Method, system and apparatus for delivering a recommendation

• US 9,990,666 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2013
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, IJ Eric, Chan, Sammy, Tainsh, Mark Ronald, Fulton, Nicholas Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Zukanovich, Brandy A
• Application Number:
  US14/022,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 271
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

A method of delivering a recommendation is disclosed. A preference rating is received for each of a plurality of electronic devices based on a task to be recommended, each of the preference ratings defining a preference to perform the recommended task on a corresponding one of the electronic devices. A timeliness profile associated with the recommendation is received. The timeliness profile defines relevance of delivering the recommendation over a period of time. One of the electronic devices on which to deliver the recommendation at a particular point in time is selected based on a function of the preference rating of the selected electronic device and the timeliness profile associated with the recommendation at that point in time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of displaying a recommendation on a display, said method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a usage profile of an electronic device via a communication network, the usage profile comprising at least information related to a number of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time, the usage profile being determined by determining, using the electronic device, user inputs in relation to the electronic device;

accessing, by the server, an engagement profile associated with a task to be recommended, the engagement profile comprising a field indicating a number of user inputs required in order to perform the task to be recommended on the electronic device;

determining, by the server, a suitability rating for a recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device by comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile using a plurality of weighting factors, wherein comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile includes performing a first comparison and a second comparison, the first comparison performed by comparing first information included in the engagement profile with first information included in the usage profile, the second comparison performed by comparing second information included in the engagement profile with second information included in the usage profile, and wherein using a plurality of weighting factors includes using a first weighting factor for the first comparison and a second weighting factor for the second comparison, the second weighting factor different from the first weighting factor;

determining, by the server, a time for delivering the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on a device type of the electronic device; and

sending, to the electronic device, the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on the determined time for delivering the recommendation and a determination that the suitability rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the electronic device is configured to present the recommendation on the display.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the usage profile is based on a usage history of the electronic device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the usage profile is determined by identifying repeating patterns in the usage history.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the device type for the electronic device for use in the usage profile.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a time of use of the electronic device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining types of applications used during a time period.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining physical location of the electronic device during a time period.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a logical location based on a physical location of the electronic device during the time period.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the usage pattern is determined by clustering usage sessions based at least on time of the day, storing the determined clusters in the memory, and associating a session duration and an average number of user inputs detected for the determined cluster.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one record of the usage profile comprises at least one of a geographical location of the electronic device and a logical location of the electronic device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the logical location of the electronic device is determined by correlating a geographical location of the electronic device with at least one predetermined geographical location.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the engagement profile comprises a number of user gestures in relation to the electronic device required in order to perform the task to be recommended on the electronic device, expected amount of time required to complete the task, and a preferred location.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first information included in the engagement profile is the number of user inputs required in order to perform a task to be recommended on the electronic device, the first information included in the usage profile is the information related to the number of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second information included in the engagement profile is the device type, and the second information included in the usage profile is device type associated with a particular usage session.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second information included in the engagement profile is a logical location, and the second information included in the usage profile is a logical location associated with a particular usage session.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device is a recommendation to create a photobook on the electronic device.

17. An apparatus for displaying a recommendation on a display, said apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a usage profile of an electronic device via a communication network, the usage profile comprising at least information related to a number of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time, the usage profile being determined by determining, using the electronic device, user inputs in relation to the electronic device;

means for accessing an engagement profile associated with a task to be recommended, the engagement profile comprising a field indicating a number of user inputs required in order to perform the task to be recommended on the electronic device;

means for determining a suitability rating for a recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device by comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile using a plurality of weighting factors, wherein comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile includes performing a first comparison and a second comparison, the first comparison performed by comparing first information included in the engagement profile with first information included in the usage profile, the second comparison performed by comparing second information included in the engagement profile with second information included in the usage profile, and wherein using a plurality of weighting factors includes using a first weighting factor for the first comparison and a second weighting factor for the second comparison, the second weighting factor different from the first weighting factor;

means for determining a time for delivering the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on a device type of the electronic device; and

means for sending, to the electronic device, the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on the determined time for delivering the recommendation and a determination that the suitability rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the electronic device is configured to present the recommendation on the display.

18. A system for displaying a recommendation on a display, the system comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program; and

a processor coupled to the memory for executing said computer program, said computer program comprising instructions for;

receiving, by a server, a usage profile of an electronic device via a communication network, the usage profile comprising at least information related to a number of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time, the usage profile being determined by determining, using the electronic device, user inputs in relation to the electronic device;

accessing, by the server, an engagement profile associated with a task to be recommended, the engagement profile comprising a field indicating a number of user inputs required in order to perform the task to be recommended on the electronic device;

determining, by the server, a suitability rating for a recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device by comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile using a plurality of weighting factors, wherein comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile includes performing a first comparison and a second comparison, the first comparison performed by comparing first information included in the engagement profile with first information included in the usage profile, the second comparison performed by comparing second information included in the engagement profile with second information included in the usage profile, and wherein using a plurality of weighting factors includes using a first weighting factor for the first comparison and a second weighting factor for the second comparison, the second weighting factor different from the first weighting factor;

determining, by the server, a time for delivering the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on a device type of the electronic device; and

sending, to the electronic device, the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on the determined time for delivering the recommendation and a determination that the suitability rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the electronic device is configured to present the recommendation on the display.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium with a computer program stored thereon for displaying a recommendation on a display, said computer program comprising:

code for receiving, by a server, a usage profile of an electronic device via a communication network, the usage profile comprising at least information related to a number of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time, the usage profile being determined by determining, using the electronic device, user inputs in relation to the electronic device;

code for accessing, by the server, an engagement profile associated with a task to be recommended, the engagement profile comprising a field indicating a number of user inputs required in order to perform the task to be recommended on the electronic device;

code for determining, by the server, a suitability rating for a recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device by comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile using a plurality of weighting factors, wherein comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile includes performing a first comparison and a second comparison, the first comparison performed by comparing first information included in the engagement profile with first information included in the usage profile, the second comparison performed by comparing second information included in the engagement profile with second information included in the usage profile, and wherein using a plurality of weighting factors includes using a first weighting factor for the first comparison and a second weighting factor for the second comparison, the second weighting factor different from the first weighting factor;

code for determining, by the server, a time for delivering the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on a device type of the electronic device; and

code for sending, to the electronic device, the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on the determined time for delivering the recommendation and a determination that the suitability rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the electronic device is configured to present the recommendation on the display.

20. A computer-implemented method of displaying a recommendation using a display, said method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a usage profile of an electronic device via a communication network, the usage profile being stored using a usage profile data structure comprising at least information related to a plurality of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time, the usage profile being determined by detecting user inputs in relation to the electronic device, wherein the information related to the plurality of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time is updated over the communication network;

accessing, by the server, an engagement profile associated with a task to be recommended, the engagement profile comprising data indicating a plurality of user inputs in relation to the electronic device required in order to perform the task to be recommended on the electronic device;

determining, by the server, a suitability rating for a recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device by comparing the usage profile and the engagement profile stored in the memory;

determining, by the server, a time for delivering the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on a device type of the electronic device; and

sending, to the electronic device, the recommendation to perform the task on the electronic device based on the determined time for delivering the recommendation and a determination that the suitability rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the electronic device is configured to present the recommendation on the display.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein determining the suitability rating comprises comparing at least the information related to a number of user inputs in relation to the electronic device for a period of time in the usage profile with the data indicating a number of user inputs in the engagement profile.