Nearest known person directory function

Abstract

A system for matching nearest contacts in a logical contact hierarchy can include a logical contact hierarchy disposed in a database; and, a hierarchical query processor coupled to the logical contact hierarchy. The hierarchical query processor can be configured to produce a closest matching contact from among contacts in the logical contact hierarchy based upon a specified anchor contact in the logical contact hierarchy. A boolean operator further can be programmed to select a closest matching contact based upon a boolean expression operating upon multiple closest matching contacts produced by the hierarchical query processor.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONStatement of the Technical Field[0001]The present invention relates to the field of groupware, and more particularly to contact management.Description of the Related Art[0002]Contact management predates the use of personal computers and has formed the foundation of organizational communications. Early attempts at managing external contacts include the simple address book, the Rolodex™, the Filofax™ and straightforward customer lists. Internally, organizational contacts had been managed through traditional internally distributed phone lists and direct-dial tables. More recently, contact management has been automated through the use of electronic address books, sometimes coupled to electronic mail address books. At the extreme, full-blown personal information management applications provide comprehensive contact management facilities and such applications represent the lifeblood of the sales industry.[0003]While contact management applications serve the purp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a novel and non-obvious method and system for conducting boolean operations implicating relations between contacts in a contact management system. This includes an anchor contact in the logical contact hierarchy and computing the distances between each contact in the hierarchy. The closest matching contact is selected based upon the shortest computed distance in the logical contact hierarchy. The system includes a logical contact hierarchy disposed in a database and a hierarchical query processor. The technical effects include improved efficiency and accuracy in contact management.

Problems solved by technology

While contact management applications serve the purpose of storing contacts for easy, fast retrieval, contact management applications cannot in of themselves provide an abstract representation of the relationship between contacts and contact characteristics, including job title, location, expertise, etc.

Still, organizational charts alone cannot relate contacts to one another based upon the type of query typical in a contact management application.

Yet, relational queries such as, “Find the person whose office is closest to my office” are not possible using conventional contact management applications.

Worse yet, boolean operations implicating relations between contacts remain similarly impossible.

Thus, as an example, the boolean operation “Find the person whose office is closest either to my office or the office of my supervisor” remains an impossibility for conventional contact management systems.

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