WO1997010558A1

WO1997010558A1 - Method and system for providing continually updated personalized information

Info

Publication number: WO1997010558A1
Application number: PCT/US1996/013797
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ravi Kumar Jain; Michael Kramer; Richard Saul Wolff; Aashu Virmani
Original assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc.
Priority date: 1995-09-14
Filing date: 1996-08-27
Publication date: 1997-03-20

Abstract

A method and system for providing continuously-updated and personalized information in a timely and convenient fashion. Through a computer-based graphical user interface a subscriber enters a set of parameters (110) defining his or her request for information, including areas of interest, monitoring periods, and communications channels by which information is to be received. Real-time machine data received from an outside information source (100) is screened in reference to the subscriber's specified parameters (110). Information matches are delivered (120) to the subscriber over a plurality of communications channels (121-125) selected by the subscriber.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONTINUALLY UPDATED PERSONALIZED INFORMATION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to information systems and more particularly to an information system which delivers continuously-updated and personalized information in a timely and convenient fashion.

Conventional systems capable of providing information directed to a user's specific interests can prove somewhat inflexible and inconvenient for certain applications. Some "on-line" systems (such as PRODIGY and LEXIS-NEXIS) require users to sign on and conduct an interactive session with the system each time information is desired. Thus, a user wishing to receive the latest information from a certain area of interest must repeatedly log on to the system and renew an active query for information. This can be impractical for users who require frequent information updates or who cannot conveniently access such systems. Moreover, the channels or communications media by which requested information is delivered is usually restricted to fixed-location nodes, such as a computer terminal connected to the system or an attached printer.

Even so-called "automatic updating services, " such as the Eclipse service of the LEXIS-NEXIS system, cannot provide all the versatility and flexibility which many users require. The Eclipse service delivers updated information only at the end of a user-specified period (e.g., on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis) . It cannot send an immediate or "real-time" alert to the user when a significant change has taken place in the user's area of interest. Thus, the Eclipse user must wait until the monitoring period has elapsed before he or she can learn of any changes that may have occurred in his or her area of interest. Moreover, with this system, the user can only receive information via a fixed-location terminal or printer.

U.S. Patent No. 5,131,020 to Liebesny et al . and U.S. Patent No. 4,812,843 to Champion, III et al. disclose information systems capable of providing updated information to a user regarding the current status of traffic conditions in a specific geographic area of interest. Although these systems can send real-time updates when significant changes or developments occur within an area of interest, they each have several limitations that restrict their usefulness.

The Liebesny system provides an optional call-back feature which permits a user to select via telephone keypad a predetermined window of time during which he or she may receive updates. After receiving an initial report from the system, the user may direct the system to call the user back if a significant change occurs within the predetermined time window after the initial report. However, the Liebesny call-back feature is only operative for the limited time period specified by the user. Because the system cannot continuously monitor an area for updates, a user must reselect the call-back option and specify a new time window each time he or she wishes to receive an update.

The system in Champion, III automatically initiates call-back information when any significant changes or conditions develop in a specified area. However, such call-backs are only made to users whom the system has determined are still within the affected area. The system monitors a theoretical travel time of a vehicle travelling through the affected area and screens out those users who should have passed out of the area since the last time they were called. Thus, the system of Champion, III does not permit the user to control the time window for receiving updates. Moreover, because the system does not continuously monitor the area of interest, a user must renew his or her request for an update each time such an update is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a method and system for providing continuously-updated and personalized information in a timely and convenient fashion. Specifically, a desired advantage of the present invention is to provide a flexible and versatile information system which affords a subscriber control over the parameters of his or her information request, including the area of interest to be monitored, the period of time to be monitored, and the communications media by which the subscriber prefers the information to be sent.

To achieve these and other advantages in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention includes a method of providing continuously-updated, personalized information responsive to parameters defining a subscriber ' s request for information, comprising the steps, executed by a data processor, of receiving the parameters from the subscriber through a computer-based graphical user interface and storing said parameters in a database. The method further comprises the steps of receiving real-time information from an outside information source, comparing the information with the parameters specified by the subscriber, and detecting information matches. Finally, the method includes the step of delivering information matches to the subscriber.

In another aspect, the invention includes an information system for providing continuously-updated personalized information to a subscriber according to parameters defining a subscriber's request for information, comprising profile manager means for receiving the parameters of the subscriber's information request through a computer-based graphical user interface, processor means for receiving real-time information from an outside information source, and comparing means for detecting matches between the information with the parameters specified by the subscriber. The information system further comprises dissemination means for receiving real-time information matching the subscriber's parameters and delivering said information matches to the subscriber over a plurality of communications channels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a general organizational scheme for the implementation of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram depicting the primary system components of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the basic architecture of a personalized information delivery system according to the present invention.

