Stephen H Whittaker

US Patent:

6832245, Dec 14, 2004

Filed:

Nov 30, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/726912

Inventors:

Ellen Isaacs - Belmont CA
Bonnie A. Nardi - Mountain View CA
Stephen Whittaker - Morristown NJ

Assignee:

ATT Corp. - New York NY

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709206, 709207

Abstract:

The invention provides a system and method for analyzing a collection of communication messages. The communication messages may be any one of a collection of electronic mail messages, voicemail messages, instant messaging dialogues and other forms of communications. The collections of communications, such as electronic mail messages, may be selected by a user and then subsequently processed to determine the identity of any of the users contacts within the communications. The contacts may then be arranged in a relative priority arrangement whereby contacts which have been identified as engaging in prior reciprocal communications with the user are given higher priority. Higher priority may also be given to contacts which engage in more recent communications with the user. Specific contact relationships may be inferred from the communications depending on whether specific contacts are repeatedly mentioned within the communication messages.

US Patent:

7454470, Nov 18, 2008

Filed:

Nov 3, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/979960

Inventors:

Ellen Isaacs - Belmont CA, US
Bonnie A. Nardi - Mountain View CA, US
Stephen Whittaker - Morristown NJ, US

Assignee:

AT&T Intellectuall Property II, L.P. - Reno NV

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709206

Abstract:

The invention provides a system and method for analyzing a collection of communication messages. The communication messages may be any one of a collection of electronic mail messages, voicemail messages, instant messaging dialogues and other forms of communications. The collections of communications, such as electronic mail messages, may be selected by a user and then subsequently processed to determine the identity of any of the user's contacts within the communications. The contacts may then be arranged in a relative priority arrangement whereby contacts which have been identified as engaging in prior reciprocal communications with the user are given higher priority. Higher priority may also be given to contacts which engage in more recent communications with the user. Specific contact relationships may be inferred from the communications depending on whether specific contacts are repeatedly mentioned within the communication messages.