472 results about "Personal details" patented technology

A method of enabling anonymous Internet users to publish and manage extensive, non-identifying personal data, including demographic, psychographic, needs, wants, interests, propensities, means to purchase, credibility and other data which in turn, enables a marketplace wherein such users, advertisers, websites, and other third-parties can mutually benefit from the commercial exploitation of such data. Advertisers can directly use the data to segregate the users into highly differentiated anonymous audiences for the purposes of targeting them with individualized marketing campaigns and then monitor user responses in near real-time. Websites can individualize their content to the profiles of visiting users. Users can share surface and deep web links with other users having similar profiles. Consumers participating in good faith are proportionately rewarded via revenue sharing, which they may withdraw from the marketplace or use to purchase and rent digital content offered in the marketplace's micropayment-enabled storefronts by other users and third-party content providers.

An improved human user computer interface system, wherein a user characteristic or set of characteristics, such as demographic profile or societal “role”, is employed to define a scope or domain of operation. The operation itself may be a database search, to interactively define a taxonomic context for the operation, a business negotiation, or other activity. After retrieval of results, a scoring or ranking may be applied according to user define criteria, which are, for example, commensurate with the relevance to the context, but may be, for example, by date, source, or other secondary criteria. A user profile is preferably stored in a computer accessible form, and may be used to provide a history of use, persistent customization, collaborative filtering and demographic information for the user. Advantageously, user privacy and anonymity is maintained by physical and algorithmic controls over access to the personal profiles, and releasing only aggregate data without personally identifying information or of small groups.

A method and system for providing, personalized and integrated online services for communications and commercial transactions both in private and public venues. The invention provides personalized information that is conveniently accessible through a network of public access stations (or terminals) which are enabled by a personal system access card (e.g., smart card). The invention also provides advertisers the opportunity to directly engage action; and potential user-consumers with selected advertising or marketing content based on each user's profile and usage history.

User profile information for a user may be determined by (a) determining initial user profile information for the user, (b) inferring user profile information for the user, and (c) determining the user profile information for the user using both the initial user profile information and the inferred user profile information. Initial user profile information for the user may be determined using past search queries submitted by the user, and / or past document selections by the user. User profile information for the user may be inferred by (a) defining a node for each of a number of documents and the user, (b) adding edges between nodes if there is an association between the nodes to define a graph, and (c) inferring user profile information for the user using a topology of the graph and user profile information of other documents. Similarly, user profile information for a document may be determined by (a) determining initial user profile information for the document, (b) inferring user profile information for the document, and (c) determining the user profile information for the document using both the initial user profile information and the inferred user profile information. The initial user profile information for the document may be determined using content information from the document, and / or document meta information. User profile information for the document may be inferred by (a) defining a node for each of a number of documents and for each of a number of users, (b) adding edges between nodes if there is an association between the nodes to define a graph, and (c) inferring user profile information for the document using a topology of the graph and user profile information of users and of other documents. Document, user, and / or ad user profile information may be used when serving ads.

Methods and apparatus for providing synchronous playback of the same piece of time-based media on multiple devices connected over heterogenous channels consisting of varying degrees of delay. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a handheld music player that uses a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth communications link to enable users to share music with similar nearby players and to synchronously play back the same music different players simultaneously. Users of all players tuned into one source hear the same thing at the same time, enabling the feeling of a shared music experience. Users can also use their players to exchange profile information and text messages.

Described is a system and method for receiving personal profile data from a plurality of participants, wherein each participant is a member of a virtual community. Generating a participant profile for each of the participants as a function of the personal profile data corresponding to each participant, rating each participant as a function of an activity level within the virtual community and providing additional features to participants achieving a pre-determined rating.

A targeted in-game advertising system is provided where advertising content may be delivered to a video game network environment. Advertisements may be delivered through the tagging of advertising assets in the video game environment according to one or more characteristics including user geographical location, personal preferences, a personal profile, video game preferences or video game genre. Methodologies for tracking advertising impressions are also provided based on monitoring the video game environment to determine the quality of impression to which the user is exposed in the video game environment.

A system and methods for shipping a package (12) from a package sender (16) to an intended recipient (18), utilizing Internet communications (30) to place shipping orders, request on demand package pickup, maintain and utilize prestored profile information, view shipping history, track orders, etc. A package sender (16) with an Internet-accessible computer (20) accesses an Internet site and associated shipping system (10) operated by a shipping service provider (14). The package sender (16) enters information required for shipping the package (12), including shipping options and methods for payment. The options and payment for the shipment transaction are validated. If the transaction is validated, printer indicia are communicated to the customer's computer (20), which is enabled to locally print a prepaid label (25) containing special machine-readable (876) as well as human-readable indicia (904). The shipping service provider (14) acquires the package by drop-off, standard pickup or on call pickup, scans the machine readable indicia, verifies other indicia of authenticity, and processes the package (12) in accordance with information encoded on the label.

