Managing consumer preferences with a portable data processing system

• US 7,822,635 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Lawrence, Kelvin Roderick
• Primary Examiner(s): DURAN, ARTHUR D
• Application Number:
  US09/560,392
• Time in Patent Office: 3,833 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/14.1, 705/14.4
• US Class Current: 705/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

In accordance with the method, system, and program of the present invention, consumer preferences designated for a user are transmitted in a transmittable data format from a portable data processing system associated with the user to multiple independent server systems each associated with a consumer provider from among multiple diverse consumer providers. Specialized services and products from each of the diverse consumer providers are designated for the user at each of the independent server systems, in response to comparing the consumer preferences for the user with a database of services and products at each of the independent server systems. The designated specialized services and products are transmitted to the portable data processing system in the transmittable data format, such that a consumer provider from among multiple diverse consumer providers adjusts offerings of services and products provided to a particular user via a portable data processing system according to electronically received consumer preferences for the particular user.

Claims

1. A method for automatically electronically registering a user, said method comprising:

generating a request to transmit a plurality of profile elements to a selected server system from among a plurality of server systems;

transmitting said request to a portable computer system in response to a determination that said portable computer system is within a particular proximity to said plurality of server systems;

receiving a user profile comprising said plurality of profile elements in a particular transmittable data format at said selected server system from said portable computer system, wherein

said selected server system is identified at said portable computer system utilizing data within said plurality of profile elements specifying a consumer preference in response to a receipt of said request at said portable computer system,

said user profile is associated with a particular user of said portable computer system, and

each of said plurality of server systems is respectively associated with one of a plurality of consumer providers; and

registering said particular user with a consumer provider of said plurality of consumer providers in response to a receipt of said user profile at said selected server system, wherein said consumer provider is associated with said selected server system.

2. The method for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 1, wherein said registering comprises:

inserting each of said plurality of profile elements respectively into a specified plurality of electronic registration elements required for electronic registration at said selected server system; and

transmitting a registration indicator for said particular user from said selected server system to said portable computer system in said particular transmittable data format.

3. The method for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 2, said method further comprising:

in response to a receipt of said registration indicator at said selected server system, retrieving an electronic registration for said particular user.

4. The method for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 1, said method further comprising:

automatically filtering a plurality of products and services offered by said consumer provider according to said user profile for said particular user; and

transmitting a specified offering from among said plurality of products and services to said portable computer system for said particular user.

5. The method for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 1, wherein said particular transmittable data format comprises an extensible mark-up language data format.

6. A data processing system for automatically electronically registering a user, said data processing system comprising:

a processor; and

data storage coupled to the processor, wherein the data storage includes program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the data processing system to;

generate a request to transmit a plurality of profile elements to a selected server system from among a plurality of server systems;

transmit said request to a portable computer system in response to a determination that said portable computer system is within a particular proximity to said plurality of server systems;

receive a user profile comprising said plurality of profile elements in a particular transmittable data format at said selected server system from said portable computer system, wherein

said selected server system is identified at said portable computer system utilizing data within said plurality of profile elements specifying a consumer preference in response to a receipt of said request at said portable computer system,

said user profile is associated with a particular user of said portable computer system, and

each of said plurality of server systems is respectively associated with one of a plurality of consumer providers; and

register said particular user with a consumer provider of said plurality of consumer providers in response to a receipt of said user profile at said selected server system, wherein said consumer provider is associated with said selected server system.

7. The data processing system for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 6, wherein said program code causes the data processing system to register the particular user by:

inserting each of said plurality of profile elements respectively into a specified plurality of electronic registration elements required for electronic registration at said selected server system; and

transmitting a registration indicator for said particular user from said selected server system to said portable computer system in said particular transmittable data format.

8. The data processing system for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 7, wherein said program code further causes the data processing system to:

retrieve an electronic registration for said particular user, in response to a receipt of said registration indicator at said particular server system.

9. The data processing system for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 6, wherein said program code further causes the data processing system to:

automatically filter a plurality of products and services offered by said consumer provider according to said user profile for said particular user; and

transmit a specified offering from among said plurality of products and services to said portable computer system for said particular user.

10. The data processing system for automatically electronically registering a user according to claim 6, wherein said particular transmittable data format comprises an extensible mark-up language data format.

11. A computer program product for automatically electronically registering a user, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

program code stored within the computer-readable storage medium and executable by a computer to cause the computer to;

generate a request to transmit a plurality of profile elements to a selected server system from among a plurality of server systems;

transmit said request to a portable computer system in response to a determination that said portable computer system is within a particular proximity to said plurality of server systems;

receive a user profile comprising said plurality of profile elements in a particular transmittable data format at said selected server system from said portable computer system, wherein

said selected server system is identified at said portable computer system utilizing data within said plurality of profile elements specifying a consumer preference in response to a receipt of said request at said portable computer system,

said user profile is associated with a particular user of said portable computer system, and

each of said plurality of server systems is respectively associated with one of a plurality of consumer providers; and

register said particular user with a consumer provider of said plurality of consumer providers in response to a receipt of said user profile at said selected server system, wherein said consumer provider is associated with said selected server system.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said program code causes the computer to:

insert each of said plurality of profile elements respectively into a specified plurality of electronic registration elements required for electronic registration at said selected server system; and

transmit a registration indicator for said particular user from said selected server system to said portable computer system in said particular transmittable data format.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein said program code causes the computer to retrieve an electronic registration for said particular user, in response to a receipt of said registration indicator at said particular server system.