US6421669B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for constructing and maintaining a user knowledge profile
Assignee: Oracle International Corp
•
Filing: 2000-07-12
•
Granted: 2002-07-16
•
Expires: 2020-07-12
Abstract
Abstract A method of constructing an entity profile, having private and public portions with different access restrictions, commences with the assignment of a confidence level to content within an electronic document. The electronic document may be associated with the first entity (e.g., may have been authored by or addressed to the first entity). The content may furthermore potentially be descriptive of the first entity. If the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, the content is automatically rejected for inclusion within the entity profile. On the other hand, if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, the content is included within the private portion of the entity profile. Thereafter, the content is automatically presented to the first entity for authorization, by the first entity, for inclusion of the content within the public portion of the profile. The public portion of the entity profile may be freely accessible by other entities, whereas the private portion may have access restrictions.
Inventors
- 👤 David L. Gilmour
- 👤 Eric Wang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 09:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F21/00; G06F21/30; G06F21/31; G06F21/60; G06F21/62; G06F21/6218; G06F21/6245; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9535; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/063; G06Q10/0639; G06Q10/06393; G06Q10/10; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0201; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/04; H; H04; H04L; H04L63/00; H04L63/10; H04L63/102; H04L67/00; H04L67/2866; H04L67/30; H04L67/306; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99936; Y10S707/99939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 67
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of constructing an entity profile including first and second portions having different access restrictions, the method including: automatically assigning a confidence level to content within an electronic document associated with a first entity, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, then automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within the entity profile; and if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, then automatically including content within the first portion of the entity profile, and automatically presenting the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within the second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of constructing an entity profile including first and second portions having different access restrictions, the method including: automatically assigning a confidence level to content within an electronic document associated with a first entity, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, then automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within the entity profile; and if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, then automatically including content within the first portion of the entity profile, and automatically presenting the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within the second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion of the entity profile has unrestricted access.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the first portion of the entity profile has restricted access.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 including designating the second portion of the entity profile as a public portion and designating the first portion of the entity profile as a private portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 including determining whether the electronic document is indicated as being for use in construction of the entity profile.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the determining comprises examining a flag associated with the electronic document, the flag marking the document as being for use in the construction of the entity profile or not.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the determining comprises determining whether the electronic document is addressed to a construction entity that performs construction of the entity profile.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 including determining whether the electronic document indicates an attachment as being for use in the construction of the entity profile or not.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level comprises identifying a term within the content.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level includes counting a number of words within the term.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level includes identifying parts of speech comprising the term.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level includes comparing the term to a collection of lexicon terms.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level includes determining the frequency with which the term occurs within the electronic document associated with the first entity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the determining of the frequency comprises determining a percentage value indicating the frequency of occurrence of the term relative to a total number of terms within the electronic document associated with the first entity.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level comprises determining the frequency with which the term occurs within a plurality of electronic documents associated with the first entity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the term comprises a grammar term, noun phrase or word.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the automatic assigning of the confidence level includes analyzing addressee information associated with the electronic document.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the analyzing of the addressee information includes identification of a level of seniority of an addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the analyzing of the addressee information includes determining an average level of seniority of all addressees of the electronic document.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the analyzing of the addressee information includes determining a level of seniority of a most senior addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 18 including generating a document weight term utilizing the level of seniority of the addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 18 including identifying a count of a plurality of addresses of the electronic document.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 22 including generating a document weight term utilizing the count of the plurality of addresses of the electronic document.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 17 wherein the analyzing of the addressee information includes identification of an organizational group of at least one addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 24 including generating a document weight term utilizing the organizational group of the at least one addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 including automatically including the content within the second portion of the entity profile responsive to authorization by the first entity.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic document comprises an electronic mail message associated with the first entity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic document comprises an electronic document attached to an electronic mail message associated with the first entity.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic document comprises a database inquiry associated with the first entity.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic document comprises any one of a group consisting of a profile document and a list of bookmarks, folders or directories.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
157 words
A data processing system to construct an entity profile including first and second portions having different access restrictions, the system comprising: confidence logic to examine an electronic document, associated with a first entity, and to assign a confidence level to content within the electronic document, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; and a profiler, if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, automatically to reject the content for inclusion within the entity profile and, if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, automatically to include the content within the first portion of the entity profile and automatically to present the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within the second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
157 words
A data processing system to construct an entity profile including first and second portions having different access restrictions, the system comprising: confidence logic to examine an electronic document, associated with a first entity, and to assign a confidence level to content within the electronic document, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; and a profiler, if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, automatically to reject the content for inclusion within the entity profile and, if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, automatically to include the content within the first portion of the entity profile and automatically to present the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within the second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the second portion of entity profile has unrestricted access.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the first portion of the entity profile has restricted access.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The data processing system of claim 31 including a client to propagate the electronic document to the confidence logic.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the client is an e-mail client program.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the confidence logic determines whether the electronic document is indicated as being for use in the construction of the entity profile.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
