Method and system for directing information to a plurality of users

• US 20100094706A1
• Filed: 06/24/2007
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bio-Ride Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Bio-Ride Ltd.
• Inventors: Sandlerman, Nimrod, Gabai, Oz
• Granted Patent: US 8,719,092 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method for directing information to a plurality of users, the method including enabling a plurality of users to access a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities, automatically monitoring interactions of the plurality of users with the shared web resource, automatically analyzing results of the monitoring to ascertain at least one shared characteristic of the plurality of users and employing results of the analyzing to selectively direct non-user originated information to the plurality of users while the plurality of users is accessing the shared web resource.

Claims

1. A method for directing information to a plurality of users, the method comprising:

enabling a plurality of users to access a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities;

automatically monitoring interactions of said plurality of users with said shared web resource;

automatically analyzing results of said monitoring to ascertain at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users; and

employing results of said analyzing to selectively direct non-user originated information to said plurality of users while said plurality of users is accessing said shared web resource.

2. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 1 and wherein said automatically analyzing comprises ascertaining at least one of:

a number of users currently using said shared web resource; and

a skill level of at least one of said plurality of users currently using said shared web resource.

3. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 1 and wherein said non-user originated information comprises at least one of:

selectable information automatically selected in accordance with said at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users;

an advertisement automatically selected in accordance with said at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users; and

an offer to sell automatically selected in accordance with said at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users.

4. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 3 and also comprising carrying out a sale transaction with said plurality of users based on said non-user originated information.

5. A method for directing information to a plurality of users, the method comprising:

enabling a plurality of users to access a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities; and

enabling said plurality of users to incorporate an external web resource into said shared web resource, such that said external web resource is accessible to said plurality of users via said shared web resource.

6. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 5 and wherein at least one of said shared web resource and said external web resource comprises at least one of:

a search functionality;

is a whiteboard;

at least one server; and

a web page.

7. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 5 and also comprising at least one of:

automatically monitoring interactions of said plurality of users with said shared web resource; and

automatically analyzing results of said monitoring to ascertain at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users.

automatically adapting said operation of said external web resource to said at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users;

retrieving information from said external web resource, which information is automatically adapted to said at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users;

searching for information;

employing results of said analyzing to selectively direct non-user originated information to said plurality of users while said plurality of users is accessing said shared web resource;

carrying out a sale transaction with said plurality of users based on said non-user originated information; and

enabling said plurality of users to perform, within a framework of said shared web resource, at least one of;

annotating information received from said external web resource; and

operating said external web resource.

8. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said shared web resource and said external web resource comprises at least one server operative to include at least one of the following:

a browser manager module;

a whiteboard manager module;

a whiteboard overlays manager module;

a whiteboard activity monitoring module;

a whiteboard activity analyzer module;

a whiteboard information directing manager module;

a sourcing manager module;

a subject matter database;

a whiteboard database;

an information repository;

an overlays database;

a users database; and

a sourcing database.

9. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said shared web resource and said external web resource comprises at least one server operative to perform at least one of the following:

browser driver tasks;

a whiteboard manager task;

a whiteboard overlays manager task;

a whiteboard activity monitoring task;

a whiteboard activity analyzer task;

a whiteboard information directing manager task; and

a sourcing manager task.

10. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and providing communication between at least one of

subject matter database and said whiteboard activity analyzer module

said whiteboard database and said whiteboard manager module;

said whiteboard database and said browser manager module;

said information repository and said whiteboard information directing manager module;

said overlays database and said whiteboard overlays manager module;

said users database and said whiteboard activity monitoring module;

said users database and said whiteboard activity analyzer module;

said users database and said whiteboard manager module;

said sourcing database and said sourcing manager module;

said whiteboard manager and said browser driver tasks;

said whiteboard overlays manager task and said whiteboard manager task;

said whiteboard activity monitoring task and said whiteboard manager task;

said whiteboard activity analyzer task and said whiteboard activity monitoring task;

said whiteboard information directing manager task and said whiteboard activity analyzer task and with said whiteboard manager task;

said sourcing manager task communicates and said browser driver tasks;

said sourcing manager task communicates and said sourcing database; and

said sourcing manager task communicates and external databases operated by external services offering products for sale.

11. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said users database stores personalizing information regarding each of said plurality of users and provides said personalizing information to said whiteboard activity analyzer task.

12. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said subject matter database stores information relating to external topics and supplies said information relating to external topics to said whiteboard activity analyzer task.

13. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said information repository stores information to be pushed to said plurality of users, and supplies said information to be pushed to said plurality of users to said whiteboard information directing manager task.

15. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said subject matter database includes at least one of a search engine and an information directory.

16. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said information repository comprises a web advertising management engine.

17. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said browser manager module includes a user access subroutine including user login functionality and user registration functionality.

18. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 8 and wherein said sourcing manager module is operative to perform at least one of:

automatic online bidding; and

facilitate a purchase.

19. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said shared web resource and said external web resource comprises at least one server operative to perform at least one of:

sense a level of said plurality of users employing said shared web resource; and

sense a level of said plurality of users employing said shared web resource by analyzing stored profiles of said plurality of said users.

20. A system for directing information to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities accessible to a plurality of users;

an interactions monitor operative to automatically monitor interactions of said plurality of users with said shared web resource;

an analyzer operative to automatically analyze said interactions and to ascertain at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users; and

an information director operative to selectively direct non-user originated information to said plurality of users while said plurality of users is accessing said shared web resource based on said at least one shared characteristic.

14. A method for directing information to a plurality of users according claim 20 and wherein said at least one server is configured according to at least one of the following configurations:

said subject matter database and said information repository are located within said at least one server; and

said subject matter database and said information repository are remotely located from said at least one server and are shared and accessible via the Internet.

21. A system for directing information to a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities accessible to a plurality of users; and

a resource incorporator operative to enable said plurality of users to incorporate an external web resource into said shared web resource, such that said external web resource is accessible to said plurality of users via said shared web resource.

22. A computer program for directing information to a plurality of users, the computer program comprising:

computer readable program code for enabling a plurality of users to access a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities;

computer readable program code for automatically monitoring interactions of said plurality of users with said shared web resource;

computer readable program code for automatically analyzing results of said monitoring to ascertain at least one shared characteristic of said plurality of users; and

computer readable program code for employing results of said analyzing to selectively direct non-user originated information to said plurality of users while said plurality of users is accessing said shared web resource.

23. A computer program for directing information to a plurality of users, the computer program comprising:

computer readable program code for enabling a plurality of users to access a shared web resource having multiple functional capabilities; and

computer readable program code for enabling said plurality of users to incorporate an external web resource into said shared web resource, such that said external web resource is accessible to said plurality of users via said shared web resource.