22141 results about "Personalization" patented technology

An on-line scheduling application allows users to personalize how television-related, entertainment-related, and social event related information is provided. Users may select one or more sources from which the information is obtained. Users may set up a date book that is also used as a source. Users may select one or more delivery schemes that the application uses to provide the information. One or more of the personalization features of the scheduling application may be incorporated into an on-line television programming guide.

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.

A method for enabling users to exchange group electronic mail by establishing individual profiles and criteria, for determining personalized subsets within a group. Users establish subscriptions to an electronic mailing list by specifying user profile data and acceptance criteria data to screen other users. When a user subscribes, a web server establishes and stores an individualized recipient list including each matching subscriber and their degree of one-way or mutual match with the user. When the user then sends a message to the mailing list, an email server retrieves 100% her matches and then optionally filters her recipient list down to a message distribution list using each recipient's message criteria. The message is then distributed to matching users. Additionally, email archives and information contributions from users are stored in a database. A web server creates an individualized set of web pages for a user from the database, containing contributions only from users in his recipient list. In other embodiments, users apply one-way or mutual criteria matching and message profile criteria to other group forums, such as web-based discussion boards, chat, online clubs, USENET newsgroups, voicemail, instant messaging, web browsing side channel communities, and online gaming rendezvous.

A personalized content system enables a user with a communications device to convert and/or passively receive pre-selected content from multiple resources. A communications device has hardware and software to provide input and transmission to convert content from any form of media. The converted content is created by retrieving a digital copy of a digital record associated with it, and processing the digital copy for at least a web-based personalized application. Conversion is based on input of a code such as a telephone number, server program address, and a set of and/or range of characters. The transmission is communicated to at least one server that recognizes the code, the originating telephone number associated with the communications device, the device identifier associated with the communications device, and combinations thereof. The server retrieves a digital record and processes content and outputs based on user input, a user and/or program profile, and combinations thereof.

A pocket-size RFID reader apparatus having a contactless interface and a slot for insertion of a contactless smart card fob, and having a biometric sensor, thereby providing two levels of personalization. The apparatus may have a wireless interface; and a slot for insertion of a wireless SD I/O device. The apparatus may have a slot for insertion of an external memory device. The apparatus may have a mechanical connection (contact) interface. The apparatus may also have an RF interface for reading an electronic immobilizer within the apparatus.

A method and apparatus for providing personalized information content over telephones is described. The creation of a voice portal is supported by the invention. Embodiments of the invention use telephone identifying information such as the calling party's number to identify, or create, user profiles for customization. The personalized content is specific to that user based on her/his telephone identifying information and may be further customized based on the current time, current date, the calling party's locales, and/or the calling party's dialect and speech patterns. Also, the telephone identifying information may support targeted advertising, content, and purchasing recommendations specific to that user. The system may use a voice password and/or touch-tone login system when appropriate to distinguish the caller or verify the caller's identity for specific activities. Typically, embodiments of the invention will immediately present a caller personalized content based on her/his profile using the appropriate dialect as well as the caller's preferred content. Profiles can be constructed as the caller uses embodiments of the invention as well as through explicit designation of preferences. For example, as the user selects topics, as well as particular content, a record of actions can be maintained. This record of actions can be used to provide suggestions and direct the personalization of the system for the user.

A comprehensive system effectuates global electronic commerce on the Internet across frontiers of nations, cultures, and languages. Referral Websites serving various locales offer Buyers the opportunity to view products for purchase. A Buyer selects categories of products for viewing by using drop-down menus that organize products into a clear taxonomy that can be expressed across all languages. Having selected a category of products for viewing, a Buyer receives, from a multi-version relational database, a version of marketing information about each product. The version is one automatically sent from the database to match the Buyer's language, culture, and nationality, as deduced from the use of a particular Referral Website. A shopping cart allows Buyers to select a product for purchase in an interactive way that encourages completion of the purchase. Products can be offered with custom options and in wholesale quantities. Personalized Web pages allow comprehensive customer service after a sale.

An energy distribution may include a server and one or more databases. The system may communicate with an energy provider to receive energy provider data, at least one information collector to receive information collector data such as individualized energy usage data, customer preferences, and customer or location characteristics, and the one or more databases for receiving data for optimization. The system may calculate a cost of service or avoided cost using at least one of the individualized energy usage data and a system generation cost at a nearest bus. The system may also forecast individualized demand by end-use, individualized demand by location, energy prices, or energy costs. The system may optimize energy distribution, energy use, cost of service, or avoided cost using the forecasted individualized demand by end-use, the forecasted individualized demand by location, the forecasted energy prices, and the forecasted energy costs.