38 words
The data processing system of claim 36 wherein the confidence logic examines a flag associated with the electronic document, the flag marking the electronic document as being for use in the construction of the entity profile or not.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system of claim 36 wherein the confidence logic determines whether the electronic document is addressed to a construction entity that performs construction of the entity profile.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
32 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the confidence logic determines whether the electronic document indicates an attachment as being for use in the construction of the entity profile or not.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
17 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the confidence logic identifies a term within the content.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
The data processing system of claim 40 wherein the confidence logic counts a number of words within the term.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system of claim 40 wherein the confidence logic identifies parts of speech comprising the term.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
20 words
The data processing system of claim 40 wherein the confidence logic compares the term to a collection of lexicon terms.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
The data processing system of claim 40 wherein the confidence logic determines the frequency with which the term occurs within the electronic document associated with the first entity.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
34 words
The data processing system of claim 44 wherein the confidence logic determines a percentage value indicating the frequency of occurrence of the term relative to a total number of terms within the electronic document.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The data processing system of claim 40 wherein the confidence logic determines the frequency with which the term occurs within a plurality of electronic documents associated with the first entity.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
18 words
The data processing system of claim 40 wherein the term comprises a grammar term, noun phrase or word.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
19 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the confidence logic analyzes addressee information associated with the electronic document.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
23 words
The data processing system of claim 48 wherein the confidence logic identifies a level of seniority of an addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
24 words
The data processing system of claim 48 wherein the confidence logic determines an average level of seniority of all addressees of the electronic document.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
25 words
The data processing system of claim 48 wherein the confidence logic determines a level of seniority of a most senior addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
28 words
The data processing system of claim 48 wherein the confidence logic generates a document weight term utilizing the level of seniority of the addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
20 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the confidence logic identifies the number of addressees of the electronic document.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
25 words
The data processing system of claim 53 wherein the confidence logic generates a document weight term utilizing the number of addressees of the electronic document.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
24 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the confidence logic identifies an organizational group of at least one addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
30 words
The data processing system of claim 55 wherein the confidence logic generates a document weight term utilizing the organizational group of the at least one addressee of the electronic document.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
29 words
The data processing system of claim 31 wherein the profiler automatically includes the content within the second portion of the entity profile responsive to authorization by the first entity.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
156 words
A data processing system to construct an entity profile including first and second portions having different access restrictions, the system comprising: first means for examining an electronic document, associated with a first entity, and for assigning a confidence level to content within the electronic document, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; and second means, if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, for automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within the profile and, if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, for automatically including the content within the first portion of the profile entity and for automatically presenting the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within the second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
156 words
A data processing system to construct an entity profile including first and second portions having different access restrictions, the system comprising: first means for examining an electronic document, associated with a first entity, and for assigning a confidence level to content within the electronic document, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; and second means, if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, for automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within the profile and, if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, for automatically including the content within the first portion of the profile entity and for automatically presenting the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within the second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
145 words
A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a process comprising: automatically assigning a confidence level to content within an electronic document associated with a first entity, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, then automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within the entity profile; and if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, then automatically including content within the first portion of the entity profile, and automatically presenting the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within a second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
145 words
A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a process comprising: automatically assigning a confidence level to content within an electronic document associated with a first entity, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; if the confidence level assigned to the content is less than a predetermined threshold, then automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within the entity profile; and if the confidence level assigned to the content exceeds the predetermined threshold, then automatically including content within the first portion of the entity profile, and automatically presenting the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity for inclusion of the content within a second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 64
Independent Claim
126 words
A method comprising: automatically assigning a confidence level to content within an electronic document associated with a first entity, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; if the confidence level assigned to the content fails to meet a predetermined criterion, then automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within an entity profile; and if the confidence level assigned to the content meets the predetermined criterion, then automatically including the content within a first portion of the entity profile and automatically indicating the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity to include the content within a second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 65
Independent Claim
126 words
A method comprising: automatically assigning a confidence level to content within an electronic document associated with a first entity, the content being potentially descriptive of the first entity; if the confidence level assigned to the content fails to meet a predetermined criterion, then automatically rejecting the content for inclusion within an entity profile; and if the confidence level assigned to the content meets the predetermined criterion, then automatically including the content within a first portion of the entity profile and automatically indicating the content to the first entity for authorization by the first entity to include the content within a second portion of the entity profile, wherein the first and second portions of the entity profile have different access restrictions with respect to a second entity.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 60 , wherein the second portion of the entity profile has unrestricted access.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 61 , wherein the first portion of the entity profile has restricted access.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-07-15 | 2006-01-14 | 2006-07-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-07-15 | 2010-01-14 | 2010-07-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-07-15 | 2014-01-14 | 2014-07-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |