Implicit Contact Group Formation via Communication History Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in efficiently identifying and managing multiple electronic communication contacts, as existing methods require manual formation and maintenance of contact groups, which can be tedious and time-consuming, especially when dealing with large quantities of contacts.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for implicitly forming contact groups based on a history of electronic communications, where groups are automatically created and updated based on communication patterns, allowing contacts to be automatically added as recipients when one contact from the group is identified as a recipient of a new message.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual formation of user/contact groups is used, then contacts can be organized into groups, but it requires deliberate efforts and time to establish and update each user group
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically forms contact groups by analyzing communication history and patterns without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously identifying contacts that should be grouped together based on their interaction patterns, eliminating the need for users to manually create and maintain groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary analysis of communication history to pre-form contact groups before users need to send messages. By examining past communication patterns in advance, the system prepares contact groups that are ready for immediate use, saving users time when they need to communicate with multiple contacts.
2Loss of information
If sender locates previous messages to identify recipients, then recipient information can be found, but sender must spend significant time locating appropriate previous message
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from communication history to automatically suggest contact groups based on previous interactions. When a user starts composing a message, the system analyzes past communication patterns and provides feedback in the form of suggested recipient groups, eliminating the need to manually search through previous messages.
3Adaptability or versatility
If sender edits recipient list and subject line, then message can be customized, but sender must perform multiple editing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary population of the recipient list and subject line based on communication history and patterns. When a user selects a suggested contact group, the system has already prepared the appropriate recipients and can suggest relevant subject lines based on previous communications, reducing the number of editing operations needed.
4Adaptability or versatility
If large quantity of contact groups are established, then comprehensive contact organization is achieved, but it becomes tedious to remember various user group names
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and displays only the most relevant contact groups based on the current communication context, rather than requiring users to remember all available groups. By taking out only the pertinent groups for the current situation, the system reduces cognitive load while maintaining comprehensive contact organization capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Under the present invention, one or more groups of contacts are implicitly formed based on a history of electronic communications that involve the contacts. When one or more contacts in a particular group is identified as an intended recipient of a (current) electronic communication, the entire group will be identified to the sender. If the sender then selects group, the contacts therein will be made additional recipients of the current electronic communication.