System and method for activating software operating capabilities based on usage patterns and rules

• US 8,600,806 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Mechaley, Robert, Miner, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett, Scott L
• Application Number:
  US13/118,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 705/14.25
• US Class Current: 705/14.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention

Abstract

A mobile telephone system device having an electronic assistant component is disclosed. The device includes a first software module configured to provide a first operating feature to a user of the mobile telephone system and a second software module that includes a first submodule configured to provide a first additional operating feature to the user and a second submodule configured to provide a second additional operating feature to the user of the mobile telephone system. A third module is configured to track the user'"'"'s use of the first operating feature by storing usage data related to the user'"'"'s interaction with the first software module. A fourth module analyzes the stored usage data and determines a usage data pattern. Based on the usage data pattern, a fifth module stores one or more rules which select one of the first submodule and the second submodule based on the usage data pattern and the selected one of the first submodule and the second submodule is offered to the user for installation on the mobile telephone system.

Claims

1. A computer implemented and user interactive method of regulating provision of software components from a set of software components arranged to control operation of a computing device, wherein composition of the set is predefined and each software component thereof provides a distinct functionality, the method comprising:

storing, a subset of software components from the set of software components, wherein the subset of software components has a first functionality level associated therewith;

controlling the operation of the computing device using the stored subset of software components;

collecting usage data describing user interaction with the stored subset of software components;

generating usage data indicative of a usage data pattern, wherein the usage data pattern is indicative that a user threshold has been exceeded, wherein the user threshold is based on the amount of usage of a feature of the first subset of software components;

identifying a different software component from the predefined set based on said generated usage data pattern and predetermined rules specifying a relationship between usage of one of software components in the stored subset and the identified software component, wherein the identified software component has a second functionality level higher than the first functionality level and wherein the identified software component provides operating capabilities additional to those provided by the subset of software components;

alerting the user to an availability of said identified software component for activation on the computer, wherein said identified software component is not within the subset of software components; and

receiving and activating said identified software component onto the computing device, responsive to the user'"'"'s interactions with the alert.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting usage data from a plurality of users,

collecting software usage decisions from a plurality of users, and

determining when to alert a user of the availability of said identified software component based upon an analysis of group response data and decisions about to prior alerts relating to the identified software component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the user to an availability of said identified software component for activation on the computing device comprises verbally and interactively making an offer to said user for said identified software component in using said computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein alerting the user to an availability of said identified software component for activation on the computing device comprises displaying a new message identifying the identified software component to a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting comprises collecting interval of use data for said subset of software components.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting comprises compiling statistical data regarding use of said subset of software components.

7. A system for regulating provision of software components from a set of software components arranged to control operation of a mobile telephone device, wherein composition of the set of software components is predefined and each software component in the set of software components provides a distinct functionality, the system comprising:

a control module configured to control the operation of the mobile device by executing a subset of software components from said set of software components, wherein the subset of software components has a first functionality level associated therewith;

a data collection module configured to collect usage data indicative of user interaction with the first subset of software components to identify a usage data pattern related to the collected usage data, wherein the usage data pattern is indicative that a user threshold has been exceeded, wherein the user threshold is based on the amount of usage of a feature of the first subset of software components;

wherein the control module is further configured to access predetermined rules specifying a relationship between usage of a first software component and selection of a second, different, software component, the second software component having operating capabilities additional to those provided by the first software component, and both said components being within said predefined set of software components;

wherein the system is configured to identify a software component from the set based on said identified usage data pattern and said predetermined rules and is further configured to alert the user to an availability of said identified software component, wherein said identified component has a second functionality level higher than said first functionality level, and wherein said identified component is not within the subset of software components, and wherein the system is further configured to receive and activate said identified software component onto the computing device , responsive to the user'"'"'s interactions with the alert.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the control module is further configured to receive usage data relating to interactive communications with the mobile telephone device, thereby collecting said usage data.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the mobile device is a voice responsive system having a mobile telephone network capability.