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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus which customizes a unit of electronic information received
by the apparatus to more closely conform to a preference of an individual
user, the apparatus comprising:
a personal profile database to store user profile data corresponding to the
individual user, wherein the user profile data indicates the preference of
the individual user;
a content adapter, coupled to the personal profile database, to customize
the unit of electronic information to the individual user according to the
user profile data included in the personal profile database; and
a client activity monitor, coupled to the personal profile database, to
automatically monitor actions taken by the individual user and
automatically update the user profile data based on the actions.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client activity monitor is
operative to correlate inputs to the apparatus by the individual user with
header information included with the unit of electronic information.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the inputs to the apparatus include
inputs received from a cursor control device.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content adapter is operative to
customize the unit of electronic information by comparing header
information included with the unit of electronic information to the user
profile data stored in the personal profile database.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content adapter is operative to
change a default color received with the unit of electronic information to
a preferred color indicated by the user profile data stored in the
personal profile database.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the unit of electronic information is
received in a plurality of formats and the content adapter is operative to
automatically select a consumption format based on the user profile data
stored in the personal profile database, wherein the consumption format is
one of the plurality of formats, and wherein the apparatus is further
operative to provide the unit of electronic information to the individual
user in the consumption format.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an interface, coupled to
the content adapter, to allow the individual user to consume the unit of
electronic information.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the interface also allows the
individual user to interact with the unit of electronic information.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the interface also allows the
individual user to modify the user profile data stored in the personal
profile database.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user profile data comprises
demographic and psychographic information.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the personal profile database stores
the user profile data on a removable nonvolatile storage device.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the personal profile database stores
the user profile data in an encrypted format.
13. A system for customizing electronic information to more closely conform
to a preference of an individual consumer, comprising:
an electronic information server containing a plurality of electronic
information units; and
a client system coupled to the electronic information server to receive an
electronic information unit of the plurality of electronic information
units from the electronic information server, wherein the client system
includes,
a personal profile database to store user profile data corresponding to the
individual consumer, wherein the user profile data indicates the
preference of the individual consumer, and
a content adapter coupled to the personal profile database, to customize
the received electronic information unit to the individual consumer
according to the user profile data included in the personal profile
database.
14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a metering server, coupled
to the electronic information server and the client system, to transfer
individual electronic information units of the plurality of electronic
information units from the electronic information server to the metering
server.
15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of client
systems coupled to the metering server.
16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a consumer labeling tool,
coupled to the electronic information server, to allow a publisher to
incorporate consumer variables into individual units of the plurality of
electronic information units.
17. The system of claim 13, wherein the user profile data comprises
demographic and psychographic information.
18. The system of claim 13, wherein the client system further comprises an
interface, coupled to the content adapter, to allow the individual
consumer to consume the electronic information.
19. The system of claim 13, wherein the client system further includes a
client activity monitor to monitor actions taken by the individual
consumer and update the personal profile database based on the actions.
20. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic information unit
includes header information for the electronic information unit.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein the content adapter customizes the
electronic information unit by comparing the header information to the
user profile data stored in the personal profile database.
22. The system of claim 13, wherein the content adapter modifies a default
color received with the electronic information unit to a preferred color
indicated by the user profile data included in the personal profile
database.
23. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic information unit is
received in a plurality of formats and the content adapter is operative to
select a consumption format based on the user profile data included in the
personal profile database, wherein the consumption format is one of the
plurality of formats, and wherein the client system is further operative
to provide the unit of electronic information to the individual consumer
in the consumption format.
24. A method for customizing electronic information to more closely conform
to a preference of an individual user, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a unit of electronic information;
(b) comparing the unit of electronic information to user profile data
corresponding to the individual user, wherein the user profile data
indicates the preference of the individual user;
(c) generating a customized unit of electronic information based on the
comparing; and
(d) providing the customized unit of electronic information to the
individual user for consumption by the individual user.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of incorporating
consumer variables into the unit of electronic information at a publishing
site.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the unit of electronic information
includes header information containing user profile data for the unit of
electronic information.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the comparing step (b) comprises
comparing the header information for the unit of electronic information to
the user profile data corresponding to the individual user.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein the generating step (c) comprises
modifying a default color received with the unit of electronic information
to a preferred color indicated by the comparing.
29. The method of claim 24, wherein the receiving step (a) comprises
receiving the unit of electronic information in a plurality of formats.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein the generating step (c) comprises
selecting a consumption format based on the comparing, wherein the
consumption format is one of the plurality of formats, and wherein the
providing step (d) comprises providing the unit of electronic information
to the individual user in the consumption format.
31. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:
encrypting the user profile data; and
storing the user profile data in a nonvolatile storage device.
32. The method of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:
(e) collecting new user profile data corresponding to the individual user
as the individual user consumes the customized unit of electronic
information; and
(f) using the new user profile data in the generating of subsequent
customized units of electronic information. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to electronic information distribution
networks. More particularly, this invention relates to customizing
electronic information in an electronic information distribution network
to individual end users.
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 electronic
information to be customized to the particular characteristics of each
individual end user of an electronic information distribution network.
Thus, to increase the appeal and effectiveness of electronic information,
it would be beneficial to provide a system which customizes the electronic
information to the individual end users which will consume the
information. By customizing the advertisements to the individual end
users, the electronic information will be more appealing to the intended
consumers.
In addition, there 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. It would therefore
be beneficial to provide a system which would allow an advertiser to
generate and transmit electronic advertisements to end users.
Additionally, electronic information providers frequently desire large
amounts of information about their markets and potential markets. This
information includes, for example, the demographic characteristics of the
consumers in a particular market. By obtaining as much information as
possible about their potential markets, electronic information providers
can direct their electronic information to the markets they believe the
information will appeal to most. Individual consumers, however, are
frequently concerned with maintaining their privacy. These consumers often
do not wish to make certain information, such as their income, publicly
available. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a system which
furnishes the electronic information providers with a substantial amount
of information about their markets and potential markets, while at the
same time maintains individual consumer privacy.
Furthermore, it would be beneficial to provide a system which customizes
electronic information to individual end users without specific direction
from the users. That is, a system which monitors the actions taken by an
individual user in consuming electronic information and customizes
subsequent units of electronic information for that individual user based
on these previous actions.
The present invention provides for these and other advantageous results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and apparatus for dynamically customizing electronic information
to individual end users is described herein. A personal profile database
in a client system stores consumer information corresponding to individual
end user(s) of the client system. The client system also includes a
content adapter which compares electronic information received by the
client system to the consumer information in the personal profile database
and customizes the electronic information to an individual end user based
on this comparison. The client system also includes a client activity
monitor which monitors actions taken by an individual end user when
consuming electronic information and updates the personal profile database
based on these actions. In one embodiment, the client activity monitor
also monitors which actions are ignored by the individual end user and
updates the personal profile database based on the consumer's interaction
with the electronic information (that is, both the consumer's action and
inaction). In one embodiment, an electronic information server containing
a plurality of electronic information units is coupled to the client
system via an electronic information distribution network and serves as
the source of the electronic information.
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;
FIGS. 6a and 6b are flow diagrams that show a unit of information consumed
by an end user according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 7a and 7b are flow diagrams that show an electronic advertisement
consumed by an end user according to one embodiment of the present
invention; and
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram that shows an electronic advertisement being
provided to a consumer who purchases the advertised product.
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 sewer 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 server for each local community. Although
the computer 18 is referred to as a publishing unit, it is to be
understood that the computer 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 identified 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 | | |
