Electronic information appraisal agent

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic information distribution system comprising:

an electronic information server which contains a plurality of electronic information units;

a client system including an electronic information appraisal agent, wherein the client system is a consumer consumption device configured to provide an interface to a consumer for allowing the consumer to consume electronic information units, and wherein the appraisal agent is configured to automatically access the electronic information server at periodic intervals and retrieve a set of the plurality of electronic information units from the electronic information server based on a set of search criteria provided to the appraisal agent; and

a metering server coupled to the electronic information server and the client system configured to allow the client system to communicate with the electronic information server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic information server is a local electronic information server, wherein the system further comprises a regional electronic information server, wherein the appraisal agent is configured to automatically access the local electronic information server in an attempt to match the set of search criteria and return the set of the plurality of electronic information units if the set of search criteria are matched by the set of the plurality of electronic information units, and otherwise to automatically access the regional electronic information server in an attempt to match the set of search criteria.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the metering server is also coupled to a plurality of additional client systems.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the client system and the plurality of additional client systems are coupled together in a local area network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the client system also includes a personal profile database coupled to the appraisal agent which stores user profile information corresponding to the consumer, wherein the set of search criteria is provided to the appraisal agent by the personal profile database.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user profile information includes demographic and psychographic information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface of the client system is also configured to allow the consumer to interact with the electronic information appraisal agent.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic information server is an electronic yellow pages server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the client system is a personal computer.

10. A method of automatically accessing electronic advertisements in an electronic information distribution network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating an electronic advertisement appraisal agent in a client system, wherein the client system is a consumer consumption device which provides an interface to a consumer that allows the consumer to consume electronic information units;

(b) the appraisal agent accessing a yellow pages server which contains a plurality of electronic advertisements, wherein the yellow pages server is coupled to the client system;

(c) comparing electronic advertisements in the yellow pages server to search criteria provided to the appraisal agent;

(d) determining whether an electronic advertisement of the plurality of electronic advertisements matches the search criteria based on the comparing;

(e) returning a set of the plurality of electronic advertisements to the client system, provided the comparing results in a match; and

(f) periodically repeating the steps (b)-(e).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the yellow pages server is a first local yellow pages server, the method further comprising the step of:

(g) the appraisal agent accessing a regional yellow pages server provided the comparing determines the first local yellow pages server contains no electronic advertisements which match the search criteria.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the yellow pages server is a first local yellow pages server, the method further comprising the step of:

(g) the appraisal agent accessing a second local yellow pages server provided the comparing determines the first local yellow pages server contains no electronic advertisements which match the search criteria.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining comprises indicating an electronic advertisement of the plurality of electronic advertisements matches the search criteria when a predetermined proportion of the search criteria are satisfied by the electronic advertisement.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step (e) comprises returning a portion of each electronic advertisement of the set of the plurality of electronic advertisements to the client system in proportion to how well the search criteria are satisfied by each electronic advertisement.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

the appraisal agent accessing a personal profile database included in the client system to obtain the search criteria.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step (c) comprises comparing the search criteria to consumer variables contained in each electronic advertisement.

17. A method of obtaining a product in an electronic information distribution network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) initiating an electronic information appraisal agent in a client system, wherein the client system is a consumer consumption device which provides an interface to a consumer that allows the consumer to consume electronic information units;

(b) the appraisal agent accessing an electronic information server which contains a plurality of electronic information units, wherein the electronic information server is coupled to the client system;

(c) comparing electronic information in the electronic information server to a set of search criteria corresponding to the product provided to the appraisal agent;

(d) determining whether an electronic information unit of the plurality of electronic information units matches the set of search criteria based on the comparing;

(e) purchasing a product associated with the electronic information unit, provided the comparing results in a match; and

(f) periodically repeating the steps (b)-(e).

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining comprises indicating the electronic information unit of the plurality of electronic information units matches the set of search criteria when all criteria of the set of search criteria are satisfied by the electronic information unit.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the electronic information server is a local electronic information server, the method further comprising the step of:

(g) the appraisal agent accessing a regional electronic information server provided the comparing determines the local electronic information server contains no electronic information units which match the set of search criteria.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step (c) comprises comparing the set of search criteria to consumer variables contained in each electronic information unit.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a session manager to transfer data to and from an electronic information distribution network; and

an electronic information appraisal agent, coupled to the session manager, to automatically and periodically,

access an electronic information server of the electronic information distribution network which contains a plurality of electronic information units,

compare electronic information in the electronic information server to a set of search criteria provided to the appraisal agent,

determine whether an electronic information unit of the plurality of electronic information units matches the set of search criteria based on the comparison, and

return the electronic information unit to the session manager, provided the comparison results in a match.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the appraisal agent is further configured to purchase a product associated with the electronic information unit, provided the comparison results in a match.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to electronic information distribution networks. More particularly, this invention relates to an appraisal agent which obtains electronic information from electronic information servers on behalf of an individual end user.

