System and method for email management through detection and analysis of dynamically variable behavior and activity patterns
Techniques for aiding an email recipient in the management of inbound email by detecting, and configurably responding to, dynamically variable patterns of activity and behavior are described. Characteristics are extracted from new email messages originated by senders and intended for a recipient. One or more patterns of sender activity, recipient message management behavior, and/or message response behavior, relating to treatment of messages from individual senders and/or plural senders in the aggregate, are identified. The patterns are identified by analyzing statistics collected by the extraction of characteristics from email messages previously received by the recipient. Before the recipient reads a new email, a determination is made as to whether any deviation from an identified pattern exists; and, if so, a pre-existing rule for treatment of the new message is enforced and/or a new rule specifying treatment of at least some messages from the sender of the email is proposed.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
deriving statistics from messages received by a recipient from a plurality of senders;
from the statistics, identifying a frequency of sending to the recipient for each of the plurality of senders;
detecting a deviation in a first frequency of sending to the recipient for a first sender of the plurality of senders; and
upon detecting the deviation, displaying an alert notifying the recipient of the deviation in a client email application from which the recipient accesses an email account inbox and at least one of performing an action on the received message or proposing, to the recipient, a rule for treatment of email messages from the first sender.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting at least one second deviation in at least one of
a contemporaneous volume or rate of change in a volume of new e-mail messages from a plurality of senders and intended for the recipient;
a contemporaneous rate of change in a volume of at least one of new messages received from the first sender and read by the recipient or email messages received from the first sender and managed by the recipient; or
a contemporaneous rate of change in a volume of at least one of new messages received from a plurality of senders and read by the recipient or email messages received from the plurality of senders and managed by the recipient.
3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
upon detecting the at least one second deviation, displaying an alert notifying the recipient of the at least one second deviation.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the statistics are included in a recipient profile for the recipient, and wherein identifying the frequency of sending to the recipient comprises:
accessing the recipient profile.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deriving, identifying, and detecting are performed by a server.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deriving, identifying, and detecting are performed by the client email application.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the deviation comprises the first frequency exceeding a threshold frequency.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rule deletes all future messages from the first sender.
9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
upon detecting the deviation, sending an automated reply message to the first sender.
10. An apparatus comprising:
a computer having one or more processors, memory and at least one network interface, and further comprising:
a message manager module, including instructions executable by the one or more processors and configured to:
derive statistics from messages received by a recipient from a plurality of senders;
from the statistics, identify a frequency of sending to the recipient for each of the plurality of senders;
detect a deviation in a first frequency of sending to the recipient for a first sender of the plurality of senders; and
upon detecting the deviation, display an alert notifying the recipient of the deviation in a client email application from which the recipient accesses an email account inbox and at least one of perform an action on the received message or propose, to the recipient, a rule for treatment of email messages from the first sender.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the message manager module is further configured to:
detect at least one second deviation in at least one of
a contemporaneous volume or rate of change in a volume of new e-mail messages from a plurality of senders and intended for the recipient;
a contemporaneous rate of change in a volume of at least one of new messages received from the first sender and read by the recipient or email messages received from the first sender and managed by the recipient; or
a contemporaneous rate of change in a volume of at least one of new messages received from a plurality of senders and read by the recipient or email messages received from the plurality of senders and managed by the recipient.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the message manager module is further configured to:
upon detecting the at least one second deviation, display an alert notifying the recipient of the at least one second deviation.
13. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the statistics are included in a recipient profile for the recipient, and wherein the message manager configured to identify the frequency of sending to the recipient comprises the message manager configured to:
access the recipient profile.
14. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the deviation comprises the first frequency exceeding a threshold frequency.
15. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the rule deletes all future messages from the first sender.
16. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the message manager module is further configured to:
upon detecting the deviation, send an automated reply message to the first sender.
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a system to:
derive statistics from messages received by a recipient from a plurality of senders;
from the statistics, identify a frequency of sending to the recipient for each of the plurality of senders;
detect a deviation in a first frequency of sending to the recipient for a first sender of the plurality of senders; and
upon detecting the deviation, display an alert notifying the recipient of the deviation in a client email application from which the recipient accesses an email account inbox and at least one of perform an action on the received message or propose, to the recipient, a rule for treatment of email messages from the first sender.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17 , wherein the deviation comprises the first frequency exceeding a threshold frequency.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17 , wherein the rule deletes all future messages from the first sender.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to:
upon detecting the deviation, send an automated reply message to the first sender.