SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING AND/OR RECOMMENDING THIRD PARTY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PROVIDED TO A USER
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for providing a services management portal for the use and benefit of a user that utilizes a plurality of third party services having characterizing parameters, the services management portal comprising a network-accessible computer system operated by a portal operator, comprising the steps of:
- providing an Internet-accessible portal for receiving information input by a user and for displaying services optimization information corresponding to one or more third party services for a particular user;
receiving services configuration information from the particular user including one or more predetermined characterizing parameters associated with one or more third party services input via the portal;
receiving services available information from one or more third party services providers corresponding to one or more available third party services available at a geographic location of the user, wherein the services available information includes available characterizing parameters associated with the one or more available third party services;
in response to a predetermined event related to either the services configuration information input by the particular user or the services available information received from the one or more third party services providers, carrying out the steps of;
(a) comparing the one or more predetermined characterizing parameters included in the services configuration information to the available characterizing parameters associated with the one or more available third party services to identify at least one predetermined matching characteristic between the predetermined characterizing parameters and the available characterizing parameters;
(b) if a predetermined matching characteristic is identified, generating services optimization information related to a particular third party service associated with the identified predetermined matching characteristic; and
(c) displaying, via the Internet-accessible portal, the generated services optimization information related to the particular third party service to the particular user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for an electronic services management system that enables a user to manage all or many of his or her third party products and services from one electronic platform. Specifically, the system includes operative connections to service provider systems so as to track customer usage of various third party products and services, and thus provide the user with a consolidated view of the user'"'"'s products and services and enable the user to track usage and expense of the services, compare the expense to predetermined budget amounts, compare the usage to other users, etc. Additionally, the services management system recommends personalized product or service offerings to users based on the users'"'"' preferences and specific service usage. Further, the system provides alerts to the users when certain usage or expenditure thresholds are reached, when payments become due, or when new offers, deals, or service promotions become available.
144 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for providing a services management portal for the use and benefit of a user that utilizes a plurality of third party services having characterizing parameters, the services management portal comprising a network-accessible computer system operated by a portal operator, comprising the steps of:
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providing an Internet-accessible portal for receiving information input by a user and for displaying services optimization information corresponding to one or more third party services for a particular user; receiving services configuration information from the particular user including one or more predetermined characterizing parameters associated with one or more third party services input via the portal; receiving services available information from one or more third party services providers corresponding to one or more available third party services available at a geographic location of the user, wherein the services available information includes available characterizing parameters associated with the one or more available third party services; in response to a predetermined event related to either the services configuration information input by the particular user or the services available information received from the one or more third party services providers, carrying out the steps of; (a) comparing the one or more predetermined characterizing parameters included in the services configuration information to the available characterizing parameters associated with the one or more available third party services to identify at least one predetermined matching characteristic between the predetermined characterizing parameters and the available characterizing parameters; (b) if a predetermined matching characteristic is identified, generating services optimization information related to a particular third party service associated with the identified predetermined matching characteristic; and (c) displaying, via the Internet-accessible portal, the generated services optimization information related to the particular third party service to the particular user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer-implemented method for managing one or more third party services provided by a plurality of third party service providers to a user, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining services configuration information from the user indicating at least one third party service utilized by the user; retrieving service usage information for the at least one third party service corresponding to the user'"'"'s utilization of the at least one third party service; computing services management information based on the retrieved service usage information for the at least one third party service; and providing the services management information to the user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A service management system for managing one or more home services provided by a plurality of third party service providers, the portal comprising:
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a processor; a network interface for communication with users and the plurality of third party service providers; an input module for obtaining home services information; a customer database for storing the home services information; a third party interface module for retrieving, at predefined intervals of time, information pertaining to at least one characterizing parameter of a particular third party service provided by a particular third party service provider; a service database for storing the at least one characterizing parameter; an analyzer for computing management information relating to the user'"'"'s utilization of a third party service; and a recommendation module for providing service optimization information to the user based on the computed management information. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification