Action assignment tracking using natural language processing in electronic communication applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11282006-B2
Application number	US-201715463644-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Mar 20, 2017
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for meeting completion. In one implementation, a message generated in relation to a meeting is received. The message is processed to identify a first action item and a first user associated with the first action item. The first action item is assigned to the first user. Performance of the first action item by the first user is tracked. The performance of the first action item by the first user is presented within an action tracking interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a processing device; and
a memory coupled to the processing device and storing instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
causing generation, via a graphical user interface of a collaboration application, of a first message in relation to a meeting, wherein the first message is an electronic message composed by a first user and the first message is directed to a second user;
detecting a selection of a meeting assistant button on the graphical user interface;
based on detecting the selection of the meeting assistant button, causing communication of the first message to a meeting completion engine;
accessing, at the meeting completion engine, the first message, wherein the first message comprises a plurality of action items in a body portion of the first message;
processing, by a natural language process of the meeting completion engine, the first message to identify a first action item and a first action item user associated with the first action item referenced in the first message;
assigning the first action item to the first action item user;
based on assigning the first action item to the first action item user, generating, by the meeting completion engine, supplemental content comprising a listing of an assignment of the first action item to the first action item user;
identifying an attached file or a linked file associated with the first action item;
generating an action tracking message based on incorporating the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file into the first message;
causing display of the action tracking message within the graphical user interface of the collaboration application prior to transmission of the action tracking message;
receiving an indication to transmit the action tracking message; and
based on receiving the indication to transmit the action tracking message, transmitting, over a communications network, the action tracking message to the second user to cause display of the action tracking message at a second graphical user interface of the collaboration application associated with the second user.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein accessing the first message associated with the meeting is based on receiving a user selection of a selectable control that is integrated into a user interface of the meeting completion engine, wherein the selectable control activates the meeting completion engine for processing the first message.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores instructions for causing the system to perform operations comprising:
identifying a second action item assigned to the first user; and
tracking performance of the second action item by the first user based on the performance of the first action item by the first user.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores instructions for causing the system to perform operations comprising tracking performance of the first action item by the first action item user based on the performance of the first action item by the first action item user.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores instructions for causing the system to perform operations comprising incorporating the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file into the first message, wherein incorporating the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file into the first message comprises inserting the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file above and/or below the first message within the graphical user interface of the collaboration application.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a first device comprising the meeting completion engine, and a second device comprising the collaboration application, wherein the first device and the second device communicate via the communications network.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein processing the first message further comprises processing the first message to identify the first action item user associated with the meeting and wherein identifying the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file comprises identifying the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file related to the first action item based on an association between the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file and the first action item user.

8. The system of claim 1 , the memory further stores instructions for causing the system to perform operations comprising:
processing the first message to generate performance tracking data that identifies associations between elements in the first message, the elements comprising two or more of the following: meeting information, scheduling information, location information, and participant information;
tracking performance of the first action item by the first user, wherein tracking the performance of the first action item comprises parsing the performance tracking data and a reply message from the first user to generate a status indicator that the first action item has been completed; and
causing presentation of, within an action tracking interface, the status indicator and the performance tracking data of the first action item by the first user.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores instructions for causing the system to perform operations comprising:
generating a notification that tracks performance of the first action item, wherein the notification comprises a message that includes content to enable the first user to complete the first action item.

10. A computerized method comprising:
causing generation, via a graphical user interface of a collaboration application executed by a processor, of a first message in relation to a meeting, wherein the first message is an electronic message composed by a first user and the first message is directed to a second user;
detecting, by the processor, a selection of a meeting assistant button on the graphical user interface;
based on detecting the selection of the meeting assistant button by the processor, causing communication of the first message to a meeting completion engine;
accessing, by the processor, at the meeting completion engine, the first message, wherein the first message comprises a plurality of action items in a body portion of the first message;
processing, by the processor, by a natural language process of the meeting completion engine, the first message to identify a first action item and a first action item user associated with the first action item referenced in the first message;
assigning, by the processor, the first action item to the first action item user;
based on assigning the first action item to the first action item user, generating, by the meeting completion engine, executed by the processor, supplemental content comprising a listing of an assignment of the first action item to the first action item user;
identifying, by the processor, an attached file or a linked file associated with the first action item;
generating, by the processor, an action tracking message based on incorporating the supplemental content and the attached file or linked file into the first message;
causing display, by the processor, of the action tracking message within the graphical user interface of the collaboration application prior to transmission of the action tracking message;
receiving, by the processor, an indication to transmit, from the first user, the action tracking message; and
based on receiving the indication to transmit the action tracking message, transmitting, by the processor, over a communications network, the action tracking message to the second

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Tolica Iuri
• Ifrim Olivia F
• Hoque Rezaul
• Pereira Vando
• Platakis Manolis
• Svela Katrine Overlie
• Lucas Pires Vaz Henriques Mário Miguel

Classifications

• G06Q10/1093

  Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups · CPC title

• G06F40/20

  Natural language analysis (semantic analysis of natural language G06F40/30) · CPC title

• G06Q10/107

  Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing] · CPC title

• G06Q10/06398

  Performance of employee with respect to a job function · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title