WO2003060871A1

WO2003060871A1 - Method of personalizing electronic site display

Info

Publication number: WO2003060871A1
Application number: PCT/US2003/000809
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Lewis
Original assignee: Closingguard, Inc.
Priority date: 2002-01-10
Filing date: 2003-01-10
Publication date: 2003-07-24
Also published as: AU2003202288A1

Abstract

A method of personalizing an electronic site display selects 51) a number of variables and values for those variables, which information is input by or derived from the user, and then creates (61) database rule tables (32) containing the rules for each corresponding variable. A relational database (33) applies (71) the variables and the rules in view of the values for the variables that have been input. The information with which the personalized graphical interface is created (72) depends upon the aggregation and correlation of the input data relating to the variables and the intersection of these variables based upon the rules. Additional rules may govern the relationships between rules (62) or assign an order of precedence to each of the rules.

Description

METHOD OF PERSONALIZING ELECTRONIC SITE DISPLAY

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the personalization of web displays. More particularly, this invention relates to personalization of the graphical user interface of a remote station on a global electronic network, such as the internet, using discrete variables of information.

[0002] In order to provide more effective advertising, a company would rather present different information to each visitor or customer on its internet web site based on the preferences of each visitor or customer, instead of providing all visitors with the same Internet screens or World Wide Web pages to view. In recent years, it has become common practice among advertising companies, Internet service providers, Web site managers and others to attempt to determine the personal preferences of internet users. Such preferences, which may be stored in a data profile, may be provided directly by the Internet users themselves or may be gleaned from the Internet users' online actions. Once users' preferences have been determined, a user who has expressed or demonstrated on-line interest in a particular type of music, for example, might be presented with an advertisement for a sale of additional music of that same type. Similarly, one who has bought a detective novel might be offered a discount on a detective novel by a different author. This type of personalized advertising experience, described as "targeted merchandising," is often said to be one of the key benefits of the internet. So far, however, very few companies have been able to take advantage of this potential of the internet, mainly because the technologies for delivering it have not yet been sufficiently developed.

[0003] There already exists some degree of specifically tailoring to individual users the graphical interfaces with which the users are presented on a web site. For example, on web sites such as Yahoo or Excite, members can create a "home page" that automatically displays to those members specific information based on preferences that they have entered, such as region-specific weather forecasts, particular news categories or even recent developments relating to specific stocks or sports teams. This type of service has come to be referred to as "customization." Techniques known as "personalization," on the other hand, are based on information that companies have more discreetly gathered about consumers, such as their purchase history or the web pages they have viewed. It may be said that the difference between customization and personalization involves the use of explicit versus implicit data, such that customization means providing users with information that they have stated they want, and personalization means providing users with information it is anticipated that they will want.

[0004] One of the earliest forms of customization on the internet was done by Amazon.com, the well-known on-line purveyor of books and other items, with a "book matcher" feature. Using that feature, a customer first completed a form indicating his interests, and the system would then match that customer with books tailored to his entered interests. Many companies, such as airlines, have used the information and data that they have gathered from on-line profiles completed by customers or users to further their customization efforts. For example, the information presented or promotions offered by an airline to a customer who is in college would be very different from information presented or promotions offered to a customer who is retired or often flies business class. A business customer, for example, might be presented with information about upgrades or special services clubs, whereas a college student would be shown special offers for travel during school vacations, and such information could be targeted based on the customer's home aiφort and preferred destinations. Similarly, any company could use information provided by users to tailor the offers with which those users are presented when they visit that company's web site.

[0005] One example of a system of customization is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,012,051 to Sammon, Jr. et al. In the consumer profiling system described therein, the system generates specific customers' personal profiles preferences and requirements for products by having the customers answer a series of questions on-line. An analytical decision processor then makes product recommendations to those customers based on the profiles of their preferences.

[0006] Many companies believe, however, that a system in which a user submits a list of preferences or requirements, or even answers a series of questions on-line, requires too much effort by the user, as it is comparable to a user walking into a store and filling out a questionnaire. Companies believe that they can derive far more accurate information from a customer's on-line history of actions and transactions than they can from a profile completed by that customer. As a result, companies instead focus their efforts on building systems based on implicit data, such as a customer's navigational history and past purchases, which information is then used to provide the user with news or recommendations tailored to that user based upon the information already gathered. These services could recommend products to customers based on algorithms that take into account factors like the ratings a customer has assigned various products on the Web site and the purchasing patterns of customers with similar profiles. In this way, presentations to individual customers are "personalized."

[0007] Several U.S. patents disclose methods for personalized or targeted merchandising based upon an inferred list of a user's preferences. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,710,884 to Dedrick discusses a system and method for storing and updating electronic information in a personal profile database for an individual user based upon information regarding the user and his preferences that has been gathered by an activity monitor. In this system, the user's personal profile database is updated with additional information that has been generated by the user during each subsequent use of the computer. Then, electronic content and presentations may be customized (or personalized) to the user based upon this information.

[0008] U.S. Patent No. 6,049,777 to Sheena et al. discloses an automated referral system that recommends to users goods and services such as music, movies, restaurants, stores or Web pages based on profiles of the users' preferences and the relative similarities of the new items to be recommended to the items in the users' profiles. The user's profiles may be derived by monitoring users' actions to determine ratings of particular items for those users.

[0009] U.S. Patent No. 6,134,532 to Lazarus et al. discloses a system that sends tailored advertising, coupons, product samples and other information based on information derived by tracking observed behavior on a user-by-user basis. The system matches users to entities in a manner that improves with increased operation and observation of user behavior. Based upon a constrained self-organization learning algorithm, the system creates content vectors based upon relationships between words or symbols, creates user profile vectors based upon tracked user behavior, and selects the best matching information to provide to the user.

