LOAD BALANCE PAYMENT

• US 20090210242A1
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Black, Neil W., Panabaker, Ruston, Krumm, John C., Couckuyt, Jeffrey D., Seltzer, Michael Lewis, Tashev, Ivan J.
• Application Number:
  US12/033,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210242A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

A user can be provided a variety of incentives to take a route that is different from a standard path in order to relieve path load balancing issues. Information on a primary path can be collected and analyzed to determine if it would be beneficial to encourage users to take an alternate path. If it is determined that users should be encouraged to take another path, then analysis of potential users can occur. A result of the user analysis can be used to select users that are offered to take the alternate path as well as an incentive offered to the user to encourage her to take the alternate path.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an evaluation component that analyzes metadata related to a user; and

a choice component that selects a reward to motivate the user to avoid a path with a high traffic load, the selection is based upon a result of the analysis.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recognition component that identifies the path with the high traffic load.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a disclosure component that divulges the selected reward to the user.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising an interaction component that obtains a user response to the divulged reward.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an alteration component that modifies a route to avoid the path with the high traffic load when the obtained user response accepts the reward.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a generation component that constructs the route that is modified.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transaction component that performs a financial operation in regard to the selected reward.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computation component that calculates the selected reward.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a collection component that obtains the metadata related to the user.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a search component that locates at least one source of metadata related to the user, the collection component obtains metadata related to the user from at least one located source.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an artificial intelligence component that makes at least one determination or at least one inference in regard to the metadata analysis or reward selection.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cooperation component that enters a negotiation with at least one entity, the entity supplies the reward.

13. A method, comprising:

collecting load balance data for a path; and

determining at least one user that is to be offered an opportunity to avoid the path based upon at least a portion of the collected load balance data.

14. The method of claim 13, where the opportunity is a reward.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising producing a route to the user, the route includes a portion that enables the user to earn the reward.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining the reward to be offered to the user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising soliciting reward offers, the determined reward is a function of at least one solicited offer.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising gathering data concerning at least one user, the gathered data is used in determining at least one user that is offered the opportunity.

19. A system, comprising:

means for collecting data that concerns a primary path;

means for determining that congestion on the primary path is at a level where a user should be offered a reward to take a supplemental path;

means for selecting a user that is capable of taking the supplemental path;

means for evaluating the user in view of a reward that is likely to motivate the user to take the supplemental path;

means for choosing a reward to offer the user for taking the supplemental path, the reward is specifically tailored to the used based upon a result of the evaluation; and

means for negotiating with the user to take the supplemental path based upon the reward.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for producing a route to the user that includes the supplemental path when the user accepts the reward.