System and Method for Supporting Peer Interactions

• US 20100167709A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Satyam Computer Services Limited (Tech Mahindra Limited)
• Original Assignee: Satyam Computer Services Limited (Tech Mahindra Limited)
• Inventors: Varadarajan, Sridhar, Gopalan, Srividya
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks

Abstract

Peer to peer interactions are a popular way of social networking. Such peer to peer interactions play an important role in (a) obtaining relevant and latest information; (b) obtaining relevant experiential information; (c) obtaining of relevant opinions on, say, products; (d) collaborative problem solving, and so on. Consider a scenario of classified ads: a user visiting a portal through a mobile phone to decide on buying of a product can be well assisted by facilitating peer to peer interactions. In many situations, it is required to make the right selection of peers in order to be able to obtain the right information, and furthermore, voice is a preferred mode of interaction if mobile phones are used in peer to peer interactions. Also, in peer to peer interactions, anonymity is important in order to protect the privacy of the peers. A system and method for supporting peer interactions, especially in a mobile scenario involving classified ads, need to address the issues related to (a) selecting and displaying of the right information; (b) selecting of right peers; and (c) facilitating anonymous peer interactions.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a user of a plurality of users browsing a classified ads portal through a mobile phone in order to reduce the buy/no-buy decision cycle time, said method comprising:

selecting of a plurality of selected ads from a plurality of ads, wherein said plurality of ads is associated with said classified ads portal,

displaying of said plurality of selected ads on said mobile phone,

obtaining of a clicked ad, wherein said clicked ad is clicked by said user,

obtaining of a plurality of corporate sales staff associated with said clicked ad,

selecting of a plurality of peers based on said clicked ad, said plurality of users, and

said plurality of corporate sales staff, and

facilitating of a plurality of anonymous peer interactions among said plurality of peers and said user for providing more information about said clicked ad to said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method of selecting of said plurality of selected ads further comprising;

grouping of said plurality of users into a plurality of user groups, wherein each of said plurality of user groups is a subset of said plurality of users,

generic grouping of said plurality of ads into a plurality generic ad groups, wherein each of said plurality of generic ad groups is a subset of said plurality of ads,

meta grouping of said plurality of ads into a plurality of meta ad groups, wherein each of said plurality of meta ad groups is a subset of said plurality of ads, and

custom grouping of said plurality of ads into a plurality of custom ad groups.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said method of grouping further comprising:

determining of a plurality of ads clicked by a user of said plurality of users,

determining of a group of said plurality of user groups of said user based on distance between said user and each group of said plurality of user groups,

combining of said user with said group based on said plurality of ads and a plurality of ads associated with each user of said group.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said method of generic grouping further comprising:

obtaining of an ad of said plurality of ads,

determining of a plurality of ad users based on a click pattern with respect to said ad associated with each user of said plurality of users, wherein each of said plurality of ad users is a part of said plurality of users and said ad is clicked by each of said plurality of ad users,

obtaining of a plurality of clicked ads based on an ad user of said plurality of ad users,

wherein each clicked ad of said plurality of clicked ads is based on a click pattern with respect to said clicked ad associated with said ad user, and

determining of a group of said plurality of generic ad groups based on said plurality of clicked ads associated with each of said plurality of ad users.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said method of meta grouping further comprising:

obtaining of an ad of said plurality of ads,

determining of a group of said plurality of meta ad groups based on distance between an ad meta description associated with said ad and a group meta description associated with each group of said plurality of meta ad groups,

combining of said ad with said group based on said ad meta description and a group meta description of said group.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said method of custom grouping further comprising:

obtaining of said user,

obtaining of an ad of said plurality of ads, wherein the most recent click by said user is on said ad,

determining of a plurality of similar ads based on said ad, wherein said plurality of similar ads is a part of said meta ad groups,

ordering of said plurality of similar ads based on a click pattern associated with each similar ad of said plurality of similar ads resulting in a plurality of ordered similar ads,

making of said plurality of ordered similar ads a part of said custom ad groups,

making of said plurality of ordered similar ads a part of said plurality of selected ads,

determining of a plurality of similar users based on said user, wherein said plurality of similar users is a part of said plurality of user groups,

determining of a plurality of clicked ads based on a click pattern with respect to each of said plurality of clicked ads associated with each of said plurality of similar users,

ordering of said plurality of clicked ads based on a click pattern associated with each of said plurality of clicked ads resulting in a plurality of ordered clicked ads,

making of said plurality of ordered clicked ads a part of said custom ad groups,

making of said plurality of ordered clicked ads a part of said plurality of selected ads,

determining of a plurality of other clicked ads based on a click pattern with respect to each ad of said plurality of ads associated with said user,

ordering of said plurality of other clicked ads based on a click pattern associated with each of said plurality of other clicked ads resulting in a plurality of ordered other clicked ads,

making of said plurality of ordered other clicked ads a part of said custom ad groups, and

making of said plurality of ordered other clicked ads a part of said plurality of selected ads.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said method of custom grouping further comprising:

obtaining of a group of said plurality of user groups based on said user,

obtaining of an ad group of said plurality of generic ad groups,

determining of a plurality of clicked users based on a click pattern with respect to each ad of said ad group associated with each user of said plurality of users, wherein each clicked user of said plurality clicked users is a part of said plurality users,

determining of an overlap factor based on said group and said plurality of clicked users,

determining of a selected ad group based on a plurality of overlap factors associated with said plurality of generic ad groups, wherein said selected ad group is a part of said generic ad group,

removing of a plurality of ads from said selected ad group resulting in a filtered ad group based on a plurality of click patterns with respect to said selected ad group associated with said user,

ordering of said filtered ad group based on a click pattern associated with each of said plurality of filtered ad group resulting in a plurality of ordered filtered ad group,

making of said plurality of ordered other clicked ads a part of said custom ad groups, and

making of said plurality of ordered filtered ad group a part of said plurality of selected ads.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said method of custom grouping further comprising:

obtaining of an ad group of said plurality of generic ad groups,

determining of a popularity factor based on a plurality of click patterns with respect to said ad group,

determining of a selected ad group based on a plurality of popularity factors associated with said plurality of generic ad groups, wherein said selected ad group is a part of said generic ad group,

ordering of said selected ad group based on a click pattern associated with each of said plurality of selected ad group resulting in a plurality of ordered selected ad group,

making of said plurality of ordered selected ad group a part of said custom ad groups, and

making of said plurality of ordered selected ad group a part of said plurality of selected ads.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said method of displaying further comprising:

obtaining of an ad of said plurality of ads, wherein the most recent click by said user is on said ad,

determining of a number of radial structures based on said mobile phone,

determining of a plurality of radial structures based on said number of radial structures,

putting of said ad at the center of a screen of said mobile phone,

dividing of a radial surface of a radial structure of said plurality of radial structures into three portions,

populating of a first portion of said three portions of said radial surface based on a portion of said plurality of selected ads,

populating of a second portion of said three portions of said radial surface based on a portion of said plurality of selected ads, and

populating of a third portion of said three portions of said radial surface based on a portion of said plurality of selected ads.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprising:

obtaining of an ad of said plurality of ads, wherein said ad is at the top of said plurality of selected ads,

determining of a number of radial structures based on said mobile phone,

determining of a plurality of radial structures based on said number of radial structures,

putting of said ad at the center of a screen of said mobile phone, and

populating of a radial surface of a radial structure of said plurality of radial structures based on said plurality of selected ads.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprising:

obtaining of an ad group of said plurality of generic ad groups,

determining of a popularity factor based on a plurality of click patterns with respect to said ad group,

determining of a selected ad group based on a plurality of popularity factors associated with said plurality of generic ad groups, wherein said selected ad group is a part of said generic ad group,

removing of a plurality of ads from said selected ad group resulting in a filtered ad group based on a plurality of click patterns with respect to said selected ad group associated with said user,

ordering of said filtered ad group based on a click pattern associated with each of said plurality of selected ad group resulting in a plurality of ordered filtered ad group,

making of said plurality of ordered filtered ad group a part of a plurality of reserve selected ads,

obtaining of a scroll direction based on an interaction by said user with said mobile phone,

removing of an appropriate radial structure of display of said mobile phone based on said scroll direction,

repositioning of a plurality of remaining radial structures of display of said mobile phone based on said plurality of radial structures and said appropriate radial structure, and

populating of a radial structure of display of said mobile phone based on said plurality of selected ads and said plurality of reserve selected ads.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting of said plurality of peers further comprising:

obtaining of said clicked ad,

obtaining of a number of clicks, a frequency of clicks, a number of initiated real time conversational feedback sessions, a number of participated real time conversational feedback sessions, a total of real time conversational feedback participation time, and a bought status of a product based on said clicked ad and a user of said plurality of users,

obtaining of a number of products bought, a number of real time conversational feedback units, and a number of forced outs based on said user,

obtaining of a number of corporate sales staff associated with said clicked ad,

obtaining of a weight 1 associated with said number of clicks, a weight 2 associated with said frequency of clicks, a weigh 3 associated with said number of initiated real time conversational feedback sessions, a weight 4 associated with said number of participated real time conversational feedback sessions, a weight 5 associated with said total of real time conversational feedback participation time, a weight 6 associated with said number of products bought and a weight 7 associated with said number of real time conversational feedback units,

obtaining of a maximum 1 and a minimum 1 associated with said number of clicks based on said plurality of users,

obtaining of a maximum 2 and a minimum 2 associated with said frequency of clicks based on said plurality of users,

obtaining of a maximum 3 and a minimum 3 associated with said number of initiated real time conversational feedback sessions based on said plurality of users,

obtaining of a maximum 4 and a minimum 4 associated with said number of participated real time conversational feedback sessions based on said plurality of users,

obtaining of a maximum 5 and a minimum 5 associated with said total of real time conversational feedback participation time based on said plurality of users,

obtaining of a maximum 6 and a minimum 6 associated with said number of products bought based on said plurality of users,

obtaining of a maximum 7 and a minimum 7 associated with said number of real time conversational feedback units based on said plurality of users,

computing of a rating of said user based on

said weight 1, said maximum 1, said minimum 1, and said number of clicks,

said weight 2, said maximum 2, said minimum 2, and said frequency of clicks,

said weight 3, said maximum 3, said minimum 3, and said number of initiated real time conversational feedback sessions,

said weight 4, said maximum 4, said minimum 4, and said number of participated real time conversational feedback sessions,

said weight 5, said maximum 5, said minimum 5, and said total of real time conversational feedback participation time,

said weight 6, said maximum 6, said minimum 6, and said number of products bought and

said weight 7, said maximum 7, said minimum 7, and said number of real time conversational feedback units,

ranking of said plurality of users based on said rating associated with each user of said plurality of users resulting in a plurality of ranked users,

selecting of a pre-defined number of users from said plurality of ranked users into said plurality of peers based on a first pre-defined threshold, a second pre-defined threshold, a plurality of bought status of a product of said clicked ad associated with said plurality of users, and a plurality of number of forced outs associated with said plurality of users, and

adding of a plurality selected corporate sales staff based on said plurality of corporate sales staff into said plurality of peers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said method of facilitating of said plurality of anonymous peer interactions further comprising:

obtaining of said plurality of peers,

selection of a pre-defined number of peers from said plurality of peers into a plurality of selected peers,

sending of a text message to each of said plurality of selected peers, wherein said text message is to obtain the willingness of said plurality of selected peers to participate in a real time conversational feedback session,

