Patent

Attorney Docket No.: DC-08264

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“Express Mail” mailing label number:

EV582984126US

NEEDS BASED OFFER

Vasu Mekala

Carlos Negrete

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

5 Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to configuring information handling systems, and

more particularly, automatically optimizing the configuration of information handling

systems based upon certain criteria.

Description of the Related Art

10 As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and

businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option

available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system

generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for

business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the

15 value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and

requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling

systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is

handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how

quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated.

20 The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling

systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial

transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global

communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of

hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and

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communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data

storage systems, and networking systems.

One issue relating to information handling system suppliers is how to optimize

a system based upon customer provided criteria. For example, referring to Figure 1,

labeled prior art, when a customer 5 is configuring a system either via an on-line

configurator or via a customer service representative, often the customer has certain

criteria that the customer wishes the information handling system to address. Known

configurators often provide an iterative approach to configuring a system. For

example, a customer or a customer service representative might identify a system at

10 step 110, next options are selected for the system at step 112. The customer service

representative often then reviews the system to determine the profit margin associated

with the system order at step 114. If the margin is not within a desired goal, then the

customer service representative might look for higher margin items at step 116 and

then review possible choices with the customer at step 118. Once the margin for the

15 system order meets a desired goal, then the customer service representative would

review the system with the customer at step 120 to obtain the customer’s approval to

order the system (i.e., to close the sale). Such a system of iteratively modifying a

system can be time consuming, dependent on the skill of the customer service

representative and not a dependable method for producing the highest margin, best

20 customer configuration for a particular set of criteria.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a system which automatically

optimizes an information handling system configuration based upon predefined goals

25 and customer provided criteria is disclosed.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for automatically

optimizing configuration of an information handling system based upon predefined

goals which include providing the predefined goals to a configurator, performing a

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needs based optimization based upon the predefined goals and presenting a preferred

information handling system configuration based upon the needs based optimization.

In another embodiment, the invention relates to an apparatus for automatically

optimizing configuration of an information handling system based upon predefined

5 goals which includes means for providing the predefined goals to a configurator,

mean for performing a needs based optimization based upon the predefined goals, and

means for presenting a preferred information handling system configuration based

upon the needs based optimization.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

10 The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects,

features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the

accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the

several figures designates a like or similar element.

Figure 1, labeled prior art, shows a flow diagram of the operation of a system

15 for configuring an information handling system.

Figure 2 shows an overview block diagram representation of an information

handling system commerce application.

Figure 3 shows access to the on-line store via the Internet using a computer

system.

20 Figure 4 shows a system block diagram of an information handling system.

Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of the operation of a system for configuring an

information handling system that includes an optimization module.

Figure 6 shows a flow diagram of the operation of the optimization module.

Figure 7 shows an example screen presentation of questions that are asked

25 during the needs based offer question and answer session.

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Figure 8 shows an example screen presentation of needs based offer

recommendations based upon answers to the questions that were asked during the

needs based offer question and answer session.

Figure 9 shows an example screen presentation of summary of a needs based

5 offer recommendation.

Figure 10 shows another example of a screen presentation of questions that are

asked during the needs based offer question and answer session.

Figure 11 shows another example of needs based offer recommendations

based upon answers to the questions that were asked during the needs based offer

10 question and answer session.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to Figure 2, a commerce application 214 for use in configuring

information handling systems, e.g., computer systems, is shown. The commerce

application 214 includes a configurator 218, shopping cart 220, a checkout module

15 222 and database 224. The database 224 provides information to the configurator

218, shopping cart 220, and checkout module 222. The configurator 218 includes a

pricing module 228, a view module 230, a lead time warning module 232, a validation

(or compatibility) warning module 234, a merchandising module 236 and a needs

based optimization module 238. The various modules of the configurator 218 are

20 driven by data from the database 224, and thus the configurator 218, shopping cart

220, and checkout module 222 are all linked to the database 224.

Aspects of the configurator 218 which interact with database 224 are shown in

Figure 2. In essence, the entire commerce application 214 interacts with the database.

The configurator 218, shopping cart 220, and checkout module 222 are each part of

25 the commerce application 214 and interact with the database 224. For example, with

the shopping cart 220, additional merchandising information associated with a

particular system which has been configured and placed in the shopping cart by an online

store customer can be provided.

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The needs based optimization module automatically optimizes an information

handling system configuration based upon predefined goals as well as customer

provided criteria.

