Method and apparatus for customizing user experience

Abstract

A method for customizing a user communication experience is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a user communication input and determining one or more communication input characteristics. Thereafter, one or more advertisements are provided to the user in accordance with the user communication input and the one or more determined communication characteristics.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for customizing a user communication experience, comprising:
 monitoring a first input, to a virtual keyboard, corresponding to a first portion of a block of text,
 wherein the first portion of the block of text is entered into an application configured to conduct a communication between a user and one or more recipients; 
   prior to the user indicating the block of text should be submitted as part of the communication:
 inferring a user intent based on the first portion of the block of text; 
 selecting a first at least one advertisement based on the determined user intent; and 
 displaying at least one indication corresponding to the selected first at least one advertisement in an area visible concurrently with, or proximate to, the virtual keyboard; 
   monitoring a second input corresponding to a second portion of the block of text into the application configured to conduct the communication between the user and the one or more recipients;   updating the inferred user intent based on the second portion of the block of text;   selecting a second at least one advertisement based on the updated determined user intent; and   displaying one or more indications corresponding to the selected second at least one advertisement in the area visible concurrently with, or proximate to, the virtual keyboard.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining that a threshold level of uncertainty has been reached between translating the first input into a most likely one or more particular words and a most likely alternative one or more particular words;   wherein the first at least one advertisement comprises at least two advertisements; and   wherein selecting the at least two advertisements comprises:
 selecting a first of the at least two advertisements based on the most likely one or more particular words; and 
 selecting a second of the at least two advertisements based on the most likely alternative one or more particular words. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the communication between a user and one or more recipients comprises an email. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the communication between a user and one or more recipients comprises an instant message or chat session. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on one or more communication input characteristics, and wherein the one or more communication input characteristics comprise an identity of the at least one of the one or more recipients. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on one or more of:
 a predefined relationship between the user and at least one of the recipients,   a geographic location of the user, and   a geographic location of one or more of the recipients.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on one or more of:
 demographic data, and   historical text-based communication data.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed on a touchscreen of a mobile communication device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed by a television or a set top box. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 ,
 wherein a receiving party is at least one of the one or more recipients;   wherein a common advertising genre is determined for both the user and the receiving party; and   wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on the determined advertising genre.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 ,
 wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on one or more communication input characteristics; and   wherein the one or more communication input characteristics comprise an identity of the user.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 ,
 wherein at least one selected advertisement from the first at least one advertisement or from the second at least one advertisement is received by at least one of the recipients; and   wherein the selected advertisement is not received by at least one other of the recipients.   
     
     
         33 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations for customizing a user communication experience, the operations comprising:
 monitoring a first input corresponding to a first portion of a block of text,
 wherein the first portion of the block of text is entered into an application configured to conduct a communication between a user and one or more recipients; 
   prior to the user indicating the block of text should be submitted as part of the communication:
 inferring a user intent based on the first portion of the block of text; 
 selecting a first at least one advertisement based on the determined user intent; and 
 displaying at least one indication corresponding to the selected first at least one advertisement in an area visible concurrently with, or proximate to, the virtual keyboard; 
   monitoring a second input corresponding to a second portion of the block of text into the application configured to conduct the communication between the user and the one or more recipients;   updating the inferred user intent based on the second portion of the block of text;   selecting a second at least one advertisement based on the updated determined user intent; and   displaying one or more indications corresponding to the selected second at least one advertisement in the area visible concurrently with, or proximate to, the virtual keyboard.   
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that a threshold level of uncertainty has been reached between translating the first input into a most likely one or more particular words and a most likely alternative one or more particular words;   wherein the first at least one advertisement comprises at least two advertisements; and   wherein selecting the at least two advertisements comprises:
 selecting a first of the at least two advertisements based on the most likely one or more particular words; and 
 selecting a second of the at least two advertisements based on the most likely alternative one or more particular words. 
   
     
     
         35 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on one or more of:
 a predefined relationship between the user and at least one of the recipients,   a geographic location of the user,   a geographic location of one or more of the recipients,   demographic data, and   historical text-based communication data.   
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 ,
 wherein a receiving party is at least one of the one or more recipients;   wherein a common advertising genre is determined for both the user and the receiving party; and   wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on the determined advertising genre.   
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on a determination of a highest formal relationship level between the user and any of the one or more of the recipients. 
     
     
         38 . A system for customizing a user communication experience, the system comprising:
 a memory;   one or more processors;   a display showing a virtual keyboard;   an input monitor that monitors a first input,to the virtual keyboard, corresponding to a first portion of a block of text,
 wherein the first portion of the block of text is entered into an application configured to conduct a communication between a user and one or more recipients; 
 prior to the user indicating the block of text should be submitted as part of the communication:
 infers a user intent based on the first portion of the block of text; and 
 selects a first at least one advertisement based on the determined user intent; and 
 wherein at least one indication corresponding to the selected first at least one advertisement is displayed on the display in an area visible concurrently with, or proximate to, the virtual keyboard; 
 
 monitor a second input corresponding to a second portion of the block of text into the application configured to conduct the communication between the user and the one or more recipients; 
 update the inferred user intent based on the second portion of the block of text; and 
 select a second at least one advertisement based on the updated determined user intent; 
   wherein one or more indications corresponding to the selected second at least one advertisement are displayed on the display in the area visible concurrently with, or proximate to, the virtual keyboard.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 an uncertainty calculator that determines that a threshold level of uncertainty has been reached between translating the first input into a most likely one or more particular words and a most likely alternative one or more particular words;   wherein the first at least one advertisement comprises at least two advertisements; and   wherein selecting the at least two advertisements comprises:
 selecting a first of the at least two advertisements based on the most likely one or more particular words; and 
 selecting a second of the at least two advertisements based on the most likely alternative one or more particular words. 
   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 ,
 wherein a receiving party is at least one of the one or more recipients;   wherein a common advertising genre is determined for both the user and the receiving party; and   wherein selecting the first at least one advertisement or selecting the second at least one advertisement is further based on the determined advertising genre.