Fig. 4 is an example of a main menu screen for accessing the service profiles used in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is an example of a menu screen for a personal information profile allowing a subscriber to specify destination addresses on various communications channels in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is an example of a menu screen for a profile, which, according to an embodiment of the present invention, allows the subscriber to specify travel routes and times to be monitored in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is an example of a menu screen for a communication profile allowing the subscriber to choose the communications channel (s) by which information is to be delivered in accordance an embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 8 is an example of a menu screen for a notification profile allowing the subscriber to specify the communications channel by which the subscriber can be notified that an information delivery has been made in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a preferred embodiment of a system for delivering continuously-updated, personalized information according to the present invention includes an information provider 100 for supplying real-time machine-readable information, an information processing module 110 for information processing and customization, and a mobility communications server 120 for information delivery. These components are the principal system elements and may be implemented several different ways .

Preferably, as shown in Fig. 1, real-time information (e.g., news/weather and traffic data) entered into a terminal 103 or other information entry system is sent in machine-readable format from an outside information source to information processing module 110 via a leased line, network, or some other interconnection method (113 and 114) . An outside information source can be, for example, a commercial supplier of real-time information used by commercial radio and TV stations. Information processing module 110 catalogs the information and generates an update alert when it detects information that has been specified by a subscriber as being of particular interest.

Mobility communications server 120 receives the update alert from information processing module 110 and disseminates the update alert to the subscriber over communications channels selected by the subscriber. These channels include any communication system or communication medium that can be interfaced to information processing system 110, such as electronic mail 121, telephone 122, PDA/pager 123, fax 124, and/or voice mail 125. Fig. 2 shows a more detailed schematic representation of the embodiment of the invention depicted in Fig. 1. Alert server 210 includes a profile manager GUI 212 having data connectivity to a processing module 214 corresponding to information processing module 110 shown in Fig. 1. Profile manager GUI 212 receives the subscriber's "profile" information defining his or her information request via a terminal or other information entry system connected with processing module 110. Profile information includes various postal, electronic, and telephonic "addresses" by which the subscriber can be reached; the subscriber's area, discipline, subject, or item of interest; the time periods to be monitored; and preferred communications channels for delivery of information for different times of the day. Processing module 214 catalogs real-time machine-readable data received from an outside information source via a data feed 220, which can be a leased line or network, connecting processing module 214 to information provider 100 shown in Fig. 1. Processing module 214 compares the real-time data with the subscriber's profile information obtained from profile manager 212. When processing module 214 detects a match between the real-time information and the subscriber's profile information, alert server 210 sends update alerts to the subscriber via mobility server 230, corresponding to server 120 in Fig. 1. Mobility server 230 may include several individual servers such as a general server 240 for e-mail, paging, and facsimiles, and a telephone server 250. Figure 3 shows the components of Fig. 2 in even greater detail. Processing module 214 uses a general purpose database 310 containing information from data feed 220. A parser 320 accepts data input from the outside information source and indexes such data before storing the data in database 310. Additionally, a user profile manager 330 accepts profile information from the profile manager GUI 212 for storage in database 310. The profile information serves as a "filter template" to screen data for items that the subscriber has indicated is of particular interest.

Alert scheduler 340 searches for and detects matches between the outside information and the profile information stored in database 310. When an information-profile match is detected, alert scheduler 340 triggers delivery of the information by sending a dissemination message to mobility server 230. Mobility server 230 contains a dissemination module 370 containing individual servers for several different delivery channels. These servers interface with their respective communication networks (e.g., the Internet or Public Switched Telephone Network) so that delivery of the information can be made on the assigned delivery channel. Those servers include pager server 371, e-mail server 372, fax server 373, phone and voice mail server 374, and FM subcarrier broadcast server 375.

In addition, as discussed in greater detail infra, alert server 210 supports an interactive querying feature 380 which permits a subscriber to receive immediate feedback regarding an item of interest specified on his or her interest profile. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, processing module 214 carries out the interactive querying feature 380 of the present invention. Processing module 214 includes an interactive query manager 350 which responds to the subscriber's request for an immediate information query by overriding the time of delivery specified in the service profile.

Preferably, all of the modules, servers, managers, and other elements of Figs. 1-3 reside in software implemented on a general purpose computer. Their respective functions can also be distributed for execution in different processors or by special purpose hardware.

