User feedback system and method

Abstract

A user feedback system for a user of a delivery device within a delivery ecosystem includes an obtaining processor adapted to obtain one or more user factors indicative of a state of the user, wherein the one or more user factors are based upon at least a first aspect of a situation of the user separate to a handling or operation of the delivery device by the user; and an estimation processor adapted to identify a corresponding feedback action expected to alter a state of the user as indicated at least in part by the or each user factor.

1 . A user feedback system for a user of a delivery device within a delivery ecosystem, comprising:
 an obtaining processor adapted to obtain one or more user factors indicative of a user state, wherein the one or more user factors are based upon at least a first aspect of a situation of the user separate to handling or operation of the delivery device by the user; and   an estimation processor adapted to identify a corresponding feedback action expected to alter the user state as indicated at least in part by the one or more user factors.   
     
     
         2 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a feedback processor adapted to select at least a first feedback action identified by the estimation processor for at least a first device within the delivery ecosystem. 
     
     
         3 . The user feedback system according to  claim 2 , wherein the feedback processor is adapted to cause a modification of one or more operations of at least a first device within the delivery ecosystem according to the selected at least first feedback action. 
     
     
         4 . The user feedback system according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least first device within the delivery ecosystem for which one or more operations is modified is the delivery device. 
     
     
         5 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from a physical sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The user feedback system according to  claim 5 , wherein the physical sensor is a microphone, and the obtained data relates to one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 background noise levels;   background media playback; and   speech of the user.   
     
     
         7 . The user feedback system according to  claim 5 , wherein the physical sensor is a camera, and the obtained data relates to one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 whether the user is alone or not;   whether the user is with one or more known individuals; and   a facial expression of the user.   
     
     
         8 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from a textual analysis of content that the user has interacted with. 
     
     
         9 . The user feedback system according to  claim 8 , wherein the content comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 social media posts the user is reading or sending;   news articles the user is reading;   websites the user is visiting;   searches the user is making online;   text messages the user is reading or sending;   content of calls the user is participating in; and   content of conversations the user is having.   
     
     
         10 . The user feedback system according to  claim 8 , wherein the content comprises calendar information for the user. 
     
     
         11 . The user feedback system according to  claim 10 , wherein the calendar information indicates one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 a person the user is currently or about to meet;   an event the user is currently or about to attend;   a location the user is currently or about to visit; and   a task the user is currently or about to perform.   
     
     
         12 . The user feedback system according to  claim 8 , wherein the content comprises one or more user responses to a questionnaire relating to the user state. 
     
     
         13 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from interaction of the user with devices within the delivery ecosystem other than the delivery device. 
     
     
         14 . The user feedback system according to  claim 13 , wherein the interaction of the user comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 a choice of app used by the user;   a choice of device by the user to interact with;   duration of interaction by the user with a chosen app or device;   type of interaction by the user with a chosen app or device; and   type of media consumed with a chosen app or device.   
     
     
         15 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from data indicative of an environment of the user. 
     
     
         16 . The user feedback system according to  claim 15 , wherein the data indicative of environment of the user is based upon one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 a current or next location of the user;   whether the user is in an open or enclosed space;   whether the user is in daylight or artificial light;   a current mode of transport of the user; and   weather at the location of the user.   
     
     
         17 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from data indicative of a social situation of the user. 
     
     
         18 . The user feedback system according to  claim 17 , wherein the data indicative of the social situation of the user is based upon one or more selected from group list consisting of:
 whether the user is alone or with one or more others;   whether the user is with one or more work colleagues;   whether the user is with one or more friends;   whether the user is with one or more family members; and   whether the user is with one or more children.   
     
     
         19 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from data indicative of a past history of the user. 
     
     
         20 . The user feedback system according to  claim 19 , wherein the data indicative of the past history of the user is based on one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 a place of birth of the user;   a cultural background of the user;   a religion of the user;   a purchase history of the user; and   settings preferences of the user for one or more devices of the delivery ecosystem.   
     
     
         21 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein the estimation processor is operable to use a plurality of user factors as input when identifying a corresponding feedback action. 
     