The invention relates to a system configured to enable a user to track how his or her personal data is being used, and to control its collection, storage, and / or use, and delete certain personal data across information providers. A user may establish criteria regarding such collection, use, and storage of personal data generated by a security system device, capture the personal data at a control gateway before it is provided to an information provider; and applying the criteria to the personal data. The invention also relates to a system to present additional information to the user that is relevant to both the user and at least one marketing partner (such as targeted advertising); and to provide data to enable at least one marketing partner to provide value (a “reward”) to the user in exchange for the user allowing an information provider to collect and use personal data of the user.

A method of generating a personalized sound system hearing profile for a user. The method begins by selecting an initial profile, based on selected factors of user input. In an embodiment, the initial profile is selected based on demographic factors. Then the system identifies one or more alternate profiles, each having a selected relationship with the initial profile. The relationship between alternate profiles and the initial profile can be based on gain as a function of frequency, one alternate profile having a higher sensitivity at given frequencies and the other a lower sensitivity. The next step links at least one audio sample with the initial and alternate profiles and then plays the selected samples for the user. The system then receives identification of the preferred sample from the user; and selects a final profile based on the user's preference. An embodiment offers multiple sound samples in different modes, resulting in the selection of multiple final profiles for the different modes. Finally, the system may apply the final profile to the sound system.

A system and method for facilitating an online collaborative community for individuals to meet each other with the assistance of third party intermediaries or matchmakers. The system provides the intermediaries with a variety of features to participate and collaborate in the process of identifying potentially compatible individuals and arranging for the introduction of those individuals. For example, the intermediaries can provide profile information about individual participants, search for potentially compatible individuals for others, or introduce individuals to each other. The introductions can be of individuals who are already participating or who are subsequently invited to participate. Introductions may also be anonymous. Other features include a rating or ranking of intermediaries based on the quality of their introductions, a polling feature whereby users are asked to vote on potential matches for certain participants, and a real time event feature whereby participants may chat, research information on other participants, and identify potential participants for introduction. Still other features of the system are described herein.

Computer program products, methods, and systems for facilitating a computerized social network are provided. The invention includes a user profile database having a plurality of personal profiles, each corresponding to a user in the social network. Each personal profile includes an identity of at least one user of the network other than the user represented by the personal profile. Each respective personal profile includes a capability of organizing each of the at least one users into one or more groups associated with the user corresponding to the respective personal profile. A friend access routine includes instructions for receiving a request from a first user to access users in the personal profile of a second user. The friend access routine determines which of the users in the personal profile of the second user can be accessed by the first user.

Consent management between a client and a network server. In response to a request for consent, a central server determines if requested user information is included in a user profile associated with a user and if the user has granted consent to share the requested user information. A user interface is provided to the user via a browser of the client to collect the requested user information that is not included in the user profile and the consent to share the requested user information from the user. After receiving the user information provided by the user via the user interface, the service provided by the network server is allowed access to the received user information, and the central server updates the user profile. Other aspects of the invention are directed to computer-readable media for use with profile and consent accrual.

A method and system for interactively and progressively processing and determining customer satisfaction from data gathered within an online community comprises of a group of participants connected via a computer network such as the Internet. A customer satisfaction and experience processing system comprises a participant or user interface (“front interface”), a database, a search engine, a customer satisfaction processing algorithm, an intelligent optimizer, and an optional report generator. The front interface is accessible via the network, thereby allowing any participant to interactively share experiences with respct to listed items (i.e., products or services). The database stores identification information and data pertaining to the participants' satisfaction and experiences with particular items. The algorithm processes the input data and produces ranking scores for individual items. The intelligent optimizer analyzes a participant's individual profile to predict and / or recommend one or more of the items from those offered by many different providers, which are the items most likely to provide the participant with the highest level of satisfaction and the best customer experience. The report generator conducts marketing analysis and produces electronic reports for customers and item providers. The search engine permits retrieval of data from the database upon participants' input queries.