[0010] U.S. Patent No. 6,236,978 to Tuzhilin discloses a system that monitors and records a user's internet navigational choices to determine the user's needs and preferences for subsequent computer displays and presentations. The system generates both a static profile and a dynamic profile of a user from the information that has been determined about the user and his transactions, estimates the user's needs from that information and profile, and makes recommendations to the user based on those findings. More accurate rules can be created for each user by aggregating the dynamic profiles for various users and then transforming them into rules, from which a human expert manually selects certain rules for specific users.

[0011] In order to reduce the impact of aberrant data, some systems presently allow a user to "opt out" certain of his actions from the set of information that is used to create that user's profile in order no to skew the user's profile with selections that are aberrant for one reason or another. For example, Amazon.com allows users to exclude certain purchases from their profile so that a particular product purchased out of the normal pattern, for example, a gift for a relative that may reflect that relative's taste's rather than the user's own tastes, will not skew the user's prior pattern of purchases and interests. The system may also make some automatic assumptions, such as excluding items that are to be gift-wrapped, which are presumed to be purchased for the tastes and preferences of ones other than the users themselves.

[0012] The ability to deliver personalized services involves a complex process, generally requiring an investment in hardware and software that can cost a great deal of money. First, a company must integrate disparate sources of data, such as its product list, its customer database, a record of the pages on its Web site that those customers have viewed, and a list of purchases on its web site that those customers have made. Once that data is integrated, analysis tools are used to detect the customers' patterns of behavior. Using those patterns, marketers must set rules telling the system to give a certain treatment to a particular category of customers. Those rules, in turn, are processed by content delivery systems that are offered by companies who are responsible for sending the selected information through the Internet to the screens of the proper customers. Certain of the references discussed above, such as U.S. Patents Nos. 6,049,777 to Sheena et al. and 6,236,978 to Tuzhilin, utilize rules to generate user profiles or to manage the information presented to a user based upon the user's profile.

[0013] Few references discuss the personalization of a screen display or a graphical user interface based upon a user profile or a certain set of rules rather than just presentation of information or advertisements. U.S. Patent No. 6,014,638 to Burge et al. puφorts to disclose a system for customizing content and presentation of content for computer users that monitors and records a user's navigational choices to determine the user's needs and preferences for subsequent computer displays. This reference states that the user's shopping environment, including the opportunities presented to the shopper (content) and the appearance of the displays (presentation), is customized according to the user's preferences. However, even this reference describes a rather limited use of user data to provide a unique display to the user.

[0014] Unfortunately, all of the existing systems that attempt to personalize the presentation to a user of information or of an interface appear to use only one-dimensional relationship processing. In such systems, there are often no pre-existing relationships among different variables used for personalization, and the system itself rarely creates relationships among variables. For example, a user whose pre-completed or derived profile indicates a preference for Caribbean travel, mystery novels, a specific sports team and a particular clothing designer will be presented with information, advertisements or a graphical user interface that has specific information or specific portions of the interface adapted to each of these preferences. But because there is not necessarily an interrelationship between the variables that are used to determine the information that is presented to the user or that are user to construct the personalized interface, no attempt is made to provide the user with information or an interface that synergistically and in an interrelated fashion takes all the variables into account.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] It is an object of this invention to create a method of personalizing an electronic site display, such as a graphical user interface, that is able to find relationships between variables and criteria of various user preferences and preference categories that would not normally have relationships and to create a personalized experience for the user that synergistically takes into account all the variables and criteria of user preferences and preference categories.

[0016] This and other objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a method and system for personalizing and customizing computer users' graphical user interfaces within a global electronic network by personalizing them in accordance with the users' preferences. Messages from a remote user's computer to the system contain information about the user's selections, and messages from the system to the user's computer contain information as to how the requested information is to be presented to the user by personalizing the graphical user interface specifically for each user based upon a set of variables and a rules-based system.

[0017] The system selects a number of variables in order to reflect the many different types of information that may be entered by the many different users of the system and in order to reflect certain considerations necessary to the objective of the system. For each variable, there are many different values that may be entered by the users for those variables. The information for those fields input by the user or derived by monitoring the user's actions are the user-specific values for the variables. In certain embodiments, the system selects a number of preset values. The graphical user interface may have fields relating to demographic, behavioral and other profile information. Fields in the graphical user interface from which the display of the graphical user interface is based may be, and, in a preferred embodiment, are, hidden from the consumer.

[0018] The system creates database rule tables containing the requirements or rules for each corresponding variable, i.e., information regarding the many different types of information, or variables, that may be entered by the many different users of the system and regarding the actual information, known herein as values, that may be entered by the users for those variables. Many rules are value dependent, such that the application of each value-dependent variable rule depends upon the value that has been entered for a specific variable. Each rule may be independent of all other rules or may be dependent in some way upon one or more other rules. [0019] A relational database analyzes the variables to determine the appropriate points of integration and the integration method to be used. Because each rule impacts in some way upon the personalization of the graphical interface, each rule for which a specific user has entered a variable is compared with the others, according to the rules of each type of information and in view of the values for the variables that have been input. The final set of information with which the personalized graphical interface is created depends upon the aggregation and correlation of the sum of input data relating to the variables and the intersection of these variables based upon the rules. Because there may be conflicts between rules, the system may maintain rules that govern the relationships between rules or assign an order of precedence to each of the rules, and there may even be rules to determine the primacy of rules when their orders of precedence are identical.

