Email Traffic Relationship Correlation via Intermediary Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional computer and email systems are ineffective in identifying, organizing, and leveraging business relationships as organizations grow, leading to stagnation of external business contacts and potential negative repercussions due to unawareness of existing relationships across different parts of an organization.

Innovation Solution

A method that receives and filters email data to correlate sender and recipient information, generates filtered email data, and determines relationships based on email traffic, allowing for the identification and classification of relationships between individuals and target individuals, both within and outside the organization, using statistical data to generate potential email addresses and prioritize relationships.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional computer and email systems are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to identify and organize business relationships deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to identify and organize business relationshipsVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary relationship detection system that sits between email systems and business relationship management. This intermediary component automatically analyzes email traffic patterns, identifies relationships between individuals and entities, and organizes this information without requiring complex manual processes, thus resolving the contradiction between simplicity and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service relationship management by automatically detecting, tracking, and organizing business relationships through email analysis. The system serves itself by autonomously identifying patterns in email traffic and maintaining relationship databases without requiring manual intervention, thereby providing adaptability while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If email traffic data is collected and analyzed to identify relationships, then relationship identification capability is improved, but data processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverelationship information availabilityVSAvoiddata processing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data processing task into distinct modules: email data collection, relationship pattern detection, and relationship information storage. By dividing the complex data processing into separate functional segments, the system can handle relationship identification effectively while maintaining manageable processing complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical processes of relationship identification with automated computational analysis. Instead of manual review of email traffic, the system uses algorithmic pattern recognition and statistical analysis to automatically detect relationships, thereby improving information availability while reducing the complexity burden on human operators.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple people inside the organization contact the same external person, then communication coverage is improved, but negative repercussions increase due to lack of coordination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication coverageVSAvoidnegative repercussions from uncoordinated contacts

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms that track communication patterns between internal and external contacts. The system continuously monitors email traffic, identifies when multiple internal personnel contact the same external person, and provides feedback alerts or automated coordination signals. This feedback loop enables the organization to maintain comprehensive communication coverage while preventing negative repercussions through coordinated relationship management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8856135B2Intelligent sorting and correlation of email traffic

Publication Date: 2014.10.07 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

A method comprises receiving a plurality of emails. Each of the plurality of emails comprises message information and header information. The header information comprises subject information and one or more email addresses. The method further comprises generating filtered email data comprising email addresses by at least filtering message information and subject information from each of the plurality of emails. The method further comprises correlating sender information and recipient information in the filtered email data, the correlation based at least in part on the one or more email addresses. The method further comprises storing in memory one or more email addresses from the filtered email data.