Method and device for predicting message recipients
View Patent ↗A method and communications device is provided for determining a list of possible additional recipients to add to an electronic message that is composed by a user of the communications device for transmission to another communications device. Once the user indicates that there is an additional recipient for the distribution list of the electronic message, the device employs the method to create the list of possible additional recipients. The method may be implemented on a computer program product.
1. A mobile device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to, for a current electronic message that is being composed to be sent from the mobile device:
determine one or more known recipients in a distribution list of the current electronic message;
scan one or more data stores for one or more previously sent or received messages, each of the one or more previously sent or received messages comprising one or more distribution lists;
for each of the one or more previously sent or received messages,
determine if all of the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message are listed in the one or more distribution lists of the previously sent or received message, and
create a possible recipient list for the previously sent or received message if all of the one or more known recipients and at least one other recipient are identified in the one or more distribution lists of the previously sent or received message, wherein the possible recipient list comprises the at least one other recipient; and
generate a list of possible additional recipients for display in a user interface of the mobile device, wherein each recipient in the list of possible additional recipients is individually selectable and is identified in at least one possible recipient list,
wherein the processor is configured to generate the list of possible additional recipients by:
for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients, that is identified in at least one possible recipient list created, determining a weight for the individual recipient based on frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient among all possible recipient lists created and on which address field of the one or more distribution lists of previously sent or received messages the individual recipient occurred; and
identifying one or more individual recipients in the list of possible additional recipients, ordered by the weight.
2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the current electronic message identifies a sender, and wherein the processor is configured to exclude the sender from the list of possible additional recipients.
3. The mobile device of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the list of possible additional recipients by:
for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients and the sender, that is identified in at least one possible recipient list created, determining a frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient among all possible recipient lists created; and
identifying one or more individual recipients in the list of possible additional recipients, ordered by the frequency of occurrence.
4. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein the one or more individual recipients are identified in the list of possible additional recipients, ordered by decreasing frequency of occurrence.
5. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein a number of individual recipients identified in the list of possible additional recipients is based on a predetermined threshold.
6. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein exactly one individual recipient is identified in the list of possible additional recipients, the exactly one individual recipient being the individual recipient having a highest frequency of occurrence among all possible recipient lists created.
7. The mobile device of claim 3 , wherein all individual recipients identified in at least one possible recipient list created are identified in the list of possible additional recipients.
8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein for each of the one or more previously sent or received messages, the possible recipient list created for the previously sent or received message further comprises the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message.
9. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to exclude the one or more known recipients from the list of possible additional recipients.
10. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein for each of the one or more previously sent or received messages, the possible recipient list created for the previously sent or received message comprises all recipients other than the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message that are identified in the one or more distribution lists of the previously sent or received message.
11. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive user input indicating an address field of the current electronic message to which an additional recipient is to be added, and to provide a highest weight to the address field of the one or more distribution lists of previously sent or received messages in determining the weight.
12. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to allow manual entry of an additional recipient.
13. A method of generating a list of possible additional recipients for a current electronic message that is being composed to be sent from a mobile device, wherein the method comprises:
determining one or more known recipients in a distribution list of the current electronic message;
scanning one or more data stores for one or more previously sent or received messages, each of the one or more previously sent or received messages comprising one or more distribution lists;
for each of the one or more previously sent or received messages,
determining, using a processor of the mobile device, if all of the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message are listed in the one or more distribution lists of the previously sent or received message, and
creating a possible recipient list for the previously sent or received message if all of the one or more known recipients and at least one other recipient are identified in the one or more distribution lists of the previously sent or received message, wherein the possible recipient list comprises the at least one other recipient;
generating a list of possible additional recipients for display in a user interface of the mobile device, wherein each recipient in the list of possible additional recipients is individually selectable and is identified in at least one possible recipient list, and wherein the generating comprises, for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients, that is identified in at least one possible recipient list created:
determining a weight for the individual recipient based on frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient among all possible recipient lists created and on which address field of the one or more distribution lists of previously sent or received messages the individual recipient occurred; and
identifying one or more individual recipients in the list of possible additional recipients, ordered by the weight.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the current electronic message identifies a sender, and wherein the processor is configured to exclude the sender from the list of possible additional recipients.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the generating comprises:
for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients and the sender, that is identified in at least one possible recipient list created, determining a frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient among all possible recipient lists created; and
identifying one or more individual recipients in the list of possible additional recipients, ordered by the frequency of occurrence.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more individual recipients are identified in the list of possible additional recipients, ordered by decreasing frequency of occurrence.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein a number of individual recipients identified in the list of possible additional recipients is based on a predetermined threshold.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein exactly one individual recipient is identified in the list of possible additional recipients, the exactly one individual recipient being the individual recipient having a highest frequency of occurrence among all possible recipient lists created.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein all individual recipients identified in at least one possible recipient list created are identified in the list of possible additional recipients.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein for each of the one or more previously sent or received messages, the possible recipient list created for the previously sent or received message further comprises the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message.
21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising excluding the one or more known recipients from the list of possible additional recipients.
22. The method of claim 13 , wherein for each of the one or more previously sent or received messages, the possible recipient list created for the previously sent or received message comprises all recipients other than the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message that are identified in the one or more distribution lists of the previously sent or received message.
23. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving user input indicating an address field of the current electronic message to which an additional recipient is to be added, and to provide a highest weight to the address field of the one or more distribution lists of previously sent or received messages in determining the weight.