Having described in detail the operation of alert server 210 and mobility server 230, the preferred implementation of the interaction between the subscriber and the profile manager 212 can now be explained. A subscriber enters his or her profile parameters via a GUI 212. GUI 212 presents menu screens which allow the subscriber to specify the items of interest to the subscriber and how information relating to those items should be delivered. Entry of profile information can be made through a variety of different entry means, including computer keyboard, mouse click and pop-up menus which prompt the subscriber, audio communication, facsimile, or touch screen. A subscriber can also enter profile information several ways depending on where and how the profile manager GUI 212 is installed. For example, profile manager GUI 212 can be installed in a central service center. In that configuration, a subscriber could contact the service center by telephone or fax to have his or her profile information entered by an operator. Where profile manager GUI 212 is installed in a subscriber's personal computer or PDA having data connectivity with the alert server 210, the subscriber could reasonably enter the profile information. Alternatively, profile manager GUI 212 could be installed in a walk-up kiosk, allowing subscribers to enter directly their profile information at such a publicly accessible location. The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses three service profiles: a personal information profile, an interest profile, and a communications profile. A personal information profile specifies the destination addresses of a subscriber on various communications channels . An interest profile specifies the items of interest as well as time periods that the subscriber wishes to be monitored. A communication profile delivers information to subscribers based on their preference for receiving such information.

Preferably, the first screen the subscriber encounters is the main menu screen. Figure 4 shows an example of a main menu screen through which the subscriber may modify various components of his or her service profile. The menu contains simple instructions on the proper order of entering profile information and allows the subscriber to access the other profile screens. According to the screen shown in Fig. 4, the subscriber, using a mouse, points to and clicks the appropriate item on the menu bar (e.g., Personal Data, Travel Profile, Communication Profile, Quit, and Read Me) . For each profile, the subscriber completes his entry of information and clicks "DONE." The subscriber is then returned to the main menu screen to allow the subscriber to make further entries or to quit. Figure 5 shows a preferred menu screen for entry of the subscriber's personal information profile. Through this screen, users identify their names, home and work postal addresses, pager company, pager ID, fax telephone number, home telephone number, work telephone number, cellular phone number, e-mail address, radio mail address, and voice mail number.

Figure 6 shows a menu screen for an interest profile according to an embodiment of the present invention directed to traffic information. This "travel profile" menu screen permits the subscriber to enter up to ten different travel itineraries specifying the roads, bridges, tunnels, or other items on a particular route; the time period or "commute window" during which the specified route is monitored for updates; and the specific day or days to be monitored. For example, under entry no. 1, the subscriber has requested the alert server to monitor traffic along the New Jersey Turnpike, the George Washington Bridge, the Holland Tunnel and Routes 24 and 1-78 during the time period from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM on November 22, 1994.

The subscriber can also request in advance that a particular route be automatically monitored on certain days of the week. As indicated under entry no. 2, the subscriber has requested that the traffic along the Belt Parkway, the Bayonne Bridge, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, and Flatbush Avenue be monitored between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday (indicated by a corresponding 1, 3, and 6, respectively) . The system will automatically renew that query every Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday of each week until the subscriber deactivates it. This feature thus negates the inconvenience of having to repeatedly enter the same queries for regularly travelled routes, such as work commutes. Each query item has a corresponding menu push-button box marked "ok" which permits interactive querying. Activating this button, e.g., via mouse click, causes the GUI to immediately submit a one-time query requesting information about the route specified in that entry. The entry, however, is not changed by invoking an interactive query from the GUI. The interactive query feature allows the subscriber to use a stored interest profile entry to generate a quick query for that entry. Interactive querying is also possible via a text-only interface. For example, a subscriber may submit a query in the form of a simple command-line instruction which can run on any platform having e-mail access to the alert server.

As indicated by the menu screen for generating the communication profile (Fig. 7) , the subscriber can select among several delivery channels (e.g., pager, facsimile, voice mail, electronic mail, radio mail, home phone, work phone, cellular phone, or video) , and different time intervals of the day. Thus, for example, a subscriber could direct that between 7:00 AM and 7:30 AM, the information be sent via home telephone, and between 4:45 PM and 5:00 PM, information be sent to an appropriate voice mail box.

The subscriber may also request that multiple copies of the information be delivered on multiple channels simultaneously. For example, from 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM, the subscriber could direct that information be sent to both a pager and by electronic mail. Further, the communication profile provides a default entry in which the subscriber can specify a delivery channel to which information will be sent if not otherwise specified.

The delivery of information alerts can depart from the time periods and communications channels specified in the subscriber's communications profile if the subscriber is known to be on the system when an information alert occurs.

