Nearest known person directory function

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9633331-B2
Application number	US-40429703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2003
Priority date	Mar 31, 2003
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A system for matching nearest contacts in a logical contact hierarchy can include a logical contact hierarchy disposed in a database; and, a hierarchical query processor coupled to the logical contact hierarchy. The hierarchical query processor can be configured to produce a closest matching contact from among contacts in the logical contact hierarchy based upon a specified anchor contact in the logical contact hierarchy. A boolean operator further can be programmed to select a closest matching contact based upon a boolean expression operating upon multiple closest matching contacts produced by the hierarchical query processor.

First claim

We claim:

1. A computer-implemented method for matching nearest contacts in a logical contact hierarchy, the method comprising the steps of:
producing, by a processor on a computer, the logical contact hierarchy representing a logical hierarchical structure of seniority in an organization;
establishing, by the processor on a computer, an anchor contact in the logical contact hierarchy among different contacts, the anchor contact forming a basis for matching nearest contacts in the logical contact hierarchy;
computing, by the processor, a distance between the anchor contact and each different contact within the logical contact hierarchy based upon determining a non-geographical relationship between said anchor contact and each of the different contacts by determining a closest level of seniority between each different contacts and the anchor contact; and,
selecting a contact, as a nearest matching contact, from among the different contacts in said logical contact hierarchy having a shortest computed distance to the anchor contact within the logical contact hierarchy.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
repeating said establishing, computing and selecting steps for at least one additional anchor contact in the logical contact hierarchy; and,
performing at least one boolean operation on each closest matching contact produced by said repeating step for each anchor contact to compute a boolean closest matching contact in the logical contact hierarchy.

Assignees

• Kaminsky David Louis
• Ogle David M
• IBM

Inventors

• Kaminsky David Louis
• Ogle David M

Classifications

• G06Q10/109 Primary

  Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting · CPC title

• G06Q10/10 Primary

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F16/24553

  of query operations · CPC title