Automatically generating task recommendations for human task performers

• US 8,694,350 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, Peter D., Ortega, Ruben E., Cabrera, Luis Felipe
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US12/982,709
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.13
• US Class Current: 705/7.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Techniques are described for facilitating interactions between task requesters who have tasks that are available to be performed and task performers who are available to perform tasks, such as via an electronic marketplace acting as an intermediary for task performance. In some situations, the facilitating of the interactions includes automatically matching available tasks to task performer users, such as to automatically generate recommendations for task performer users of available tasks that are appropriate for those task performer users to perform. Such generated task recommendations for task performer users may then be provided to those task performer users in various ways, including via one or more Web pages or electronic communications sent to devices of the task performer users. The task recommendations may be generated in various ways, including based on previous tasks performed by the task performer users and on other prior activities of the task performer users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating performance by task performers of tasks from task requesters, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more configured computer processors of a task exchange service, indications of multiple available tasks supplied to the task exchange service by task requesters, the multiple available tasks being available for performance via the task exchange service by task performers distinct from the task requesters; and

for one of the task performers,

obtaining, by the one or more configured computer processors, information about prior activities of the task performer that include performing one or more tasks via the task exchange service;

determining, by the one or more configured computer processors, one or more attributes of tasks that are appropriate for the task performer based at least in part on the prior activities of the task performer, and identifying one or more of the multiple available tasks for the task performer based at least in part on the identified tasks each having at least one of the determined attributes, wherein the identifying of the one or more tasks for the task performer is further based at least in part on one or more determined preferences of the task performer, and wherein determining of the one or more preferences is based at least in part on inferences using the obtained information about the prior activities of the task performer; and

providing, by the one or more configured computer processors, one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer as recommendations to enable the task performer to elect whether to perform the identified tasks.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing of the one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer includes providing a Web page that has an area for recommended tasks in which information about the identified tasks is included and that has an area in which information is included about other tasks that are not recommended tasks.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing of the one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer includes initiating an electronic communication to a device of the task performer in a manner that is not in response to a request from the task performer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the identified tasks for the task performer include multiple tasks, and wherein the providing of the one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer includes indicating a relative ranking of the identified tasks to reflect a determined measure of appropriateness for the task performer of the identified tasks.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing of the one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer includes indicating a degree of relevance to the task performer of each of at least one of the identified tasks.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

after the providing of the one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer, receiving results of performance by the task performer of one of the identified tasks; and

providing the received results to one of the task requesters that supplied the one identified task to the task exchange service.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the prior activities of the task performer include performing multiple other tasks, and wherein the determined task attributes are selected from attributes of the multiple other tasks.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined preferences are at least one of a group of preferences that includes a task requester for whom the task performer prefers to perform tasks, a time of day during which the task performer prefers to perform tasks, an amount of money which the task performer prefers to be paid to perform tasks, and a computing device that the task performer prefers to utilize to perform tasks.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of the one or more tasks for the task performer is further based at least in part on criteria previously specified by the task performer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of the one or more tasks for the task performer is further based at least in part on one or more of a group including information about other task performers that are similar to the task performer, the information reflecting prior activities of the other task performers, and attributes of the other task performers.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of the one or more tasks for the task performer is further based at least in part on the identified tasks each matching at least one of one or more identified attributes of the task performer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the identified attributes of the task performer include at least one of a group including a time period during which the one task performer performs tasks, a qualification obtained by the one task performer, a minimum price of a task the one task performer is willing to perform, an amount of time taken by the one task performer to complete tasks, and an indication of an average quality of tasks performed by the one task performer.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the identified attributes of the task performer include at least one of a group including an indication of a location of a mobile device operated by the one task performer, an indication of display characteristics of the mobile device, and an indication of networking capabilities of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the prior activities of the task performer include obtaining one or more qualifications that each reflects an ability of the task performer to perform tasks.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the prior activities of the task performer include declining to perform one or more available tasks.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the prior activities of the task performer include searching for one or more available tasks by providing indications of one or more task attributes of the one or more available tasks.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the prior activities of the task performer include providing information reflecting an opinion of the task performer regarding a task requester, a task, or a qualification.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the prior activities of the task performer include interacting with one or more marketplaces to acquire one or more items.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined one or more attributes of tasks for the task performer include at least one of a group including a keyword associated with a task, a price of a task, a qualification associated with a task, a task requester that submitted a task for performance, a category for a task, a type of a task, a time of day at which a task is made available for performance, and a time period for performance of a task.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of the one or more attributes of tasks that are appropriate for the task performer is not performed until the obtained information about the prior activities of the task performer exceeds a predetermined threshold amount of information.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing of the one or more indications of the identified tasks to the task performer is performed in exchange for payment from the task performer or from at least one of the task requesters that supplied the identified tasks.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored contents that configure a computing device to:

obtain, by the configured computing device, information about a task performer reflecting prior activities of the task performer that include previously performing tasks supplied by task requesters;

receive, by the configured computing device, indications of one or more available tasks supplied by one or more task requesters distinct from the task performer;

identify, by the configured computing device, at least one of the available tasks as being preferred for the task performer based at least in part on an analysis of the obtained information about the task performer and on information about the identified tasks, wherein the analysis of the obtained information about the task performer includes identifying attributes of tasks preferred by the task performer based at least in part on common attributes of at least some of the previously performed tasks; and