A service terminal facility is provided at a public access location, for example in a hotel, hospital or airport, the service terminal facility available for providing electronic information services to users, in response to input of a portable data storage medium, for example a smart card or the like. A smart card contains stored data describing user specified information such as contacts names, personal details and medical information and personal interest information. The service terminal comprises a search engine for searching the user data and comparing data types within the user data with general data stored locally at the service terminal. The service terminal selects data corresponding to data types specified in the user data and displays these on the graphical user interface at the service terminal, or at a user interface connected with the service terminal. The user data may specify one or more data sources or service providers from which electronic data services of interest to the user can be obtained. The service terminal may obtain listings of data from remote data sources and / or service providers and display these on the graphical user interface and / or user interface. The user may instruct downloading of electronic data or electronic information services from remote data sources or service providers from the service terminal for delivery to the graphical user interface or the user interface.

An online social network is provided in which members of the online social network control who may view their personal information and who may communicate with them. The members control who may view their personal information by setting a visibility preference. A member may not view another member's full personal profile if the measure of relatedness between the two is greater than the visibility preference of the other member. The members also control who may communicate with them by setting a contactability preference. A member may not communicate with another member if the measure of relatedness between the two is greater than the contactability preference of the other member.

A method for creating a personal profile of a user for searching a database comprises the following steps: (a) words or words linked to graphical elements are presented as choices to a user in a display; (b) each word is associated with other keywords or default words; (c) if a profile of the user has previously been established, the profile is referenced for previous added keywords or associative words; (d) search phrases are made from selected keywords or associative words added to the profile; (e) the search phrases are sent as search queries to search for objects in the database; (f) the objects returned from the search are presented to the user as a new display of choices; (g) when a user selects an object, the words that were used to search for that object are added to the user's profile, or reinforced if already present; and the steps (d) to (g) above are repeated iteratively. The user profiling method is preferably employed with a standard browser while the user visits websites or portals on the Internet which are structured with site word maps to implement the keyword references. The user profile can then be used to identify the user's preferences for items of interest on websites visited by the user.

A system and method is provided to provide information services to a plurality of mobile clients where the mobile clients can be any networked device including cell-phones, PDAs and other wireless devices. The system utilizes available communications protocols to submit requests and receive responses that can be information services and mobile content, such as ring tones and wallpaper. The system permits a user to conduct unstructured searches and to use hierarchical navigation systems for generating content-specific structured search queries and datasets. Searches can be based on a prior history of searches, geographical location, stated preferences and profile information associated with the user.

A method of managing online communities within an online community management system can include declaratively specifying a taxonomy of online community types, declaratively specifying a plurality of roles for members of online communities, and declaratively specifying a security policy that associates permissions with roles and online community types. A plurality of online community profiles can be maintained. Each online community profile can represent an online community, specify an online community type from the taxonomy, and specify a list of members of that online community as well as an associated role for each member. Access can be provided to a selected online community according to the online community type of the selected online community, a role within the selected online community that is associated with a user attempting to access the selected online community, and the security policy.

A system and method for dynamically creating individualized, multi-media messages and to deliver the messages to specific target groups or individual viewers. A message, story, or advertisement is assembled on demand, based upon rules applied to each viewer's profile and a library of media segments. The framework for the final personalized message is a story or message template designed for a campaign. A set of viewer profiles is assembled from designated databases for each of the targeted entities. A collection of media segments is also created or selected and then made available to produce the final personalized message at assembly time. Specific media segments are selected and merged according to the message template and information about the viewer derived from each viewer's profile. The information from the viewer profile is interpreted by a rule system to determine which of several potential media segments to select for use in the personalized message. The merged composite is then encoded to match the distribution media and forwarded to the viewer.

In the present invention, electronic advertisements are transformed from objects that are shown to a passive audience of readers (or other content users, such as listeners and viewers) into objects that are subject to a high degree of control by each reader. Readers can omit individual ads or an entire block or group of ads, with each omitted ad being replaced automatically to meet the publisher's need for ad revenue and the reader's desire for ad-supported content. Readers can edit an ad's media type and layout, choose which fields or ad components are displayed, and control the format of each field. Readers can edit their profile. Cookies may be managed by an ad network so that the reader's content and format preferences are respected across otherwise unrelated Web sites. Tracking is more precise since readers have a genuine incentive to maintain the cookie. The ad network can share novel information with publishers and advertisers to help them provide content that is interesting and relevant to readers.

