Method and system for appending search strings with user profile qualities

• US 6,847,963 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2000
• Issued: 01/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Paclat, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US09/689,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 709/203, 709/219, 709/229, 707/5, 707/3, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A system and method is provided which allows item searches based on the qualities of the items. Additionally, the system suggests items to a customer or user based on his/her profile information that is learned by the system over time. That is, the system learns about a customer'"'"'s preferences and stores that information.

Claims

1. A computer based method of searching an object database, comprising the steps of:

inputting at a user computer, search criteria consisting of one or more search terms;

appending said search criteria with one or more qualities associated with said user from a dynamically updated user profile database, thereby forming an appended search criteria;

said user profile comprising qualities representing preferences of said user accumulated over time;

searching the object database for items based on the appended search criteria, thereby matching the items with the preferences of said user;

scoring said matching items from said search based on total number of qualities matched and accumulation of degrees; and

updating user profile qualities after said searching by reordering the ranking of the qualities based on said scoring.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of appending appends a number of qualities associated said user as a function of a predetermined maximum number of qualities for a search.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of searching searches the object database for items matching at least one quality of said search criteria.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of updating said user profile information with matching items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of searching searches the object database for items matching all of said qualities of said search criteria.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each quality is composed of two fields, a string field and a ranking or degree field.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said object database maintains a reverse index of items.

8. A computer based system for searching an object database, comprising:

a computer module for receiving from a user computer, search criteria consisting of one or more search terms;

a computer processor for appending said search criteria with one or more qualities associated with said user from a dynamically updated user profile database, thereby forming an appended search criteria, said user profile comprising qualities representing preferences of said user accumulated over time;

a computer module for searching the object database for items based on the appended search criteria, thereby matching the items with the preferences of said user;

a computer module for scoring said matching items from said search based on total number of qualities matched and accumulation of degrees; and

a computer module for updating user profile qualities after said searching by reordering the ranking of the qualities based on said scoring.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said module for appending is operable to append a number of qualities associated said user as a function of a predetermined maximum number of qualities for a search.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said module for searching is operable to search the object database for items matching at least one quality of said search criteria.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a module for updating said user profile information with matching items.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said module for searching is operable to search the object database for items matching all of said qualities of said search criteria.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein each quality is composed of two fields, a string field, and a ranking or degree field.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said object database maintains a reverse index of items.