Patents by Inventor Mercan Topkara

Mercan Topkara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11182684
    Abstract: A system includes a user model module that generates a plurality of topic-specific user knowledge models for each user of a plurality of users, each topic-specific user knowledge model representing a level of knowledge possessed by a respective user on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, a expertise model building module that generates a plurality of topic-specific expert knowledge models, each topic-specific expert knowledge model representing an aggregate level of knowledge possessed by a plurality of expert users on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, and a processor of a computer that executes instructions for comparing the topic-specific user knowledge model of the first user with the topic-specific expert knowledge model for a respective topic to determine a distance between a user knowledge level and an aggregate expert knowledge level for the topic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey S. Boston, Anni R. Coden, Jennifer Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen P. Wood
  • Patent number: 11182683
    Abstract: A method includes generating, as executed by a processor on a computer, a plurality of topic-specific user knowledge models for each user of a plurality of users, each topic-specific user knowledge model representing a level of knowledge possessed by a respective user on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, generating a plurality of topic-specific expert knowledge models, each topic-specific expert knowledge model representing an aggregate level of knowledge possessed by a plurality of expert users on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, comparing the topic-specific user knowledge model of the first user with the topic-specific expert knowledge model for a respective topic to determine a distance between a user knowledge level and an aggregate expert knowledge level for the topic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey S. Boston, Anni R. Coden, Jennifer Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen P. Wood
  • Publication number: 20160162792
    Abstract: A system includes a user model module that generates a plurality of topic-specific user knowledge models for each user of a plurality of users, each topic-specific user knowledge model representing a level of knowledge possessed by a respective user on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, a expertise model building module that generates a plurality of topic-specific expert knowledge models, each topic-specific expert knowledge model representing an aggregate level of knowledge possessed by a plurality of expert users on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, and a processor of a computer that executes instructions for comparing the topic-specific user knowledge model of the first user with the topic-specific expert knowledge model for a respective topic to determine a distance between a user knowledge level and an aggregate expert knowledge level for the topic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey S. Boston, Anni R. Coden, Jennifer Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen P. Wood
  • Publication number: 20160155057
    Abstract: A method includes generating, as executed by a processor on a computer, a plurality of topic-specific user knowledge models for each user of a plurality of users, each topic-specific user knowledge model representing a level of knowledge possessed by a respective user on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, generating a plurality of topic-specific expert knowledge models, each topic-specific expert knowledge model representing an aggregate level of knowledge possessed by a plurality of expert users on a single topic from a set of globally defined topics shared among the plurality of users, comparing the topic-specific user knowledge model of the first user with the topic-specific expert knowledge model for a respective topic to determine a distance between a user knowledge level and an aggregate expert knowledge level for the topic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey S. Boston, Anni R. Coden, Jennifer Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen P. Wood
  • Patent number: 9342625
    Abstract: Provenance techniques are disclosed for managing a history of a meeting. For example, a method for managing a history associated with a meeting comprises the following steps. Data associated with the meeting is collected. Provenance data is generated based on at least a portion of the collected data, wherein the provenance data is indicative of a lineage of one or more data items. A provenance graph is generated that defines a visual representation of the generated provenance data, wherein graph elements comprise one or more nodes and one or more edges between nodes, wherein nodes of the graph represent records associated with the collected data and edges of the graph represent relations between the records. One or more applications are associated with at least one graph element and are selectable to invoke functionality. The generated provenance graph is stored in a repository for use in analyzing the meeting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Mercan Topkara
  • Patent number: 9292791
    Abstract: A system including a global topic model building module that builds a global topic model based on a set of data that is updated according to an activity of each user of a plurality of users, a user model building module that builds a plurality of user models, each user model being built based on an activity of a respective user, an expertise model building module that builds an expertise model for the topic based on the activity of at least one user of the plurality of users, the expertise model for the topic setting a target level of knowledge for a first user of the plurality of users, a processor to compare a user model of the first user with the expertise model for the topic; and an expertise assessment and learning recommendation module that recommends an activity associated with the set of data to the first user based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey Scott Boston, Anni Rosa Coden, Jennifer Ceil Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen Peter Wood
  • Patent number: 9275332
    Abstract: A method including generating a global topic model based on a set of data that is updated according to an activity of each user of a plurality of users, the global topic model including a topic representation for a topic, generating a plurality of user models, each user model being generated based on the activity of a respective user, generating an expertise model for the topic based on the activity of at least one user of the plurality of users, the expertise model for the topic setting a target level of knowledge for a first user of the plurality of users, comparing a user model of the first user with the expertise model for the topic, the comparing being performed by a processor of a computer system, and recommending an activity associated with the set of data to the first user based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey Scott Boston, Anni Rosa Coden, Jennifer Ceil Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen Peter Wood
  • Publication number: 20160019659
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for identifying conversations in tweet streams. A method includes grouping tweet messages in the tweet streams into tweet groups, responsive to hashtags therefor and time intervals in which the tweet message were sent. The method further includes splitting the tweet groups into subgroups responsive to secondary hashtags and a time separation between the tweets messages. The method also includes clustering any of the subgroups into a respective same conversation responsive to word occurrences, word frequencies, and account holders. The method additionally includes merging any of the subgroups having different hashtags into the respective same conversation responsive to overlapping glossary and account lists. Each of the tweet groups and each of the subgroups correspond to a respective different one of the conversations when unable to be split, clustered, or merged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: YURDAER N. DOGANATA, CHING-YUNG LIN, DAVID CORBALAN LUNA, JORDI C. MESTRE, XAVIER NOGUERA PAGES, MERCAN TOPKARA, ZHEN WEN, DANNY L. YEH
  • Publication number: 20160019565
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for identifying conversations in tweet streams. A method includes grouping tweet messages in the tweet streams into tweet groups, responsive to hashtags therefor and time intervals in which the tweet message were sent. The method further includes splitting the tweet groups into subgroups responsive to secondary hashtags and a time separation between the tweets messages. The method also includes clustering any of the subgroups into a respective same conversation responsive to word occurrences, word frequencies, and account holders. The method additionally includes merging any of the subgroups having different hashtags into the respective same conversation responsive to overlapping glossary and account lists. Each of the tweet groups and each of the subgroups correspond to a respective different one of the conversations when unable to be split, clustered, or merged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: YURDAER N. DOGANATA, CHING-YUNG LIN, DAVID C. LUNA, JORDI C. MESTRE, XAVIER N. PAGES, MERCAN TOPKARA, ZHEN WEN, DANNY L. YEH
  • Patent number: 9111237
    Abstract: An approach that evaluates an effectiveness of a monitoring system is provided. In one embodiment, there is a performance evaluation tool, including an evaluation component configured to receive visual media at a monitoring system monitored by a set of users, and evaluate a monitoring performance of the set of users in response to a simulated alert within the visual media. The performance evaluation tool further comprises an analysis component configured to predict an effectiveness of the monitoring system based on the performance of the set of users in response to the simulated alert within the visual media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arun Hampapur, William D. Pfelfer, Jr., Bemice E. Rogowitz, Mercan Topkara
  • Publication number: 20150169788
    Abstract: Provenance techniques are disclosed for managing a history of a meeting. For example, a method for managing a history associated with a meeting comprises the following steps. Data associated with the meeting is collected. Provenance data is generated based on at least a portion of the collected data, wherein the provenance data is indicative of a lineage of one or more data items. A provenance graph is generated that defines a visual representation of the generated provenance data, wherein graph elements comprise one or more nodes and one or more edges between nodes, wherein nodes of the graph represent records associated with the collected data and edges of the graph represent relations between the records. One or more applications are associated with at least one graph element and are selectable to invoke functionality. The generated provenance graph is stored in a repository for use in analyzing the meeting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Mercan Topkara
  • Patent number: 8988427
    Abstract: Provenance techniques are disclosed for managing a history of a meeting. For example, a method for managing a history associated with a meeting comprises the following steps. Data associated with the meeting is collected. Provenance data is generated based on at least a portion of the collected data, wherein the provenance data is indicative of a lineage of one or more data items. A provenance graph is generated that defines a visual representation of the generated provenance data, wherein graph elements comprise one or more nodes and one or more edges between nodes, wherein nodes of the graph represent records associated with the collected data and edges of the graph represent relations between the records. One or more applications are associated with at least one graph element and are selectable to invoke functionality. The generated provenance graph is stored in a repository for use in analyzing the meeting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Mercan Topkara
  • Patent number: 8914452
    Abstract: Automatically generating a meeting digest of a set of meetings is provided. A set of topics of interest to the parties to the set of meetings is detected utilizing a user model associated with a user that is based on at least one of communications, relationships, and roles of the parties to the set of meetings. Topic-related content associated with the set of topics of interest to the parties is extracted from meeting data corresponding to the set of meetings. Then, the meeting digest of the set of meetings is generated using the topic-related content associated with the set of topics of interest to the parties extracted from the meeting data corresponding to the set of meetings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Boston, Jennifer C. Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Stephen P. Wood
  • Patent number: 8786597
