Method of using digital characters to compile information

• US 20070174235A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael Gordon
• Original Assignee: Michael Gordon
• Inventors: Gordon, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/365,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20070174235A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of using a digital character to compile information, comprising the step of providing a digital character that is configured to interactively gather user information and interacting with a user via the digital character in order to collect user information, wherein the digital character is configured to learn and embody preferences and tendencies of the user.

Claims

1. A method of using a digital character to compile information, comprising:

providing a digital character that is configured to interactively gather user information; and

interacting with a user via the digital character in order to collect user information;

wherein the digital character is configured to learn and embody preferences and tendencies of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information comprises consumer information concerning user purchasing tendencies and user preferences.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information comprises user data, user trends and user research information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital character comprises a digital icon that functions as a digital friend of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital character is configured to learn the likes, dislikes, tendencies, trends, ideas, goals and interests of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a digital advisor that interacts with the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the digital advisor provides the user with direction, leadership, suggestions and the ability to exchange information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital character is configured to develop into an alter ego of the user that embodies the personal characteristics and preferences of the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the development of the digital character into the alter ego of the user is an incremental process that occurs over a period of time as an underlying software program gathers user information and applies the information to the characterization of the digital character.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital character embodies a cyber-world characterization with a functioning intelligence patterned after the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of utilizing conjoint analysis to model the behavior of the digital character in order to better serve the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of utilizing conjoint analysis to predict products and services that a user will choose and assess the weight the user will assign to various factors that underlie the user'"'"'s decisions.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of utilizing conjoint measurement to predict products and services that a user will choose and assess the weight the user will assign to various factors that underlie the user'"'"'s decisions.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of permitting the digital character to emulate the user in cyberspace.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein user emulation is subject to one or more predetermined constraints.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sorting and analyzing the user information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of recommending various purchases of goods and services to the user based upon the analysis of user information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital character is configured to report the sorted and analyzed information to the user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital character comprises a proactive cyber seeker configured to act on behalf of the user.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital character is constantly activated.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the collected user information is used in conjunction with a research technique chosen from the group consisting of:

quantitative &

qualitative marketing research;

multi-attribute compositional models;

Internet research;

market modeling;

relationship analysis;

primary &

secondary research techniques;

applied sociology;

applied psychology &

applied cognition techniques;

laws of comparative judgment;

buyer decision modeling;

online surveys;

interviews;

focus groups;

multiattribute compositional models;

statistical techniques that originated in mathematical psychology;

techniques using algorithms;

discrete choice and conjoint models;

bundling research;

ingredient screening and product optimization;

market segmentation including latent class cluster analysis and grouping techniques;

multivariate statistical analysis;

multiple regression techniques;

logical regression techniques;

categorical analysis;

factor analysis;

cluster analysis;

discriminant analysis;

MDS;

canonical correlation;

MANOVA;

ANOVA;

LISREL;

independence techniques;

common factor analysis;

correspondence analysis;

SEM;

latent variable analysis;

confirmatory factor analysis polytopes; and

stochastic modeling.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a virtual community that is created around the digital characters, wherein the user may control buying and selling of goods and services while acting through their digital character in a reverse auction style format.