2. Background

Computer technology is continuously advancing, providing newer computer systems with continuously improved performance. One result of this improved performance is an increased use of computer systems by individuals in a wide variety of business, academic and personal applications. In some instances, these computer systems are linked together by a network or modems so that the systems can communicate with each other via electronic mail.

The current wide-ranging use of computer systems provides a relatively large potential market to providers of electronic content or information. These providers may include, for example, advertisers and other information publishers such as newspaper and magazine publishers. Presently, however, there are no systems which allow an individual end user to automatically access specific units of this electronic information from these providers which appeal to him or her. That is, no mechanism currently exists which allows the individual user to access only that information which has a high probability of appealing to him or her without actually browsing through all of the information himself or herself. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a mechanism which allows an individual to automatically access specific units of electronic information which have a high probability of appealing to him or her.

In addition, it would be beneficial to provide a system which automatically retrieves electronic information for an individual user in accordance with the user's characteristics which are observed by the system. That is, a system which automatically retrieves units of electronic information having a high probability of appealing to the end user.

Furthermore, them are presently no systems for generating and transmitting electronic advertisements to end users operating a computer via an end-to-end electronic information distribution network. Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a system which allows an individual end user to access specific electronic advertisements which are most appealing to him or her.

In addition, many consumers do not enjoy advertisements being forced upon them. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a system which gives consumers some control over what types of electronic information they receive and when they receive it.

The present invention provides for these and other advantageous results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electronic information appraisal agent is described herein. The appraisal agent operates within an electronic information distribution system which includes an electronic information server having multiple electronic information units. Requests for electronic information are transferred from the appraisal agent to an electronic information server, which compares the contents of the server to a set of search criteria. In one embodiment, the server returns a set of electronic information to the appraisal agent which matches the search criteria. In another embodiment, the server returns information indicating whether the search criteria matched any information in the server.

In one embodiment, the electronic information distribution system also includes a metering server which is coupled to the electronic information server and the client system. The metering server allows multiple client systems to receive electronic information units from the electronic information server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a network of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a client system in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a metering server in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a clearinghouse server in one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic of a yellow page server in one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing the steps followed by an electronic information appraisal agent in an electronic information distribution network in one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a network system 10 of one embodiment of the present invention. The network 10 includes a plurality of client systems 12 coupled to a metering server 14 within a local area network (LAN) 16. Alternatively, a single client system 12 may be coupled to a metering server 14. Each client system 12 may be a personal computer that is operated by an end user. Alternatively, each client system 12 may be any other type of consumer consumption device, such as a television set, a game machine, etc. The server 14 is typically a dedicated computer that provides an interconnect contact node which allows the client systems 12 to communicate with the server 14 and other client systems 12. The server 14 may contain resident modem sharing software that allows the server 14 and client systems 12 to communicate with a device external to the local network 16. The server 14 is also capable of maintaining resident databases. Both the server 14 and the client systems 12 contain the necessary interface hardware and software required to transfer information between the components of the system 10.

The metering server 14 is coupled to a publisher unit 18 through a plurality of clearinghouse servers 20. By way of example, the publisher 18 may be connected to the server 14 as part of an overall wide area network (WAN) that allows the server 14 and publisher unit 18 to transfer information. The system 10 may also have a yellow page server 22 coupled to the publisher unit 18 and the metering servers 14. The publisher unit and servers of the WAN system contain the interface hardware and software necessary to transfer electronic information between the components of the system. As shown in FIG. 1, the system 10 may have multiple client systems 12 coupled to a single metering server 14 and multiple servers 14 coupled to a single clearinghouse server 20, a regional content database server 21 and a single yellow page server 22. There may be multiple clearinghouse and yellow page servers located at regional centers throughout the country/world. In addition, depending on the size of a community, there may also be multiple yellow page servers for each local community. Although the publisher 18 is referred to as a publishing unit, it is to be understood that the publisher unit 18 can also be a node for an advertiser 18 and that the use of the terms publisher and advertiser may be synonymous.

Each client system 12 is provided with an interface, such as a graphic user interface (GUI), that allows the end user to participate in the system 10. The GUI contains fields that receive or correspond to inputs entered by the end user. The fields may include the user's name and possibly a password. The GUI may also have hidden fields relating to "consumer variables." Consumer variables refer to demographic, psychographic and other profile information. Demographic information refers to the vital statistics of individuals, such as age, sex, income and marital status. Psychographic information refers to the lifestyle and behavioral characteristics of individuals, such as likes and dislikes, color preferences and personality traits that show consumer behavioral characteristics. Thus, the consumer variables refer to information such as marital status, color preferences, favorite sizes and shapes, preferred learning modes, employer, job title, mailing address, phone number, personal and business areas of interest, the willingness to participate in a survey, along with various lifestyle information. This information will be referred to as user profile data. The end user initially enters the requested data and the non-identifying information is transferred to the metering server 14. That is, the information associated with the end user is compiled and transferred to the metering server 14 without any indication of the identity of the user (for example, the name and phone number are not included in the compilation). The GUI also allows the user to receive inquiries, request information and consume information by viewing, storing, printing, etc. The client system may also be provided with tools to create content, advertisements, etc. in the same manner as a publisher/advertiser.

All of the fields in the GUI relating to consumer variables are hidden from the consumer. The display of the GUI is based upon these fields, but the GUI does not display them to the user except when the user brings up a "profile editor", as discussed in more detail below. Thus, the monitoring of consumer actions and inactions based on these consumer variables and the updating of user profile data is transparent to the consumer. In addition, modifications made to the electronic information to customize it to a particular consumer are also transparent to the consumer.

The publisher/advertiser 18 is provided with software tools to create electronic information which includes content and advertisements that can be transmitted over the system. The electronic information may allow an end user to access a content database, or the information may be all or a portion of a content database. By way of example, the content database may be the text and video of an electronic newspaper. The content database may reside within the publisher unit or be located at a remote location such as the metering server or a regional server that services a plurality of metering servers. The software tools may include a hypertext oriented mark up language that routes distributed end users to the content databases.

In one embodiment, the software tools provided to the publisher/advertiser 18 include software tools for embedding consumer variables within electronic information. The embedded consumer variables enable a client activity monitor and a consumption device to monitor consumer interaction with the electronic information based on the consumer's interaction with the unit of information currently being consumed. This interaction includes both inputs by the consumer and actions which the consumer could have taken but chose not to. In one implementation, the publisher/advertiser 18 is provided with a GUI which allows the publisher/advertiser 18 to select certain consumer variables from a set of consumer variables and associate the selected variables with specific objects or fields within the electronic information. For example, the electronic information may include several option fields from which end users may select. The publisher/advertiser 18 may associate a color preference variable with these option fields, thereby indicating to the client systems 12 to track the color of the option field selected by the end user.

The publisher/advertiser 18 is also provided with software tools to create electronic information in a wide variety of consumption formats that can be transmitted over the system. These consumption formats include formats such as audio, video, graphics, animation, text, etc. For example, an advertiser 18 may create an advertisement for a camera which describes the camera in both audio and video format. Both of these consumption formats are transferred to the metering servers 14, and subsequently to the client systems 12. The end user is then able to consume the advertisement in whichever format he or she prefers, or alternatively in both formats.

In one embodiment, each piece of electronic information received by client system 12 includes a header block which includes the consumer variables and their related objects or fields for that piece of electronic information. For example, the header block of a given piece of electronic information may include an indicator that a color preference variable is associated with certain option fields. In addition, default colors for particular fields or objects, or a default consumption format, such as audio or video, for the electronic information may also be included in the header block.

As shown in FIG. 2, each client system 12 includes a session manager 29, a client interface 23, a client activity monitor 24, a content adapter 25, a statistic compilation process 26, and a personal profile database 27. The client interface 23 provides individual users with access to the system 10. Interface 23 may be any of a wide variety of user interaction devices. For example, the client interface 23 may be the display device and input device of a personal computer based on an Intel.RTM. microprocessor architecture. Alternatively, the client interface 23 may be a display and input device coupled to, or part of, any of a wide variety of consumer consumption devices, such as a television set or a game machine. In one embodiment, the client interface 23 is a physical device which is separate from the remainder of client system 12. For example, client interface 23 may be a personal computer system, while the remaining components of client system 12 are contained in a separate box or similar physical device coupled to the personal computer system. Interface 23 supports any one or more of a wide variety of conventional input methods, including alphanumeric keyboard inputs, voice inputs, cursor control inputs (such as a mouse or trackball), touchscreen inputs, etc.

