Systems and methods for performing machine-implemented tasks

• US 8,087,019 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mercury Kingdom Assets Limited
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sobotka, David C., Tonse, Sudhir, Zia, Aftab
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHE, MENG YAO
• Application Number:
  US11/555,102
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 718/100, 705/14.4, 707/722
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A task management system may be configured to select and/or perform one or more tasks. The task management system may be configured to create weighted groups of tasks to be performed in response to various triggering conditions. The task management system may include a value generation module, which may be configured to generate values used to select tasks from two or more of the weighted groups of tasks.

Claims

1. A method for performing one or more tasks from a first group of weighted tasks in response to a first triggering condition and performing one or more tasks from a second group of weighted tasks in response to a different second triggering condition, the method comprising:

creating first task group data indicating a first group of weighted tasks to be performed in response to a first triggering condition, the first task group data including;

first task data indicating a plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition; and

first weight data associated with the first task data, the first weight data indicating a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition;

creating second task group data indicating a second group of weighted tasks to be performed in response to a different second triggering condition, the second task group data including;

second task data indicating a plurality of tasks associated with the second triggering condition; and

second weight data associated with the second task data, the second weight data indicating a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition;

incrementing a counter to a first incremented value;

in response to a first occurrence of the first triggering condition;

using the first incremented value and the first weight data, which indicates a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition, to select a first portion of the first task data; and

using the selected first portion of the first task data to perform a first task of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition;

incrementing the counter to a second incremented value; and

in response to a first occurrence of the different second triggering condition;

using the second incremented value and the second weight data, which indicates a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition, to select a first portion of the second task data; and

using the selected first portion of the second task data to perform a first task of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the first triggering condition comprises a receipt of at least one keyword;

and wherein the first task comprises sending at least one substitute keyword to an advertisement supplier configured to supply an advertisement in response to receiving the at least one substitute keyword.

3. The method as in claim 2, wherein the first task data indicates the at least one substitute keyword.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

incrementing the counter to a third incremented value;

in response to a second occurrence of the first triggering condition;

using the third incremented value and the first weight data, which indicates a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition, to select a second portion of the first task data; and

using the selected second portion of the first task data to perform a second task of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition;

incrementing the counter to a fourth incremented value; and

in response to a second occurrence of the different second triggering condition;

using the fourth incremented value and the second weight data, which indicates a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition, to select a second portion of the second task data; and

using the selected second portion of the second task data to perform a second task of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein the first triggering condition comprises a receipt of at least one keyword;

wherein the first task comprises sending the at least one keyword to an advertisement supplier configured to supply an advertisement in response to receiving the at least one keyword; and

wherein the third task comprises sending at least one substitute keyword to the advertisement supplier.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the first triggering condition recurs randomly;

and wherein the second triggering condition recurs randomly.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein the first triggering condition comprises a receipt of a first keyword;

wherein the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition includes a plurality of keyword substitutions for the received first keyword;

wherein the second triggering condition comprises a receipt of a second keyword, which is different from the first keyword; and

wherein the plurality of tasks associated with the second triggering condition includes a plurality of keyword substitutions for the received second keyword.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein the weights for the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition are based on a first set of numerical values;

and wherein the act of using the first incremented value and the first weight data to select the first portion of the first task data comprises;

applying a MOD operation to the first incremented value to obtain a value within the first set of numerical values; and

using the first weight data and the obtained value within the first set of numerical values to select the first portion of the first task data; and

wherein the weights for the plurality of tasks associated with the second triggering condition are based on a second set of numerical values; and

wherein the act of using the second incremented value and the second weight data to select the first portion of the second task data comprises;

applying a MOD operation to the second incremented value to obtain a value within the second set of numerical values; and

using the second weight data and the obtained value within the second set of numerical values to select the first portion of the second task data.

15. The method as in claim 1, wherein the first triggering condition comprises a receipt of a first set of one or more keywords;

and wherein the second triggering condition comprises a receipt of a different second set of one or more keywords.

