Method and apparatus for delivering customized information according to a user's profile

• US 9,536,245 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2010
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: About Incorporated (IAC, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: About Incorporated (IAC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shmukler, Elliot, Schanker, Joshua J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackwell, James H
• Application Number:
  US12/842,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-205, 715209-210, 715221-222, 715/224, 715234-235, 715238-239, 715/243, 715/253, 715254-255, 715/273, 715/276, 709/203, 709206-207, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A system for providing an individual user with customized information is described. The user provides the system with the user'"'"'s preferences. The system compares each user'"'"'s preferences to a database to provide the user with notification via an e-mail newsletter sent over a computer network. The newsletter is individually prepared for each user by dynamically populating the newsletter with the necessary information as the newsletter is being sent to the individual. Thus, there is no need to first prepare the newsletter, store it, send it, and delete it. This approach reduces the need for more equipment as the number of needed newsletters increases.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of preparing and sending an electronic newsletter message prepared for each individual of a plurality of individuals, the method comprising:

retrieving a profile associated with a first individual, wherein the profile comprises one or more preferences and a corresponding level of interest for each preference;

identifying a newsletter template associated with the retrieved profile, said newsletter template having one or more variable fields;

identifying an e-mail address associated with the first individual from the retrieved profile;

establishing a connection with a mail server associated with the identified e-mail address;

initiating transmission of the newsletter template to the mail server, wherein the newsletter template comprises a first portion and one or more second portions;

receiving the first portion of the newsletter template at the mail server;

suspending the transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, wherein during the suspension comprises;

searching, at a database, product information from one or more product providers associated with the newsletter;

determining at least a portion of the product information that matches the profile associated with the first individual, wherein the determination is performed by applying algorithm rules in order to compare, based on matching criteria, the product information and the profile associated with the first individual;

determining a relevancy level associated with the matching portion of the product information based on the preference and the corresponding level of interest associated with the matching portion of the product information; and

obtaining, from the database, information to be populated in the variable field, wherein the information is associated with the first individual based on determining the matching product information;

resuming transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, wherein during the transmission comprises;

upon detection of a variable field in the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, populating the variable field in the newsletter template with the obtained information; and

formatting the newsletter template, wherein the formatting comprises placing the matching portion of the product information in a predetermined location of the newsletter template based on the determined relevancy;

determining whether the end of the newsletter template has been reached; and

continuing the transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template to the mail server until determining that the end of the newsletter template has been reached,

wherein no version of the newsletter template with one or more variable fields completed is stored other than on the mail server associated with the first individual.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the newsletter template is an HTML document.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the newsletter template is a text document.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the variable fields in the newsletter template is provided with data that is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link.

5. A system for preparing and sending an electronic newsletter message prepared for each individual of a plurality of individuals, the system comprising:

at least one memory containing data and instructions;

one or more computer processors configured to access the at least one memory and execute the instructions, causing the one or more processors to;

retrieve a profile associated with a first individual, wherein the profile comprises one or more preferences and a corresponding level of interest for each preference;

identify a newsletter template associated with the retrieved profile, said newsletter template having one or more variable fields

identify an e-mail address associated with the first individual from the retrieved profile;

establish a connection with a mail server associated with the identified e-mail address;

initiate transmission of the newsletter template to the mail server, wherein the newsletter template comprises a first portion and one or more second portions;

receive the first portion of the newsletter template at the mail server;

suspend the transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, wherein during the suspension further causing the one or more processors to;

search, at a database, product information from one or more product providers associated with the newsletter;

determine at least a portion of the product information that matches the profile associated with the first individual, wherein the determination is performed by applying algorithm rules in order to compare, based on matching criteria, the product information and the profile associated with the first individual;

determine a relevancy level associated with the matching portion of the product information based on the preference and the corresponding level of interest associated with the matching portion of the product information; and

obtain, from the at least one memory, information to be populated in the variable field, wherein the information is associated with the first individual based on determining the matching product information;

resume transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, wherein during the transmission further causing the one or more processors to;

upon detection of a variable field in the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, populate the variable field in the newsletter template with the obtained information; and

format the newsletter template, wherein the formatting comprises placing the matching portion of the product information in a predetermined location of the newsletter template based on the determined relevancy;

determine whether the end of the newsletter template has been reached; and

continue the transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template to the mail server until determining that the end of the newsletter template has been reached,

wherein no version of the newsletter template with one or more variable fields completed is stored on the system other than on the mail server associated with the first individual.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the newsletter template is an HTML document.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the newsletter template is a text document.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the variable fields in the newsletter template is provided with data that is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a computer processor, cause a computer to:

retrieving a profile associated with a first individual, wherein the profile comprises one or more preferences and a corresponding level of interest for each preference;

identifying a newsletter template associated with the retrieved profile, said newsletter template having one or more variable fields

identifying an e-mail address associated with the first individual from the retrieved profile;

establishing a connection with a mail server associated with the identified e-mail address;

initiating transmission of the newsletter template to the mail server, wherein the newsletter template comprises a first portion and one or more second portions;

receiving the first portion of the newsletter template at the mail server;

suspending the transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, wherein during the suspension comprises;

searching, at a database, product information from one or more product providers associated with the newsletter;

determining at least a portion of the product information that matches the profile associated with the first individual, wherein the determination is performed by applying algorithm rules in order to compare, based on matching criteria, the product information and the profile associated with the first individual;

determining a relevancy level associated with the matching portion of the product information based on the preference and the corresponding level of interest associated with the matching portion of the product information; and

obtaining, from the database, information to be populated in the variable field, wherein the information is associated with the first individual based on determining the matching product information;

resuming transmission of the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, wherein during the transmission comprises;

upon detection of a variable field in the one or more second portions of the newsletter template, populating the variable field in the newsletter template with the obtained information; and

formatting the newsletter template, wherein the formatting comprises placing the matching portion of the product information in a predetermined location of the newsletter template based on the determined relevancy;

determining whether the end of the newsletter template has been reached; and

continuing the transmission of the one or more second portion of the newsletter template to the mail server until determining that the end of the newsletter template has been reached,

wherein no version of the newsletter template with one or more variable fields completed is stored other than on the mail server associated with the first individual.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the newsletter template is an HTML document.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the newsletter template is a text document.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein at least one of the variable fields in the newsletter template is provided with data that is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) link.