Method of constructing and displaying an entity profile constructed utilizing input from entities other than the owner

Abstract

A method of constructing a profile comprising terms indicative of a characteristic of an entity commences when first electronic mail address, associated with a first entity, is created within a knowledge management system. The electronic mail address may be created automatically upon submission of an electronic mail document, or may be created manually by a systems administrator. A first electronic document is received via an electronic communications network at the first electronic mail address from a second entity, typically a user of the knowledge management system who is a registered and interactive user. The first electronic document is then parsed to identify profile terms therein. These profile terms are included within a first profile for the first entity. In this way, users of a knowledge management system may construct a profile of an entity (e.g., a customer) that is not a user of or participant within the knowledge management system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.