Thus, rather than send the information alert only as specified in the communications profile, the system sends the information directly to the subscriber at his on-line location. Specifically, when the subscriber accesses the system through a communications device, the device transmits dynamic registration information notifying the system of its identity and active status. Accordingly, if an information alert occurs and the subscriber is known to be on the system by virtue of dynamic registration information sent by an active communications channel, the information alert will be delivered to the subscriber via that active channel, even if that channel has not been specified in the communications profile for delivery of information at that time.

A typical information alert sent to a subscriber's pager could contain the following information: Report Time : 1715 Summary: Accident-Traffic Jam Detail: IN MORRIS COUNTY; NORTHBOUND ROUTE 287 IS JAMMED FOR OVER EIGHT (8) MILES INTO SOUTH STREET (MORRISTOWN) , WHERE THE RIGHT LANE REMAINS CLOSED DUE TO A TRACTOR TRAILER ACCIDENT. NORTHBOUND ROUTE 202 IS PICKING UP LOTS OF ALTERNATE VOLUME BETWEEN BASKING RIDGE AND MORRISTOWN.

Because some information alerts can be lengthy, e.g., news stories or financial reports, the present invention allows the subscriber to specify that he or she should be notified when an item matching the subscriber's profile information has been detected. This affords the subscriber the added convenience of controlling when he or she chooses to read the information alert. Figure 8 shows an example of a notification menu which permits the subscriber to select the preferred communication medium or media by which notification of an information alert should be sent. For example, the subscriber has specified that he or she should be notified of any information alerts occurring during the time period 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM by home telephone. From 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM, in comparison, the subscriber has directed that notification be received by pager and by cellular telephone. Thus, if an information alert occurs during the time period 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM, the information alert would be delivered to the subscriber according to the communications channel specified by the user for that period. In addition, because the subscriber has elected to received notification of information alerts during that period, the subscriber would receive a notification message stating, for example, "A news item about IBM has just been sent to your electronic mailbox. " The subscriber could then decide to retrieve the information immediately, or at a later, more convenient time.

Therefore, as described herein, the present invention discloses a personal information delivery system capable of automatic and continuous monitoring and updating. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a subscriber can request information about road conditions and vehicle traffic similar to the type of information obtained from commercial radio station broadcasts. However, unlike radio traffic updates, the present invention offers personalized information tailored to the specific interest of the subscriber (e.g. condition of roads, bridges, or tunnels on the subscriber's particular route) , at a specific time needed by the subscriber (e.g., during his or her commute time), and delivered via a communications medium preferred by the subscriber (e.g., car phone, fax, pager) .

The applications of the present invention are potentially diverse. The invention can deliver personalized, real-time information concerning a variety of different areas of interest, including sports, weather, financial markets, news, and specialty interest information. This invention could also be used in targeted advertising.

Other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. For example, this invention is modularly expandable to accommodate new communications technologies not yet available on the existing communications infrastructure. In addition, the profile menus allowing entry of profile information by the subscriber can also be presented to the subscriber in audio format. Thus, it is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

transmitting the information matches over one or more communications channels specified by the subscriber.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving said parameters includes the step of receiving an identification of one or more communications channels, and wherein the step of delivering said information matches includes the step of transmitting the information over all identified communications channels at the same time. 7. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of receiving dynamic registration information from an on-line communications channel of the subscriber, identifying said on-line communications channel, and delivering the information matches to said on-line communications channel .

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of receiving real-time information from an outside source, comparing said information with the subscriber's parameters, detecting information matches, and delivering said information matches to the subscriber, are continuously and automatically performed.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of notifying includes the steps of receiving specified time periods for notifying the subscriber, and receiving specified communications channels by which the subscriber is to be notified during said specified time periods. 10. The method of claim 3 further including the step of overriding the times for generating and delivering information matches specified by the subscriber in response to a command for an immediate query such that an information match is immediately sent to the subscriber at his or her on-line location.

11. An information system for providing continuously updated personalized information to a subscriber according to parameters defining a subscriber's request for information, said system comprising: profile manager means for receiving the parameters of the subscriber's information request through a computer-based graphical user interface; processor means for receiving real-time information from an outside information source, and comparing means for detecting matches between said information with said parameters; and dissemination means for receiving real-time information matching said parameters and delivering said information matches to the subscriber over a plurality of communications channels.

12. The information system of claim 11, further comprising a notification means for generating notification messages to the subscriber over one or more communications channels .

13. The information system of claim 11, wherein said system further includes a database for storing said parameters . 14. The information system of claim 11, wherein said profile manager means for receiving the parameters includes a computer keyboard, mouse, audio communication, facsimile, or touch screen.

15. The information system of claim 11, wherein said dissemination means includes means for converting matching information into the proper format for transmission over the communications media specified by the subscriber.