User context based distributed self service system for service enhanced resource delivery

• US 20040181457A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jasura, Donn P., Keller, Neal M., Lee, Juhnyoung, Rolando, Steve J., Biebesheimer, Debra L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system of providing user context-based services over computer networks, using mechanisms for collecting and specifying one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, mechanisms for collecting affective (emotive) data to inform the user context, and also an interactive graphical view to gain insight into available services for assisting in understanding available service information and making decisions on purchasing.

Claims

1. A self service system for service enhanced resource delivery comprising a mechanism for enabling entry of a query for a service and, entry of one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, said mechanism further enabling buyer specification of relevant service selection criteria for enabling expression of relevance of service results in terms of user context.

2. A self service system according to claim 1, wherein the context associated with the current buyer state includes affective (emotive) data such changes in facial expressions, voice and body temperature.

3. A self service system according to claim 2, wherein the affective (emotive) data is used to inform the user context to aid in the buyer'"'"'s selection and fine tuning of relevant service bundles.

4. A self service system according to claim 2, wherein the affective (emotive) data is used to inform the user context to aid in recommending changes in service configurations during delivery.

5. A self service system according to claim 1, wherein a graphical user interface (GUI) enables buyers to select the types of affective data about them to be collected, the relative weighting to give each type of data, and the actions authorized based on changes in the data.

6. A self service system according to claim 1, further comprising a visual decision support tool enables buyers to perform confirmatory analysis, what if analysis and iterative, undirected exploratory analysis of alternative services bundles.

7. A self service system according to claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) enables buyers to dynamically manage the services mix during delivery based on changes in relevancy and price.

8. A self service system according to claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) enables buyers to save and reuse successful service bundles as templates for future buying decisions.

9. A self service system according to claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) enables service providers to approve service pricing changes or bundling of services with other providers based on system provided buyer context based performance metrics.

10. A self service system according to claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) enables service providers to respond to reverse (buyer initiated) auctions including proposals for the bundling of services from different providers.

11. A self service system for service enhanced resource delivery, comprising a mechanism for enabling entry of a query for a service and entry of one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, said mechanism including means further enabling buyer specification of relevant service selection criteria for enabling expression of relevance of service results in terms of user context.

12. A self service system according to claim 11, further comprising a visual decision support tool which enables buyers to perform confirmatory analysis, what if analysis and iterative, undirected exploratory analysis of alternative service bundles.

13. A self service system according to claim 11, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) which enables buyers to dynamically manage the services mix during delivery based on changes in relevancy and price.

14. A self service system according to claim 11, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) which enables buyers to save and reuse successful service bundles as templates for future buying decisions.

15. A self service system for service enhanced resource delivery, comprising a mechanism to enable buyers to select service choices, said mechanism including means to use affective or emotive data to assist buyers in said service choices.

16. A self service system according to claim 15, wherein the affective or emotive data is used to assist buyers during their selection and fine tuning of relevant service bundles.

17. A self service system according to claim 15, wherein the affective (emotive) data is used to assist buyers in responding to recommended changes in service configurations during delivery.

18. A self service system, according to claim 15, wherein a graphical user interface (GUI) enables buyers to select the types of data about them to be collected, the relative weighting to give each type of data, and the actions authorized based on changes in the data.

19. A self service system for service enhanced resource delivery, comprising a mechanism for configuring service bundles, said mechanism including means to enabling service providers to use combinatorial auctions to configure said service bundles.

20. A self service system according to claim 19, wherein a graphical user interface (GUI) enables service providers to respond to reverse, buyer initiated auctions including proposals for the bundling of services from different providers.

21. A self service system according to claim 19, further comprising a network connection for connecting said system to the Internet, and wherein said network connection and the Internet are used to make real time recommendations to buyers.

22. A self service method for service enhanced resource delivery, comprising the step of enabling entry of a query for a service and entry of one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith, said enabling step including the step of enabling buyer specification of relevant service selection criteria for enabling expression of relevance of service results in terms of user context.

23. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a self service system for service enhanced resource delivery, said method steps comprising:

enabling entry of a query for a service and entry of one or more user context elements, each element representing a context associated with the current buyer state and having context attributes and attribute values associated therewith; and

enabling buyer specification of relevant service selection criteria for enabling expression of relevance of service results in terms of user context.