POLICY BASED DISTRIBUTION MODELING VIA INFORMATION MODELS

• US 20080262891A1
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kothandaraman, Ramprasadh, Ludwig, Hans-Martin, Bhatt, Ankur, Seshasai, Venkat Srinivas
• Application Number:
  US11/737,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

The method by which an information distribution system distributes information to subscribers is controlled by user profiles. A user profile is automatically generated by a profile generator based on information known about the user and a plurality of policies detailing what kind of users is eligible to receive what kind of information. User information and policy definitions are found on a user record store and a policy store connected to the profile generator, and the generated user profile is stored on a user profile store.

Claims

1. A method for creating a user profile, comprising:

loading a user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

loading a policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source;

creating the user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

determining if the policy record is applicable to the user record; and

if the policy record is applicable;

extracting a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amending the user profile to reflect the set of information sources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining applicability comprises:

reading from the policy record a set of requirements for applicability; and

evaluating the set of requirements against the user record.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the policy record comprises a section outlining the set of requirements.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein reading a set of requirements comprises:

for each mapping in the policy record;

extracting the user value associated with the mapping; and

storing the extracted user values in a set.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of requirements comprises a set of discrete user values.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of requirements comprises a set of user value ranges.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy record is partially applicable to the user record.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a set of information sources comprises, for each mapping within the policy record:

determining if the mapping is applicable to the user record;

if so, extracting the information source associated with the mapping; and

storing the extracted information sources in a set.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a set of information sources comprises:

for each mapping in the policy record;

extracting the information sources associated with the mapping; and

storing the extracted information sources in a set.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of information sources comprises only unique entries of information sources.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of information sources comprises only information sources that the user can be mapped to.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein amending the user profile comprises:

creating a temporary user profile using the set of information sources; and

replacing the user profile comprising the default user values with the temporary user profile.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein reflecting the set of information sources comprises adding the set of information sources.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein reflecting the set of information sources comprises adding only information sources from the set of information sources that are not already present in the user profile.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein reflecting the set of information sources comprises replacing an existing set of information sources with the set of information sources.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein reflecting the set of information sources comprises removing a set of existing information sources that are inconsistent with the set of information sources.

17. A method for creating a user profile, comprising:

loading a user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

loading a set of policy records, each policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source;

creating the user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

for each policy record;

determining if the policy record is applicable to the user record;

if the policy record is applicable;

extracting a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amending the user profile to reflect the set of information sources.

18. A method for creating a set of user profiles, comprising:

loading a set of user records, each user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

loading a policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source;

for each user record;

creating a user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

determining if the policy record is applicable to the user record;

if the policy record is applicable;

extracting a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amending the user profile to reflect the set of information sources.

19. A method for creating a set of user profiles, comprising:

loading a set of user records, each user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

loading a set of policy records, each policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source;

for each user record;

creating a user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

for each user record and each policy record;

determining if the policy record is applicable to the user record;

if the policy record is applicable;

extracting a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amending the user profile to reflect the set of information sources.

20. A method for creating a user profile using a profile generator, comprising:

specifying a user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

specifying a policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source; and

executing the profile generator;

wherein the profile generator is adapted to create the user profile by;

loading the user record;

loading the policy record;

creating the user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

determining if the policy record is applicable to the user record;

if the policy record is applicable;

extracting a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amending the user profile to reflect the set of information sources;

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the method is executed in response to an update of a user record.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the method is executed in response to an update of a policy record.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the method is executed by manual input.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the method is executed automatically.

25. A system adapted to create a user profile, comprising:

a profile generator;

a user record store;

a policy record store; and

a user profile store;

wherein the profile generator is adapted to generate the user profile by;

loading a user record from the user record store, the user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

loading a policy record from the policy store, the policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source;

creating the user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

determining if the policy record is applicable to the user record; and

if the policy record is applicable;

extracting a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amending the user profile to reflect the set of information sources.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein at least two members of the group consisting of the profile generator, the user record store, the policy record store and the user profile store are connected by a network.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein at least two members of the group consisting of the profile generator, the user record store, the policy record store and the user profile store reside on a same computer system.

28. A computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes a computer system to:

load a user record comprising a set of user values describing a user;

load a policy record comprising a set of mappings, each mapping associating at least one user value to at least one information source;

create a user profile with default user values and associating the user profile with the user record;

determine if the policy record is applicable to the user record; and

if the policy record is applicable;

extract a set of information sources from the mappings of the policy record; and

amend the user profile to reflect the set of information sources.