METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RETRIEVING USER-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

• US 20150248426A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 09/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Verizon Media, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rong, Li, Che, Dong, Zhang, Gaonan
• Application Number:
  US14/346,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20150248426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Method, system, and programs for retrieving user-specific information. In one example, an environment factor associated with a user is obtained. An identification of the user is also determined. A request for retrieving user-specific information is then sent to a remote database. The request is generated based on the environment factor and the identification of the user. In response to the request, the user-specific information sent from the remote database is received.

Claims

1. A method implemented on at least one machine each of which has at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for retrieving user-specific information, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an environment factor associated with a user;

determining an identification of the user;

sending a request for retrieving user-specific information to a remote database, wherein the request is generated based on the environment factor and the identification of the user; and

receiving the user-specific information sent from the remote database in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment factor is obtained from a mobile device of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the environment factor includes at least one of location, time, weather, motion state, direction, wireless signal strength, ambient-light intensity, and power state.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes a parameter indicating a type of the user-specific information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the type of the user-specific information includes at least one of preferences, history, and demographics.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the parameter is determined based on a functionality of an application implemented on a mobile device of the user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the parameter includes at least one criterion for retrieving the user-specific information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating personalized content for the user based on the retrieved user-specific information; and

presenting the personalized content to the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote database is a centralized database collecting the user-specific information from a plurality of data sources.

10. A system for retrieving user-specific information comprising a user-specific information retrieving module implemented on a mobile device, the user-specific information retrieving module comprises:

an environment factor unit configured to obtain an environment factor associated with the mobile device of a user;

a user identification unit configured to determine an identification of the user; and

an information retrieving unit configured to;

send a request for retrieving user-specific information to a remote database, wherein the request is generated based on the environment factor and the identification of the user, and

receive the user-specific information sent from the remote database in response to the request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the environment factor includes at least one of location, time, motion state, direction, wireless signal strength, ambient-light intensity, and power state.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the request includes a parameter indicating a type of the user-specific information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the type of the user-specific information includes at least one of preferences, history, and demographics.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the parameter is determined based on a functionality of an application implemented on the mobile device of the user.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the parameter includes at least one criterion for retrieving the user-specific information.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising an application implemented on the mobile device configured to:

generate personalized content for the user based on the retrieved user-specific information; and

present the personalized content to the user.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the remote database is a centralized database collecting the user-specific information from a plurality of data sources.

18. A machine-readable tangible and non-transitory medium having information recorded thereon for retrieving user-specific information, wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform the following:

obtaining an environment factor associated with a user;

determining an identification of the user;

sending a request for retrieving user-specific information to a remote database, wherein the request is generated based on the environment factor and the identification of the user; and

receiving the user-specific information sent from the remote database in response to the request.

19. The medium of claim 18, wherein the environment factor is obtained from a mobile device of the user.

20. The medium of claim 18, further comprising:

generating personalized content for the user based on the retrieved user-specific information; and

presenting the personalized content to the user.