Contact recommendation system for a user communication

Abstract

Techniques are described for allowing a first user to efficiently send contact information to a second user using a messaging application such as email programs, instant messaging programs, social media websites, or chat rooms. The messaging application may maintain a name database that stores names relevant to a first user. When the first user then inputs a name into a user communication (e.g., an email, instant message, or voice message), the messaging application provides the first user with the names stored in the name database that match the name in the user communication. Additionally, the messaging application may use ranking data associated with each matched name to order the names according to relevance. The first user can then select the correct name (if there are multiple matched names) which prompts the messaging application to automatically send contact information to the intended recipient of the user communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 recognizing an identifier in a user communication, wherein the identifier describes a person;   identifying at least two names in a name database based on the identifier;   determining, by operation of one or more computer processors, an order of the at least two names based on ranking data associated with each of the at least two names;   transmitting the at least two names to be displayed in the determined order;   after transmitting the ordered names, receiving a selected name that is one of the ordered names; and   transmitting contact information associated with the selected name.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is one of (i) a name of the person and (ii) at least one keyword that describes the person. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is a name of the person and further comprising recognizing an identifying keyword associated with the name of the person in the user communication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the ranking data comprises keywords associated with each of the at least two names and wherein determining an order of the at least two names further comprises determining a score for each of the at least two names based on whether the identifying keyword matches the keywords associated with each of the at least two names. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising searching a public database for additional names that have associated keywords that match the identifying keyword, wherein the additional names match the name of the person in the user communication. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 populating the name database by at least one of (i) monitoring previous user communications for names of people and keywords associated with each respective names of people and (ii) collecting names of people from a list of names approved by a user who generates the user communication and keywords associated with each of the names of people, wherein the keywords are ranking data; and   storing the names of people and associated keywords in the name database.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ranking data comprises at least one of a position in a structured hierarchy, a predetermined score, a keyword, a length of time each of the at least two matched names have been stored in the name database, a frequency that one of the at least two matched names matches the name of the person in the user communication, and a frequency that one of the at least two names is selected. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising using the selected name to update the predetermined score. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contact information is at least one of a link to a profile associated with the selected name, metadata for creating a message to be sent to the selected name, v-card, and an unique ID. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user communication is from a first user to a second user, wherein the at least two names are transmitted to the first user, and wherein the contact information is transmitted to the second user.