A smart electronic receipt system that provides intelligent receipts, called Smart Receipts, that electronically document a transaction between two parties and maintains a persistent connection between the two parties following a successful online transaction. A Trusted Agent on the Buyer's client system creates an order record which is stored in a database on a Trusted Agent Server and starts the transaction process with the merchant. A Smart Receipt is delivered by a Smart Receipt Agent over a secure connection from the merchant to the Trusted Agent Server upon successful completion of a purchase and reflects the details of the transaction. It is stored in a secure database on the Trusted Agent Server and is made available to the Buyer (user) through a Trusted Agent located on his machine. The Trusted Agent Server compares the order record Limited Edition Digital Objects (LEDOs) stored in database with the Smart Receipt's LEDO to find the corresponding order record. The Smart Receipt provides the customer with detailed information about an online purchase in a standardized format. Hyperlinks embedded in the Smart Receipt enable the customer to access customer service and order status. The merchant may also embed addition-al services within the Smart Receipt, including special offers for future purchases. Offers provided in a Smart Receipt can be personalized to a user's preferences which are stored on the Trusted Agent Server. Each Smart Receipt is comprised of a chain of LEDOs with each LEDO object having a unique owner. A Smart Receipt is a dynamic entity and is continuously updated until the Buyer deletes it from the Trusted Agent Server.

This invention relates to a system and method for interactive, adaptive, and individualized computer-assisted instruction. This invention includes an agent for each student which adapts to its student and provides individualized guidance to the student and controls to the augmented computer-assisted instructional materials. The instructional materials of this invention are augmented to communicate the student's performance and the material's pedagogical characteristics to the agent and to receive control from the agent. Preferably, the content of the communication between the agent and the materials conforms to specified interface standards so that the agent acts independently of the content of the particular materials. Also preferably, the agent can project using various I/O modalities integrated, engaging, life-like display persona(e) appropriate to the preferences of its student and appear as a virtual tutor to the student. Finally, preferably this invention is implemented on computers interconnected by a network so that instruction can be delivered to geographically distributed students from geographically distributed servers. An important application of this invention is delivering interactive, adaptive, and individualized homework to students in their homes and other locations.

A system and method is described for instantly connecting and matching people and business entities with reciprocal interests in the location of their presence in real-time. Portable communication devices using wireless communication are used for transmitting data between users with reciprocal interests connected through a peer-to-peer network or in a client-server environment. Telephone users utilize an Interactive Voice Response system to communicate with other users of reciprocal interest. A matching algorithm running in a remote computer connected to the devices through network makes an initial assessment about the likelihood of a match, and then with the permission of the requester and the respondent, sets up communication sessions.

A personal Web view is created that includes a plurality of Web clippings. Each Web clipping contains information from a user-selected Web page, which can be essentially any Web page that is accessible on any Web server. In creating the page, the user loads a personalization applet into his browser and retrieves each Web page of interest. The applet then generates an access script for automatically accessing that Web page and the user specifies the attributes of the Web clipping derived from that Web page. A specification of the Web view is then stored in a file. When the Web view specification is later replayed, the Web page for each Web clipping is retrieved and the specified information is extracted. The plural Web clippings are then displayed in a browser in accordance with the specified layout.

The present invention provides methods, techniques, materials and devices and uses thereof for custom-fitting biocompatible implants, prosthetics and interventional tools for use on medical and veterinary applications. The devices produced according to the invention are created using additive manufacturing techniques based on a computer generated model such that every prosthesis or interventional device is personalized for the user having the appropriate metallic alloy composition and virtual validation of functional design for each use.

A system and method for limiting access to and preventing unauthorized use of an owner's digital content stored in an information network and available to clients under authorized conditions. The network includes at least one server coupled to a storage device for storing the limited access digital content encrypted using a random-generated key, known as a Document Encryption Key (DEK). The DEK is further encrypted with the server's public key, using a public/private key pair algorithm and placed in a digital container stored in a storage device and including as a part of the meta-information which is in the container. The client's workstation is coupled to the server for acquiring the limited access digital content under the authorized condition. A Trusted Information Handler (TIH) is validated by the server after the handler provides a data signature and type of signing algorithm to transaction data descriptive of the purchase agreement between the client and the owner. After the handler has authenticated, the server decrypts the encrypted DEK with its private key and re-encrypts the DEK with the handler's public key ensuring that only the information handler can process the information. The encrypted DEK is further encrypted with the client's public key personalizing the digital content to the client. The client's program decrypts the DEK with his private key and passes it along with the encrypted content to the handler which decrypts the DEK with his private key and proceeds to decrypt the content for displaying to the client.

Systems and methods for energy optimization may receive receiving energy provider data, near-real time individualized energy usage data for each of a plurality of end-uses or near-real time individualized whole premise energy usage data, customer preferences, and near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may forecast, for a selected time period, individualized energy usage for each of the plurality of end-uses or individualized whole premise energy usage data for a customer location using: (1) the energy provider data, (2) the near-real time individualized energy usage data, (3) the customer preferences, and (4) the near-real time and forecasted weather information. The systems and methods may optimize, for the selected time period, energy usage at the customer location using (1) the individualized energy usage, (2) the energy provider data, and (3) the customer preferences.

A system and method are provided for receiving speech and/or non-speech communications of natural language questions and/or commands and executing the questions and/or commands. The invention provides a conversational human-machine interface that includes a conversational speech analyzer, a general cognitive model, an environmental model, and a personalized cognitive model to determine context, domain knowledge, and invoke prior information to interpret a spoken utterance or a received non-spoken message. The system and method creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context of the speech or non-speech communication and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command.