Interactive machine learning advice facility with contextual suggestions

• US 7,966,282 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hunch Inc. (eBay Inc.)
• Inventors: Pinckney, Thomas, Dixon, Chris, Gattis, Matthew Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernandez Rivas; Omar F
• Application Number:
  US12/503,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20100017348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for helping a user make a decision through the use of a computing facility, where the computing facility may be a machine learning facility. The process may begin with an initial question being received by the computing facility from the user. The user may then be provided with a dialog consisting of questions from the computing facility and answers provided by the user. The computing facility may then provide a decision to the user based on the dialog and pertaining to the initial question, such as a recommendation, a diagnosis, a conclusion, advice, and the like. In embodiments, future questions and decisions provided by the computing facility may be improved through feedback provided by the user. In embodiments, the present invention may be utilized in conjunction with a third-party application.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computers, helps a user make a decision through the use of a computing facility by performing the steps of:

creating a profile for the user through a sequence of questions presented from the computing facility to the user during a registration process;

receiving an initial question at the computing facility from the user;

providing the user with a dialogue in a window of a user interface consisting of questions from the computing facility and answers provided by the user, wherein at least one of the questions from the computing facility is selected based upon the profile;

providing the decision to the user from the computing facility, wherein the decision is a single answer to the initial question from the user based on the dialogue and the profile; and

providing a suggestion outside of the window of the dialogue and concurrently with the dialogue for one or more items that the user might like, wherein the suggestion is based upon a context provided by the profile, the initial question, and the dialogue.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the suggestion is a topic that other users found helpful.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the suggestion is based upon a history of decisions provided to the user.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the suggestion is a product.

5. A method for operating a computing facility to help a user make a decision, the method comprising:

creating a profile for the user through a sequence of questions presented from the computing facility to the user during a registration process;

receiving an initial question at the computing facility from the user;

providing the user with a dialogue in a window of a user interface consisting of questions from the computing facility and answers provided by the user, wherein at least one of the questions from the computing facility is selected based upon the profile;

providing the decision to the user from the computing facility, wherein the decision is a single answer to the initial question from the user based on the dialogue and the profile; and

providing a suggestion outside of the window of the dialogue and concurrently with the dialogue for one or more items that the user might like, wherein the suggestion is based upon a context provided by the profile, the initial question, and the dialogue.

6. A server comprising a memory, a processor, and an interface to access devices through a network, wherein the processor is configured to perform the steps of:

creating a profile for a user through a sequence of questions presented from a computing facility to the user during a registration process;

receiving an initial question at the computing facility from the user;

providing the user with a dialogue in a window of a user interface consisting of questions from the computing facility and answers provided by the user, wherein at least one of the questions from the computing facility is selected based upon the profile;

providing the decision to the user from the computing facility, wherein the decision is a single answer to the initial question from the user based on the dialogue and the profile; and

providing a suggestion outside of the window of the dialogue and concurrently with the dialogue for one or more items that the user might like, wherein the suggestion is based upon a context provided by the profile, the initial question, and the dialogue.