IP Library Granted Patent US 9,245,013
Granted Patent B2
US 9,245,013 · App. 11/927,450 · Granted Jan 26, 2016

Message recommendation using word isolation and clustering

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,245,013
App. No.
11/927,450
Granted
Jan 26, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Network system provides a real-time adaptive recommendation set of documents with a high statistical measure of relevancy to the requestor device. The recommendation set is optimized based on analyzing text of documents of the interest set, categorizing these documents into clusters, extracting keywords representing the themes or concepts of documents in the clusters, and filtering a population of eligible documents accessible to the system utilizing site and or Internet-wide search engines. The system is either automatically or manually invoked and it develops and presents the recommendation set in real-time. The recommendation set may be presented as a greeting, notification, alert, HTML fragment, fax, voicemail, or automatic classification or routing of customer e-mail, personal e-mail, job postings, and offers for sale or exchange.

Claims (33)

1. A method for recommending electronic-mail messages, the method comprising:

assembling electronic-mail messages into an interest set, the electronic-mail messages having been previously viewed and responded to by a user, wherein the electronic-mail messages are assembled into an interest set by an assembly module stored in memory, the assembly module executed by a processor;

isolating words in the interest set, wherein the words are isolated by a pre-processing module stored in memory, the pre-processing module executed by a processor;

grouping electronic-mail messages in the interest set into clusters of electronic-mail messages having a level of similarity amongst the isolated words, wherein the electronic-mail messages are grouped by a clustering module stored in memory, the clustering module executed by a processor;

generating a keyword for each cluster, the keyword identified based on one or more terms identified via natural language understanding and representing the theme of the electronic-mail messages in each cluster, wherein the keyword is not one of the terms identified via natural language understanding, the keywords generated by a keyword module when executed by a processor;

recommending an electronic-mail message received subsequent to the generation of the keywords for further action based upon a ranking of the subsequently received electronic-mail message, the ranking based on a number of times one of the generated keywords of the clusters appears in the subsequently received electronic-mail message, wherein the electronic-mail message is recommended by a recommendation module stored in memory, the recommendation module executed by a processor; and

adding the recommended electronic-mail message to the interest set when the user responds to the recommended electronic-mail message by taking the further action, wherein the electronic-mail message is added by the assembly module.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic-mail messages are from multiple sources.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein execution of the pre-processing module by the processor results in removal of words that are not useful for distinguishing one electronic-mail message from another.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the non-useful words removed by execution of the pre-processing module are words common to the language of the electronic-mail message.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the non-useful words removed by execution of the pre-processing module are words that are insignificant to the recommendation.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering each cluster based on a client-defined limit on electronic-mail message age and an age associated with each electronic-mail message in each cluster, wherein the electronic-mail messages are filtered by a filtration module, the filtration module executed by a processor.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for recommending a message, the method comprising:

assembling electronic-mail messages into an interest set, the electronic-mail messages having been previously viewed and responded to by a user;

isolating words in the interest set;

grouping electronic-mail messages in the interest set into clusters of electronic mail messages having a level of similarity amongst the isolated words;

generating a keyword for each cluster, the keyword identified based on one or more terms identified via natural language understanding and representing the theme of the electronic-mail messages in each cluster, wherein the keyword is not one of the terms identified via natural language understanding;

recommending an electronic-mail message received subsequent to the generation of the keywords for further action based upon a ranking of the subsequently received electronic-mail message, the ranking based on a number of times one of the generated keywords of the clusters appears in the subsequently received electronic-mail message; and

adding the recommended electronic-mail message to the interest set when the user responds to the recommended electronic-mail message by taking the further action.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein words that are not useful for distinguishing one electronic-mail message from another are removed.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the removed non-useful words are words common to the language of the electronic-mail message.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the removed non-useful words removed are words that are insignificant to the recommendation.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises filtering each cluster based on a client-defined limit on electronic-mail message age and an age associated with each electronic-mail message in each cluster.

