Contextual Event Locator for Email Clients
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for locating events are inefficient and time-consuming, requiring users to switch between software applications and search multiple websites or hard copies, resulting in individual and unaggregated results.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that analyzes contextual information from user documents to generate search terms and present relevant events, allowing users to locate events in-context without leaving their original application, using contextual event locators and integrated databases to provide aggregated results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If users search for events using conventional methods (visiting multiple websites or reading newspapers), then they can find event information, but the process is time-consuming and requires switching between applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the event search function with the email client by integrating a database of events and contextual information analysis directly into the email application. This allows users to search for events without leaving the email client, eliminating the need to switch between applications and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that includes a database of events and a contextual information analyzer. This intermediary processes user documents, extracts relevant attributes, and generates search queries automatically, mediating between the user's email request and the event database to provide relevant results without manual search.
2Loss of information
If users manually search for events on multiple websites, then they can find individual event results, but the results are not aggregated and require manual comparison
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple event search results into a single aggregated view within the email client. The database stores event information from multiple sources, and the system presents consolidated results that include event details, location, and timing information all in one place, eliminating the need for users to manually compare results from different websites.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically analyzing user documents, extracting relevant attributes (such as location, date, and event type), and generating search queries without user intervention. The contextual information analyzer automatically processes the email content and returns relevant event results, reducing the cognitive load and complexity of manual search.
3Productivity
If users switch from mail program to browser to search for events, then they can access more comprehensive event listings, but the search efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of the email client with event search capabilities by integrating a database and search interface directly into the mail application. Users can conduct event searches within the same application window, eliminating the need to switch between mail programs and browsers, thereby maintaining comprehensive search capabilities while improving efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and computer program product for locating events in-context over the Internet are disclosed. The method includes receiving a document from a user, wherein the document comprises one or more attributes, analyzing the one or more attributes of the document in accordance with a set of contextual information to generate one or more search terms, searching for events related to the one or more attributes of the document using the one or more search terms, and presenting the events to the user.