US 8,510,389 B1Granted

Automated ranking of electronic communications

AssigneeSymantec Operating Corporation

InventorsSubramanyam Venkata Gurajada, Ankur P. Panchbudhe, Amol S. Katkar

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Abstract

Various methods and systems for automatically ranking electronic communications such as emails based on both content and social factors are disclosed. One method assigns a rank to an electronic communication, where assigning the rank involves both assigning a content-based rank to the electronic communication and assigning a social rank to the electronic communication. The rank assigned to the electronic communication can include both the content-based and social rank. Alternatively, the rank can be derived from the content-based and social ranks (e.g., the rank can be an average of the content-based and social ranks).

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

parsing an electronic communication for keywords, wherein
the electronic communication comprises a message sent from a sender of the electronic communication to a receiver of the electronic communication;
identifying one or more of the keywords within the electronic communication, in response to the parsing;
receiving initial content ranking information, wherein
the initial content ranking information identifies initial values associated with different content;
assigning a rank to the electronic communication, wherein the assigning the rank comprises:
assigning a content-based rank to the electronic communication, wherein
the assigning the content-based rank is based at least in part on the one or more of the keywords, and
the assigning the content-based rank is dependent upon the initial content ranking information;
and
assigning a social rank to the electronic communication based at least in part on a sender social rank and a receiver social rank, wherein
the sender social rank is assigned to the sender of the electronic communication,
the sender social rank is calculated based on a social rank of at least one party to whom the sender has sent electronic communications and a social rank of at least one party who has sent electronic communications to the sender,
the receiver social rank is assigned to the receiver of the electronic communication, and
the parsing, the identifying, the assigning the rank, the assigning the content-based rank, and the assigning the social rank are performed by a computing device implementing an electronic communication ranking module;
returning a list of search results comprising information identifying the electronic communication, wherein
an order of the list is dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication;
and
identifying a priority of the electronic communication, dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication, wherein
the priority determines when, relative to a time at which a copy of another electronic communication is made, a copy of the electronic communication will be made.

17 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a processor;
and
a non-transitory memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions executable by the processor to
parse an electronic communication for keywords, wherein
the electronic communication comprises a message sent from a sender of the electronic communication to a receiver of the electronic communication;
identify one or more of the keywords within the electronic communication, in response to parsing the electronic communication for keywords;
receive initial content ranking information, wherein
the initial content ranking information identifies initial values associated with different content;
assign a social rank to the electronic communication, wherein
the social rank is based in part on a sender social rank and a receiver social rank,
the sender social rank is assigned to a sender of the electronic communication,
the sender social rank is calculated based on a social rank of at least one party to whom the sender has sent electronic communications and a social rank of at least one party who has sent electronic communications to the sender, and
the receiver social rank is assigned to a receiver of the electronic communication;
assign a content-based rank to the electronic communication, wherein
assigning the content-based rank is based at least in part on the one or more of the keywords, and
the assigning the content-based rank is dependent upon the initial content ranking information;
and
return a list of search results comprising information identifying the electronic communication, wherein
an order of the list is dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication;
and
identify a priority of the electronic communication, dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication, wherein
the priority determines when, relative to a time at which a copy of another electronic communication is made, a copy of the electronic communication will be made.

19 more elements

A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions executable to:

parse an electronic communication for keywords, wherein
the electronic communication comprises a message sent from a sender of the electronic communication to a receiver of the electronic communication;
identify one or more of the keywords within the electronic communication, in response to the parsing;
receive initial content ranking information, wherein
the initial content ranking information identifies initial values associated with different content;
assign a rank to an electronic communication, wherein assigning the rank comprises:
assigning a content-based rank to the electronic communication, wherein
the assigning the content-based rank is based at least in part on the one or more of the keywords, and
the assigning the content-based rank is dependent upon the initial content ranking information;
assigning a social rank to the electronic communication based at least in part on a sender social rank and a receiver social rank, wherein
the sender social rank is assigned to a sender of the electronic communication,
the sender social rank is calculated based on a social rank of at least one party to whom the sender has sent electronic communications and a social rank of at least one party who has sent electronic communications to the sender, and
the receiver social rank is assigned to a receiver of the electronic communication;
and
return a list of search results comprising information identifying the electronic communication, wherein
an order of the list is dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication;
and
identify a priority of the electronic communication, dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication, wherein
the priority determines when, relative to a time at which a copy of another electronic communication is made, a copy of the electronic communication will be made.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A method comprising:

parsing an electronic communication for keywords, wherein
the electronic communication comprises a message sent from a sender of the electronic communication to a receiver of the electronic communication;
identifying one or more of the keywords within the electronic communication, in response to the parsing;
receiving initial content ranking information, wherein
the initial content ranking information identifies initial values associated with different content;
assigning a rank to the electronic communication, wherein the assigning the rank comprises:
assigning a content-based rank to the electronic communication, wherein
the assigning the content-based rank is based at least in part on the one or more of the keywords, and
the assigning the content-based rank is dependent upon the initial content ranking information;
and
assigning a social rank to the electronic communication based at least in part on a sender social rank and a receiver social rank, wherein
the sender social rank is assigned to the sender of the electronic communication,
the sender social rank is calculated based on a social rank of at least one party to whom the sender has sent electronic communications and a social rank of at least one party who has sent electronic communications to the sender,
the receiver social rank is assigned to the receiver of the electronic communication, and
the parsing, the identifying, the assigning the rank, the assigning the content-based rank, and the assigning the social rank are performed by a computing device implementing an electronic communication ranking module;
returning a list of search results comprising information identifying the electronic communication, wherein
an order of the list is dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication;
and
identifying a priority of the electronic communication, dependent upon the rank assigned to the electronic communication, wherein
the priority determines when, relative to a time at which a copy of another electronic communication is made, a copy of the electronic communication will be made.

17 more elements