Session manager 29 transfers data and control information to and from the components of client system 12, and acts as an interface between client system 12 and metering server 14. Electronic information which is transferred to client system 12 is received by session manager 29 and forwarded to client interface 23. In one embodiment, the electronic information is forwarded to client interface 23 via content adapter 25. Content adapter 25 may then modify the electronic information, based on the end user's data stored in personal profile database 27. Session manager 29 also instructs statistic compilation process 26 to compile the aggregate data stored in personal profile database 27 when the information is requested by metering server 14.

The client activity monitor 24 tracks the consumer variables corresponding to the preferences of the end user(s) of client system 12. When an end user consumes electronic information, and also possibly interacts with that electronic information, client activity monitor 24 associates the electronic information with the appropriate consumer variables and stores this data in the personal profile database 27. For example, the client activity monitor 24 tracks the color of fields or objects that are selected most frequently and least frequently by the end user. Similarly, the consumption format chosen most frequently and least frequently by the end user, such as audio or video, is also tracked and stored in personal profile database 27. In one embodiment, the consumer variables and corresponding fields or objects are indicated in a header block received with the electronic information.

The personal profile database 27 maintains the user profile data for the end user(s) of client system 12. For example, age, gender, income, marital status, color preferences, etc. are stored in personal profile database 27 for each individual end user of client system 12. In addition, personal profile database 27 may also include additional information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, mailing addresses, preferred shipping methods, etc. for each individual end user to facilitate ordering items displayed in advertisements.

Personal profile database 27 is updated with user profile information based on the activity monitored by client activity monitor 24. In one embodiment, this information can also be directly modified by the end user. For example, client interface 23 may include the ability to access the user profile data for a particular end user which is stored in personal profile database 27, such as through a GUI profile editor. The end user is then able to alter this data, which is then returned to metering server 14 (via statistic compilation process 26 discussed below), and used by content adapter 25 discussed below.

In one embodiment, the information in personal profile database 27 is protected from access by anyone other than the individual who is associated with the information. For example, the information may be protected on a computer by encrypting the profile when it is not in use. Alternatively, the information may be stored on a removable nonvolatile storage device, such as a PCMCIA Flash memory card. Thus, an individual may remove the Flash-based profile card from a computer and thereby remove the risk of exposure of private information to other individuals operating in the network system 10. In addition, since the profile is removable, individual end users can move a profile from computer to computer, such as between office and home.

All of the information stored on the removable storage device is also encrypted. To access the consumer profile, the consumer inserts the card into the client system 12, which prompts the consumer for a personal identification number (PIN) or password. Upon receiving the correct PIN, the client system 12 decrypts the profile information in the storage device and stores the decrypted profile information in the client system's volatile memory. The consumer is then able to utilize the profile (transparently). The profile in volatile memory is re-encrypted periodically and stored back to the storage device. When the consumer finishes using the client system 12, the final profile revision is encrypted and stored in the storage device. The card is then ejected from the client system 12 and pocketed by the consumer, and the un-encrypted profile information in the volatile memory is deleted.

The content adapter 25 customizes electronic content to the individual end user based on the user profile data contained in personal profile database 27. Electronic content received by system 12 from metering server 14 may include fields which can be customized. Which fields can be customized may be indicated in a header block received with the electronic content. For example, a unit of electronic information may be received with a particular field having the default color of green. If personal profile database 27 contains sufficient data regarding color preferences for the individual end user, then content adapter 25 changes the color of that particular field from green to whatever color preference is contained in personal profile database 27 for that individual end user. Similarly, the default consumption format may be video, but if personal profile database 27 indicates that the end user prefers audio format, then content adapter 25 delivers the audio format version of the electronic information to the client interface 23 rather than the video version.

Data is collected for personal profile database 27 by direct input from the end user and also by client activity monitor 24 monitoring the end user's activity. When the end user consumes a piece of electronic information, each variable (or a portion of each variable) within the header block for that piece of electronic information is added to the database for this end user. For example, if this piece of electronic information is made available to the end user for consumption in both audio and video format, and the end user selects the audio format, then this selection is stored in personal profile database 27 for this end user.

When sufficient data has been collected for a particular consumer variable, then content adapter 25 uses that consumer variable to customize received electronic content to the end user. The amount of data which is sufficient is dependent on the particular consumer variable. For example, once personal profile database 27 has collected ten consumption format selections from this end user and all ten have been for video format, content adapter 25 may determine that this is sufficient data to customize incoming electronic information. However, content adapter 25 may determine that sufficient data has not been collected to customize colors if this end user has selected ten different fields, six of which were purple and four of which were green.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the end user is able to override any compiled user profile data. For example, even though the end user may select a field with the color purple most frequently, the end user is able to modify the user profile data to indicate that green is the preferred color. In one implementation, the statistic compilation process 26 uses this input by the end user for its data compilation. Alternatively, the statistic compilation process 26 may use the data collected by client activity monitor 24 for its data compilation, or the statistic compilation process 26 may utilize both the end user and the data collected by client activity monitor 24.