Embodiments facilitate confidential and secure sharing of anonymous user profile data to improve the delivery of customized content. Embodiments of the invention provide a data appliance to an entity such as a business to convert profile data about the business's customers into anonymous identifiers. A similar data appliance is provided to a content provider in one embodiment to generate identifiers for its user profile data. Because the anonymous identifiers are generated with the same anonymization method, identical identifiers are likely generated from profile data of the same users. Therefore, the identifiers can be used to anonymously match the customers of the business to the users of the content provider. Therefore, data can be shared to improve customized content such as advertisements that the business wishes to place with the content provider without requiring the business to disclose customer data in an unencrypted form, and any non-matched data can remain confidential.

A search engine system displays the results of a multiple-category search according to levels of relevance of the categories to a user's search query. A query server receives a search query from a user and identifies, within each of multiple item categories, a set of items that satisfy the query. The sets of items are used to generate, for each of the multiple categories, a score that reflects a level significance or relevance of the category to the search. The scores may be based, for example, on the number of hits within each category relative to the total number of items in that category, the popularity levels of items that satisfy the query, a personal profile of the user, or a combination thereof. The categories are then presented to the user, together with the most relevant items within each category, in the order of highest to lowest category relevance.

The present invention provides a system and method for generating and accessing a verified individual profile on a computer network comprising a registration terminal for entering data into a plurality of profile fields in a profile for an individual, wherein the data in at least one profile field is verified by an agent using a verification method, and a profile database for storing the profile. The opt-in directory system also comprises a search utility for allowing a user to search the profile database for the profile via the network and a configuration utility for allowing the individual to edit and configure the profile via the network.

Consent management between a client and a network server. In response to a request for consent, a central server determines if requested user information is included in a user profile associated with a user and if the user has granted consent to share the requested user information. A user interface is provided to the user via a browser of the client to collect the requested user information that is not included in the user profile and the consent to share the requested user information from the user. After receiving the user information provided by the user via the user interface, the service provided by the network server is allowed access to the received user information, and the central server updates the user profile. Other aspects of the invention are directed to computer-readable media for use with profile and consent accrual.

A method and system for customer service and support integrated with social networks includes an Internet available server application where consumers and providers can create their profiles, integrate their profiles with existing social network profiles, and collaborate with each other on resolving consumer issues using a workflow engine supported with a rule engine. Consumers may be organized into consumer groups and into federations of consumer groups. Consumer issues may be voted on thereby raising the significance of an issue and / or building a provider's reputation based in part on resolved issues, issue votes, and by reviews and comments. Consumers manage their profiles. Provider profiles are predominately affected by resolved / unresolved issues or positive / negative reviews. Notifications are handled automatically based on configured workflow and rule engine and utilize internal messaging system, emails, SMS and other available social network services (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

Universal synchronization of profiles of audience members targeted for the delivery of content. A unique global identifier may be assigned to and used to manage a profiled audience member. This identifier may also be associated to an authoritative identifier and cookie information used in connection with the collection of profile data. An authoritative identifier may be received in connection with activity, and might not be accompanied by a global identifier. The authoritative identifier may then be used to identify the global identifier, which in turn may be used to identify the cookie related information of record for the profiled audience member. Comparing the cookie related information to previously retained cookie information may be used to determine that the cookie information for a particular, profiled audience member has changed, so that it can be restored.

Computer program products, methods, and systems for facilitating a computerized social network. The computer program products and systems include a user profile database and a social networking module. The user profile database comprises a plurality of personal profiles. Each respective personal profile in the plurality of personal profiles corresponds to a respective user in the computerized social network. Further, each respective personal profile in the plurality of personal profiles includes an identity of at least one user of the computerized social network other than the user represented by the respective personal profile. In addition, each respective personal profile in the plurality of personal profiles includes a capability to organize each of the at least one users into one or more groups associated with the user corresponding to the respective personal profile. The social networking module has a friend access routine that includes instructions for receiving a request from a first user to access users in the personal profile of a second user. The friend access routine further includes instructions for determining which of the users in the personal profile of the second user can be accessed by the first user.

An advertising system and method for a communication system that delivers advertisements to subscribers based on the respective subscriber data. The advertisers, through the provider of the system, have advertisements selected and delivered to the subscriber based on the subscriber data. The advertiser pays for advertisement delivery such that the provider can offer reduced rates or free communication services to the subscribers. The provider is capable through the system to update the subscriber data in real time including personal profile, purchase history, financial condition, and location. The provider through the system is capable of establishing advertisement delivery priority by evaluating the subscriber data in real time just prior to triggering advertisement delivery. The advertisement can be delivered in place of ring tones, at the end of the conversation, and while waiting for the other party to answer.