Marketing systems and methods

• US 20020133391A1
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Johnson, Timothy Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/681,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133391A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation

Abstract

A method and system for on-line marketing to a remote user is disclosed. The method can include performing the following procedures during a session with the user: (i) using a decision rule set to select either one of a plurality of first signals or one of a plurality of second signals, for sending to the display, the one of the plurality of second signals being to solicit information about the user; (ii) measuring a response of the user to the previously selected signal; and (iii) updating the decision rule set in accordance with a probability. The method is capable of selecting a display for the user depending on, for example, a demographic category of the user or on past actions of the user.

Claims

1. A method for operating with a commercial system having a display for a user, the method comprising performing the following procedures during a session with the user:

using a decision rule set to select either one of a plurality of first signals or one of a plurality of second signals, for sending to the display, the one of the plurality of second signals being to solicit information about the user;

measuring a response of the user to the previously selected signal; and

updating the decision rule set in accordance with a probability.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein using includes conditioning selection upon whether certain information is known about the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein using includes conditioning selection upon whether a model has converged.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the plurality of second signals is determined by an Adaptive Homing Process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein updating includes updating depending upon a Markov Decision Process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein updating includes updating depending on whether the user selected a product for purchase.

7. A system for operating with a commercial system having a display for a user, the system comprising:

a decision rule set;

a selector that reads the decision rule set to select either one of a plurality of first signals or one of a plurality of second signals, for sending to the display, the one of the plurality of second signals being to solicit information about the user;

logic that measures a response of the user to the previously selected signal; and

an updater that updates the decision rule set in accordance with a probability.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a memory that stores demographic information about the user, wherein the selector conditions selection responsive to a content of the memory.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a model, wherein the selector conditions selection depending upon whether the model has converged.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the selector includes a plurality of instructions executable by a processor to perform by an Adaptive Homing Process.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the updater is responsive to a plurality of instructions executable by a processor to perform a Markov Decision Process.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the updater is responsive to whether the user selected a product for purchase.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein means for using comprises means for conditioning selection upon whether certain information is known about the user.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein means for using comprises means for conditioning selection upon whether a model has converged.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein means for updating includes updating depending upon a Markov Decision Process.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein means for updating includes updating depending on whether the user selected a product for purchase.

13. A system for operating with a commercial system having a display for a user, the system comprising:

means for using a decision rule set to select either one of a plurality of first signals or one of a plurality of second signals, for sending to the display, the one of the plurality of second signals being to solicit information about the user;

means for measuring a response of the user to the previously selected signal; and

means for updating the decision rule set in accordance with a probability.

18. A computer readable medium bearing computer software instructions for execution by a processor to cause a computer system to perform:

using a decision rule set to select either one of a plurality of first signals or one of a plurality of second signals, for sending to a display for a user, the one of the plurality of second signals being to solicit information about the user;

measuring a response of the user to the previously selected signal; and

updating the decision rule set in accordance with a probability.