Method and apparatus for obtaining consumer product preferences through interactive product selection and evaluation
First Claim
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1. A method for obtaining consumer preferences for a product/service category over a communications network from a plurality of consumers, comprising the steps of:
- receiving one or more product/service criteria for said product/service category from a consumer and at least one of said product/service criteria as a ranking parameter from said consumer;
searching a database connected to said network having product/service information for products or services in said product/service category based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer, such that the search is based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit search criteria;
ranking products or services in said product/service category satisfying said product/service criteria in accordance with said ranking parameter received from said consumer to provide a ranked list, thereby ranking the search result based solely on said consumer'"'"'s explicit order of importance; and
storing said product/service criteria received from said consumer and said ranking parameter received from said consumer as market research data of consumer preferences in said database without storing information identifying or specific to said consumer, thereby obtaining market research data anonymously based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit selections without receiving or collecting information identifying or specific to said consumer to preserve the privacy of said consumer.
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Abstract
A method and system for obtaining consumer preferences over a communication network from consumers. The system searches the product database for products or services based on consumer'"'"'s search criteria. The system displays the products or services and/or advertisements related to the consumer'"'"'s search criteria in accordance with the ranking parameter(s) specified by the user. The consumer'"'"'s preferences, i.e., the search criteria and the ranking parameter(s), are stored in the database for future references, e.g., determine consumer trends, etc.
36 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining consumer preferences for a product/service category over a communications network from a plurality of consumers, comprising the steps of:
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receiving one or more product/service criteria for said product/service category from a consumer and at least one of said product/service criteria as a ranking parameter from said consumer; searching a database connected to said network having product/service information for products or services in said product/service category based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer, such that the search is based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit search criteria; ranking products or services in said product/service category satisfying said product/service criteria in accordance with said ranking parameter received from said consumer to provide a ranked list, thereby ranking the search result based solely on said consumer'"'"'s explicit order of importance; and storing said product/service criteria received from said consumer and said ranking parameter received from said consumer as market research data of consumer preferences in said database without storing information identifying or specific to said consumer, thereby obtaining market research data anonymously based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit selections without receiving or collecting information identifying or specific to said consumer to preserve the privacy of said consumer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable code for obtaining consumer preferences for a product/service category over a communications network from a plurality of consumers, said code comprising instructions for:
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receiving one or more product/service criteria for said product/service category from a consumer and at least one of said product/service criteria as a ranking parameter from said consumer; searching a database having product and service information for products or services in said product/service category based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer, such that the search is based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit search criteria; ranking products or services in said product/service category satisfying said product/service criteria in accordance with said ranking parameter received from said consumer to provide a ranked list, thereby ranking the search result based solely on said consumer'"'"'s explicit order of importance; and storing said product/service criteria received from said consumer and said ranking parameter received from said consumer as market research data of consumer preferences without storing information identifying or specific to said consumer, thereby obtaining market research data anonymously based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit selections without receiving or collecting information identifying or specific to said consumer to preserve the privacy of said consumer. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for targeting advertisement over a communications network, comprising the steps of:
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receiving one or more product/service criteria for said product/service category from a consumer and at least one of said product/service criteria as a ranking parameter from said consumer; searching a product database having product and service information for products or services in said product/service category based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer and an advertisement database for an advertisement based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer, such that searches are based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit search criteria; ranking products or services in said product/service category satisfying said product/service criteria in accordance with said ranking parameter received from said consumer to provide a ranked list, thereby ranking the search result based solely on said consumer'"'"'s explicit order of importance; displaying said advertisement and said ranked list on a processing device associated with said consumer; and storing said product/service criteria received from said consumer and said ranking parameter received from said consumer as market research data of consumer preferences without storing information identifying or specific to said consumer, thereby obtaining market research data anonymously based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit selections without receiving or collecting information identifying or specific to said consumer to preserve the privacy of said consumer.
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23. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable code for targeting advertisement over a communications network, said code comprising instructions for:
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receiving one or more product/service criteria for said product/service category from a consumer and at least one of said product/service criteria as a ranking parameter from said consumer; searching a product database having product and service information for products or services in said product/service category based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer and an advertisement database for an advertisement based solely on said product/service criteria received from said consumer, such that searches are based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit search criteria; ranking products or services in said product/service category satisfying said product/service criteria in accordance with said ranking parameter received from said consumer to provide a ranked list, thereby ranking the search result based solely on said consumer'"'"'s explicit order of importance; displaying said advertisement and said ranked list on a processing device associated with said consumer; and storing said product/service criteria received from said consumer and said ranking parameter received from said consumer as market research data of consumer preferences without storing information identifying or specific to said consumer, thereby obtaining market research data anonymously based solely on consumer'"'"'s explicit selections without receiving or collecting information identifying or specific to said consumer to preserve the privacy of said consumer.
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Specification