User directed information collections

• US 10,068,256 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Osotio, Neal, Moulden, Angela
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Vincent M
• Application Number:
  US14/509,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20160104200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating and/or displaying a user information collection are described herein. The user information collections include relevant information for a user of one or more devices. More specifically, the relevant information in the user information collections can include user directed advertisements. User information collections improve a user'"'"'s ability to accomplish tasks, save money, and/or get desired products and/or services as opposed to just viewing content. Additionally, the user information collections reduce or prevent unwanted data from being added to the user information collections improving the usability of the data in the user information collections and improving user interactions with the device.

Claims

1. A method for creating and providing user information collections, comprising:

receiving initial user information;

collecting a plurality of user signals associated with a user of at least one device;

when at least one display criterion is met, displaying at a first time on the at least one device select pieces of user data that are relevant to the user in a user information collection based on the plurality of user signals and the initial user information;

making a first inference based on the initial user information and the plurality of user signals, wherein the first inference is a new assumption about at least one of user likes, user dislikes, user characteristics, user schedule, user social status, user activity level, and future user actions;

receiving a plurality of advertisements;

determining a first connection between a first advertisement from the plurality of advertisements and the first inference;

comparing the first connection to a confidence threshold;

when the confidence threshold is met, updating the user information collection to include the first inference and the first advertisement by listing and associating the first advertisement with the first inference in the user information collection to form an updated user information collection;

and

when the at least one display criterion is met, displaying at a second time the updated user information collection that includes the first advertisement associated with the first inference on the at least one device to prevent display of the user information collection at inappropriate times for the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting user feedback about the first inference.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the user feedback about the first inference;

making a second inference based on the user feedback, the initial user information, and the plurality of user signals;

determining a second connection between a second advertisement from the plurality of advertisements and the second inference;

comparing the second connection to the confidence threshold; and

updating the user information collection to include the second advertisement when the confidence threshold is met.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user feedback about the first advertisement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting user feedback about the first advertisement.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the first connection includes considering a time of day and a location of the at least one device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring the plurality of user signals after the displaying of the user information collection;

determining that the user utilized the first advertisement;

making a second inference based on the determining that the user utilized the first advertisement.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the plurality of user signals after the displaying of the user information collection;

determining that the user did not utilize the first advertisement; and

making a second inference based on the determining that the user did not utilize the first advertisement.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one display criterion comprises at least one of:

a received user request for an advertisement;

a determination of a predetermined user action;

a time of day;

a time period prior to a scheduled event; and

a location of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first advertisement is a coupon.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting additional user information when the confidence threshold is not met;

receiving the additional user information;

making a second inference based on the additional user information, the initial user information, and the plurality of user signals;

determining a second connection between a second advertisement from the plurality of advertisements and the second inference;

comparing the second connection to the confidence threshold;

assembling the second advertisement into the user information collection when the confidence threshold is met.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at a portion of the select pieces of user data in the user information collection are configured by the user.

13. A system comprising:

a computing device including a processing unit and a memory, the processing unit implementing an inference and connection system that is operable to;

receive initial user information;

receive a plurality of initial user signals associated with a user of at least one device;

when at least one display criterion is met, display at a first time on the at least one device select pieces of user data that are relevant to the user in a user information collection based on the plurality of user signals and the initial user information;

make inferences based on the initial user information and the plurality of initial user signals, wherein the inferences are assumptions about at least one of user likes, user dislikes, user characteristics, user schedule, user social status, user activity level, and future user actions;

determine a connection between the inferences and at least one advertisement;

compare the connection to a confidence threshold; and

assemble the inferences and the at least one advertisement into the user information collection to form an updated user information collection; and

when at least one display criterion is met, display at a second time the updated user information collection including the inferences and the at least one advertisement on the at least one device to prevent display of the user information collection at inappropriate times for the user.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a mobile device associated with the user;

wherein the processing unit is operable to transmit the user information collection to the mobile device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the inference and connection system is operable to make new inferences based on received additional user information and a plurality of received additional user signals and is operable to determine a new connection between the new inferences and at least one new advertisement.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the memory stores the initial user information, the additional user information, the plurality of initial user signals and the plurality of received additional user signals, and the user information collection.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing unit is operable to modify the user information collection stored in the memory based on the at least one new advertisement.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of initial user signals include time of day signals and location signals.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

assemble an inference into the user information collection and associate the inference with the at least one advertisement.

20. A computer-readable storage device including computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computing system in a distributed network, cause the computing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving user information;

collecting a plurality of user signals associated with a user of at least one device;

making a first inference based on the user information and the plurality of user signals, wherein the first inference is an assumption about at least one of user likes, user dislikes, user characteristics, user schedule, user social status, user activity level, and future user actions;

requesting user feedback about the first inference;

receiving the user feedback about the first inference;

making a second inference based on the user information, the plurality of user signals, and the user feedback;

receiving a plurality of advertisements;

determining a connection between at least one advertisement from the plurality of advertisements and the second inference, wherein determining the connection includes considering a time of day and a location of the at least one device;

determining that the connection meets a confidence threshold; and

displaying the at least one advertisement in association with the second inference based on the determining that the connection meets the confidence threshold.