Systems and Methods to Modify Interaction Rules During Run Time

• US 20120072997A1
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Mark, Stan, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,055,745 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics

Abstract

In one aspect, a computing apparatus is configured to represent offer rules based on requirements for the detection of predefined types of events and actions scheduled to be performed in response to the detection of each occurrence of the events. The events are independent from each other in processing and are linked via prerequisite conditions to formulate the requirements of an offer campaign. The computing apparatus is configured to store data indicating the completion statuses of the events and process the events, including the scheduled actions, if any, in an atomic way. Thus, the offer rules can be changed on-the-fly during run time execution by the computing apparatus.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, in a computing apparatus, input data specifying a set of events, for each event in the set the input data identifying a type selected from a plurality of types of events, the input data linking at least a portion of the events in the set to form a flow via one or more prerequisite requirements, the input data specifying at least one action for at least one event in the set;

storing, by the computing apparatus, trigger records generated according to the input data;

detecting, by the computing apparatus, occurrences of events in the set according to the trigger records;

in response to an occurrence of each corresponding event in the set in connection with a corresponding user, performing by the computing apparatus actions specified for the corresponding event in the input data;

storing, in the computing apparatus, data indicating one or more positions of the corresponding user in the flow;

receiving, in the computing apparatus, a modification to the input data at a time when at least one user has a position in the flow between two events in the set; and

updating, by the computing apparatus, a trigger record according to the modification while preserving each position stored for the corresponding user relative to at least one of events adjacent to the position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the modification comprises a modification to at least one of:

a time window of a first event, a target user set of the first event, an action specified for the first event, and a prerequisite event of the first event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the updating is performed with a need to modify the data indicating the one or more positions of the corresponding user in the flow.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, in the computing apparatus, second input data to add a first event to the set; and

adding, by the computing apparatus, a trigger record according to the second input data, without a need to modify the data indicating the one or more positions of the corresponding user in the flow.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the computing apparatus, at least one of the trigger records to a transaction handler, the transaction handler to receive from acquirer processors authorization requests for payments to be made by issuer processors according to account identifiers of users, the issuer processors to make the payments on behalf of the users, the acquirer processors to receive the payments on behalf of merchants, the transaction handler to identify first authorization requests based on the at least one of the trigger records in real-time with providing responses to the authorization requests;

identifying, by the computing apparatus, communication references of the users;

determining, by the computing apparatus, at least one message targeted at the users based on the input data; and

providing, by the computing apparatus, the at least one message for transmission to the users via the communication references of the users in accordance with the input data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication references are at least one of:

phone number and email address; and

the at least one message is transmitted via at least one of;

short message service and email.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one message comprises one or more offers;

and the input data defines rules for the offers.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein for each corresponding event in the set, the input data identifies at least one of:

a set of users the corresponding event of which is to be detected;

a time window during which the corresponding event is to be detected; and

at least one action to be performed in response to detection of the corresponding event according to the input data.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of types of events includes at least one of:

a first type of events corresponding to transactions being processed by the transaction handler;

a second type of events corresponding to user interactions with the computing apparatus; and

a third type of events corresponding to completions of one or more predetermined events.

10. A tangible machine readable medium storing thereon instructions, the instructions configured to instruct a computing apparatus to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, in the computing apparatus, input data specifying a set of events, the input data linking at least a portion of the events in the set to form a flow via one or more prerequisite requirements, and the input data specifying at least one action for at least one event in the set;

detecting, by the computing apparatus, occurrences of events in the set;

in response to an occurrence of each corresponding event in the set in connection with a corresponding user, performing by the computing apparatus actions specified for the corresponding event in the input data;

storing, in the computing apparatus, data indicating one or more positions of the corresponding user in the flow;

receiving, in the computing apparatus, a modification to the input data; and

updating, by the computing apparatus according to the modification, a condition for performing the actions, the condition stored in a storage device of the computing apparatus.

11. The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises receiving, via a portal, a change to one or more of the prerequisite requirements, and updating the prerequisite requirements in response to the change.

12. The machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein at least one of the prerequisite requirements is the occurrence of at least one of first and second events of the set.

13. The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the modification comprises a modification to at least one of:

a time window of a first event, a target user set of the first event, an action specified for the first event, and a prerequisite event of the first event.

14. The machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the updating is performed with a need to modify the data indicating the one or more positions of the corresponding user in the flow.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, in the computing apparatus, second input data to add a first event to the set; and

adding, by the computing apparatus, a trigger record according to the second input data, without a need to modify the data indicating the one or more positions of the corresponding user in the flow.

16. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing;

input data specifying a set of events, the input data linking at least a portion of the events in the set to form a flow of events via one or more prerequisite requirements, and the input data specifying at least one action for at least one event in the set;

data indicating positions of users in the flow; and

instructions configured to instruct the at least one processor to;

receive the input data;

detect occurrences of events in the set;

in response to an occurrence of each corresponding event in the set in connection with a corresponding user, perform actions specified for the corresponding event in the input data;

receive a modification to the input data; and

update, according to the modification, a condition for performing the actions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein for each event in the set the input data identifies a type selected from a plurality of types of events.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of types of events includes at least one of:

a first type of events corresponding to transactions being processed by a transaction handler;

a second type of events corresponding to user interactions with the computing apparatus; and

a third type of events corresponding to completions of one or more predetermined events.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions are configured to instruct the at least one processor further to store, in the memory, trigger records generated according to the input data.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions are configured to instruct the at least one processor further to provide at least one of the trigger records to a transaction handler, the transaction handler to identify authorization requests based on the at least one of the trigger records in real-time with providing responses to the authorization requests.