determining of a plurality of accepted peers based on said plurality of selected peers and a plurality of responses from said plurality of selected peers,

updating of a real time conversational feedback units with respect to each of said plurality of accepted peers,

generating of a plurality of random identities to be associated with said plurality of accepted peers,

displaying of said plurality of accepted peers on said mobile phone, and

enabling of a push to talk button on said mobile phone.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said method further comprising;

receiving of pressing of a push to talk button from a peer mobile phone of a peer of said plurality of accepted peers, obtaining of a random identity associated with said peer, and making of said random identity a part of a push to talk queue.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

receiving of pressing of a push to talk button from a peer mobile phone of a peer of said plurality of accepted peers, and

initiating of anonymous voice communication with said peer mobile phone.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said method of initiating of anonymous voice communication further comprising:

changing of the caption of said push to talk button to “

OVER”

on said peer mobile phone,

highlighting of the random identity associated with said peer on said mobile phone,

opening of a communication channel with said peer mobile phone,

receiving of a plurality of voice signals from said peer mobile phone,

converting of said plurality of voice signals to a plurality of synthetic signals, and

sending of said synthetic signals to said mobile phone and a plurality of peer mobile phones associated said plurality of accepted peers.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

receiving of no voice signal for a prolonged period of time from said peer mobile phone,

changing of caption of a push to talk button on said peer mobile phone to “

Push To Talk”

, and

closing of the communication channel with said peer mobile phone,

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

receiving of pressing of a push to talk button from said peer mobile phone,

changing of caption of a push to talk button on said peer mobile phone to “

Push To Talk”

, and

closing of the communication channel with said peer mobile phone.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

receiving of a “

hangs up”

signal from said peer mobile phone,

sending of “

thanks”

message to said peer mobile phone,

closing of the communication channel associated with said peer mobile phone,

updating of database associated with said peer, and updating of a real time conversational feedback units associated with said peer.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

receiving of a “

forced out”

message from said mobile phone,

sending of “

thanks”

message to said peer mobile phone,

closing of the communication channel associated with said peer mobile phone, and

updating of database associated with said peer.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

receiving of “

hangs up”

message from said mobile phone,

sending of “

thanks”

message to each of said plurality of accepted peers,

closing of the communication channel associated with a peer mobile phone of each of said plurality of accepted peers,

updating of database associated with each of said plurality of accepted peers,

updating of database associated with said user,

updating of real time conversational feedback units associated with each of said plurality of accepted peers, and

updating of real time conversational feedback units associated with said user.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

obtaining of a product associated with said clicked ad,

receiving of “

purchase”

message from said mobile phone, wherein said “

purchase”

message is related to said product,

sending of “

thanks”

message to each of said plurality of accepted peers,

closing of the communication channel associated with a peer mobile phone of each of said plurality of accepted peers,

updating of database associated with each of said plurality of accepted peers,

updating of database associated with said user,

updating of real time conversational feedback units associated with each of said plurality of accepted peers,

updating of real time conversational feedback units associated with said user, and

updating of bought status of said product and number of products bought with respect to said user.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprising:

obtaining of said push to talk queue, obtaining of a next peer from said push to talk queue, and initiating of anonymous voice communication with said next peer.

24. The method of 13, wherein said method further comprising:

obtaining of a plurality of real time conversational feedback sessions, wherein each real time conversational feedback session of said plurality of real time conversational feedback sessions is associated with a user and a plurality of anonymous peer interactions,

obtaining of a real time conversational feedback session of said plurality of real time feedback sessions,

sending of a plurality of text messages to a user of said real time conversational feedback session,

obtaining of a plurality of peers associated with said real time conversational feedback session,

obtaining of a peer user related information associated with a peer user of said plurality of peers, wherein said peer user related information comprises of duration of communication and number of Push To Talk button pushes, and

force closing of a peer user of said plurality of peers based on a peer user related information associated with said peer and a plurality of policies.