[0020] The personalized graphical user interface may change dynamically depending upon new value entries and changes to previous value entries, as well as upon new and changed rules, variables and interrelationships between rules and variables. The system may also be able to learn new rules by analyzing the user's behavior, actions and transactions, and by comparing variables and values to learn new requirements, rules, habits and customs, even those that were not previously known or stored in the system database. The system may also be able to learn new variables and learn new values either for variables, and even assign rules to the new variables and new values based upon information input by the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the reference characters refer to like parts throughout and in which:

[0022] Fig. 1 shows a computer environment associated with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Fig. 2 shows a flow diagram for a first embodiment of a method for personalizing a graphical user interface generally; and

[0024] Fig. 3 shows a flow diagram for a second embodiment of a method for personalizing a graphical user interface generally.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] The present invention is a sophisticated computer method and system for personalizing and customizing computer users' graphical user interfaces with a global electronic network, such as the Internet, in accordance with the users' preferences. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system is part of a collection of different computers that are interconnected by an infrastructure, such as an electronic communications network, that provides communication among them. Using discrete variables of information, the system creates a graphical interface that is personalized for each specific user based upon a set of variables and a rules-based system.

[0026] Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a computer environment associated with the present invention. A user's computer 10 has a monitor 11 and a processing unit 12, which includes data storage, and an input device 13. Computer 10 is connected to other computing devices 20, such as merchant companies' computers, and to a system 30 through a network 15, which may include any type of electronically connected group of computers including, for instance, Internet, Intranet, Local Area Networks (LAN) or Wide Area Networks (WAN), that manages communications between user's computer 10, computing devices 20 and system 30. The connections to network 15 may be by any type of known connection, such as traditional or wireless, for example, by remote modem, Ethernet (EEEE 802.3), Token Ring (IEEE 802.5), Fiber Distributed Datalink Interface (FDDI) or Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM). Computers may be desktop, server, portable, hand-held, set-top, or any other desired type of configuration. System 30 may have a user information database 31, a rules database 32, a relational database 33, a processing unit 34 and a default rules database 35.

[0027] Computer 10 may be equipped with a worldwide web browser that allows the shopper to connect to, navigate and make purchases through network 15 via the Internet or any other electronic network. Communications between user's computer 10, network 15, other computing devices 20 and system 30 are accomplished preferably using any known method, such as an application-level protocol or interface (API), which defines conventions for sending messages between the participating entities. For example, for shoppers using a Web browser to access network 15, communications with system 30 may be accomplished using the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) of the worldwide web. The methods in which users browse the Web and the mechanisms for doing so are well known and need not be described herein.

[0028] Computer 10 connects to other computing devices 20 through network 15 and requests information. Typically, when a remote user's computer 10 requests information from network 15, messages from user's computer 10 to network 15 and to system 30 contain information about the user's selections. Network 15 communicates the user's selections to system 30 and manages the display on monitor 1 1 of information sent to the user of computer 10 so that the information may be presented to the user. Messages from system 30 to the user's computer 10 contain information as to how the requested information is to be presented to the user. Computer 10 displays on monitor 11 a graphical user interface that allows the user to view the requested information and to receive inquiries, request information and consume information by viewing, storing, printing, etc. In this invention, system 30 personalizes the graphical user interface specifically for each user based upon a set of variables and a rules-based system, as shown in the figures and as will be described below.

[0029] Figure 2 shows a flow diagram for a method for personalizing a graphical user interface generally. First, system 30 selects a number of variables (step 51) in order to reflect the many different types of information that may be entered by the many different users of the system or derived from monitoring actions of those users and in order to reflect certain considerations known by the system to be necessary to the objective of the multivariate profiling system 30. The system creates fields (52) within which these variables may be presented (53) to the user on a display 53. The graphical user interface contains fields for accepting information input, which fields correspond to the various different variables preset by system 30. For each variable, there are many different values, i.e., actual entries of information, relating to those variables that may be entered by the users or derived from monitoring the users' actions (54). The articles of information input by the user into those fields are the user-specific values for the variables. These values are stored (55) in user information database 31 , as described above. System 30 may also select a number of preset values. The precise selection and articulation of the various variables and values preferably reflects the judgment and creativity of system 30. System 30 is also able to learn (56) new values, as will be discussed below.

[0030] Variable fields may include the user's name and possibly a password. The graphical user interface may also have fields relating to "consumer variables," which refer to demographic, behavioral and other profile information. Demographic information refers to general biographical statistics of the individuals, such as age, gender, address, income and marital status. Behavioral information refers to lifestyle characteristics of the individuals, such as likes and dislikes, areas of interest, preferences and personality traits that show consumer behavioral characteristics.

[0031] All fields in the graphical user interface relating to consumer variables are hidden from the consumer. The display of the graphical user interface is based upon these fields, but the graphical user interface does not display the fields to the user, except when the user elects to edit his user profile. Thus, the monitoring of consumer actions and inaction based on these consumer variables transpires invisible to, and without interference from, the user.

[0032] System 30 also creates (61) database rule tables containing the requirements or rules for each corresponding variable, and these rules tables are stored (64) in rules database 32. In such database rule tables, system 30 stores information regarding the many different types of information, or variables, that may be entered by the many different users of the system and regarding the actual information, or values, that may be entered by the users for those variables. Many rules are value dependent, such that the application of each value-dependent variable rule depends upon the value that has been entered for a specific variable.

[0033] Next, code objects are preferably created (63) for each table, defining the supported relationship types. Logic requests, consisting of a set of variable values that are generally input by a user, are submitted to the code objects, which act as an interface to the database tables, and produce a result.