    Abstract: Provenance techniques are disclosed for managing a history of a meeting. For example, a method for managing a history associated with a meeting comprises the following steps. Data associated with the meeting is collected. Provenance data is generated based on at least a portion of the collected data, wherein the provenance data is indicative of a lineage of one or more data items. A provenance graph is generated that defines a visual representation of the generated provenance data, wherein graph elements comprise one or more nodes and one or more edges between nodes, wherein nodes of the graph represent records associated with the collected data and edges of the graph represent relations between the records. One or more applications are associated with at least one graph element and are selectable to invoke functionality. The generated provenance graph is stored in a repository for use in analyzing the meeting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Yurdaer Nezihi Doganata, Mercan Topkara
  • Publication number: 20140101085
    Abstract: A method including generating a global topic model based on a set of data that is updated according to an activity of each user of a plurality of users, the global topic model including a topic representation for a topic, generating a plurality of user models, each user model being generated based on the activity of a respective user, generating an expertise model for the topic based on the activity of at least one user of the plurality of users, the expertise model for the topic setting a target level of knowledge for a first user of the plurality of users, comparing a user model of the first user with the expertise model for the topic, the comparing being performed by a processor of a computer system, and recommending an activity associated with the set of data to the first user based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey Scott Boston, Anni Rosa Coden, Jennifer Ceil Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen Peter Wood
  • Publication number: 20140101086
    Abstract: A system including a global topic model building module that builds a global topic model based on a set of data that is updated according to an activity of each user of a plurality of users, a user model building module that builds a plurality of user models, each user model being built based on an activity of a respective user, an expertise model building module that builds an expertise model for the topic based on the activity of at least one user of the plurality of users, the expertise model for the topic setting a target level of knowledge for a first user of the plurality of users, a processor to compare a user model of the first user with the expertise model for the topic; and an expertise assessment and learning recommendation module that recommends an activity associated with the set of data to the first user based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jie Lu, Jeffrey Scott Boston, Anni Rosa Coden, Jennifer cell Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen Peter Wood
  • Patent number: 8687941
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for automatic static summarization of videos. For example, a method of creating a static summary of a video comprises the following steps. Shots in the video are detected, wherein the detected shots are frames of the video having a correlation. The detected shots are clustered into clusters based on similarity. The clusters of shots are ranked. At least a portion of the shots are selected based on cluster ranking for inclusion in the static summary. The static summary is generated by combining thumbnail images of the selected shots. Prior to the ranking step, the method may further comprise detecting a presence of slides in any of the shots, and the ranking of a given shot is based in part on whether the shot is a slide. By way of example, such static summaries can be shared in emails and in calendar applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmet Emir Dirik, Jennifer Lai, Mercan Topkara
  • Publication number: 20140074525
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for business outcome-based personalized ranking of information objects. Information objects in outcome-based business processes are ranked by recording information objects generated during a creation of the outcome-based business processes. At least one business process comprises an outcome attribute, and at least one business process comprises in-process information objects. A composite graph is generated of the information objects and business processes. Each node in the graph corresponds to an information object or a business process. Links between two of the information object nodes have a strength based on a content similarity and a social network distance. The in-process information object node connects to a corresponding business process node, and two business process nodes have a link if they are indicated as related in the business process information system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Boston, Tina Groves, Jennifer Lai, Jie Lu, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen P. Wood
  • Publication number: 20140074524
    Abstract: Business outcome-based personalized ranking of information objects is provided. Information objects in outcome-based business processes are ranked by recording information objects generated during a creation of the outcome-based business processes. At least one business process comprises an outcome attribute, and at least one business process comprises in-process information objects. A composite graph is generated of the information objects and business processes. Each node in the graph corresponds to an information object or a business process. Links between two information object nodes have a strength based on a content similarity and a social network distance. The in-process information object node connects to a corresponding business process node, and two business process nodes have a link if they are indicated as related in the business process information system. The information objects are ranked based on the link strengths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Boston, Tina Groves, Jennifer Lai, Jie Lu, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Zhen Wen, Stephen P. Wood
  • Publication number: 20130325972
    Abstract: Automatically generating a meeting digest of a set of meetings is provided. A set of topics of interest to the parties to the set of meetings is detected utilizing a user model associated with a user that is based on at least one of communications, relationships, and roles of the parties to the set of meetings. Topic-related content associated with the set of topics of interest to the parties is extracted from meeting data corresponding to the set of meetings. Then, the meeting digest of the set of meetings is generated using the topic-related content associated with the set of topics of interest to the parties extracted from the meeting data corresponding to the set of meetings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Boston, Jennifer C. Lai, Shimei Pan, Mercan Topkara, Stephen P. Wood