Referring to Figure 3, a customer can access the commerce application 214

using any suitable computer 5 equipment 300, via the Internet 302. The computer

equipment 140 may include a display 303, computer 304, keyboard 306, and pointing

device 308. Display 303 is used for displaying the various pages of the on-line store

while a customer is using the on-line store. Alternately, the commerce application

214 may be accessed via a sales representative 320. A customer interacts with the

10 sales representative 320 via, for example, a telephone 322. The sales representative in

turn uses the commerce application 314 to configure an information handling system.

Referring briefly to Figure 4, a system block diagram of an information

handling system 400 is shown having features configured in accordance with the

commerce application 214. The information handling system 400 includes a

15 processor 402, input/output (I/O) devices 404, such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse,

and associated controllers, a hard disk drive 406, and other storage devices 408, such

as a floppy disk and drive and other memory devices, and various other subsystems

410, all interconnected via one or more buses, shown collectively as a bus 412.

For purposes of this invention, an information handling system may include

20 any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify,

process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect,

record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for

business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling

system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable

25 device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The

information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or

more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or

software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional

components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives,

30 one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various

input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The

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information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit

communications between the various hardware components.

Referring to Figure 5, a flow diagram of the operation of a system 500 for

automatically configuring an information handling system that includes a needs based

optimization 5 module is shown. More specifically, the system 500 for automatically

configuring an information handling system uses multiple data sources about a

customer to automatically determine an optimal configuration for an information

handling system recommendation based upon predefined goals. The predefined goals

may include maximizing system profit margin.

10 The system 500 may function solely with a system budget number provided by

the customer. However, the quality of the system recommendation increases with the

addition of more customer specific information such as marketing segmentation

information (e.g., home user, small business user, large enterprise user), customer

profile information (e.g., the type of system use such as a game system or a video

15 processing system, or a customer’s credit information), customer preference

information (such as a customer’s desire for the system to include a particular type of

component) or customer demographic data. Additional customer specific information

may be obtained during a question and answer session with the customer. The

question and answer session may be between a customer and a sales representative or

20 may be directly between a customer and the configurator. Increasing the quality of a

recommendation increases the close rates of the system for automatically configuring

an information handling system.

In operation, a sales representative enters the customer’s estimated or

requested budget into the optimization module at step 510. The additional customer

25 specific information may also be entered at step 510. The optimized configuration for

a system is then generated by the optimization module at step 512. The system

recommendation is then reviewed with the customer at step 514. Because the sale

representative uses any call flow model required to reach the configuration, the

margin optimization takes very little additional time to reach the maximum optimal

30 configuration. Thus, the system maximizes margin without impacting average handle

time.

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Referring to Figure 6, a flow diagram of the operation of the needs based

optimization module is shown. More specifically, the needs based optimization

module 238 starts operating by processing the input from needs based questions at

step 610. The needs based optimization module 238 then develops a set of

5 recommended system configurations based upon the answers to the needs based

questions at step 612. The needs based optimization module 238 then uses sales

history information to determine a system that provides the highest profit margin as

well as the highest probability of closing a sale at step 614. This system is then

provided as the single suggested system configuration to the sales representative at

10 step 616.

Referring to Figure 7, an example screen presentation 700 of questions that are

asked during the needs based offer question and answer session is shown.

Referring to Figure 8, an example screen presentation 800 of needs based offer

recommendations based upon answers to the questions that were asked during the

15 needs based offer question and answer session is shown.

Referring to Figure 9, an example screen presentation 900 of summary of a

needs based offer recommendation is shown.

Referring to Figure 10, shows another example of a screen presentation 1000

of questions that are asked during the needs based offer question and answer session

20 is shown.

Referring to Figure 11 another example of a screen presentation 1100 of needs

based offer recommendations based upon answers to the questions that were asked

during the needs based offer question and answer session is shown.

The present invention is well adapted to attain the advantages mentioned as

25 well as others inherent therein. While the present invention has been depicted,

described, and is defined by reference to particular embodiments of the invention,

such references do not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to

be inferred. The invention is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and

equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those ordinarily skilled in the

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pertinent arts. The depicted and described embodiments are examples only, and are

not exhaustive of the scope of the invention.

