System and Method for Creating User Profiles

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for constructing a profile for a target user is disclosed. The method comprises monitoring electronic communications across a network to identify at least one electronic communication that identifies a target user as an intended message recipient, extracting metadata from content associated with the at least one electronic communication; and constructing a user profile for the target user on the basis of the extracted metadata. It is assumed that the message senders send their messages, including associated content, to a given target user with the belief that the content is of some interest to the target user on the basis of some knowledge regarding the target user's personality, preferences, tastes and the like. In this manner, a profiling entity may indirectly construct a profile of the target user based on the content sent by one or more message senders to the target user.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method, implemented on a machine having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for generating a profile for a user, the method comprising:
 identifying at least one personal electronic communication associated with a user, wherein each of the at least one personal electronic communication includes one or more content items;   extracting at least some of the one or more content items from each of the at least one personal electronic communication; and   generating a profile for the user based on the extracted content items.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the personal electronic communication includes the one or more content items and metadata that provide information regarding the personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the metadata comprise at least one of: sender identity, receiver identity, topic, source, author, locality, and language. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more content items comprise at least one of: an article, a story, an image, audio, video, and artwork. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the user is an intended recipient of the at least one personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the at least one personal electronic communication is sent by one or more other users; and   at least some of the one or more other users have some knowledge regarding the user's one or more characteristics.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of: the user's personality, the user's preferences, and the user's tastes. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the one or more content items is extracted from an attachment of the at least one personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         24 . A system having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for generating a profile for a user, the system comprising:
 a monitoring module configured for identifying at least one personal electronic communication associated with a user, wherein each of the at least one personal electronic communication includes one or more content items;   an extraction module configured for extracting at least some of the one or more content items from each of the at least one personal electronic communication; and   a profile creation module for generating a profile for the user based on the extracted content items.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the personal electronic communication includes the one or more content items and metadata that provide information regarding the personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the metadata comprise at least one of: sender identity, receiver identity, topic, source, author, locality, and language. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more content items comprise at least one of: an article, a story, an image, audio, video, and artwork. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the user is an intended recipient of the at least one personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the at least one personal electronic communication is sent by one or more other users; and   at least some of the one or more other users have some knowledge regarding the user's one or more characteristics.   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more characteristics comprise at least one of: the user's personality, the user's preferences, and the user's tastes. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of the one or more content items is extracted from an attachment of the at least one personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         32 . A machine-readable tangible and non-transitory medium having information for generating a profile for a user, wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform the following:
 identifying at least one personal electronic communication associated with a user, wherein each of the at least one personal electronic communication includes one or more content items;   extracting at least some of the one or more content items from each of the at least one personal electronic communication; and   generating a profile for the user based on the extracted content items.   
     
     
         33 . The medium of  claim 32 , wherein the personal electronic communication includes the one or more content items and metadata that provide information regarding the personal electronic communication. 
     
     
         34 . The medium of  claim 33 , wherein the metadata comprise at least one of: sender identity, receiver identity, topic, source, author, locality, and language. 
     
     
         35 . The medium of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more content items comprise at least one of: an article, a story, an image, audio, video, and artwork.