IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,321,493
Granted Patent B2
US 12,321,493 · App. 17/904,652 · Granted Jun 3, 2025

Method and apparatus for interactive and privacy-preserving communication between a server and a user device

Inventors: Debmalya Biswas (Neuchatel, CH); Louis Beck (Neuchatel, CH)
Assignee: Philip Morris Products S.A.
G06F21/6254G06F21/577G06V40/161G06V40/168G06F2221/033G06V40/174
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,321,493
App. No.
17/904,652
Granted
Jun 3, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computer-implemented method is provided for interactive communication of a user device with a server, the method including: providing, on the user device, a notification to a user of the user device; acquiring reaction data indicative of a reaction of the user to the notification; and determining, based on the acquired reaction data, a sentiment score for transmission to the server, in which the sentiment score is indicative of a sentiment of the user in reaction to the notification. A nontransitory computer-readable storage medium, an a user device for interactive communication with a server, are also provided.

Claims (28)

1. A computer-implemented method for interactive communication of a user device with a server, the method comprising:

providing, on the user device, a notification to a user of the user device;

acquiring reaction data indicative of a reaction of the user to the notification; and

determining, based on the acquired reaction data, a sentiment score for transmission to the server,

wherein the sentiment score is an anonymized numerical measure indicative of a sentiment of the user in reaction to the notification, and

wherein the sentiment score correlates with a reinforcement learning reward configured for being used by the server for training a reinforcement learning model implemented on the server.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the determined sentiment score is transmitted from the user device, and/or

wherein the determined sentiment score is transmitted from a user-side device communicatively coupled with the user device.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the sentiment score comprises:

determining an intermediate sentiment score based on the acquired reaction data, and

anonymizing the intermediate sentiment score, thereby generating the sentiment score.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the sentiment score is anonymized based on normalizing the intermediate sentiment score with a reference sentiment score.

5. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising removing the intermediate sentiment score from the user device upon anonymizing the intermediate sentiment score.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising removing the sentiment score from the user device upon transmitting the sentiment score to the server.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein acquiring the reaction data includes:

capturing sensor data with at least one sensor of the user device, and

deriving, with the user device, the reaction data from the captured sensor data of the at least one sensor of the user device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein acquiring the reaction data comprises:

receiving, with the user device, user-side sensor data from at least one user-side sensor communicatively couplable with the user device, and

deriving, with the user device, the reaction data from the received user-side sensor data of the at least one user-side sensor.

9. The method according to claim 1 ,

further comprising deriving, from the reaction data, at least one environmental parameter,

wherein the at least one environmental parameter is indicative of an environment of the user affecting the sentiment of the user, and

wherein the sentiment score is determined based on the at least one environmental parameter.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction data is acquired by the user device based on sensor data of at least one sensor of the user device and based on user-side sensor data of at least one user-side sensor arranged in an environment of the user device.

11. A nontransitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer program instructions stored therein, which, when executed on one or more processors of a user device, cause the user device to perform the steps of the method according to claim 1 .

12. A user device for interactive communication with a server, wherein the user device is configured to perform the steps of the method according to claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2022
From: BISWAS, DEBMALYA; BECK, LOUIS
To: PHILIP MORRIS PRODUCTS S.A.
Reel/Frame 061282/0532 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 20158838 · Feb 21, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230096240A1 · Mar 30, 2023
References Cited (22)
US 11373446B1 · Beisel · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20100328492A1 · Fedorovskaya et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20120072936A1 · Small et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20140191872A1 · Gomi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20160275175A1 · Gomi et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160379047A1 · Natan et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20200210528A1 · Agnihotram · 2020 [cited by examiner]
CN 107807947A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2010508710A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2012155616A · 2012 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019185201A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020130014161A · 2013 [cited by applicant]
KR 1020180014195A · 2018 [cited by applicant]
RU 2331918C2 · 2008 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report mailed on Mar. 11, 2021 in PCT/EP2021/054073 filed on Feb. 18, 2021 (citing references 1-4 therein, 3 pages). [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion mailed on Nov. 8, 2021 in PCT/EP2021/054073 filed on Feb. 18, 2021 (citing references 1, 2 & 4 therein, 8 pages). [cited by applicant]
International Preliminary Report on Patentability mailed on Mar. 23, 2022 in PCT/EP2021/054073 filed on Feb. 18, 2021 (citing references 1, 2 & 4 therein, 9 pages). [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action issued Oct. 30, 2023 in Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-549855 (with English translation), citing documents 15-17 therein, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
Combined Russian Office Action and Search Report issued Apr. 26, 2023 in Russian Patent Application No. 2022124672/07(053435) (with English translation), citing document 18 therein, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Russian Office Action issued Jul. 31, 2023 in Russian Patent Application No. 2022124672/07(053435) (with English translation), citing document 1 therein, 13 pages. [cited by applicant]
Korean Office Action issued Oct. 19, 2024 in Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-7031311 (with English Translation), citing references 15 and 16 therein, 18 pages. [cited by applicant]
Chinese Office Action and Search Report issued Jan. 4, 2025 in corresponding Chinese Patent Application No. 202180014293.7, with English Translation, 25 pages. [cited by applicant]