CONFIGURABLE INTERACTIVE ASSISTANT

摘要

The present invention employs branded virtual characters across multiple network platforms throughout various stages of complex transactions (eg, selling insurance). These characters initially engage prospective customers on a network platform, such as a social network, and persist over time across other network platforms (eg, university and company websites) to educate consumers until they are ready to purchase—e.g., from their “trusted advisor”—particular products and services offered by various providers. An extensible configuration tool (“Config Tool”) is provided to simplify the continued development of such a system, as well as customization of individual Product Modules (e.g., a Life Insurance Module) by product and service providers (e.g., insurance companies and employers) and other third-party developers (before and during runtime). This Config Tool provides a variety of extension points permitting virtual characters to be added and their appearance and behavior modified, along with the details of the products and services being offered.

主权项

1. A method for enabling online providers of products and services to customize complex multi-stage transactions with prospective customers, the method including the following steps:
(a) hosting on a first set of computers a deployed application that is accessible from a second set of computers by prospective customers of a plurality of online providers offering to sell particular products or services; (b) enabling the online providers to configure, via a third set of computers, one or more runtime assets utilized by the deployed application to personalize interactions with prospective customers; and (c) employing a virtual character in the deployed application on the first set of computers to interact with and educate the prospective customers regarding the characteristics and suitability to the prospective customers of particular products or services offered by the online providers, wherein the interaction is personalized by:
(i) the virtual character extracting demographic and behavioral data from the prospective customers;(ii) selecting, based upon the extracted data and configured runtime assets, educational materials as well as particular attributes of the goods and services offered by the online providers; and(ii) presenting the selected educational materials to the prospective customers to facilitate their purchasing decision.