Statistic compilation process 26 compiles the user profile data contained in personal profile database 27 and transfers the compiled data to metering server 14. Statistic compilation process 26 aggregates the user profile data in personal profile database 27. That is, statistic compilation process 26 compiles all of the user profile data in personal profile database 27 except for information which identifies a particular individual. For example, information such as the end user's name, social security number, address and credit card numbers are not included in the compilation. Thus, client system 12 transfers the compiled data to metering server 14 without divulging any confidential information to the advertisers/publishers.

It should be noted that, under certain circumstances, identifying information such as a name and credit card number may be provided to the publisher/advertiser. For example, an advertisement for a camera received by the end user may have a "buy" option associated with it. If the end user selects the buy option, then session manager 29, transfers the end user's name, credit card number, and address to the advertiser. Given this information, the advertiser is able to charge the purchase price of the camera to the end user's credit card and ship the camera to the end user.

In one embodiment, client interface 23 provides the end user with access to personal profile database 27 which allows the end user to select certain criteria to be omitted from the compilation process. For example, an end user may select to omit details such as color preferences, income, marital status, age, gender, etc. Alternatively, for demographic information, the user may not initially provide certain information to the personal profile database 27, thereby preventing its inclusion in the compilation.

In one embodiment of the present invention, statistic compilation process 26 compiles electronic content-specific information for return to the metering server 14. This information includes, for example, how much time the end user spent consuming the electronic content, and how much of the content was consumed. For example, a particular advertisement may include ten different screens which are displayed to the end user. If the end user spends 15 seconds viewing the first screen and 15 seconds viewing the second screen and then terminates the advertisement, the statistic compilation process 26 transfers information to the metering server 14 indicating that an individual with this end user's user profile data spent 30 seconds viewing the electronic information and that the content was 20 percent consumed (that is, two screens out of ten were consumed). Additionally, information indicating the specific elements of the advertisements that were consumed (for example, the first two screens) is also transferred to the advertiser. Note that, as discussed above, this aggregate information does not reveal the identity of the end user who consumed the advertisement.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the client system 12 also includes an appraisal agent(s) 28. The appraisal agent 28 provides the end user with an agent which can search various yellow page servers 22 to locate electronic content which matches the end user's user profile data. For example, the end user may desire to view five different electronic advertisements per day. The appraisal agent 28 accesses the user profile data for the end user from the personal profile database 27 to determine the search criteria for this end user, and then sends a request(s) to yellow page servers 22 or content servers 21 to locate electronic information which matches the search criteria. In one implementation, the number of electronic advertisements a user desires to view per day is included in personal profile database 27. In one embodiment, multiple appraisal agents 28 may be initiated by a single end user, with each appraisal agent 28 performing a different search.

In one embodiment, the appraisal agent 28 sends requests to a yellow page server 22 rather than a content server 21, unless programmed to do otherwise. For example, when the end user instructs the appraisal agent 28 to search for electronic content, the appraisal agent 28 sends requests to yellow page servers 22. However, if an end user desires articles in a particular area of interest, the user can program the appraisal agent 28 to send requests to a content server 21 rather than a yellow page server 22.

Alternatively, the appraisal agent 28 may be programmed by the end user to locate a particular item. For example, the end user may program the appraisal agent 28 to locate, and possibly purchase, a camera. The end user would define the search criteria for the appraisal agent 28 to find an advertisement(s) for a camera which meets the end user's needs, such as a particular brand, features, price, etc. Once located, the advertisement is returned to the end user. Alternatively, the appraisal agent 28 may be programmed to purchase an advertised camera once an advertisement is found which matches the search criteria.

The appraisal agent 28 may be programmed to locate advertisements in a wide variety of manners. For example, the end user may input all or part of the search criteria, such as a particular item and manufacturer, directly to the appraisal agent 28 via a GUI. Alternatively, the appraisal agent 28 may obtain the search criteria by accessing the personal profile database 27 of the client system 12. For example, the appraisal agent 28 may access the personal profile database 27 to determine the end user's income, age, marital status and personal interests. Which characteristics are used as the search criteria may be pre-programmed in the appraisal agent 28 (for example, income and age), or may be indicated by the end user.

The appraisal agent 28 searches for information by making a request(s) to the yellow page servers 22. This request includes the search criteria and is transferred to the metering server 14. The session manager 38 of the metering server 14 receives and forwards the request to a yellow page server 22. The request is received by the session manager 78 of the yellow p