User Preference Correlation for Web-Based Selection
First Claim
1. A system for assisting users with the selection of items on the Internet, comprising:
- at least one web robot for crawling multiple websites to determine userIDs and associated preferences;
a database for storing the userIDs and associated preferences; and
software for performing an analysis and suggestion function;
wherein the system initially assumes that a userID used on a first website represents the same user as the same userID used on a second website;
wherein associated preferences stored for a particular userID include preferences for items available from a plurality of websites; and
wherein the system provides a particular user with specific preference association information for a first item based on the expressed preferences of other users across multiple websites relative to the first item and items that the other users have previously reviewed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A database of user preference information is extracted and compiled from multiple websites by web-crawling robots without cooperation or specific participation by users. Users who interact with a website are frequently required to register and create a login or userID name that uniquely identifies them. Thereafter, when an individual rates an item, it is often recorded and published under their userID name such that other users can see how a specific individual rated the item. Although there is no requirement that a specific user register on different websites utilizing the identical userID, it is extremely common that this practice occurs and the use of identical userIDs on multiple sites is used herein to expand preference analysis beyond a single site. Once the database exists, user'"'"'s can request or be passively offered suggestions that result from preference associations across multiple websites as performed by a preference analysis and suggestion function.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for assisting users with the selection of items on the Internet, comprising:
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at least one web robot for crawling multiple websites to determine userIDs and associated preferences; a database for storing the userIDs and associated preferences; and software for performing an analysis and suggestion function; wherein the system initially assumes that a userID used on a first website represents the same user as the same userID used on a second website; wherein associated preferences stored for a particular userID include preferences for items available from a plurality of websites; and wherein the system provides a particular user with specific preference association information for a first item based on the expressed preferences of other users across multiple websites relative to the first item and items that the other users have previously reviewed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for enabling users to receive suggestions relative to items shown on one or more websites based on preference associations across multiple websites, comprising:
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crawling a first website and recording in a database a first set of login names and associated preferences for said first set of login names; crawling a second website and recording in said database a second set of login names and associated preferences for said second set of login names; and under the initial assumption that identical login names used on multiple websites represent the same user, associating preferences for items published on multiple websites under a specific login name with a specific user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for enabling users to receive suggestions relative to items shown on one or more websites based on preference associations across multiple websites, comprising:
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crawling a first website and recording in a database a first set of login names and associated preferences for said first set of login names; crawling a second website and recording in said database a second set of login names and associated preferences for said second set of login names; under the initial assumption that identical login names used on multiple websites represent the same user, associating preferences for items published on multiple websites under a specific login name with a specific user; recording preferences published on a first set of websites for a specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a first group of other users registered on the first set of websites; recording preferences published on a second set of websites for the specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a second group of other users registered on the second set of websites; determining that preferences of the first group of other users do not correlate with those of the second group of other users; determining that the person utilizing the first userID on the first set of websites is a different person than the person utilizing the first userID on the second set of websites and treating the first userID as two different userIDs respective of the first and second set of websites; and when a user requests suggestions relative to a specific item on a first website, providing suggestions for items shown on multiple websites based on preferences of users who previously indicated similar preferences to each other for items offered on multiple websites and who also had a specified level of preference for said specific item. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification