METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DETAILED INFORMATION IN AN INTERACTIVE MANNER IN A SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS) ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120197937A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Kakarla, Kashinath, Nanda, Vishnu, Mutalik, Anup P., Dutta, Sagar
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/367 Ontology

Abstract

A method and system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system whereby a series of linked, refined, and evolving root topic and root topic related information searches are performed in association with a thread of SMS text messages and automated SMS text message responses including search parameters and highlighted keywords to provide the user with a fully interactive information search and distribution system using a SMS communication channel, and within the constraints of the SMS protocols.

Claims

1. A method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system comprising:

obtaining source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics;

receiving an original SMS text message from a user via a SMS communication link, the original SMS text message including at least one initial search parameter;

searching the source topic data for one or more matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter;

identifying one or more matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter in the source topic data;

selecting a defined number of the identified matched root topics to be sent to the user;

analyzing the selected matched root topics and the source topic data to try and identify one or more keywords in the selected matched root topics, the keywords being associated with additional information;

identifying one or more keywords in the selected matched root topics;

automatically generating a SMS search response message that includes SMS text representing the matched root topics and at least one keyword of the one or more identified keywords with the at least one keyword being highlighted by one or more highlighting methods to distinguish the at least one keyword from the other SMS text;

automatically sending the SMS search response message to the user via a SMS communications link;

receiving a follow-up SMS text message from the user via a SMS communications link, the follow-up SMS text message including a user selected keyword from the SMS search response message;

interpreting the user selected keyword in light of the content, and context, of the matched root topics and the initial search parameters and then using the user selected keyword and the initial search parameters to perform an additional search of the source topic data for one or more keyword matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter and include the user selected keyword;

identifying one or more keyword matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter in the source topic data and include the user selected keyword;

selecting a defined number of the identified keyword matched root topics to be sent to the user;

analyzing the selected keyword matched root topics and the source topic data to try and identify additional keywords in the selected keyword matched root topics, the additional keywords being associated with additional information;

automatically generating a SMS keyword search response message that includes SMS text representing the keyword matched root topics and, if additional keywords were identified, at least one additional keyword of the identified additional keywords, with any additional keywords being highlighted by one or more highlighting methods to distinguish the additional keywords from the other SMS text;

automatically sending the SMS keyword search response message to the user via a SMS communications link; and

for each new follow-up SMS text message from the user, repeating the process from “

receiving a follow-up SMS text message from the user via a SMS communications link”

on until the user accepts an identified keyword matched information and/or the user fails to respond with a follow-up SMS text message.

2. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics is obtained from the Internet.

3. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics is in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML).

4. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data is analyzed to identify one or more key features associated with the source topic data and the one or more key features are used to correlate and categorize the information represented by the source topic data.

5. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 4, wherein;

at least one of the key features associated with the source topic data is selected from the group of key features consisting of;

one or more root topics;

the general and/or specific sub-topics associated with the one or more root topics;

names associated with the one or more root topics;

other root topics related to, and/or associated with, the one or more root topics;

various information and details related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics; and

one or more locations associated with the one or more root topics.

6. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

the at least one initial search parameter includes the name of the root topic of interest and the location of the user.

7. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

the defined number of the identified matched root topics is selected based, at least in part, on the limits imposed by SMS communication channels and SMS communication protocols.

8. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

the one or more keywords are selected and/or inferred by the content, and/or context, of the original SMS text message and the initial search parameters.

9. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 4, wherein;

at least one of the one or more keywords are selected from the key features associated with the source topic data.

10. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

the keywords are highlighted by enclosing the keywords in brackets “

[ ]”

.

11. The method for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 1, wherein;

the additional keywords are selected and/or inferred by the content, and/or context, of the original SMS text message, the initial search parameters, and/or the matched root topics, and/or the keyword matched root topics.

12. A computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system comprising:

a computing system obtaining source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics;

a computing system receiving an original SMS text message from a user via a SMS communication link, the original SMS text message including at least one initial search parameter;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to search the source topic data for one or more matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to identify one or more matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter in the source topic data;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to select a defined number of the identified matched root topics to be sent to the user;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to analyze the selected matched root topics and the source topic data to try and identify one or more keywords in the selected matched root topics, the keywords being associated with additional information;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to identify one or more keywords in the selected matched root topics;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to automatically generate a SMS search response message that includes SMS text representing the matched root topics and at least one keyword of the one or more identified keywords with the at least one keyword being highlighted by one or more highlighting methods to distinguish the at least one keyword from the other SMS text;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to automatically send the SMS search response message to the user via a SMS communications link;

a computing system receiving a follow-up SMS text message from the user via a SMS communications link, the follow-up SMS text message including a user selected keyword from the SMS search response message;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to interpret the user selected keyword in light of the content, and context, of the matched root topics and the initial search parameters and then use the user selected keyword and the initial search parameters to perform an additional search of the source topic data for one or more keyword matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter and include the user selected keyword;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to identify one or more keyword matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter in the source topic data and include the user selected keyword;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to select a defined number of the identified keyword matched root topics to be sent to the user;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to analyze the selected keyword matched root topics and the source topic data to try and identify additional keywords in the selected keyword matched root topics, the additional keywords being associated with additional information;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to automatically generate a SMS keyword search response message that includes SMS text representing the matched root topics and, if additional keywords were identified, at least one additional keyword of the identified additional keywords, with any additional keywords being highlighted by one or more highlighting methods to distinguish the additional keywords from the other SMS text;

using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to automatically send the SMS keyword search response message to the user via a SMS communications link; and

for each new follow-up SMS text message from the user, using one more processors associated with one or more computing systems to repeat the process from “

receiving a follow-up SMS text message from the user via a SMS communications link”

on until the user accepts an identified keyword matched information and/or the user fails to respond with a follow-up SMS text message.

13. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics is obtained from the Internet.

14. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics is in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML).

15. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data is analyzed to identify one or more key features associated with the source topic data and the one or more key features are used to correlate and categorize the information represented by the source topic data.

16. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 15, wherein;

at least one of the key features associated with the source topic data is selected from the group of key features consisting of;

one or more root topics;

the general and/or specific sub-topics associated with the one or more root topics;

names associated with the one or more root topics;

other root topics related to, and/or associated with, the one or more root topics;

various information and details related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics; and

one or more locations associated with the one or more root topics.

17. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

the at least one initial search parameter includes the name of the root topic of interest and the location of the user.

18. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

the defined number of the identified matched root topics is selected based, at least in part, on the limits imposed by SMS communication channels and SMS communication protocols.

19. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

the one or more keywords are selected and/or inferred by the content, and/or context, of the original SMS text message and the initial search parameters.

20. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 15, wherein;

at least one of the one or more keywords are selected from the key features associated with the source topic data.

21. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

the keywords are highlighted by enclosing the keywords in brackets “

[ ]”

.

22. The computing system implemented process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 12, wherein;

the additional keywords are selected and/or inferred by the content, and/or context, of the original SMS text message, the initial search parameters, and/or the matched root topics, and/or the keyword matched root topics.

23. A system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system comprising:

a user mobile system;

an information source computing system;

a SMS communication link between the user mobile system and the information source computing system; and

at least one processor associated with at least one computing system, the at least one processor executing instructions associated with a process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system, the process for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system comprising;

the information source computing system obtaining source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics;

the information source computing system receiving an original SMS text message from a user via the SMS communication link, the original SMS text message including at least one initial search parameter;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to search the source topic data for one or more matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to identify one or more matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter in the source topic data;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to select a defined number of the identified matched root topics to be sent to the user;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to analyze the selected matched root topics and the source topic data to try and identify one or more keywords in the selected matched root topics, the keywords being associated with additional information;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to identify one or more keywords in the selected matched root topics;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to automatically generate a SMS search response message that includes SMS text representing the matched root topics and at least one keyword of the one or more identified keywords with the at least one keyword being highlighted by one or more highlighting methods to distinguish the at least one keyword from the other SMS text;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to automatically send the SMS search response message to the user via the SMS communications link;

the information source computing system receiving a follow-up SMS text message from the user via the SMS communications link, the follow-up SMS text message including a user selected keyword from the SMS search response message;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to interpret the user selected keyword in light of the content, and context, of the matched root topics and the initial search parameters and then use the user selected keyword and the initial search parameters to perform an additional search of the source topic data for one or more keyword matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter and include the user selected keyword;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to identify one or more keyword matched root topics that match, or most closely match, the at least one initial search parameter in the source topic data and include the user selected keyword;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to select a defined number of the identified keyword matched root topics to be sent to the user;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to analyze the selected keyword matched root topics and the source topic data to try and identify additional keywords in the selected keyword matched root topics, the additional keywords being associated with additional information;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to automatically generate a SMS keyword search response message that includes SMS text representing the matched root topics and, if additional keywords were identified, at least one additional keyword of the identified additional keywords, with any additional keywords being highlighted by one or more highlighting methods to distinguish the additional keywords from the other SMS text;

using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to automatically send the SMS keyword search response message to the user via the SMS communications link; and

for each new follow-up SMS text message from the user, using the at least one processor associated with at least one computing system to repeat the process from “

receiving a follow-up SMS text message from the user via the SMS communications link”

on until the user accepts an identified keyword matched information and/or the user fails to respond with a follow-up SMS text message.

24. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics is obtained from the Internet.

25. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data representing information related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics is in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML).

26. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

at least part of the source topic data is analyzed to identify one or more key features associated with the source topic data and the one or more key features are used to correlate and categorize the information represented by the source topic data.

27. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 26, wherein;

at least one of the key features associated with the source topic data is selected from the group of key features consisting of;

one or more root topics;

the general and/or specific sub-topics associated with the one or more root topics;

names associated with the one or more root topics;

other root topics related to, and/or associated with, the one or more root topics;

various information and details related to, and/or associated with, one or more root topics; and

one or more locations associated with the one or more root topics.

28. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

the at least one initial search parameter includes the name of the root topic of interest and the location of the user.

29. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

the defined number of the identified matched root topics is selected based, at least in part, on the limits imposed by SMS communication channels and SMS communication protocols.

30. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

the one or more keywords are selected and/or inferred by the content, and/or context, of the original SMS text message and the initial search parameters.

31. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 26, wherein;

at least one of the one or more keywords are selected from the key features associated with the source topic data.

32. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

the keywords are highlighted by enclosing the keywords in brackets “

[ ]”

.

33. The system for providing a SMS-based interactive information search and distribution system of claim 23, wherein;

the additional keywords are selected and/or inferred by the content, and/or context, of the original SMS text message, the initial search parameters, and/or the matched root topics, and/or the keyword matched root topics.