[0034] As demographic and behavioral information provided by the user (i.e., values for the preset variables) is passed to network 15, such information is stored securely (55) on user information database 31 of system 30. If desired for privacy puφoses, such information can be stored in user information database 31 anonymously, without any indication of the identity of the user, other than the user's password or some other unique identification that identifies that the user himself, rather than some other person, is using computer 10.

[0035] Relational database 33 then analyzes (71) the variables to determine the appropriate points of integration and to determine the integration method to be used. In order to prepare a personalized graphical user interface for each individual user, each rule for which a specific user has entered a variable must be compared with the others, according to the rules of each type of information and in view of the values for the variables that have been input. Each rule may be completely independent of all the other rules or may be dependent in some way upon another rule. However, each rule impacts in some way upon the personalization of the graphical interface. The final set of information with which the personalized graphical interface is created depends upon the aggregation and correlation of the sum of input data relating to the variables and the intersection of these variables based upon the rules.

[0036] The output of the system, i.e., the personalized graphical user interface, will generally, in most respects, depend upon the integration of various rules that are stored in the rules database 32 in view of the variable values that have been input by the user and stored in user information database 31. This integration can be a concatenation, a union or an intersection of variable information stored in user information database 31. Based upon the rules stored in rules database 32, relational database 33 analyzes (71) the variables and values stored in user information database 31 and determines the appropriate points of intersection and integration. The concatenation or intersection of rules or requirements occurs when one rule or requirement is layered onto others. Although one set of variables may not generally have a relationship to another set of variables, when determining the result of the personalization process, all variables and their rules must be considered. Processor 34 will then determine (72) the information that is presented (73) on the interface, in view of the integration by relational database 34 of all the information that has been previously input regarding the variables in view of the stored rules.

[0037] How system 30 determines the union or concatenation of the rules depends on the rules themselves. In one embodiment, because there may be conflicts between the various rules, the system also creates and maintains (62) rules that govern the relationships between rules, i.e., "rules of rules", in order to determine the primacy of certain rules over other rules in instances of conflict. Such instances of conflict may or may not arise, depending on the values that have been input for the variables. In another embodiment, the system assigns an order of precedence to each of the rules to determine which rules "trump" other rules based upon their orders of precedence. For example, rules could have numbers assigned to them based upon their assigned or perceived importance, and a rule with a lower of order of precedence will defeat a rule with a higher order of precedence. In this other embodiment, there may also be a table of "rules of rules" in order to determine the primacy of one rule over another rule in situations in which their orders of precedence are identical. Such "rules of rules" can even be set by a user who entered certain values for specific variables, e.g., by expressing a preference for certain type of information rather than for another type of information.

[0038] The personalized graphical user interface may change dynamically depending upon new entries of information and upon changes to previous entries of information. In other words, new or changes to previous entries of information by the user may change the way that the graphical interface is set up and presented to the user by changing the values of the variables or by changing the application of the rules as applied to those values and variables.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the system will be able to leam new rules by analyzing the users' behavior, actions and transactions, and by comparing variables and values. Based upon the users' past behavior, actions and transactions, the system will "leam" (56) new requirements, rules, habits and customs, even those that were not previously known or stored in the system database. Then, in future personalization of interfaces, such as those involving that user, the new rules will be considered and taken into account when the system develops a personalized interface. In addition, the system will be able to "learn" (56) new variables as well as new values either for preexisting variables or for the new variables, and perhaps even assign rules to these new variables and new values based upon information input by the user.

[0040] The process of the system of the current invention will now be described as it applies to specific examples. In one such specific example, the system would create a personalized graphical user interface for users of an on-lined property based transaction or any contract-based transaction that is managed through an electronic network. Another example of the present invention can be the creation of a personalized graphical interface for the operation of any business, such as a construction business. A third example concerns the creation of a personalized graphical interface for a particular user's on-line commercial transactions and general planning, such as vacation planning and travel preferences.

[0041] In a first example, a personalized graphical user interface can be created with regard to any contract-based transaction, such as a property transaction, that is to be managed through an electronic network. The graphical user interface will be an interface that is used to manage the transaction, for example, by a merchant web site, and access to the graphical user interface may be limited to participants of the transaction. Such a graphical user interface can be used to facilitate the transaction by accepting the input of relevant information, allowing the display of relevant documents and information, and accepting and processing relevant calculations and payments.

[0042] Because a transaction, in its broadest sense, can involve any type of property, can be transacted among or can involve any number of participants, and can take place in any locality, the variables are selected to reflect these factors and preferably include variables relating to the property, the documents, the location and all possible participants of the transaction. Thus, the user is preferably first presented with a screen for the entry of certain basic information regarding the transaction, including its location, the involved participants, the payment terms, etc.

[0043] As described above generally, the system maintains a database of rules for use in prioritizing the variables, and the priorities are often based upon the values for those variables that have been input by the user. For this transaction-based embodiment, the system stores a database of rules that contains information regarding the many different laws, rules or requirements, including custom or habit, concerning the many different types of information that may be required by each of the many different entities or participants who may be involved in the transaction in some way, with regard to the transaction, property, funds transfers, payments, document format and content, etc. For example, these rules can be the laws of all the possible individual localities and jurisdictions concerning certain each of the various types of transactions, participants and documents. These rules can also be the regulations or requirements of all the possible participants, professionals and authorities that are authorized to participate in such transactions, such as lending and financial institutions, including professionals and authorities in such jurisdictions, based upon the observed habits and customs of each, many of which may not even be recorded elsewhere. Oftentimes, these rules are interdependent.

