ANALYZING TRANSACTIONAL DATA

• US 20110125574A1
• Filed: 04/05/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mediabrands Ireland Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pursway Ltd. (Interpublic Group of Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Gildor, Guy, Pfeffer, Elery
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 24/02 for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 24/026 with a sleeve sliding on the forward end of the lead
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and method for measuring or at least detecting the effect of at least implicit communication on transactions within a social group, optionally such as consumer purchases for example. The group may optionally comprise a social network, a pair, 3 or more individuals and so forth. By “implicit communication” it is meant communication for which there is no record, for example in a database. The aftereffects of such communication may optionally be determined, detected and/or measured through detection and/or measurement of influence, as described in greater detail below. For example, if a first consumer performs purchase of an item and a second consumer later purchases the same or similar item within a given time period, the two purchases may optionally be linked through influence which may in turn have optionally occurred through implicit communication. Optionally, the system and method may also measure or at least detect the effect of explicit communication, for which there is a record, for example in a database that describes the communication itself.

Claims

1. A method for determining a relationship of a first individual to a second individual, comprising:

Detecting implicit communication according to at least one transactional event; and

Determining the relationship according to influence through said implicit communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transactional event relates to a commercial transaction.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said commercial transaction relates to a purchase of a product.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said commercial transaction relates to purchase of a subscription.

5. The method of any of claims 2-4, wherein said commercial transaction relates to one or more of churn, client acquisition, up-sell, cross-sell or win-back, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of any of claims 2-5, wherein said commercial transaction relates to a company and wherein said commercial transaction further comprises contacting said company or changing at least one parameter of said commercial transaction.

7. The method of any of claims 1-6, further comprising:

Determining at least one marketing action according to the relationship.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one marketing action comprises one or more of increasing brand awareness, churn prevention, client retention, client acquisition, upsell, cross-sell or win-back, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of any of claims 1-8, further comprising detecting explicit communication and also determining the relationship according to said explicit communication.

10. The method of any of claims 1-9, wherein said detecting said explicit or implicit communication further comprises:

Determining an active transmission coefficient for active transfer of information; and

/or

Determining a passive transmission coefficient for passive transfer of information.

11. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein said transaction has a long decision cycle.

12. The method of any of claims 1-10, wherein said transaction has a short decision cycle.

13. The method of any of claims 1-12, further comprising:

Determining a plurality of relationships; and

Constructing a social group from said plurality of relationships.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

Constructing a social network from said social group.

15. The method of any of claims 1-14, further comprising:

Determining a plurality of relationships; and

Constructing a social network from said plurality of relationships.

16. The method of claim 14 or 15, further comprising:

Constructing a plurality of social networks; and

Overlaying said plurality of social networks to combine into a combined social network according to a similarity threshold.

17. The method of any of claims 1-16, further comprising:

Determining an influence in said relationship.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said influence is active and/or passive.

19. The method of any of claims 1-18, further comprising:

Determining a strength of said relationship; and

Selecting a preferred mode of influence from active or passive according to said strength of said relationship.

20. The method of any of claims 1-19, wherein said implicit communication is performed through the Internet.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said implicit communication through the Internet includes one or more of e-mail, posting on a web page, posting on a blog, posting on a chat room, visiting a web page or an IM (instant messenger) message.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising analyzing said implicit communication according to content to detect a potential relationship.

23. A method for constructing a social group of a plurality of members, comprising:

Detecting at least one relationship between the plurality of members;

Determining active or passive coefficients for active or passive transfer of information for at least implicit communication between each plurality of members having said relationship;

Analyzing said implicit communication according to transfer of information to determine influence; and

Detecting at least one key member of the social group according to said influence.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said social group comprises a social network.

25. The method of claim 23 or 24, wherein said implicit communication relates to one or more transactions.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said one or more transactions include at least one commercial transaction.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said at least one commercial transaction relates to purchase of a product.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said at least one commercial transaction relates to purchase of a subscription.

29. The method of claim 27 or 28, wherein said at least one commercial transaction relates to one or more of churn, client acquisition, up-sell, cross-sell or win-back, or a combination thereof.

30. The method of any of claims 26-29, wherein said commercial transaction relates to a company and wherein said commercial transaction further comprises contacting said company or changing at least one parameter of said commercial transaction.

31. The method of any of claims 23-30, further comprising:

Determining at least one marketing action according to the relationship with said key member.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said at least one marketing action comprises one or more of increasing brand awareness, churn prevention, client retention, client acquisition, up-sell, cross-sell or win-back, or a combination thereof.

33. The method of any of claims 23-32, further comprising:

Detecting a plurality of key members;

Determining a number of members influenced by each key member; and

Selecting a particular key member as having at least a threshold number of influenced members.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said threshold comprising having the largest number of influenced members.

35. The method of claim 33 or 34, further comprising:

Addressing at least one marketing method to said particular key member.

36. A method for revealing a social network among a plurality of individuals, comprising:

detecting implicit communication between said plurality of individuals;

determining one or more relationships at least according to said implicit communication; and

constructing the social network according to said one or more relationships.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

Constructing a plurality of social networks; and

overlaying said plurality of social networks to form a combined network.

38. A method for detecting a purchasing relationship between a plurality of customers, comprising:

Constructing a plurality of social networks, wherein at least one network is related to purchases in time and wherein at least one network is related to purchases of similar goods;

Overlaying said plurality of social networks; and

Combining at least two of said plurality of social networks having at least a threshold degree of similarity.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one social network is constructed according to implicit communication.

40. The method of claim 38 or 39, wherein at least one social network is constructed according to explicit communication.

41. A method for detecting a purchasing relationship between a plurality of customers, comprising:

Providing purchasing data related to purchases according to time and according to similarity of goods;

Clustering said purchasing data related to purchases according to time and/or space and according to similarity of goods;

Overlaying said clusters; and

Selecting at least one cluster pair in time and similarity having at least a threshold likelihood value.

42. A method for determining information flow through a social network, comprising:

Determining a relationship between at least two members of the social network;

Analyzing transactional data according to said relationship; and

Determining flow of information according to said analyzed transactional data.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein at least one social network is constructed according to implicit communication.

44. The method of claim 42 or 43, wherein at least one social network is constructed according to explicit communication.

45. The method of any of claims 42-44, further comprising determining one or more characteristics of at least one member of the social network according to information flow.

46. The method of any of claims 42-45, further comprising:

Determining an influence of at least one member in said relationship; and

Determining information flow also according to said influence.

47. A method for constructing at least one social variable for an individual who is part of a social group of a plurality of individuals, comprising:

Determining influence of the individual on the plurality of individuals for at least one topic;

Determining influence of the plurality of individuals on the individual for said at least one topic; and

Constructing the at least one social variable according to said influence of the individual on the plurality of individuals and said influence of the plurality of individuals on the individual for said at least one topic.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said influence is determined for a plurality of commercial topics.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said commercial topics include at least churn potential.

50. The method of any of claims 47-49, wherein said determining said influence comprises detecting implicit communication according to at least one transactional event;

and

Determining said influence through said implicit communication.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising dividing said social group into a plurality of sub-groups before determining said influence.