Interactive information dissemination and retrieval system and method for generating action items

• US 8,312,104 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ramamurthy, Kannan
• Primary Examiner(s): Colin, Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIDDIQI, MOHAMMAD A
• Application Number:
  US12/166,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/217, 709/249, 709/218, 707/100, 707/102
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/313 Selection or weighting of terms for indexing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An interactive information dissemination and retrieval system is disclosed herein. The system includes a website configured to host a blog and to receive at least one blog post. An information retrieval reporting system is configured to i) extract a first set of tags from the blog and a second set of tags from the at least one blog post and ii) recognize a semantic relationship between the first and second sets of tags. At least one analyzer is included in the system and is configured to analyze the semantic relationship and generate at least one action item based on the semantic relationship. Method(s) for generating action item(s) are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An interactive method for generating at least one action item, comprising:

selecting data related to a vehicle relationship event;

via a device with access to a website, generating a blog based on the selected data;

via the device with access to the website, posting the blog on the website;

via an information retrieval reporting system operating one or more algorithms, generating a first set of tags from the blog;

posting at least one blog post on the website in response to the blog;

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, generating a second set of tags from the at least one blog post;

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, recognizing a semantic relationship between the first set of tags and the second set of tags; and

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, creating the at least one action item based on the semantic relationship.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data related to the vehicle relationship event includes statistics, program information, or combinations thereof.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the website is operatively connected to a call center database, and wherein the method further comprises retrieving the selected data from the call center database.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the website is operatively connected to a call center database, and wherein the method further comprises receiving the selected data from a source other than the call center database.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one action item is selected from a new product offering, a new service offering, a product update, a service update, or combinations thereof.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to creating the at least one action item and subsequent to recognizing the semantic relationship, the method further comprises:

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, determining a user interest level from the at least one blog post; and

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, analyzing the semantic relationship and the user interest level.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein posting the blog on the website includes:

receiving a request from a user to access to a secure portion of the website;

verifying that the requesting user is an authorized user; and

if the requesting user is an authorized user, granting the requesting user access to the secure portion of the website or if the requesting user if not an authorized user, denying the requesting user access to the secure portion of the website.

8. An interactive information dissemination and retrieval system, comprising:

a website configured to i) host a blog based on data related to a vehicle relationship event, and ii) receive at least one blog post;

an information retrieval reporting system including a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with an algorithm configured to generate a first set of tags from the blog and a second set of tags from the at least one blog post; and

the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with an other algorithm configured to i) recognize a semantic relationship between the first and second sets of tags, and ii) analyze the semantic relationship and generate at least one action item based on the semantic relationship.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein the data related to the vehicle relationship event includes statistics, program information, or combinations thereof.

10. The system as defined in claim 8, further comprising a call center database operatively connected to the website, the call center database configured to store the data related to the vehicle relationship event.

11. The system as defined in claim 10, further comprising a source other than the call center database configured to supply the data to the authorized user.

12. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein the at least one action item is selected from a new product offering, a new service offering, a product update, a service update, or combinations thereof.

13. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein the at least one action item is generated based on, in addition to the semantic relationship, a user interest level determined from the at least one blog post.

14. The system as defined in claim 8 wherein the website includes an authentication system that is configured to:

receive a request from a user to access to a secure portion of the website;

verify that the requesting user is an authorized user; and

if the requesting user is an authorized user, grant the requesting user access to the secure portion of the website or if the requesting user if not an authorized user, deny the requesting user access to the secure portion of the website.

15. A method of engaging a customer of a service, the method comprising:

receiving first information or data related to the service as provided to a vehicle;

via a device with access to a website, generating a blog based on the received data;

via the device with access to the website, posting the blog on the website;

via an information retrieval reporting system operating one or more algorithms, generating first tags from the blog, the first tags being related to the service as provided to the vehicle;

in an electronic discussion forum, receiving electronic discussion about the service, the electronic discussion including posting at least one blog post on the website in response to the blog;

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, generating second tags from the at least one blog post, the second tags being related to the electronic discussion about the service;

via the information retrieval reporting system operating the one or more algorithms, determining a relationship between the first and second tags; and

via a vehicle audio system or a display, presenting the customer with second information in response to the determining.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the presenting occurs during user interaction with the service, and wherein the second information relates to the electronic discussion.

17. The method as defined in claim 15 wherein the presenting occurs during user interaction with electronic discussion, and wherein the second information relates to the service as provided to the vehicle.