System and method for advanced rule creation and management within an integrated virtual workspace

Abstract

A conflict detection and resolution system and method are described for detecting and resolving conflicts between filtering and/or routing rules within an integrated messaging/document management system. One embodiment of the method comprises evaluating a plurality of rules for routing, filtering and/or storing messages and/or documents to determine whether a conflict exists between two or more of the plurality of rules; detecting a conflict between two or more of the plurality of rules; determining a severity level associated with the detected conflict; and identifying a resolution to the conflict resolution if the severity level associated with the conflict is below a predetermined threshold value.

Description

PRIORITY [0001] The present application claims priority from a U.S. provisional application entitled “Integrated Message and Document Management”, Application No. 60 / 486,166, filed Jul. 11, 2003.BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention relates generally to the field of information management systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system and method for creating and managing an advanced rule set within an integrated WorkSpace. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] The average individual accesses and manages a surprisingly large number of messages and documents every day. In a typical business environment, the number of legitimate messages received and sent in the course of a day averages roughly fifty. These include emails, faxes, voice messages, voice calls, text messages, and instant messages. The number of devices that individuals use for communications and messaging has also multiplied. Such devices include computers, fax machines...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Once users are allowed to specify routing rules and filtering rules, conflicts between and among such rules are inevitable, especially as message and document types and rule-triggering conditions multiply.

These requirements make the use of routing and filtering rules less appealing.

It is difficult to anticipate the possibility of the above conflict when the user is entering their call routing rules.

However, when creating a rule, it is difficult for users to determine if one rule may conflict with another.

When users create filtering rules, they may create conflicts between these rules.

Due to unintended interplay between rules, the behavior of a message or document management system may not conform to a user's expectations.

There are situations where rule interpretation does not produce correct message or document management solutions.

Often users have difficulty understanding such interplays in rule execution order.

Here again users have trouble understanding the interactions of various rules.

ne. But there is no interpretation of what to do at 5:02 p.m. and at 5:58 p.m. even though there are reasonable solutions in both situa

When multiple pieces of evidence are considered in user-created rules, conflicts may also be present.

Service providers usually filter only messages that are generally accepted to be promotional “junk” mail since it is hard for them to determine the value of each type of content.

When users create filtering rules, it is hard for them to assess and anticipate the potential conflicts between rules and their resultant actions.

The following are some of the conflicts in filtering rules that may result in unintended consequences while applying rules.

Such conflicts in user-created filtering rules arise especially when multiple conditions need to be considered.

This produces unintended results since earlier rules have precedence, a fact that may not be clear to users especially if the earlier rules are “legacy” rules.

Filtering rules often do not cover all si

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