Affinity list generation
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to analyzing communications involving a given user and determining a ranked list of the most relevant contacts for the user based on the analysis. As subsequent communications are analyzed, the list may be updated in a systematic fashion to provide a dynamic and up-to-date ranking of the most relevant contacts for the user at any given time. By having access to an up-to-date, ranked list of their most relevant contacts, the user can more readily initiate communications with others and avoid searching or sorting through more traditional contact listings.
1. A method of providing an affinity list for a user comprising:
obtaining, by a communication terminal comprising a processor, affinity data associated with each of a plurality of communication events wherein each communication event involves the user and at least one contact, wherein one of the plurality of communication events is one of a group consisting of a telephony call, a conference call, an instant message, an email, a social network interaction, a web site visitation, and a virtual world interaction;
generating, by the communication terminal, an affinity list that provides a ranked list of a plurality of contacts based on the affinity data and at least one ranking criterion, comprising:
generating a communication event score for each communication event based on any affinity data for the communication event and the at least one ranking criterion, wherein the communication event score is a function of a weighting associated with one of a nature, a type, a time, or a date of the communication event;
generating contact scores for each of the plurality of contacts based on communication event scores associated with each of the plurality of contacts, wherein at least one of the contact scores for a first contact of the plurality of contacts is based on a plurality of communication event scores associated with a plurality of communication events involving the first contact; and
ranking the plurality of contacts for the affinity list based on the contact scores for each of the plurality of contacts; and
displaying, by the communication terminal, the affinity list to the user.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of communication events comprises different types of communication events.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the affinity list to a service node, which is separate from the user.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the service node is one of a group consisting of a web server and communications server.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the affinity data comprises contact information that identifies the at least one contact for each communication event.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the affinity data for a communication event of the plurality of communication events comprises communication information that identifies at least one aspect of the communication event.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one aspect of the communication event is one of a group consisting of a date and a time of the communication event.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one aspect of the communication event defines a type of the communication event.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one aspect of the communication event defines a nature of the communication event.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the nature of the communication event defines whether the communication event was an incoming or an outgoing communication event.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the nature of the communication event defines whether the communication event was directed solely to the user or to a plurality of users including the user.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the affinity data comprises contact information that identifies the at least one contact for each communication event, and communication information that identifies at least one aspect of the communication event.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein certain of the affinity data is obtained from network-based affinity sources that are separate from a user terminal associated with the user.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein certain of the affinity data is obtained from a user terminal associated with the user.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein certain of the affinity data is obtained from network-based affinity sources that are separate from a user terminal associated with the user, and other of the affinity data is obtained from the user terminal.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one ranking criterion defines at least one permanent contact to provide in the affinity list, and the affinity list is generated to comprise the at least one permanent contact along with the ranked list of the plurality of contacts.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising on a systematic basis:
obtaining new affinity data associated with at least one new communication event;
generating an updated affinity list that provides an updated ranked list of the plurality of contacts based on the new affinity data and the at least one ranking criterion; and
providing the updated affinity list to the user.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein only those of the plurality of contacts that have a score greater than a defined threshold appear on the affinity list.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication event score for each communication event is a function of a first weighting associated with a nature or type of the communication event and a second weighting associated with a time or date of the communication event.
20. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the communication terminal, a selection from the user that identifies a contact of the plurality of contacts from the affinity list; and
based on the selection, initiating a communication between the communication terminal and a device associated with the contact.
21. An apparatus for providing an affinity list for a user comprising:
at least one communication interface; and
a control system associated with the at least one communication interface and adapted to:
obtain affinity data associated with each of a plurality of communication events wherein each communication event involves the user and at least one contact, wherein one of the plurality of communication events is one of a group consisting of a telephony call, a conference call, an instant message, an email, a social network interaction, a web site visitation, and a virtual world interaction;
generate an affinity list that provides a ranked list of a plurality of contacts based on the affinity data and at least one ranking criterion by:
generating a communication event score for each communication event based on any affinity data for the communication event and the at least one ranking criterion, wherein the communication event score is a function of a weighting associated with one of a nature, a type, a time, or a date of the communication event;
generating contact scores for each of the plurality of contacts based on communication event scores associated with each of the plurality of contacts, wherein at least one of the contact scores for a first contact of the plurality of contacts is based on a plurality of communication event scores associated with a plurality of communication events involving the first contact; and
ranking the plurality of contacts for the affinity list based on the contact scores for each of the plurality of contacts; and
provide the affinity list to the user.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the at least one ranking criterion defines at least one permanent contact to provide in the affinity list, and the affinity list is generated to comprise the at least one permanent contact along with the ranked list of the plurality of contacts.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the control system is further adapted to generate the affinity list that provides the ranked list of the plurality of contacts based on the affinity data and at least one ranking criterion by:
generating the communication event score for each communication event based on any affinity data for the communication event and the at least one ranking criterion;
generating the contact scores for each of the plurality of contacts based on the communication event scores associated with each of the plurality of contacts; and
ranking the plurality of contacts for the affinity list based on the contact scores for each of the plurality of contacts.
24. A method of providing an affinity list for a user, comprising:
obtaining, by a device comprising a processor, affinity data associated with each of a plurality of communication events wherein each communication event involves the user and at least one of a plurality of contacts, wherein one of the plurality of communication events is one of a group consisting of a telephony call, a conference call, an instant message, an email, a social network interaction, a web site visitation, and a virtual world interaction;
generating, by the device, an affinity list that provides a ranked list of one or more of the plurality of contacts ranked based on a contact score derived from the affinity data associated with a corresponding contact from the plurality of contacts and at least one ranking criterion for weighting the communication events from the plurality of communication events associated with the corresponding contact, the weighting based on corresponding communication event scores derived for the plurality of communication events, wherein each communication event score is a function of a weighting associated with one of a nature, a type, a time, or a date of a corresponding communication event, wherein at least one contact score for a first contact of the plurality of contacts is based on a plurality of communication event scores associated with a plurality of communication events involving the first contact; and
providing the affinity list to the user.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the at least one ranking criterion defines at least one permanent contact to provide in the affinity list, and the affinity list is generated to comprise the at least one permanent contact along with the ranked list of the plurality of contacts.