Computer system architecture for automatic context associations

US7343365B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Shelly Farnham · Seattle, US
• Andrzej Turski · Redmond, US
• David Vronay · Beijing, CN
• Lili Cheng · Bellevue, US
• Sean Uberoi Kelly · San Francisco, US
• Cezary Marcjan · Redmond, US
• Richard F. Rashid · Prescott, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 28, 2002
• Grant date: Mar 11, 2008
• Expiry date: Sep 20, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/109
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A computer system models human memory by deriving associations between objects, events, and the context of the computer user or users. These associations can be dynamically generated, changing depending on the behavior of the user and context. Examples of areas in which this system can be used include time management (e.g., a calendar that presents time-based groupings of objects), people management (e.g., use analysis of user communications to rank importance of people to the user, groupings, and associations between people/groups and other objects such as documents, email), and general computer management (e.g., use analysis of user behavior to identify important objects and objects that are related to a current focus and context of the computer user).