For example, the above-discussed embodiments include software modules that

perform certain tasks. The software modules discussed herein may include script,

batch, or other executable files. The software modules 5 may be stored on a machinereadable

or computer-readable storage medium such as a disk drive. Storage devices

used for storing software modules in accordance with an embodiment of the invention

may be magnetic floppy disks, hard disks, or optical discs such as CD-ROMs or CDRs,

for example. A storage device used for storing firmware or hardware modules in

10 accordance with an embodiment of the invention may also include a semiconductorbased

memory, which may be permanently, removably or remotely coupled to a

microprocessor/memory system. Thus, the modules may be stored within a computer

system memory to configure the computer system to perform the functions of the

module. Other new and various types of computer-readable storage media may be

15 used to store the modules discussed herein. Additionally, those skilled in the art will

recognize that the separation of functionality into modules is for illustrative purposes.

Alternative embodiments may merge the functionality of multiple modules into a

single module or may impose an alternate decomposition of functionality of modules.

For example, a software module for calling sub-modules may be decomposed so that

20 each sub-module performs its function and passes control directly to another submodule.

Also for example, the needs based offer engine can include a plurality of other

functions. For example, the needs based offer engine might include the ability to

move a recommendation up or down price bands. Because customers sometimes start

25 at the wrong price band, this option enables a customer service representative to

continue using the needs based offer engine after the price band is adjusted. This

option would also allow a customer service representative to continue using the needs

based offer engine even if the customer service representative upsells a product into a

higher priceband.

30 Also for example, the system 500 for automatically configuring an

information handling system may be used by technical service representatives as well

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as customer service representatives. When a call comes in to a technical service

representative for a service problem with a particular system, the technical service

representative may access the commerce application to provide the customer with an

option of purchasing a new system rather than repairing the older system for which

the service was requested. In this example, th 5 e customer provided budget might be

the cost of repairing the older system. Additionally, the system 500 for automatically

configuring an information handling system can identify criteria about the old system

to assure that the new configuration has similar criteria (e.g., if the old system has a

large hard drive, than the new system configuration would include at least as large a

10 hard drive).

Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and

scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.

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WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method fo 1 r automatically optimizing configuration of an information

2 handling system based upon predefined goals comprising:

3 providing the predefined goals to a configurator;

4 performing a needs based optimization based upon the predefined goals;

5 presenting a preferred information handling system configuration based upon

6 the needs based optimization.

1 2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

2 the predefined goals include identifying margins associated with various

3 information handling system configurations.

1 3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization is preformed using customer provided

3 information.

1 4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

2 the customer provided information includes a preferred budget for the

3 information handling system.

1 5. The method of claim 3 wherein:

2 the customer provided information includes at least one of customer marketing

3 segmentation information, customer profile information , customer

4 preference information and customer demographic data.

1 6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

2 the optimizing configuration the information handling system is in response to

3 a technical service contact.

1 7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization is preformed using a cost of repairing an

3 information handling system.

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1 8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization takes into account a configuration of a system for

3 which the technical service contact was initiated.

1 9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization is preformed using customer provided budget

3 information; and,

4 the budget information may be may be adjusted across price bands after the

5 needs based optimization is performed.

1 10. An apparatus for automatically optimizing configuration of an

2 information handling system based upon predefined goals comprising:

3 means for providing the predefined goals to a configurator;

4 mean for performing a needs based optimization based upon the predefined

5 goals;

6 means for presenting a preferred information handling system configuration

7 based upon the needs based optimization.

1 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

2 the predefined goals include identifying margins associated with various

3 information handling system configurations.

1 12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization is preformed using customer provided

3 information.

1 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

2 the customer provided information includes a preferred budget for the

3 information handling system.

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1 14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein:

2 the customer provided information includes at least one of customer marketing

3 segmentation information, customer profile information , customer

4 preference information and customer demographic data.

1 15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

2 the optimizing configuration the information handling system is in response to

3 a technical service contact.

1 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization is preformed using a cost of repairing an

3 information handling system.

1 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization takes into account a configuration of a system for

3 which the technical service contact was initiated.

1 18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein:

2 the needs based optimization is preformed using customer provided budget

3 information; and,

4 the budget information may be may be adjusted across price bands after the

5 needs based optimization is performed.

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ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for automatically

optimizing configuration of an information handling system based upon predefined

goals which include providing the predefined goals to a configurator, performing a

needs based optimization 5 based upon the predefined goals and presenting a preferred

information handling system configuration based upon the needs based optimization.