Behavior tracking and user profiling system

• US 20010056405A1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digital Delivery Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Digital Delivery Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, James B., Peterson, Harold L., Rigler, Joel R., Muyres, Matthew R.
• Application Number:
  US09/797,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20010056405A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00

Abstract

A method for collecting user data and constructing a user profile as a digital content vending machine, DCVM is employed which includes an infrastructure and an inventory on a client in a personal computer, PC. The infrastructure presents a graphical user interface on the client which may metaphorically resemble a plurality of stores operated by vendors. User-customers shop in the stores by viewing and selecting assets (inventory) and their actions during this are monitored to collect data.

Claims

1. A method for user profiling, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying an inventory of digital content, wherein at least part of said inventory is pre-stored on a client computer and said inventory includes at least one member of the set consisting of assets, collateral for said assets, and advertisements;

(b) displaying information about said inventory to a user of said client computer;

(c) collecting user data about said user based on actions of said user with regard to said information about said inventory; and

(d) constructing a user profile based on said user data.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein instances of either of said assets and collateral for said assets require purchase before use, require payment for continued use, or are usable free of charge.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said inventory includes a first said advertisement;

and said first said advertisement is not for any said asset in said inventory.

4. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising receiving additional units of said digital content via a communications system from an online source.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said information about said inventory includes at least one instance of said digital content taken from said inventory.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said information about said inventory includes a member of the set consisting of text description, audio description, and video description of an instance of said digital content.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein said information about said inventory further includes a member of the set consisting of usage demonstrations and usage screen shots for at least one said asset.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said user data includes information about at least one member of the set consisting of which instances of said digital content are viewed and what said user does in response to viewing said digital content.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said user data includes at least one member of the set consisting of:

whether said user requests more information about an instance of said digital content; and

whether said user purchases an instance of said digital content.

10. The method of

claim 9

, wherein if said user requests more information about an instance of said digital content, said more information includes a demonstration version of said instance of said digital content.

11. The method of

claim 9

, wherein if said user purchases an instance of said digital content, said purchase is at least partly paid for by said user providing response data for addition to said user data.

12. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said user data includes responses by said user about their perceptions of an instance of said digital content.

13. The method of

claim 12

, wherein said user data includes demographics data about the user.

14. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said user data includes behavior data about the user.

15. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising:

(e) communicating said user profile via a communications system to a remote computer system for storage and analysis.

16. A method for collecting user data, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying an inventory of digital content, wherein at least part of said inventory is pre-stored on a client computer;

(b) displaying information about said inventory to a user of said client computer;

(c) collecting the user data about said user based on actions of said user with regard to said information about said inventory.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the user data includes information about at least one member of the set consisting of which instances of said digital content are viewed and what said user does in response to viewing said digital content.

18. The method of

claim 17

, wherein the user data includes at least one member of the set consisting of:

whether said user requests more information about an instance of said digital content;

whether said user provides response data about their perceptions of an instance of said digital content; and

whether said user purchases an instance of said digital content.

19. The method of

claim 18

, wherein if said user purchases an instance of said digital content, said purchase is at least partly paid for by said user providing said response data for addition to the user data.

20. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the user data includes demographics data about the user.

21. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the user data includes behavior data about the user.

22. The method of

claim 16

, further comprising:

(e) communicating the user data via a communications system to a remote computer system for storage and analysis.