provide one or more indications to the task performer of the at least one identified tasks to enable the task performer to elect to perform the at least one identified task.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the analysis of the obtained information includes identifying similarities of the task performer to one or more other task performers, identifying attributes of tasks that are appropriate for those other task performers, and selecting available tasks that have at least some of the identified attributes.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the configured computing device is operated on behalf of a task exchange service, and wherein the identifying of the at least one available tasks as being preferred is further based at least in part on enhancing one or more of a group that includes throughput of tasks performed via the task exchange service, profit generated by the task exchange service, and average quality of performance of tasks via the task exchange service.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the identifying of the at least one available task as being preferred is further based at least in part on one or more preferences of a task requester from a group of preferences that includes having tasks performed by one or more identified task performers, having tasks performed at an identified level of quality, and having tasks performed within an identified time period.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the configured computing device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 wherein the stored contents include instructions that, when executed, program the configured computing device to perform the obtaining of the information, the receiving of the indications, the identifying of the at least one available tasks, and the providing of the one or more indications.

28. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more modules that are configured to, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors;

obtain information about a task performer that includes information about prior activities of the task performer;

receive information about one or more available tasks supplied by one or more task requesters distinct from the task performer;

identify at least one of the available tasks as being preferred for the task performer based at least in part on an analysis of the obtained information about the task performer and on information about the identified tasks, wherein the identifying of the at least one available task is further based at least in part on one or more determined preferences of the task performer that are inferred using the obtained information about the prior activities of the task performer; and

provide one or more indications to the task performer of the at least one identified task to enable the task performer to elect whether to perform the at least one identified task.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the one or more modules are part of a task exchange service, and wherein the task performer and the one or more task requesters are registered users of the task exchange service.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the obtained information about the task performer reflects prior activities of the task performer that include previously performing tasks supplied by task requesters to the task exchange service, and wherein the analysis of the obtained information about the task performer includes identifying attributes of tasks preferred by the task performer based at least in part on attributes that are common to at least some of the previously performed tasks.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the analysis of the obtained information includes identifying similarities of the task performer to one or more other task performers that perform tasks supplied to the task exchange service, identifying attributes of tasks performed by those other task performers, and selecting available tasks supplied to the task exchange service that have at least some of the identified attributes.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the identifying of the at least one available task as being preferred is further performed by the task exchange service to increase throughput of tasks performed via the task exchange service or to increase average quality of performance of tasks via the task exchange service.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the identifying of the at least one available task as being preferred is further performed by the task exchange service based at least in part on one or more indications from one or more task requesters that supplied the at least one available task to the task exchange service, the one or more indications being to have tasks performed by one or more identified users of the task exchange service that include the task performer.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein the identifying of the at least one available task as being preferred is further performed by the task exchange service based at least in part on one or more indications from one or more task requesters that supplied the at least one available task to the task exchange service, the one or more indications being to have tasks performed at an identified level of quality.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the identifying of the at least one available task as being preferred is further performed by the task exchange service based at least in part on one or more indications from one or more task requesters that supplied the at least one available task to the task exchange service, the one or more indications being to have tasks performed within an identified time period.

36. The system of claim 28 wherein the obtained information about the task performer includes information about prior activities of the task performer, wherein the one or more modules are further configured to determine one or more attributes of tasks that are appropriate for the task performer based at least in part on the prior activities of the task performer, and wherein the identifying of the at least one available task as being preferred for the task performer is based at least in part on the identified at least one tasks each having at least one of the determined attributes.

37. The system of claim 28 wherein the providing of the one or more indications to the task performer of the at least one identified task includes providing a Web page to the task performer that is personalized to the task performer and has an area for recommended tasks in which information about the at least one identified task is included.

38. The system of claim 28 wherein the providing of the one or more indications to the task performer of the at least one identified task includes indicating a degree of relevance to the task performer of each of the at least one identified tasks.

39. The system of claim 28 wherein the one or more modules are further configured to:

after the providing of the one or more indications to the task performer of the at least one identified task, receive an indication that the task performer has elected to perform the at least one identified task;

in response to the indication that the task performer has elected to perform the at least one identified task, assign the at least one identified task to the task performer to be performed;

receive results of performance by the task performer of the at least one identified task; and

provide the received results to one of the task requesters that supplied the at least one identified task for performance.

40. The system of claim 28 wherein the determined preferences include multiple of a task requester for whom the task performer prefers to perform tasks, a time of day during which the task performer prefers to perform tasks, an amount of money which the task performer prefers to be paid to perform tasks, and a computing device that the task performer prefers to utilize to perform tasks.

41. The system of claim 28 wherein the obtained information about the task performer includes criteria previously specified by the task performer, and wherein the identifying of the at least one identified task for the task performer is based at least in part on the previously specified criteria.

42. The system of claim 28 wherein the obtained information about the task performer includes information about a mobile device used by the task performer, the information about the mobile device including one or more of a location of the mobile device, display characteristics of the mobile device, and networking capabilities of the mobile device, and wherein the identifying of the at least one identified task for the task performer is based at least in part on the information about the mobile device.