[0044] Variable values are entered when a transaction is initiated, as all of the transaction and participant information is entered into the system. In one embodiment, once certain minimum information regarding the transaction and the participants has been entered, a basic graphical user interface can be created for the transaction for each user, based upon the values input, and the system can then require that additional values be input for a more specific graphical user interface.

[0045] In order to construct the graphical user interface, each rule must be compared with the others, according to the rules of each type of information and in view of the values for the variables that have been input. The content and format of the presented information, participants and documents for the transaction on the graphical user interface will depend upon the integration of the rules, requirements and customs that are stored in the database in view of all the values that have been input by the users relating to the specific location, participants and transaction involved. In this first embodiment, for example, there may be location rules, transaction rules, participant rules, document rules and privilege rules, as well as other types of rules, each of which may or may not be completely independent of all the other rules but each of which impacts in some way upon the presentation of certain information, participants, documents, types or forms of documents, or payments with respect to the particular transaction, depending upon the values that have been entered by the user.

[0046] One type of rule is a location rule, which impacts upon the information that will be presented to or requested from the user regarding the transaction, its participants, documents, etc. based upon the location of the property being transacted or where the transaction is to take place. The location, which can be identified by zip code or by neighborhood, can determine the types or identities of the participants, documents, payments or financing that are required for the transaction and that will be displayed in the graphical user interface, as a result of activation of one or more location rules. For example, for a transaction of property in a given location, the government in that locality or jurisdiction may require that certain types of information be provided, that certain types of documents or specific forms of documents be used, that certain types of participants be included in the transaction, or that certain payments be made. Thus, once a value, e.g., the zip code, for this variable, i.e., the location, is input, the rules implicated by the specific value input for this variable ensure that certain displays are presented to the user on the graphical user interface, that only certain types of participants are able to access the graphical user interface for the transaction, that certain information or payments are requested on the graphical user interface for the transaction, or that specific documents or specific forms or templates of documents are provided to the users on the graphical user interface for the transaction.

[0047] Another type of rule is a transaction rule, which is a rule that impacts upon the information that will be presented to or requested from the user on the graphical user interface based upon the type of transaction being conducted. Naturally, there are many different types of transactions, and each transaction requires different types of documents as well as different types of participants. Thus, for a certain type of transaction, the government or certain participants may require that certain types of documents or specific forms of documents be used, that certain types of participants be included in the transaction, or that certain payments be made. For example, a purchase transaction without financing requires different documents and participants than does a purchase transaction with financing or a refinance transaction, and a purchase transaction with a second mortgage requires different documents and participants than does a purchase transaction with a first mortgage. Accordingly, different materials will be displayed to or requested from the users on the graphical user interface in each instance depending upon the type of transaction.

[0048] The type of property being transacted (i.e., property rules) can also affect transaction rules, since a transaction for one type of property may have different rules and requirements than the same type of transaction for a different type of property. For example, in the real estate field, the types of properties being transacted can include business properties, industrial properties, single family dwellings, multiple family dwellings, condominiums, cooperatives, etc. There may be considered a separate category of transaction rules called property rules, which are requirements and rules that are determined by the type of property being transferred within the transaction. For example, for a certain type of transaction that concerns a particular type of property, information regarding certain types of documents or specific forms of documents, certain types of participants or certain payments may be displayed on the graphical user interface. In general, property rules can be subsumed within the transaction rules, since a rule regarding the transaction can be said to include the type of property being transacted.

[0049] Another example of the rules in this embodiment is a participant rule, which is a rule that impacts upon the information that will be presented to or requested from the user on the graphical user interface as a result of the inclusion in the transaction of a specifically named participant or any participant in a specifically identified role. Where the rule applies to a specifically named participant, the rule could, for instance, require further considerations or information because of several reported instances of fraud concerning that specific individual or institution. In such a case, the system could require that additional safeguards or precautions be taken whenever that particular individual or institution is involved in a transaction as a participant, such as that the system requires information regarding additional certifications or the presence of specific other individuals be input into the graphical user interface. The participant rule could also arise because of the specific presentations or requirements of the named participant, such as a requirement by a particular lending institution that attorneys for each party must be present, that a specific credit threshold must be met by the borrower of funds, or that additional documents are required. [0050] The participant rule could also arise because of the inclusion in the transaction of any participant in a specifically identified role. In such as case, the graphical user interface would present or request certain specific information for that participant's role. Where the participant rule applies to any participant in a specified role, the rule could be mandated by the role played by the participant, such as a rule that all participants in the role of lending institution are required to be represented by an officer bearing a specific level of title or responsibility at the lending institution. Such a rule could also restrict the display of certain information on the graphical user interface to only certain users, depending upon their roles in the transaction.

[0051] In an example of interdependence of rules, participant rales may arise as a result of another rule, such as a location rale or a transaction rale. For instance, when a particular location is the site of a specific type of property transaction, the municipality in that location may mandate that all participants in the role of a lending institution be represented by an attorney or by some specified officer of the lender. In another example, when a particular type of property is being transferred in a particular type of transaction, e.g., a cooperative dwelling is being purchased with a mortgage, then certain jurisdictions, authorities or participants may require that certain types of participants, e.g., lending institution loan officer or cooperative board member, are necessary to complete the transaction, whereas those participants may not be necessary for other types of transactions or transactions involving other types of property, e.g., single family dwelling being purchased without a mortgage. These requirements for participants or information will certainly affect the display of the graphical user interface.