7. A system for performing one or more tasks from a first group of weighted tasks in response to a first triggering condition and performing one or more tasks from a second group of weighted tasks in response to a different second triggering condition, the system comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon;

a task group data creation module configured to create first task group data and second task group data;

the first task group data indicating a first group of weighted tasks to be performed in response to a first triggering condition;

the second task group data indicating a second group of weighted tasks to be performed in response to a different second triggering condition;

the first task group data including first task data and first weight data;

the first task data indicating a plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition;

the first weight data being associated with the first task data, the first weight data indicating a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition, wherein the weights for the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition are based on a first set of numerical values;

the second task group data including second task data and second weight data;

the second task data indicating a plurality of tasks associated with the second triggering condition;

the second weight data being associated with the second task data, the second weight data indicating a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition, wherein the weights for the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition are based on a second set of numerical values;

a value generation module configured to generate a range of values by incrementing a counter;

a task selection module;

the task selection module being configured to, in response to a first occurrence of the first triggering condition;

apply a MOD operation to a first generated value from the range to obtain a value within the first set of numerical values; and

use the first weight data and the obtained value within the first set of numerical values to select a first portion of the first task data;

the task selection module being configured to, in response to a first occurrence of the different second triggering condition;

applying a MOD operation to a second generated value from the range to obtain a value within the second set of numerical values; and

use the second weight data and the obtained value within the second set of numerical values to select a first portion of the second task data.

8. The system as in claim 7, further comprising a task performance module;

the task performance module being configured to use the first portion of the first task data to perform a first task;

the task performance module being configured to use the first portion of the second task data to perform a second task.

9. The system as in claim 8, wherein the first triggering condition comprises the receipt of at least one keyword;

and wherein the first task comprises sending at least one substitute keyword to an advertisement supplier configured to supply an advertisement in response to receiving the at least one substitute keyword.

10. The system as in claim 9, wherein the first task data indicates the at least one substitute keyword.

11. The system as in claim 7, wherein the first triggering condition recurs randomly;

and wherein the second triggering condition recurs randomly.

16. The system as in claim 7, wherein the first triggering condition comprises a receipt of a first set of one or more keywords;

and wherein the second triggering condition comprises a receipt of a different second set of one or more keywords.

12. A method comprising:

receiving a first advertisement from a system, the system comprising;

a task group data creation module configured to create first task group data and second task group data;

the first task group data indicating a first group of weighted tasks to be performed in response to a first triggering condition;

the second task group data indicating a second group of weighted tasks to be performed in response to a different second triggering condition;

the first task group data including first task data and first weight data;

the first task data indicating a plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition;

the first weight data being associated with the first task data, the first weight data indicating a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition, wherein the weights for the plurality of tasks associated with the first triggering condition are based on a first set of numerical values;

the second task group data including second task data and second weight data;

the second task data indicating a plurality of tasks associated with the second triggering condition;

the second weight data being associated with the second task data, the second weight data indicating a weight for each of the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition, wherein the weights for the plurality of tasks associated with the different second triggering condition are based on a second set of numerical values;

a value generation module configured to generate a range of values by incrementing a counter;

a task selection module;

the task selection module being configured to, in response to a first occurrence of the first triggering condition;

apply a MOD operation to a first generated value from the range to obtain a value within the first set of numerical values; and

use the first weight data and the obtained value within the first set of numerical values to select a first portion of the first task data;

the task selection module being configured to, in response to a first occurrence of the different second triggering condition;

applying a MOD operation to a second generated value from the range to obtain a value within the second set of numerical values; and

use the second weight data and the obtained value within the second set of numerical values to select a first portion of the second task data; and

a task performance module;

the task performance module being configured to use the first portion of the first task data to perform a first task;

the task performance module being configured to use the first portion of the second task data to perform a second task;

the first triggering condition comprising the receipt of at least one keyword;

the first task comprising sending at least one substitute keyword to an advertisement supplier configured to supply the first advertisement in response to receiving the at least one substitute keyword.

17. The method as in claim 12, wherein the first triggering condition comprises a receipt of a first set of one or more keywords;

and wherein the second triggering condition comprises a receipt of a different second set of one or more keywords.