Autonomous local assistant for managing business processes
First Claim
1. A method of providing a client-side local assistant program from an agent'"'"'s computer system to a customer'"'"'s computer system, the method comprising:
- providing an agent Web site that presents a local assistant program download offer for viewing on the customer'"'"'s computer system;
in response to selection by the customer'"'"'s computer of a download link for the local assistant program download offer, invoking a server-side local assistant administrative system installed on the agent'"'"'s computer system such that the local assistant administrative system transmits a local assistant installation agreement to the customer'"'"'s computer system;
in response to receipt by the agent'"'"'s computer system of an accepted local assistant installation agreement from the customer'"'"'s computer system, installing a client-side local assistant program that does not require a web browser program and remains active by processing data on the customer'"'"'s computer system until disabled or uninstalled regardless of the status of the web browser program or a connection between the customer'"'"'s computer system and a server; and
in response to receipt by the agent'"'"'s computer system of a request from the customer'"'"'s computer system for a predefined ruleset and information database associated with the local assistant program, installing the predefined ruleset and information database on the customer'"'"'s computer system;
wherein the local assistant program modifies the ruleset by adding new rules or updating the ruleset while the local assistant program runs on the customer'"'"'s computer system.
11 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A methodology and automated system are provided whereby a merchant presents timely and relevant information to customers. The system includes a client-side local assistant system and a server-side component. The client-side local assistant system, which is download installed on a customer'"'"'s computer, implements an automated client-side system that is fully data driven. The data is partly downloaded data, called rulesets, and partly data that is collected and stored locally, called interaction data. The client-side system includes functionality for specifying and interpreting rulesets for observing, analyzing and storing information about, and relating to, computer-mediated customer interactions, such as viewing web pages or playing music. The client-side system also includes functionality for defining periodic tasks, such as gathering, analyzing and displaying information on topics of interest, and for direct interaction between the client-side system and the customer. The server-side component stores and provides access, upon request, to a downloadable version of a client side core local assistant system The server-side component also stores and provides access, upon request, to downloadable rulesets maintained by an agent. It also provides functionality for maintaining download statistics and for controlling the number of downloads of given ruleset. The server-side component also provides functionality for collecting data generated by ruleset application for storage in a server-side interaction database. The schema of this database are constrained to maintain customer privacy. The server-side component also provides functionality for reporting information to assisted merchants; the reporting functionality includes at least the ability to report information by merchant, by ruleset, and over a specified period of time.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of providing a client-side local assistant program from an agent'"'"'s computer system to a customer'"'"'s computer system, the method comprising:
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providing an agent Web site that presents a local assistant program download offer for viewing on the customer'"'"'s computer system; in response to selection by the customer'"'"'s computer of a download link for the local assistant program download offer, invoking a server-side local assistant administrative system installed on the agent'"'"'s computer system such that the local assistant administrative system transmits a local assistant installation agreement to the customer'"'"'s computer system; in response to receipt by the agent'"'"'s computer system of an accepted local assistant installation agreement from the customer'"'"'s computer system, installing a client-side local assistant program that does not require a web browser program and remains active by processing data on the customer'"'"'s computer system until disabled or uninstalled regardless of the status of the web browser program or a connection between the customer'"'"'s computer system and a server; and in response to receipt by the agent'"'"'s computer system of a request from the customer'"'"'s computer system for a predefined ruleset and information database associated with the local assistant program, installing the predefined ruleset and information database on the customer'"'"'s computer system; wherein the local assistant program modifies the ruleset by adding new rules or updating the ruleset while the local assistant program runs on the customer'"'"'s computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer-based system, installed on an agent'"'"'s computer system, that provides for presentation of selection information on a customer'"'"'s computer system, the computer-based system comprising:
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a client-side local assistant program that, upon request by a customer, is downloadable from the agent'"'"'s computer system to the customer'"'"'s computer system and operates independently of a web browser program and remains active on the customer'"'"'s computer system until disabled or uninstalled regardless of the status of the web browser program or a connection between the customer'"'"'s computer system and a server; and a server-side local assistant administrative system that, subsequent to download of the local assistant program to the customer'"'"'s computer system, provides for access by the customer'"'"'s computer system to at least one predefined ruleset and an associated information database relating to the selected information; wherein the local assistant program modifies the ruleset by adding new rules or updating the ruleset while the local assistant program runs on the customer'"'"'s computer system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification