Email Thread Ranking via Sender-Based Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently processing and analyzing large volumes of electronic messages, particularly in sorting and archiving digital documents, due to diverse formats and the need for regulatory compliance, which requires information about message content and sender access, leading to increased costs and time in responding to audits and investigations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for electronic message threading and ranking, utilizing a processor to organize e-mail messages into threads based on sender identifiers, message attributes, and organizational data, determining e-mail and thread ranks, and displaying an ordering of threads to facilitate efficient retrieval and reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electronic messages are stored and preserved for regulatory compliance, then information availability for audits and investigations is improved, but storage costs and retrieval time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary indexing and categorization of electronic messages by storing metadata such as sender identifiers, recipient identifiers, subjects, and timestamps in an organized structure before retrieval is needed. This preliminary organization enables rapid search and retrieval during audits and investigations without requiring manual review of stored messages
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary indexing system that acts as a mediator between the stored electronic messages and the retrieval process. The index structure serves as an intermediary layer that translates search queries into efficient message location operations, reducing retrieval time while maintaining complete information availability
2Measurement precision
If teams of employees manually review e-mails for regulatory audits, then information accuracy is improved, but labor costs and review time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automated analysis of electronic messages through the indexing structure, which automatically organizes and categorizes messages by sender, recipient, subject, and timestamp. This automated self-organizing capability eliminates the need for manual employee review while maintaining information accuracy through systematic categorization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual review process with an automated computational indexing system. The indexing mechanism automatically processes and categorizes electronic messages using algorithmic operations instead of human manual review, significantly improving review efficiency while maintaining accuracy through systematic organization
3Productivity
If e-mail messages are organized into threads with ranking, then information retrieval efficiency is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments electronic messages into threaded conversations based on shared identifiers such as subject lines and participant lists. Each thread is independently indexed and ranked, breaking down the complex task of organizing all messages into manageable segmented units that can be processed and retrieved efficiently
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing ranking parameters based on message attributes such as sender importance, timestamp recency, and thread activity levels. These parameter-based rankings automatically prioritize messages without requiring complex manual analysis, improving retrieval efficiency through systematic parameter evaluation
Data Source
AI summary
A system of ranking e-mail threads is disclosed. The system receives e-mail messages, and determines e-mail threads in response to the e-mail messages. The system determines an e-mail rank associated with each e-mail message in the e-mail threads, where an e-mail rank associated with an e-mail message is determined in response to a sender identifier related to the e-mail message. The system also determines a thread rank for each e-mail thread, where a thread rank associated with an e-mail thread is determined in response to e-mail ranks of each e-mail message associated with each respective e-mail thread. The system then determines an ordering of the e-mail threads based on the thread rank associated with each e-mail thread.