     
         22 . The user system according to  claim 21 , wherein at least a further user factor is selected from the group consisting of:
 a user factor based upon a self-reported indication of the user state from the user;   a user factor based upon a physiological sensor data from the user; and   a user factor based upon analysis of at least one of motion or location.   
     
     
         23 . The user system according to  claim 21 , wherein at least a further user factor is based upon sensor data from the delivery device. 
     
     
         24 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein the estimation processor does not generate an explicit estimation of user state as an interim operation in the identification of the one or more proposed feedback actions. 
     
     
         25 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein the estimation processor uses different respective machine learning systems responsive to composition of the one or more user factors provided as input to the estimation processor. 
     
     
         26 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein the estimation processor is operable to generate one or more proposed feedback actions relating to one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 a behavioral feedback action for affecting at least a first behavior of the user;   a pharmaceutical feedback action for affecting consumption of an active ingredient by the user; and   a non-consumption feedback action for affecting one or more non-consumption operations of the delivery ecosystem.   
     
     
         27 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein the delivery ecosystem comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 one or more delivery devices;   one or more mobile terminals;   one or more wearable devices; and   one or more docking units for the one or more delivery devices.   
     
     
         28 . The user feedback system according to  claim 1 , wherein functionality of one or more of the obtaining processor, the estimation processor, or a feedback processor is provided at least in part by one or more processors located within one or more devices of the delivery ecosystem, or the remote server. 
     
     
         29 . A user feedback method for a user of a delivery device within a delivery ecosystem comprises:
 obtaining one or more user factors indicative of a user state, wherein the one or more user factors are based upon at least a first aspect of a situation of the user separate to handling or operation of the delivery device by the user; and   estimating by identifying a corresponding feedback action expected to alter the user state as indicated at least in part by the one or more user factors.   
     
     
         30 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , further comprising selecting at least a first feedback action identified by the estimating for at least a first device within the delivery ecosystem. 
     
     
         31 . The user feedback method according to  claim 30 , further comprising causing a modification of one or more operations of at least a first device within the delivery ecosystem according to the selected feedback action. 
     
     
         32 . The user feedback method according to  claim 31 , wherein the device within the delivery ecosystem for which one or more operations is modified is the delivery device. 
     
     
         33 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the user s situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from at least a first physical sensor. 
     
     
         34 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the user's situation upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from a textual analysis of content that the user has interacted with. 
     
     
         35 . The user feedback method according to  claim 34 , in which the content comprises calendar information for the user. 
     
     
         36 . The user feedback method according to  claim 34 , wherein the content comprises one or more user responses to a questionnaire relating to the user state. 
     
     
         37 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from interaction by the user with devices within the delivery ecosystem other than the delivery device. 
     
     
         38 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from data indicative of an environment of the user. 
     
     
         39 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from data indicative of a social situation of the user. 
     
     
         40 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein data relating to at least the first aspect of the situation of the user upon which at least the first of the user factors is based is obtained from data indicative of a past history of the user. 
     
     
         41 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein the estimating comprises using a plurality of user factors as input when identifying a corresponding feedback action. 
     
     
         42 . The user feedback method according to  claim 41 , wherein at least a further user factor is selected from the group consisting of:
 a user factor based upon a self-reported indication of the user state from the user;   a user factor based upon a physiological sensor data from the user; and   a user factor based upon analysis of at least one of motion or location.   
     
     
         43 . The user feedback method according to  claim 41 , wherein at least a further user factor is based upon sensor data from the delivery device. 
     
     
         44 . The user feedback method according to  claim 29 , wherein the estimating comprises generating one or more proposed feedback actions relating to one or more selected from the group consisting of:
 a behavioral feedback action for affecting at least a first behavior of the user;   a pharmaceutical feedback action for affecting consumption of an active ingredient by the user; and   a non-consumption feedback action for affecting one or more non-consumption operations of the delivery ecosystem.   
     
     
         45 . A computer system comprising at least one processor and memory adapted to perform the method of  claim 29 . 
     
     
         46 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program product which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of  claim 29 .