System and Method Enabling Future Messaging Directives Based on Past Participation via a History Monitor

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the flow of documents by associating Globally Unique Identifiers with each original document, each reply document, each copy document and each forwarded document, such as email messages. Historical analysis is performed on a locally stored history records containing the Globally Unique Identifiers extracted from received documents to determine which recipients are active participants and which are inactive participants, according to user preferences and thresholds. Lists for direct recipients (e.g. “To” list), carbon copy recipients, and blind copy recipients are automatically proposed to a user of a document handling system when authoring a new document, replying to a document, or forwarding a document, according to the results of the historical participation analysis, thereby stemming information flow to participants who are not active in an ad hoc asynchronous conversation.

1 . A method for controlling flow of exchanged electronic documents comprising:
 extracting a guaranteed unique self identifier value (SelfGUID) associated each electronic document in a plurality of interrelated non-thread documents in a historical tree relationship;   extracting for each said document a guaranteed unique original predecessor document identifier (OriginGUID) to which each said document is related;   extracting for each said document an immediate predecessor parent document identifier (ParentGUID) to each said document;   accumulating said SelfGUID, OriginGUID, and ParentGUID values for all said documents of said non-thread historical tree structure; and   proposing to an electronic document author while creating a new document in said non-thread structure at least one list of recipients according to classification of potential recipients by historical participation analysis using said extracted GUID.   
     
     
         2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein extracting GUID values comprises extracting a set of meta data values. 
     
     
         3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein proposing a list of recipients comprises a step selected from a group of proposing a “To” list of addressees, proposing a “Carbon Copy” list of addressees, and proposing a “Blind Copy” list addressees. 
     
     
         4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said participating analysis comprises performing an analysis selected from a group of:
 (a) designating a potential recipient as inactive if said participant has not contributed a document within a specified period of time; 
 (b) designating a potential recipient as inactive if said potential recipient has not contributed a document within a specified recent number of messages; 
 (c) designating a potential recipient as inactive if said potential recipient does not belong to a top portion of a group of potential recipients when rank ordered by number of documents contributed within a specified period of time; 
 (d) designating a potential recipient as inactive if said participant has not contributed a specified threshold number of documents within a specified time period; and 
 (e) designating a potential recipient as inactive if said participant has not contributed documents at a rate favorably comparable to a determined pace for an entire group of potential recipients. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising automatically sending a notice to recipients who have been classified as inactive participants. 
     
     
         6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein composing a new document comprises composing a reply message. 
     
     
         7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein composing a new document comprises composing a forwarded message. 
     
     
         8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein proposing a list of recipients comprises a proposal selected from the group of:
 (a) replying to all document contributors and document recipients within a current branch of a conversation tree; 
 (b) replying to document contributors and document recipients within an entire conversation tree; 
 (c) replying to document contributors and document recipients classified as “active participants” within a current branch of a conversation tree; 
 (d) replying only to document contributors and document recipients as “passive participants” within a current branch of a conversation tree; 
 (e) replying only to document contributors and document recipients classified as “passive participants” within an entire tree of conversation; 
 (f) forwarding to all document contributors and document recipients within a current branch of a conversation tree; 
 (g) forwarding to all document contributors and document recipients within an entire conversation tree; 
 (i) forwarding only to document contributors and document recipients classified as “active participants” within a current branch of a conversation tree; 
 (j) forwarding only to document contributors and document recipients classified as “passive participants” within a current branch of a conversation tree; and 
 (k) forwarding only to document contributors and document recipients classified as “passive participants” within an entire tree of conversation. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising:
 associating an OriginGUID value with said new document having a value equal to the OriginGUID value of said received document; 
 associating a ParentGUID value with said new document having a value equal to the SelfGUID of said received document; and 
 associating a new and unique SelfGUID value with said new document. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising composing a new document with new context by:
 associating a null OriginGUID value and null ParentGUID value with said new document; and 
 associating a new and unique SelfGUID value with said new document.