Data network, user terminal and method for providing recommendations

• US 20050278758A1
• Filed: 08/05/2003
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bodlaender, Maarten Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/89
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention relates to an ad-hoc peer to peer network for providing recommendations. User terminals (100, 103) of the data network comprise a local database (115) with community reference information. A processor (111) determines if a communication with a second user terminal (103) is possible and if so, communication is established by a direct wireless link. Community preference information is exchanged between the two user terminals (100,103) and the database (115) is updated accordingly by a database controller (113). The user terminal (100) also comprises a recommendation processor (117) which generates a recommendation based on the community preference information. The invention is particular applicable to small low cost terminals, such as mobile phones or wireless equipped Personal Digital Assistants.

Claims

1. A user terminal for a network, the user terminal comprising:

a local database comprising community preference information related to preferences of a community of users;

a processor for determining if a communication with a second user terminal is possible;

a receiver for receiving community preference information from the second user terminal if communication is possible;

a database controller for updating the database of community preference information in response to the received community preference information;

a recommendation processor for generating a recommendation in response to the community preference information of the local database.

2. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the community preference information relates to media clips and the recommendation is of a media clip.

3. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user terminal is a wireless user terminal.

4. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the communication with the second user terminal is over a direct wireless link between the user terminal and the second user terminal.

5. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the local database is operable to comprise community preference information related to the whole community is stored.

6. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user terminal is operable to communicate community preference information from the local database to the second user terminal if communication with the second user terminal is possible.

7. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user terminal is operable to communicate with the second user terminal using a peer to peer protocol.

8. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the received community preference information comprises time information and the database controller is operable to update the community preference information of the local database in response to this time information.

9. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the community preference information comprises a user rating.

10. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user terminal further comprises means for communicating the recommendation to another user terminal.

11. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user terminal further comprises an interface for receiving community preference information from the Internet.

12. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user terminal comprises a priority controller for determining a priority of elements of the community preference information and a transmitter for communicating this priority to the second user terminal.

13. A user terminal as claimed in claim 1 wherein the received community preference information is received in a prioritised order.

14. A data network comprising at least one user terminal as claimed in claim 1.

15. A data network as claimed in claim 14 wherein the data network is a peer to peer data network.

16. A data network as claimed in claim 14 wherein the data network comprises a plurality of wireless user terminals according to claim 6, and wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless user terminals are operable to receive community preference information from a fixed network and distribute the community preference information from the fixed network to other wireless user terminals.

17. A data network as claimed in claim 16 wherein the fixed network is the Internet.

18. A data network as claimed in claim 16 wherein the at least one wireless user terminal is operable to distribute the community preference information from the fixed network while disconnected from the fixed network.

19. A method of providing a recommendation to a user of a user terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

locally in the user terminal storing a local database comprising community preference information related to preferences of a community of users;

determining if a communication with a second user terminal is possible; and

if so

receiving community preference information from the second user terminal;

updating the database of community preference information in response to the received community preference information; and

generating a recommendation in response to the community preference information of the local database; and

providing the recommendation to the user.

20. A computer program enabling the carrying out of a method according to claim 19.