Preemptively surfacing relevant content within email

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11328238-B2
Application number	US-201916371951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2019
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A system and method for surfacing content relevant is described. The system computes a rank score for each item of a plurality of items that are accessible from a user of an enterprise application. The system identifies a set of relevant items from the plurality of items based on the rank score for each item of the plurality of items. The system surfaces the set of relevant items within a context of a communication application of the user without receiving, from the user, a query for any of the items in the set of relevant items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
identifying a first plurality of application actions performed by a first set of peer users of a user of an enterprise application with respect to a first plurality of items accessible by the first set of peer users and the user;
identifying the first set of peer users relative to the user of a communication application, the first set of peer users having communicated with the user of the enterprise application using the communication application;
identifying a second set of peer users based on the communication frequency between the first set of peer users and the user, the second set of peers including peer users having a corresponding communication frequency with the user exceeding a threshold frequency;
identifying a second plurality of items accessible by the second set of peer users and the user;
identifying a second plurality of application actions performed by the second set of peer users with respect to the second plurality of items;
computing a rank score for each item of the second plurality of items based on the second plurality of application actions;
identifying a set of relevant items from the second plurality of items based on the rank score for each item of the second plurality of items; and
surfacing the set of relevant items within a context of a graphical user interface of the communication application of the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein one of the second plurality of application actions includes a read or write action performed on an item from the second plurality of items using the enterprise application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a user preference of the user based on user interactions on the enterprise application, the user preference indicating a preference for documents with common features between the user and the second set of peer users; and
recomputing the rank score based on the user preference.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of a peer user in a graphical user interface of the communication application at a client device of the user;
identifying a subset of items from the set of relevant items based on the selected peer user, the subset of items being relevant to the peer user based on the corresponding rank score of each item in the subset of items; and
causing a display of an identification of the subset of items within the graphical user interface of the communication application.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of an email in a graphical user interface of the communication application at a client device of the user;
identifying a subset of items from the set of relevant items based on the selected email, the subset of items being relevant to the peer user based on the corresponding rank score of each item in the subset of items; and
causing a display of an identification of the subset of items within the graphical user interface of the communication application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of an email thread in a graphical user interface of the communication application at a client device of the user;
identifying a subset of items from the set of relevant items based on the selected email thread, the subset of items being relevant to the peer user based on the corresponding rank score of each item in the subset of items; and
causing a display of an identification of the subset of items within the graphical user interface of the communication application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each item includes at least one of a file, a document, a news article, and a hyperlink, wherein each item is shared with the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the communication application includes an email application, wherein the enterprise application includes a collaborative application.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from a client device of the user, a user feedback indicating a measure of relevance of an item from the set of relevant items; and
adjusting the rank score for the item based on the user feedback.

10. A computing apparatus, the computing apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to:
identify a first plurality of application actions performed by a first set of peer users of a user of an enterprise application with respect to a first plurality of items accessible by the first set of peer users and the user;
identify the first set of peer users relative to the user of the communication application, the first set of peer users having communicated with the user of the enterprise application using the communication application;
identify a second set of peer users based on the communication frequency between the first set of peer users and the user, the second set of peers including peer users having a corresponding communication frequency with the user exceeding a threshold frequency;
identify a second plurality of items accessible by the second set of peer users and the user;
identify a second plurality of enterprise application actions performed by the second set of peer users with respect to the second plurality of items; and
compute a rank score for each item of the second plurality of items based on the second plurality of application actions;
identify a set of relevant items from the second plurality of items based on the rank score for each item of the second plurality of items; and
surface the set of relevant items within a context of a graphical user interface of the communication application of the user.

11. The computing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein one of the second plurality of application actions includes a read or write action performed on an item from the second plurality of items using the enterprise application.

12. The computing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:
determine a user preference of the user based on user interactions on the enterprise application, the user preference indicating a preference for documents with common features between the user and the second set of peer users; and
recompute the rank score based on the user preference.

13. The computing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:
receive a selection of a peer user in a graphical user interface of the communication application at a client device of the user;
identify a subset of items from the set of relevant items based on the selected peer user, the subset of items being relevant to the peer user based on the corresponding rank score of each item in the subset of items; and
cause a display of an identification of the subset of items within the graphical user interface of the communication application.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further configure the apparatus to:
receive a selection of an email in a graphical user interface of the communication application at a client device of the user;
identify a subset of items from the set of relevant items based on the selected email, the subset of items being relevant to the peer user based on the corresponding rank score of each item in the subset of items; and
cause a display of an identification of the subset of items within the graphical user interface of the communication app

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Grimshaw Susan Marie
• Johansen Amund Kronen
• Eidesen Dag Steinnes
• Rambhia Amy Harilal
• Kuppusamy Ashok
• Palermiti Ii Michael Francis
• Stiles Scott
• Mikalsen Krister

Classifications

• G06Q10/10 Primary

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06Q10/06315 Primary

  Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis · CPC title

• G06F18/2113

  by ranking or filtering the set of features, e.g. using a measure of variance or of feature cross-correlation · CPC title

• G06Q10/107

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

• G06Q10/06316

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title