Method and system for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9930102-B1
Application number	US-201514671054-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 27, 2015
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

Emotional state data is used to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system, by monitoring and obtaining data about a user's emotional state. The resulting emotional state data is analyzed and used to dynamically modify the user's experience by selecting user experience components based on the analysis of the user's emotional state data. In this way, different types of user experience components can be utilized to provide the user with an individualized user experience that is adapted to the user's emotional state. Different types of user experience components can be utilized to adjust the user experience to adapt to the user's new emotional state, prevent the user from entering an undesirable emotional state, and/or encourage the user to enter into a desirable emotional state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system comprising:
providing an interactive software system;
defining one or more user experience components, the one or more user experience components capable of combination to provide a user experience through the interactive software system, the defined user experience components including each of lengths of descriptions provided to a user and images provided to the user;
generating user experience component data, the user experience component data representing the defined one or more user experience components;
storing the user experience component data in a partitioned user experience data section of a memory device and/or system;
defining emotional state data to be obtained and analyzed;
defining emotional state threshold parameter data for each defined type of emotional state data to be obtained and analyzed;
generating emotional state threshold parameter data representing the defined emotional state threshold parameters for each defined type of emotional state data to be obtained and analyzed;
storing the emotional state threshold parameter data in a partitioned emotional state threshold parameter data section of a memory device and/or system;
providing one or more analytics modules, the one or more analytics modules implementing one or more user emotional state adaptation algorithms;
providing the one or more analytics modules access to the emotional state threshold parameter data in the partitioned emotional state threshold parameter data section of the memory device and/or system;
obtaining emotional state data associated with a user and also obtaining financial information reflecting a response to a query, the response indicating that the user is unable to accomplish a desired task associated with the query due to the user's financial condition, the obtained emotional state data being one or more of the defined one or more types of emotional state data, the emotional state data at least including data acquired by measuring muscle tension of the user;
providing the obtained emotional state data to the one or more analytics modules;
analyzing the obtained emotional state data, the emotional state parameter data associated with the one or more types of obtained emotional state data, and the financial information reflecting the response to the query;
based, at least in part, on the analysis of the obtained emotional state data, the emotional state parameter data associated with the one or more types of obtained emotional state data, and the financial information reflecting the response to the query, predicting a future emotional state of the user;
based, at least in part, on the predicted future emotional state of the user, selecting a portion of the user experience component data, the selected portion of the user experience component data representing one or more selected user experience components of the defined one or more user experience components;
using the portion of the user experience component data representing one or more selected user experience components of the defined one or more user experience components to transform a user experience provided through the interactive software system into a user experience adapted to the predicted future emotional state of the user; and
providing the user experience adapted to the predicted future emotional state of the user to the user.

2. The method for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system of claim 1 , wherein the interactive software system is selected from the group of interactive software systems consisting of:
a computing system implemented tax preparation software system;
a network accessed tax preparation software system;
a web-based tax preparation software system;
a cloud-based tax preparation software system;
a computing system implemented business management software system;
a network accessed business management software system;
a web-based business management software system;
a cloud-based business management software system;
a computing system implemented accounting software system;
a network accessed accounting software system;
a web-based accounting software system;
a cloud-based accounting software system;
a computing system implemented financial management system;
a network accessed financial management system;
a web-based financial management system; and
a cloud-based financial management system.

3. The method for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system of claim 1 , wherein the user experience is presented to the user via at least one computing system selected from the group of computing systems consisting of:
a server computing system;
a workstation;
a desktop computing system;
a database system or storage cluster;
a virtual asset;
a switching system;
a router;
a hardware system;
a communications system;
a proxy system;
a gateway system;
a firewall system; and
a load balancing system.

4. The method for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system of claim 1 , wherein the user experience components include at least one user experience component selected from the group of user experience components consisting of:
a sequence with which interview questions are presented to the user;
content or topics of the interview questions that are presented to the user;
font sizes used while presenting information to the user;
themes presented to the user;
types of icons displayed to the user;
types of interface formats presented to the user;
interface displays presented to the user;
assistance resources listed and/or recommended to the user;
user recommendations presented to the user;
backgrounds presented to the user;
background audio presented to the user;
avatars and/or icons presented to the user;
highlighting mechanisms used and highlighted components presented to the user;
support mechanisms presented to the user; and
supplemental actions and recommendations presented to the user.

5. The method for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system of claim 1 , wherein the emotional state data includes at least one of the emotional state data selected from the group of emotional state data consisting of:
data acquired from the user's own characterization of his or her emotional state;
data acquired from historical user data;
data acquired from a segment of users having characteristics comparable to the user;
data acquired from measuring the user's heart beat;
data acquired from measuring the user's eye rotation;
data acquired from measuring the user's perspiration;
data acquired from measuring the user's respiration;
data acquired from measuring the user's oxygen saturation;
data acquired from measuring the user's blood pressure
data acquired from measuring the user's skin temperature;
data acquired from measuring the user's neural activity;
data acquired from measuring the user's eye blinking;
data acquired from measuring the user's facial expression;
data acquired from measuring the user's voice and/or speech; and
data acquired from measuring the user's interactions with hardware associated with an interactive software system.

6. The method for using emotional state data to tailor the user experience of an interactive software system of claim 1 , wherein the emotional state threshold parameters for each defined type of emotional state data to be obtained and analyzed are defined based on emotional state data associated with a general population.

7. The method for using emotional st

Assignees

• Intuit Inc

Inventors

• Paulus Wolfgang
• Cabrera Luis Felipe
• Graves Mike

Classifications

• H04L67/10 Primary

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• A61B5/02055

  Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature · CPC title

• G06Q40/123

  Tax preparation or submission · CPC title

• G06Q40/02

  Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance (credit or loans G06Q40/03) · CPC title

• A61B5/165 Primary

  Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety · CPC title