[0052] A further example of the rules system is a document rule, which is a rale that impacts upon the information that will be presented to or requested from the user on the graphical user interface by determining the types and numbers of documents that are required for the transaction, the forms of those documents, how those documents are handled and the manner in which they are displayed on the graphical user interface. Because often most transaction documents are required by law or by participant requirement and custom, document rules are generally driven by other rules, such as location rules, participant rules or transaction rules, whereby certain transactions may require that specific types of documents be used, or certain jurisdictions or participants may have their own requirements or customs regarding the documents to be used, the form and content of those documents and how those documents are to be handled, depending upon the transaction involved. Accordingly, this affects the display of information on the graphic user interface.

[0053] A privilege rale may also exist in this embodiment and determines what actions each participant may take with respect to the graphical user interface. Each participant is assigned a privilege level for the transaction that determines how the participant may act and interact with respect to the graphical user interface, and these rules may also depend upon other rules, such as location rules, transaction rules, participant rules and document rules. Thus, certain participants may be authorized for only certain tasks, and those participants will be limited in the actions they may take on the graphical user interface with respect to the restricted actions. The system may also allow a participant to have one level of privilege for one use and a different level of privilege for another use. This can also impact upon the user's accessibility to certain portions of the graphical user interface, as users with higher privilege levels may access more than may users with lower privilege levels.

[0054] Some of the rales or requirements in this embodiment may be no more than written or unwritten customs or habits of professionals, authorities or participants that, while not required by law for the transaction, will yield desirable results in many circumstances. For example, certain professionals or authorities may, by internal regulation, habit or custom, have certain documents or particular forms thereof that they require or prefer to use, for whatever reason, when conducting certain types of transactions. These requirements, habits or customs may be different depending on the jurisdiction, locality or even neighborhood. For example, the requirements, habits or customs of professionals and authorities in one neighborhood or locality may be different from the requirements, habits or customs of other professionals and authorities, or even of those same professionals and authorities, in another jurisdiction, locality or neighborhood, even within the same jurisdiction.

[0055] In addition, the written or unwritten requirements, habits or customs of professionals, authorities or other participants could also depend upon the market niche being served by the transaction. For example, professionals and authorities may have a different set of requirements, habits or customs in the market of luxury single-family homes than they do in the market niche of middle priced single-family homes. Of course, the requirements, habits or customs could relate to, i.e., affect or be dependent upon, the location, the type of transaction, the documents, the participants, etc. Furthermore, certain jurisdictions or localities may have their own specific requirements or rales regarding the privileges or restrictions of certain participants, such as those that mandate that certain participants be restricted from handling certain tasks. Thus, these requirements impact upon the system's privilege rales as much as any other rule outlined above.

[0056] One example of a requirement that is such a custom or habit is a document that is known by those participants in the relevant field and in the relevant jurisdiction to expedite matters. For example, an experienced loan officer may know that a mortgage document will be processed more promptly with the county land records office in a specific county ~ and will thus limit the lender's exposure to prior liens — if the document is accompanied by a specific cover letter, and an experienced loan officer would include this type of cover letter with the mortgage document in the relevant jurisdiction. The rules and requirements in the system database might include this habit as an accommodation to the lender under some conditions, and might not under other conditions. Of course, such a requirement may be effective in one jurisdiction, locality or neighborhood but not in another jurisdiction, locality or neighborhood, or may be effective with respect to one market niche but not with respect to another market niche. Accordingly, for those situations in which a custom or habit is relevant, the graphical user interface will accordingly provide the appropriate display to the relevant users.

[0057] The rules database can contain tables for tabulating the rales for each variable value. For example, a location rule table would have rales setting forth the legal requirements of each of the various different jurisdictions, and a document rule table would contain rales on the requirements for different documents, such as which documents are needed for which transactions and which documents require signatures, notarization, etc. A participant rule table would contain rules on the requirements of each participant, either an individual or an institution, such as a lending institution, regarding its various requirements, such as required documents, co-signer and credit thresholds, notarization requirements, etc.

[0058] The variables are then analyzed to determine the appropriate points of integration and the integration method. The concatenation or intersection of rules or requirements occurs when one rule or requirement is layered onto others. For example, participant rules may be layered onto location rules in order to determine the points of integration. Although the location of a property generally has no relationship to the institution lending funds for a mortgage, when determining the elements of display on the graphical user interface, such as the documents to be presented for a particular transaction, the documents that are required by a particular lending institution for the particular type of transaction in the particular location must be considered. Thus, for example, in a request to determine the documents necessary for a particular transaction given the location and the lending institution, the variables are "location" and "lending institution", and the point of integration is "documents".

[0059] In another example of the concatenation or intersection of rules, each of the property location and type and the loan type may have an impact on the information to be presented in a personalized graphical user interface with respect to a particular transaction, the users that may have access to the graphical user interface for that transaction and the information and payments that are required in order to complete the transaction. The property type and loan type will each determine the documents that are required from a named lending institution or jurisdiction, and certain institutions or jurisdictions may require that there be particular representatives or attorneys present, even when their presence might not otherwise be required, or that certain participants be restricted from performing certain tasks, even when those activities may not otherwise be restricted. Accordingly, participant and document rules must also be considered, as one particular named jurisdiction, institution or participant might not require a particular document, yet another institution may require it. Similarly, privilege rales must also be considered, as there may be restrictions on displays to or privileges by certain participants. Thus, all the specific requirements of the various parties and participants must also be accounted for in determining the final requirements for the personalized graphical user interface.

