Feedback manager for integration with an application

• US 10,365,798 B1
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: El Kaissi, Muhieddine
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US14/991,832
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 715710
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a method, apparatus, and system for obtaining user ratings and/or feedback for a software application. During operation, the system tracks one or more interactions between a user and the application, wherein the application is configured to execute on an electronic device. While tracking the interactions, the system determines whether the interactions meet or exceed a familiarity threshold, wherein meeting or exceeding the familiarity threshold indicates that the user would be more likely than not to provide an informed rating for the application. Next, if the one or more interactions meet or exceed the familiarity threshold, the system displays a message that asks the user whether the user likes the application. If the user likes the application, the system assists the user in rating the application. Otherwise, the system assists the user in providing feedback for the application.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining user feedback for an application, the method comprising:

tracking, over a specified time period, multiple interactions between a user and one or more features of the application that indicate that the user has familiarity with the application or is unfamiliar with the application, wherein tracking the interactions comprises keeping a score that is increased when an interaction that indicates that the user has familiarity with the application occurs and decreased when an interaction that indicates that the user is unfamiliar with the application occurs, and wherein the application is configured to execute on an electronic device;

determining, based on the score, whether the interactions meet or exceed a familiarity threshold; and

when the interactions meet or exceed the familiarity threshold;

displaying a message that asks the user whether the user likes the application;

if the user answers in the affirmative to the message that asks the user whether the user likes the application, assisting the user in rating the application; and

if the user answers in the negative to the message that asks the user whether the user likes the application, assisting the user in providing feedback for the application.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

while tracking the interactions, determining whether the interactions fall below a feedback threshold, wherein being below the feedback threshold indicates that the user would be more likely than not to provide feedback for the application; and

if the user interactions fall below the feedback threshold, causing the application to assist the user in providing feedback for the application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein assisting the user in rating the application comprises:

displaying a message that asks whether the user wants to rate the application; and

if the user answers in the affirmative to the message that asks whether the user wants to rate the application, displaying to the user one of;

a website configured to receive ratings for the application; and

a section of the application configured to receive ratings for the application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the interactions comprise executions of the application on the electronic device by the user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the familiarity threshold comprises a first number of executions per week over a number of consecutive weeks.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein a feedback threshold comprises a second number of executions over a second number of consecutive weeks.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the interactions comprise interactions between the user and a feature of the application that was introduced in a latest version of the application; and

displaying a message that asks the user whether the user likes the application comprises displaying a message that asks the user whether the user likes the feature of the application.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the interactions comprise at least one of the following:

a time between the user opening a content item on the application and dismissing the content item;

a posting of a comment on the content item by the user;

a sharing of the content item by the user; and

a liking of the content item by the user.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to;

track, over a specified time period, multiple interactions between a user and one or more features of the application that indicate that the user has familiarity with the application or is unfamiliar with the application, wherein tracking the interactions comprises keeping a score that is increased when an interaction that indicates that the user has familiarity with the application occurs and decreased when an interaction that indicates that the user is unfamiliar with the application occurs, and wherein the application is configured to execute on an electronic device;

determine, based on the score, whether the interactions meet or exceed a familiarity threshold; and

when the interactions meet or exceed the familiarity threshold;

display a message that asks the user whether the user likes the application;

if the user answers in the affirmative to the message that asks the user whether the user likes the application, assist the user in rating the application; and

if the user answers in the negative to the message that asks the user whether the user likes the application, assist the user in providing feedback for the application.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:

while tracking the interactions, determine whether the interactions fall below a feedback threshold, wherein being below the feedback threshold indicates that the user would be more likely than not to provide feedback for the application; and

if the interactions fall below the feedback threshold, cause the application to assist the user in providing feedback for the application.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein assisting the user in rating the application comprises:

displaying a message that asks whether the user wants to rate the application; and

if the user answers in the affirmative to the message that asks whether the user wants to rate the application, displaying to the user one of;

a website configured to receive ratings for the application; and

a section of the application configured to receive ratings for the application.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the more interactions comprise executions of the application on the electronic device by the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the familiarity threshold comprises a first number of executions per week over a number of consecutive weeks.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a feedback threshold comprises a second number of executions over a second number of consecutive weeks.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the interactions comprise interactions between the user and a feature of the application that was introduced in a latest version of the application; and

displaying a message that asks the user whether the user likes the application comprises displaying a message that asks the user whether the user likes the feature of the application.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interactions comprise at least one of the following:

a time between the user opening a content item on the application and dismissing the content item;

a posting of a comment on the content item by the user;

a sharing of the content item by the user; and

a liking of the content item by the user.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a tracking module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the electronic device to;

track, over a specified time period, multiple interactions between a user and one or more features of the application that indicate that the user has familiarity with the application or is unfamiliar with the application, wherein tracking the interactions comprises keeping a score that is increased when an interaction that indicates that the user has familiarity with the application occurs and decreased when an interaction that indicates that the user is unfamiliar with the application occurs, and wherein the application is configured to execute on an electronic device;

determine, based on the score, whether the interactions meet or exceed a familiarity threshold; and

a feedback module comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause the electronic device to, when the interactions meet or exceed the familiarity threshold;

display a message that asks the user whether the user likes the application;

if the user answers in the affirmative to the message that asks the user whether the user likes the application, assist the user in rating the application; and

if the user answers in the negative to the message that asks the user whether the user likes the application, assist the user in providing feedback for the application.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium of the feedback module further stores instructions that, when executed, cause the electronic device to:

while tracking the interactions, determine whether the interactions fall below a feedback threshold, wherein being below the feedback threshold indicates that the user would be more likely than not to provide feedback for the application; and

if the interactions fall below the feedback threshold, cause the application to assist the user in providing feedback for the application.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein assisting the user in rating the application comprises:

displaying a message that asks whether the user wants to rate the application; and

if the user answers in the affirmative to the message that asks whether the user wants to rate the application, displaying to the user one of;

a website configured to receive ratings for the application; and

a section of the application configured to receive ratings for the application.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the interactions comprise executions of the application by the user.