Personalized interactive network architecture

Abstract

A system for personalizing interaction between a user communicating over at least one communication channel and a provider of information / products / services, the user having a communication device for communication over the channel with the provider, the system comprising a channel interface for interfacing with the channel, an information / product / service interface for interfacing with an information / product / service provider; and a knowledge management system coupled to the channel and information / product / service interface, the knowledge management system comprising a knowledge management repository storing information concerning the user, the information obtained from interaction with the user over the channel including current interactions between the user and the knowledge management system, and further storing information concerning a plurality of information / products / services to offer to the user, and a personalization engine for making a decision as to which of the plurality of information / product / services to present to the user over the communication channel based on the stored information in the knowledge management repository.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 564,783, filed May 4, 2000, which in turn claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference the subject matter of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 165,739, filed Nov. 15, 1999. Both U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 564,783 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 165,739 are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a system for personalized interaction over a communications channel between a user and a provider of information / services / goods. In particular, the present invention allows for personalized interactivity between an Internet web site user and the web site provider of information / services / goods. For example, the present invention allows a provider of services, for example, a provider of financial services such as a bank, to interact personally through a customer...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007] The present invention provides a single, integral system that allows all channels to utilize the system, thus centralizing knowledge and creating a unique customer interaction experience.

[0008] Further, the present invention meets a need to integrate within an information / product / service provider, the various departments of the information / product / service provider so that the various information / product / service providers within a single company, for example, or even amongst groups of companies, can provide a plurality of information / services / products to the customer using an integrated or “cross channel” approach. For example, taking the example of a financial service provider, the present invention allows information concerning an ATM user having a high savings balance to be known to an investment department of the financial service provider so that the financial service provider can provide investment opportunities to that customer. Taking another example, a financial service customer having a high savings balance may be offered information concerning real estate mortgage offerings or loans on the rationale that a customer with a high balance may be saving funds to purchase and / or finance a home. In this way, the system of the invention allows collaboration and cross-fertilization (cross-application) across different channels of an information / service / product provider.

[0009] Presently, in many institutions that provide multiple services / products / information, one department providing a particular service / product / information may be totally unaware of prospects known to another department specializing in a different area of that same company or of knowledge that a customer exists in other relationships. The present invention, through an integrated system, will allow the company to be more responsive to the customer's various needs. In effect, the present invention has the effect of ending what is often called the “silo” mentality, i.e., the compartmentalizing of branches or departments in a company so that one branch or department is unaware of prospects / customers from another branch or department. A customer or user is defined as anyone who uses the system. The present invention aims to achieve the above objects by integrating various channels through which customers communicate with the information / service / product provider. The various channels may include the Internet, but also other channels such as phone lines, automatic teller machines, branch offices, bank cards, e-mail, direct mail and most other channels of communication. Further, the system of the invention allows use of multiple channels, e.g., a user may initiate communication using an ATM, but receive a response over the internet or fax or by phone or e-mail. The system allows the customer and provider to interact and allows customer to customer interaction or user to user interaction within a product / service information provider.

[0016] Further, the system of the invention can be used with any interactive communication channel and further is applicable to a wide variety of goods / products / services / information including, without limitation, financial products / services, legal products / services, entertainment products / services, government products / services, personal products / services, corporate products / services, consumer / individual products / services and information in general. For example, with respect to financial institutions, information such as payment information, statements, documents and files can be stored. Personalized offerings can be provided to the customer in such areas as archives for legal requirements, product fulfillment and customer service. For law firms, document storage can be provided and the interaction personalized. For example, archives for legal requirements or data mining of intellectual property are some examples of personalized offerings which can be provided by the system of the invention. With respect to entertainment companies, media such as music and video libraries may be stored. Personalized offerings such as customer sales / global order fulfillment and video and audio screening may be provided. For governmental agencies, forms, deeds, statements and other documents and files etc. may be stored and personalized offerings may be provided with respect to these, for example, personalized data views can be provided. The system of the invention provides convenience, security and efficiency. With respect to personal services and markets, examples of media stored include PC backup, documents, music and video data, which can be used for internal use, customer service or order fulfillment, for example. Corporations can use the invention for documents / file storage, trade materials and / or vault services, for example. These can be used for internal use work flow improvement or order fulfillment.

Problems solved by technology

There are some limited forms of personalized interactive systems presently in operation, in particular, over the Internet.

However, these systems are limited in scope, and basically only use what is known as collaborative filtering to infer either what should be offered next or to make recommendations to the user.

Although offering the ability to be implemented over different networks, not just the internet, this system offers limited ability to customize the interaction between the customer and the provider of goods / services so that each customer interacts in a unique way with the provider based on the customer's preference, characteristics, lifestyle, etc.

However, the system is not capable of making knowledge driven decisions about a customer to personalize the interaction with the provider so that it takes into account more in tangible customer characteristics such as preferences, lifestyles, and such customer characteristics as, for example, preferred tone of voice of interaction, decisions about user interests and hobbies, etc., that may be important to making an electronic interaction more “human” or personal.

This system, however, id directed to an Internet only based system and is not applicable to a system which is adaptable to multiple channels and points of contact.

Further, the system of the AOL patent does not allow for personalization in real time, i.e., using current interactions with the user.

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