[0060] As discussed generally above, this embodiment of the system will be able to leam new rules, requirements and customs by analyzing historical transactions and comparing variables. Based upon past transactions, new requirements, rales, documents, forms, habits and customs of specific jurisdictions and localities, participants, and professionals and authorities in those jurisdictions can be prepared and stored in the system database. Then, in future transactions involving these users, properties or jurisdictions, the new rales will be considered and taken into account when the system develops a personalized graphical interface for those users.

[0061] Once values for specific variables regarding the particular transaction, such as the type of property, type of ownership, specific lending institution and such other information, have been input, the relational database sorts out the rules and requirements in order to consider all the rales before preparing a graphical interface that is specific with regard to the participants, payments and documents for that transaction. Because there may be conflicts between the various financial, personnel or document requirements, the relational database also consults rules that govern the relationships between rules in order to resolve any conflicts between rules. The system then prepares a graphical user interface for the transaction that is specific to each of the transaction participants based upon a correlation of the transaction information as entered by the participants and the rules stored in the database regarding the documents and information required by various jurisdictions or localities and by the various participants, including the various professionals and authorities that are authorized to participate in the transaction and the various lending and financial institutions.

[0062] For example, in order to determine the documents that are to be displayed on the graphical user interface with regard to the transaction, the system of the present invention analyzes the variables involved (transaction, location and participants), determines the appropriate point of integration (documents) and the appropriate integration method (union). Then, the result (i.e., the documents required) of the rules regarding documents required for the specific transaction and by the relevant jurisdiction and participants must be joined together to obtain a complete list of required documents. The processor retrieves the set of documents required for the transaction and, subject to any privilege rules or other restrictions on the user, displays the documents on the graphical user interface that is specific for the user who has accessed the transaction interface.

[0063] Because the values for certain variables may not yet be known to the participants at the time that the graphical user interface is first prepared, information incoφorated within the graphical interface, i.e., regarding the participants, payments and documents that are required for that transaction, may be changed or updated as the information is updated.

[0064] In one version of preparation of the personalized graphical user interface for this embodiment, rules database 32 stores all relevant information regarding the various laws and requirements relating to the participants, transaction, property, funds transfers, payments, document format and content of all the possible individual localities and jurisdictions as well as of all the possible participants, professionals and authorities that are authorized to participate in such transactions, lending and financial institutions, and other participants. Rules database 32 also includes the requirements of such localities and participants based upon the habits and customs of each.

[0065] In this version, as shown in Figure 2, rules database 32 preferably maintains (65) a sub- database for each variable, within which is an entry for every possible value of that variable. For example, the location variable sub-database has listings by zip code, or even more particularly for each neighborhood with zip codes (e.g., by ZIP+4), and contains a listing of requirements for each value for each variable within that zip code. Thus, the system preferably stores the participant and document requirements for each transaction type, for each type of property, for each locality or jurisdiction, for each loan type, and for each participant and lending institution, etc., and has an entry for each possible variable value. The system preferably also maintains a database for relations between variables, such as an order of preference to resolve potential conflicts.

[0066] In this version of this first embodiment, the graphical user interface for each transaction thus begins with a clean "slate" devoid of information and content, and variable values are added to populate this slate and help determine the parameters of the graphical user interface, as information is input. Once the values for variables regarding the transaction and its participants have been input into the system, the system reviews the rules regarding the requirements of each of the participants, each of the relevant jurisdictions or localities, etc., and determines the appropriate points of intersection and integration of these requirements. Based upon these points of intersection and integration, the personalized graphical user interface is created, information is displayed and documents are prepared. As such, the graphical user interface for each user is prepared from the ground up. [0067] In another, more preferred version of this first embodiment of a method for personalizing a graphical user interface, the system preferably has a default database 35, shown in broken line in Figure 1, that stores a base or default set of values regarding the various possible variables, such as participants, transaction, property, funds transfers, documents and content, i.e., the base rules or "axes". The axes are the default value settings of the variables for any transactions of a certain kind within the system, regardless of geography, participants and financial institutions and arrangements. The axes preferably include values for participant rules, financial rules and document rales, and form the basis for the displays contained within a default version of the graphical user interface for the transaction. Figure 3 shows a flow diagram for this second embodiment generally, wherein the system 30 is shown as creating (66) default values and rules based upon the variables selected (51) and known for the example and stores (67) them in default rules database 35.

[0068] In this version of this embodiment, variation rales database 32 stores (64) a set of variation rules of all the possible value variations to the axes stored in default database 35, such as the various requirements as to the participants, transaction, property, funds transfers, documents and content of individual localities and jurisdictions, as well as of all the possible participants, that differ from the default values contained in the axes. Variation rules database 32 preferably contains a table, having different entries or values than the axes, for situations or conditions in which the axes do not completely apply, i.e., there is an entry only for the variable values that differ from those in the axes. Thus, variation rales database 32 preferably stores the participant and document requirements for each transaction type, for each type of property, for each locality or jurisdiction, for each loan type and for each lending institution, etc., only where such requirements possibly vary from the axes.

[0069] In this second version, once some basic values for variables regarding the particular transaction and its participants have been input (40, 54) into the system, the system makes certain assumptions regarding the requirements, based upon the axes stored in default database 35. The graphical user interface for each transaction thus begins with some default values of information, requirements and parameters, and the graphical user interface is formed and document templates are created, even without all the necessary information. Then, once more values for variables have been input, the system will consult variation rules database 32 to determine whether the requirements of each of the participants and relevant jurisdictions or localities differ from those within the axes, and the system will determine which portions of the axes need to be changed as a result of the variation requirements. Then, the default values of the graphical user interface are adjusted or changed as needed to further determine the parameters of the graphical user interface and to form a revised graphical user interface and to create document templates that are accurate for the particular transaction and circumstances. Based upon these points of intersection and integration, the graphical interface is created.

