process.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the selection of a jargon file defines a type of content that a message has, wherein different rules are applied to the electronic message depending on the selected jargon file.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a user creates or edits the jargon files and the industry words and jargon within the files.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein centrally accessible predefined jargon files are provided, and wherein the centrally accessible jargon files can be continuously updated using data files.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein a hyperlink, a URL, or an email address is embedded in the electronic message, further comprising at least one of the following steps:

parsing the text in the <

a>

tags;

searching the “

link”

, “

site”

, “

URL”

that is referred by the link; and

gathering information and performing content and context analysis on the information.

10. A graphical user interface (GUI) system wherein a plurality of electronic messages, each having a full content, are dynamically arranged in an order of prioritization based on an overall combined situational and inherent prioritization model,

wherein the situational and inherent prioritization model incorporates a situational prioritization value utilizing a first set of filters that implements a curve modeling a time-dependent equation representing the message'"'"'s relative priority, where a weight is given to the importance of the type of curve in comparison to other curves, and efficiency representing the validity of the filter at a particular time, wherein the situational prioritization value is updated during a lifecycle of the electronic communication, and

wherein the situational and inherent prioritization model further incorporates an inherent prioritization value utilizing a second set of filters that implements a first factor based on message attributes, message content analysis, and personal or organizational rules and policies, a second factor representing an importance of the message'"'"'s context dimension being analyzed, and a third factor representing an estimated accuracy and validity based on an amount of information for the message'"'"'s dimension being analyzed, wherein the inherent prioritization value is further based on statistical data and context analysis of the electronic message;

the electronic messages are displayed to the user with a summarized content and a security context of each of the plurality of electronic messages;

wherein the overall combined situational and inherent prioritization model is a function of Situational priority and Inherent priority according to the following derived formula;

Message priority=function (Situational, Inherent);

Message priority=function [Situational f(event dimensions), Inherent f(content dimensions)];

Situational f(event dimensions)=function (Relevance, Importance);

Inherent f(content dimensions)=function (Relevance, Importance);

therefore;

Message priority=function [Situational f(event dimensions f(Relevance, Importance)), Inherent f(content dimensions(Relevance, Importance))]; and

wherein an overall priority value (PV) of a message is calculated based on the result of at least two independent adaptive filters, the PV being derived by the following;

Filter Values (Weight, Result, Efficiency)=f(Message)

Situational f(event dimensions)=f(Weight, Result, Efficiency)

Inherent f(content dimensions)=f(Weight, Result, Efficiency)

Importance=f(Weight, Result)

Relevance=f(Efficiency)

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the summarized content comprises keyword(s), key hyperlinks, context information of the keywords, the key hyperlinks and key sentences.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the context information is in the range of two to three words before and after the keyword.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the context information is text structure including punctuation.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the GUI appearance of the keywords is highlighted or a different style;

and

wherein the context is displayed as generalized text.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the full content of a message is viewed by controlling a pointing device as it points to the summarized message content, resulting in the opening of a new window.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein a priority categorization icon visually indicates the overall priority categorization status of at least one of the plurality of electronic messages;

wherein the overall priority categorization is one of very high, high, medium, low, and someday.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the overall priority score value of at least one of the plurality of electronic messages is visually represented as a ranking bar;

wherein the ranking bar changes color depending upon the prioritization categorization of the electronic message.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising an interactive portion of the GUI as a user'"'"'s work bench, wherein the summarized content is an open action item that is presented in a priority order customized to the user'"'"'s work behavior.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein a message list view is updated after at least one of receiving an incoming message that underwent prioritization, and performing a search/sort operation.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the work bench is cleared of a particular electronic message by activation of a “

clear”

button, resulting in the removal and marking of at least one selected summarized message.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein activation of a “

fast action”

button sends a predefined message response to a message sender, and the predefined message response contains scheduling preference of the user along with message reference information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein a draft of the predefined message is customized to suit the user'"'"'s work habits.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein activation of a Call-Me button causes the display of a pop-up window showing the time/date schedules for selection by the user;

wherein selection by the user indicates a time/date for phone contact by the sender of the electronic message, and an electronic message is sent to the sender containing a predefined text to the message sender.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein activation of a See-Me button causes the display of a pop-up window showing time/date schedules for selection by the user;

wherein selection by the user indicates a time/date for meeting with the sender of the electronic message, and an electronic message is sent to the sender containing a predefined text to the message sender.

25. The system of claim 10, wherein the user sets the prioritization of the electronic messages to be at lest one of high, medium, low, and spam.

26. The system of claim 10, wherein a user writes quick notes and clips them to the electronic messages while reviewing the message content.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein activation of a user-note button opens a pop-up note pad window for the entry of the notes, and where the notes can be edited or saved.

28. The system of claim 10, wherein the plurality of electronic messages are sorted and arranged based on overall priority scores, associated user notes, and conversation thread.

29. The system of claim 10, wherein a dynamic Summarization /re-summarization of the plurality of electronic messages is performed based on heuristic feedback from the user'"'"'s interaction with the GUI.

30. The system of claim 10, wherein the GUI can be a pop window with customizable views that can stay open with other application windows simultaneously open on the user'"'"'s personal computer or other computing devices.