System and method for inferring user interest based on analysis of user-generated metadata

• US 20080040301A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmes, Scott, Sadagopan, Narayanan
• Granted Patent: US 8,707,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

There are provided methods and systems for inferring a user'"'"'s interests from user-generated tags of web-based content. In accordance with the invention, user-generated tags from viewing web-based content are collected over a predetermined period of time. A subset of distinct or unique tags is identified from among the collected tags. A z-score is calculated for each identified distinct tag, where the z-score is a measure of the statistical significance of the tag. The subset of distinct tags is then sorted based on their corresponding z-score. All distinct tags having a corresponding z-score lower than a predetermined threshold are rejected and the remaining distinct tags, having a corresponding z-score higher than the threshold are used to infer a user'"'"'s interest. The ability to infer a user'"'"'s interests from the remaining distinct tags may thus benefit web-based applications by achieving a high degree of accuracy in predicting the interests of users by leveraging on the use of the user generated content tags and keywords.

Claims

1. A method operable on a computer for inferring a user'"'"'s interests from user generated tags, the method comprising:

collecting a plurality of user-generated tags generated by the user through interaction with content over a predetermined period of time to identify one or more distinct tags from among the plurality of collected tags;

calculating a corresponding z-score for a given one of one or more of the distinct tags, where the z-score is a measure of the statistical significance of a given distinct tag;

retaining the given distinct tag where the z-score is higher than or equal to a threshold; and

using the retained given distinct tag to infer a user'"'"'s interest, where the retained given distinct tag is representative of the user'"'"'s true interests.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sorting the distinct tags based on the distinct tag'"'"'s corresponding z-score;

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold has an associated confidence value that is determined on the basis of a desired statistical confidence for inferring a user'"'"'s interests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content of the collecting step is web-based content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is a configurable parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is a continuous time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period is a non-continuous time period.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating a corresponding z-score for the given distinct tag, z(i), comprises calculating a z-score as:

z(i)=[freq(i)−

μ

]/σ

where freq (i)=the frequency of occurrence of the given distinct tag;

μ

=the mean of the number of occurrences the distinct tags;

σ

=the standard deviation of the number of occurrences the given distinct tag.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

10. A system for inferring a user'"'"'s interests from user generated tags, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor and storing instructions for operating the processor to perform the steps of;

collecting a plurality of user-generated tags generated by the user through interaction with content over a predetermined period of time to identify one or more distinct tags from among the plurality of collected tags;

calculating a corresponding z-score for a given one of the one or more of the distinct tags, where the z-score is a measure of the statistical significance of a given distinct tag;

retaining the given distinct tag where the z-score is higher than or equal to a threshold; and

using the retained given distinct tag to infer a user'"'"'s interest, where the retained given distinct tag is representative of a user'"'"'s true interests.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor further performs the step of sorting the distinct tags based on the distinct tag'"'"'s corresponding z-score.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the threshold has an associated confidence value that is determined on the basis of a desired statistical confidence for inferring a user'"'"'s interests.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the content of the collecting step is web-based content.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined time period is a configurable parameter.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined time period is a continuous time period.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the predetermined time period is a non-continuous time period.

17. A system for inferring a user'"'"'s interests from user generated tags, the system comprising:

means for collecting a plurality of user-generated tags generated by the user through interaction with content over a predetermined period of time to identify one or more distinct tags from among the plurality of collected tags;

means for calculating a corresponding z-score for a given one of the one or more of distinct tags, where the z-score is a measure of the statistical significance of a given distinct tag;

means for retaining a given distinct tag where the z-score is higher than or equal to a threshold; and

means for using the retained given distinct tag to infer a user'"'"'s interest, where the retained given distinct tag is representative of a user'"'"'s true interests.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for sorting the distinct tags based on the distinct tag'"'"'s corresponding z-score.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for comparing tags rom two or more users.

20. A program stored on a computer readable media for making a computer execute the steps of:

collecting a plurality of user-generated tags generated by the user through interaction with content over a predetermined period of time to identify one or more distinct tags from among the plurality of collected tags;

calculating a corresponding z-score for a given one of the one or more of the distinct tags, where the z-score is a measure of the statistical significance of a given distinct tag;

retaining the given distinct tag where the z-score is higher than or equal to a threshold; and

using the retained given distinct tag to infer a user'"'"'s interest, where the retained given distinct tag is representative of a user'"'"'s true interests.

21. The program of claim 20, wherein the computer further executes the step of sorting the distinct tags based on the distinct tag'"'"'s corresponding z-score.

22. The program of claim 20, wherein the threshold has an associated confidence value that is determined on the basis of a desired statistical confidence for inferring a user'"'"'s interests.

23. A recording medium recording a program for making a computer execute the steps of:

collecting a plurality of user-generated tags generated by the user through interaction with content over a predetermined period of time to identify one or more distinct tags from among the plurality of collected tags;

calculating a corresponding z-score for a given one of the one or more of the distinct tags, where the z-score is a measure of the statistical significance of a given distinct tag;

retaining the given distinct tag where the z-score is higher than or equal to a threshold; and

using the retained given distinct tag to infer a user'"'"'s interest, where the retained given distinct tag is representative of a user'"'"'s true interests.

24. The recording medium of claim 23, wherein the computer further executes the step of sorting the distinct tags based on the distinct tag'"'"'s corresponding z-score.

25. The recording medium of claim 23, wherein the threshold has an associated confidence value that is determined on the basis of a desired statistical confidence for inferring a user'"'"'s interests.