[0070] Thus, in this second version of the first embodiment, certain assumptions are made with respect to the values that are needed for the variables of any particular transaction, based upon the base set of values, and a graphical user interface is created based upon those assumptions, and certain displays and documents are provided on the graphical user interface. In many cases, changes will be made to the default settings for particular transactions, as additional information is input into the graphical interface.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment, the graphical user interface is unique or specific to the particular transaction and to each of its participants, in order to present all information about the transaction in a personalized and organized manner. Each user's personalized graphical user interface is accessible, through a transaction identification number and passwords, only by the specific participant of the particular transaction and is thus secure and private.

[0072] In a second example, a personalized graphical user interface is created with regard to the operation of any business, such as a construction business. The graphical user interface will be an interface that is used to manage the business, for example, by the business's web site. Such a graphical user interface can be used to facilitate the transaction by accepting the input of relevant information and by allowing the display and management of relevant personalized information.

[0073] In a third example, a personalized graphical user interface is created with regard to a particular user's on-line commercial transactions and general planning. The graphical user interface will be an interface that is used to manage the transactions, such as vacation planning and travel preferences, by a merchant web site. Such a graphical user interface can be used to facilitate the transaction by accepting the input of relevant information, allowing the display of relevant information, and accepting and processing relevant calculations and payments.

[0074] Thus, a method of personalizing an electronic site display is provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be carried out in other ways and practiced by other than the described embodiments, yet not departing from the spirit and essential characteristics depicted herein. The present embodiments therefore should be considered in all respects as illustrative, and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method for personalizing a display comprising the steps of: receiving one or more first data from a user, the first data comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of variables, said set of variables and said set of possible values being chosen by a set of rales for each of one or more variables; based on the first data, selecting one or more applicable rules from the set of rales for each of one or more variables; and sending one or more display data to the user, said display data comprising information to personalize a graphic user interface, the display data based on the application of the rales to the values in said first data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first data are determined from the selections of the user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of applying the rules to the values in said first data to generate display data for the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the step of applying the rules to the values in said first data is performed by a relational database.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the step of applying the rules to the values in said first data comprises the step of applying a second set of rules to determine the primacy of the rules when applied to the values in said first data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of creating a database, the database comprising a set of one or more rales for each of one or more variables.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein one or more preset variables help to define the set of one or more rales for each of one or more variables.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 further comprising the step of generating a new rale to be added to the set of rules based upon the values in said first data.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the display data is hidden from the user.

10. A method for personalizing a display comprising the steps of: sending one or more first display data to a user, the first display data comprising information to initially personalize a graphic user interface based on the application of default rules and default values; receiving one or more first data from the user, the first data comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of variables; based on the first data, selecting one or more applicable variation rules from a set of variation rales for each of the set of default rules; and sending one or more second display data to the user, said second display data comprising information to further personalize the graphic user interface based on the application of the variation rules to the values in the second data.

11. A method for personalizing a display comprising the steps of: receiving one or more first data from a user, the first data comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of first variables, the set of first variables and the set of possible values being chosen by a set of default rales for each of the first variables; sending one or more first display data to the user, the first display data comprising information to initially personalize a graphic user interface based on the application of the default rales to default values or to the values in the first data; receiving one or more second data from the user, the second data comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of second variables; based on the second data, selecting one or more applicable variation rules from a set of variation rules for each of one or more default rales; and sending one or more second display data to the user, said second display data comprising information to further personalize the graphic user interface based on the application of the variation rales to the values in the second data.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 or 1 1 further comprising the step of applying the default rales to the default values to generate first display data for the user.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of applying the default rules to the default values in said first data is performed by a relational database.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 or 1 1 further comprising the step of creating a database, the database comprising a set of one or more rules for each of one or more variables.

15. The method as recited in claim 10 or 1 1 further comprising the step of applying the variation rales to data from the user to generate second display data for the user.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the step of applying the variation rules to the values in said data is performed by a relational database.

17. A method for personalizing a display comprising the steps of: sending one or more first data selections of a user comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of variables, said set of variables and said set of possible values being chosen by a set of rules for each of one or more variables; based on the first data, selecting one or more applicable rules from the set of rales for each of one or more variables; receiving one or more display data, said display data comprising information to personalize a graphic user interface, the display data based on the application of the rules to the values in said first data; and constructing the graphic user interface based on the display data.

18. A method for personalizing a display comprising the steps of: receiving one or more first display data from a user, the first display data comprising information to initially personalize a graphic user interface based on the application of default rules and default values; sending one or more first data to the user, the first data comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of variables; based on the first data, selecting one or more applicable variation rules from a set of variation rales for each of the set of default rules; and receiving one or more second display data, said second display data comprising information to further personalize the graphic user interface based on the application of the variation rules to the values in the second data; and constructing the graphic user interface based on the display data.

19. A system for personalizing a display comprising: a server process having functionality for: receiving one or more first data from a user, the first data comprising at least one value from a set of possible values for each of a set of variables, said set of variables and said set of possible values being chosen by a set of rules for each of one or more variables; based on the first data, selecting one or more applicable rules from the set of rales for each of one or more variables; and sending one or more display data to the user, said display data comprising information to personalize a graphic user interface, the display data based on the application of the rules to the values in said first data; and a client process having functionality for: sending the first messages; receiving the second messages; and constracting the graphic user interface based on the second messages.