Method and device for predicting message recipients

Abstract

A method and communications device is provided for determining a list of possible additional recipients to add to an electronic message that is composed by a user of the communications device for transmission to another communications device. Once the user indicates that there is an additional recipient for the distribution list of the electronic message, the device employs the method to create the list of possible additional recipients. The method may be implemented on a computer program product.

1 . A method of generating one or more possible additional recipients for a current electronic message that is being composed to be sent from a computing device, wherein the method comprises:
 determining one or more known recipients for the current electronic message;   generating one or more additional recipients, the one or more additional recipients having been included in one or more previously sent or received electronic messages, the one or more previously sent or received electronic messages additionally being comprised of the one or more known recipients; and   displaying the one or more additional recipients in a user interface of the computing device, wherein each of the one or more additional recipients is individually selectable.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more additional recipients excludes the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current electronic message identifies a sender, and wherein the one or more additional recipients excludes the sender. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the generating comprises:
 for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients and the sender, that is identified in the one or more additional recipients, determining a frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient in the one or more previously sent or received messages; and   displaying the one or more individual recipients of the one or more additional recipients in order of the frequency of occurrence.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more individual recipients are displayed in order of decreasing frequency of occurrence. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein exactly one individual recipient is identified in the one or more additional recipients, the exactly one individual recipient being the individual recipient having a highest frequency of occurrence in the one or more previously sent or received messages. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the generating comprises:
 for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients and the sender, determining a weight for the individual recipient based on frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient in the one or more previously sent or received messages and on which address field of the one or more previously sent or received messages the individual recipient occurred; and   identifying one or more individual recipients in the one or more additional recipients, ordered by the weight.   
     
     
         8 . A computing device comprising a processor and a memory for generating one or more possible additional recipients for a current electronic message that is being composed to be sent from the computing device, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine one or more known recipients for the current electronic message;   generate one or more additional recipients, the one or more additional recipients having been included in one or more previously sent or received electronic messages, the one or more previously sent or received electronic messages additionally being comprised of the one or more known recipients; and   display the one or more additional recipients in a user interface of the computing device, wherein each of the one or more additional recipients is individually selectable.   
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more additional recipients excludes the one or more known recipients of the current electronic message. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 8 , wherein the current electronic message identifies a sender, and wherein the one or more additional recipients excludes the sender. 
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the list of possible additional recipients by:
 for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients and the sender, that is identified in the one or more additional recipients, determining a frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient in the one or more previously sent or received messages; and   displaying the one or more individual recipients of the one or more additional recipients in order of the frequency of occurrence.   
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more individual recipients are displayed in order of decreasing frequency of occurrence. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein exactly one individual recipient is identified in the one or more additional recipients, the exactly one individual recipient being the individual recipient having a highest frequency of occurrence in the one or more previously sent or received messages. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the list of possible additional recipients by:
 for each individual recipient, excluding the one or more known recipients and the sender, determining a weight for the individual recipient based on frequency of occurrence of the individual recipient in the one or more previously sent or received messages and on which address field of the one or more previously sent or received messages the individual recipient occurred; and   identifying one or more individual recipients in the one or more additional recipients, ordered by the weight.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a computing device, the instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out a method of generating one or more possible additional recipients for a current electronic message that is being composed to be sent from the computing device, wherein the method comprises:
 determining one or more known recipients for the current electronic message;   generating one or more additional recipients, the one or more additional recipients having been included in one or more previously sent or received electronic messages, the one or more previously sent or received electronic messages additionally being comprised of the one or more known recipients; and   displaying the one or more additional recipients in a user interface of the computing device, wherein each of the one or more additional recipients is individually selectable.   
     
     
         16 . A method of displaying on a display of an electronic device one or more possible additional recipients in a current electronic message having one or more known recipients, wherein the method comprises:
 generating one or more possible additional recipients, the one or more possible additional recipients having been included in a previously sent or received electronic message, the previously sent or received electronic message additionally being comprised of the one or more known recipients; and   displaying on the display the one or more possible additional recipients, each of the one or more possible additional potential recipients being individually selectable.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the displayed one or more possible additional recipients excludes the one or more known recipients. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: receiving a selection input of one of the one or more possible additional recipients, and adding the selected additional recipient to the current electronic message.