Communication Search Entity Filtering Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in efficiently searching through large records of emails and instant messaging (IM) messages due to the overwhelming number of results, even when narrowing down by specific search terms, which defeats the utility of the search function.
Innovation Solution
A method that accesses a record of past communications, identifies preferred entities (users, user groups, or folders) based on frequency of interaction or manual selection, and displays a graphical user interface with numerical counts of search results for each entity, allowing users to filter down to the most relevant results by selecting an entity, thereby providing a mechanism to quickly find relevant communications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user searches through a large record of past communications, then the search covers all possible communications, but the number of results becomes overwhelming and defeats the utility of the search
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large set of search results by grouping them according to preferred entities (frequently contacted users, user groups, or folders). Each segment is displayed with a count indicator showing the number of results within that entity, allowing users to navigate through organized portions rather than facing an overwhelming single list.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and highlights a subset of preferred entities from the complete set of all entities in the user's communication record. By identifying and separating these preferred entities (those with frequent interactions), the system presents a filtered view that takes out the most relevant portions first, reducing the initial overwhelm of results.
2Loss of information
If the system displays all search results, then complete information is provided, but the user interface becomes complex and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface is segmented into multiple levels: first displaying preferred entities with result counts, then allowing users to drill down into specific entities to see their respective results. This hierarchical segmentation maintains information completeness while reducing interface complexity at any given view.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to the display by showing numerical count indicators alongside preferred entities. This dimensional addition allows users to quickly assess result distribution across entities without expanding the interface complexity, providing information density in a compact form.
3Reliability
If the system processes search results for all entities, then comprehensive search is achieved, but the time to display and process results increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-identifying and organizing preferred entities before the user executes a search. By maintaining a pre-computed list of preferred entities (based on interaction frequency), the system avoids the need to process and sort all entities during the search operation, reducing display time while maintaining comprehensiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of search result presentation: a summarized view showing only preferred entities with counts for quick overview, and a detailed view available upon user selection for comprehensive results. This allows the system to optimize for speed in the common case while maintaining completeness when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A method comprising: accessing a record of past emails or IM messages between a first user and other users; receiving a search query from the first user; from amongst a set of entities, identifying a subset as preferred entities of the first user; causing a graphical user interface to selectively display a list of the preferred entities; in response to the receipt of the received search query, automatically causing the graphical user interface to display, simultaneously in association with each respective one of the preferred entities in the list, a separate respective numerical count of search results found for the respective entity based on the received search query; and based on the first user selecting one of the entities from the list, causing the graphical user interface to display to the first user a filtered-down list formed from some or all of the search results for the selected entity.