12. A network device, comprising:

a network interface for receiving electronic-mail messages over a communications network;

a processor; and

memory storing:

an assembly module that is executable by the processor and assembles electronic-mail messages into an interest set, the electronic-mail messages having been previously viewed and responded to by a user,

a pre-processing module that is executable by the processor and isolates words in the interest set,

a clustering module that is executable by the processor and groups electronic-mail messages in the interest set into clusters of electronic-mail messages having a level of similarity amongst the isolated words,

a keyword module that is executable by the processor and generates a keyword for each cluster, the keyword identified based on one or more terms identified via natural language understanding and representing the theme of the electronic-mail messages in each cluster, wherein the keyword is not one of the terms identified via natural language understanding, and

a recommendation module that is executable by the processor and recommends an electronic-mail message received subsequent to the generation of the keywords for further action based upon a ranking of the subsequently received electronic-mail message, the ranking based on a number of times one of the generated keywords of the clusters appears in the subsequently received electronic-mail message, wherein the recommended electronic-mail message is added to the interest set when the user responds to the recommended electronic-mail message by taking the further action.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the memory further stores a filtration module that is executable by the processor and filters each cluster based on a client-defined limit on electronic-mail message age and an age associated with each electronic-mail message in each cluster.

Assignments (28)
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT RF 046321/0393 Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 071625/0887 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 7, 2018
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046321/0414 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 7, 2018
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046321/0393 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT R/F 040581/0850 Recorded May 22, 2018
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A DELL SOFTWARE INC.); AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 046211/0735 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 11, 2017
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 044826/0542 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040587 FRAME: 0624. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 28, 2017
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A DELL SOFTWARE INC.); AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 044811/0598 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 041073 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSIGNMENT.. Recorded Apr 5, 2017
From: QUEST SOFTWARE INC.
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 042168/0114 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 23, 2017
From: QUEST SOFTWARE INC.
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041073/0001 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 10, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040587/0624 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 9, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040581/0850 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040039/0642) Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 040521/0016 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 040521/0467 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040039/0642 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040030/0187 →
MERGER Recorded May 27, 2015
From: SONICWALL L.L.C.
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 035726/0791 →
CONVERSION AND NAME CHANGE Recorded May 27, 2015
From: SONICWALL, INC.
To: SONICWALL L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 035792/0990 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED ON REEL/FRAME 024776/0337 Recorded May 8, 2012
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 028177/0115 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED ON REEL/FRAME 024823/0280 Recorded May 8, 2012
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 028177/0126 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 3, 2010
From: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 024776/0337 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Aug 3, 2010
From: AVENTAIL LLC; SONICWALL, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 024823/0280 →
MERGER Recorded Jul 28, 2010
From: SONICWALL, INC.
To: PSM MERGER SUB (DELAWARE), INC.
Reel/Frame 024755/0083 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 28, 2010
From: PSM MERGER SUB (DELAWARE), INC.
To: SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 024755/0091 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NAME OF THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020602 FRAME 0401. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE THE CORRECT NAME OF THE ASSIGNEE IS MAILFRONTIER, INC. (AND NOT MAIL (SPACE) FRONTIER, INC. AS ORIGINALLY RECORDED). Recorded Jul 14, 2010
From: SKYCHANGE, INC.
To: MAILFRONTIER, INC.
Reel/Frame 024685/0942 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2008
From: OLIVER, JONATHAN JAMES; BUNTINE, WRAY LINDSAY; ROUMELIOTIS, GEORGE
To: DYNAPTICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020863/0557 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 4, 2008
From: DYNAPTICS CORPORATION
To: SKYCHANGE, INC.
Reel/Frame 020602/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2008
From: OLIVER, JONATHAN JAMES; BUNTINE, WRAY LINDSAY; ROUMELLOTIS, GEORGE
To: DYNAPTICS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 020602/0395 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 4, 2008
From: SKYCHANGE, INC.
To: MAIL FRONTIER, INC.
Reel/Frame 020602/0401 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 7, 2008
From: MAILFRONTIER, INC.
To: SONICWALL, INC.
Reel/Frame 020486/0653 →