SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING EXPERT AUDIENCE TARGETING

• US 20150254785A1
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transform Sr Brands, LLC (ESL Investments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sears Brands LLC (Sears Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Jen Hao, Chung, Eui, Lampert, Edward S., Sponseller, Ryan C., Sridharan, Bharath
• Granted Patent: US 10,915,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and method for directing queries to the most suitable potential responders of an audience selected from a crowd-sourced population from which to request information, based on information such as query content, query context, timing, location, preferred supporting resource(s), and source of the query.

Claims

1. A method of operating a system for directing user queries to the most suitable potential responders of an audience selected from a crowdsource population from which to request information, the method comprising:

in a computer system having one or more processors for communicatively coupling to a user device and to memory configured to associate, in storage, a question received from the user via the user device and one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information,

storing the user question in the memory in association with corresponding contextual and metadata information;

identifying, from the question and one or both of the corresponding contextual and metadata information, one or more areas of subject matter of the user question and a probability corresponding to each of one or more areas of subject matter of the user question;

distributing the user question to one or more selected members of the crowdsource population, according to the one or both of the corresponding contextual and metadata information and the probability corresponding to each of one or more areas of subject matter of the user question, for preparation of one or more corresponding responses;

receiving the one or more responses corresponding to the user question and delivering the one or more corresponding responses to the user via the user device; and

adjusting one or both of the identifying and the distribution, according to feedback received from the user on the one or more corresponding responses to the user question.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information comprises a geographic location of the user.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information comprises personal information of the user stored in the memory.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distributing comprises:

selecting one or more members of the crowdsource population to prepare one or more corresponding responses to the user question, according to the probability corresponding to each of the identified one or more areas of subject matter.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the selecting comprises adjusting a number of members of the crowdsource population selected to prepare the one or more corresponding responses to the user question.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting the identifying, according to feedback received on the one or more corresponding responses to the user question from members of the crowdsource population not selected to prepare the one or more corresponding responses.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting the distribution, according to real-time information indicative of the availability of the individual members of the crowdsource population.

8. A system for directing queries to the most suitable potential responders of an audience selected from a crowdsource population from which to request information, the system comprising:

a computer system having one or more processors for communicatively coupling to a user device and to memory configured to associate, in storage, a question received from the user via the user device and one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information, the one or more processor operable to, at least;

store the user question in the memory in association with corresponding contextual and metadata information;

identify, from the question and one or both of the corresponding contextual and metadata information, one or more areas of subject matter of the user question and a probability corresponding to each of one or more areas of subject matter of the user question;

distribute the user question to one or more selected members of the crowdsource population, according to the one or both of the corresponding contextual and metadata information and the probability corresponding to each of one or more areas of subject matter of the user question, for preparation of one or more corresponding responses;

receive the one or more responses corresponding to the user question and delivering the one or more corresponding responses to the user via the user device; and

adjust one or both of the identifying and the distribution, according to feedback received from the user on the one or more corresponding responses to the user question.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information comprises a geographic location of the user.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information comprises personal information of the user stored in the memory.

11. The system according to claim 8, wherein the distributing comprises:

selecting one or more members of the crowdsource population to prepare one or more corresponding responses to the user question, according to the probability corresponding to each of the identified one or more areas of subject matter.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the selecting comprises adjusting a number of members of the crowdsource population selected to prepare the one or more corresponding responses to the user question.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting the identifying, according to feedback received on the one or more corresponding responses to the user question from members of the crowdsource population not selected to prepare the one or more corresponding responses.

14. The system according to claim 8, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting the distribution, according to real-time information indicative of the availability of the individual members of the crowdsource population.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising executable instructions for causing a computer system having one or more processors for communicatively coupling to a user device and to memory configured to associate, in storage, a question received from the user via the user device and one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information, to perform the steps of a method of operating a system for directing queries to the most suitable potential responders of an audience selected from a crowdsource population from which to request information, the steps comprising:

storing the user question in the memory in association with corresponding contextual and metadata information;

identifying, from the question and one or both of the corresponding contextual and metadata information, one or more areas of subject matter of the user question and a probability corresponding to each of one or more areas of subject matter of the user question;

distributing the user question to one or more selected members of the crowdsource population, according to the one or both of the corresponding contextual and metadata information and the probability corresponding to each of one or more areas of subject matter of the user question, for preparation of one or more corresponding responses;

receiving the one or more responses corresponding to the user question and delivering the one or more corresponding responses to the user via the user device; and

adjusting one or both of the identifying and the distribution, according to feedback received from the user on the one or more corresponding responses to the user question.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information comprises a geographic location of the user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the one or both of corresponding contextual and metadata information comprises personal information of the user stored in the memory.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the distributing comprises:

selecting one or more members of the crowdsource population to prepare one or more corresponding responses to the user question, according to the probability corresponding to each of the identified one or more areas of subject matter.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the selecting comprises adjusting a number of members of the crowdsource population selected to prepare the one or more corresponding responses to the user question.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 18, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting the identifying, according to feedback received on the one or more corresponding responses to the user question from members of the crowdsource population not selected to prepare the one or more corresponding responses.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting comprises:

adjusting the distribution, according to real-time information indicative of the availability of the individual members of the crowdsource population.