US 8,429,160 B2Granted

User preference correlation for web-based selection

OwnerRobert Osann, Jr.inventor

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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, users can request or be passively offered suggestions that result from preference associations across multiple websites as performed by a preference analysis and suggestion function.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A system for assisting users with the selection of items on the Internet, comprising:

one or more hardware processors;
at least one web robot operable on the one or more hardware processors for crawling multiple websites to determine published userIDs and associated published preferences;
a database accessible to the one or more hardware processors for storing the userIDs and associated preferences;
software operable on the one or more hardware processors for performing an analysis and suggestion function;
wherein the system initially assumes that a userID used by a first user on a first website represents the same user as the same userID used by a second user on a second website;
wherein associated preferences stored for a particular userID include preferences for items available from a plurality of websites;
wherein the system provides a particular third user with specific preference association information for a first item based on the expressed preferences of at least the first and second users across multiple websites relative to the first item and items that at least the first and second the other users have previously reviewed;
and
wherein to provide the preference association information to the third user, the third user need not be identified and need only indicate an interest in the first item;
and
wherein the operation of the system includes the steps of:
recording preferences published on a first set of one or more websites for a specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a first group of other users registered on the first set of one or more websites;
recording preferences published on a second set of one or more websites for the specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a second group of other users registered on the second set of one or more websites;
determining that preferences of the first group of other users published on the first set of one or more websites do not correlate with those of the second group of other users published on the second set of one or more websites;
and
determining due to a lack of preference correlation between the first group of other users and the second group of other users that the person utilizing the first userID on the first set of one or more websites is a different person than the person utilizing the first userID on the second set of one or more websites and thereafter treating the first userID as two different userIDs respective of the first and second sets of websites.

13 more elements

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:

crawling a first website and recording in a database a first set of published login names and associated published preferences for said first set of login names;
crawling a second website and recording in said database a second set of published login names and associated published 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;
and
wherein to determine that a first instance of a specific UserID used to express preferences on a first website represents a different user than a second instance of the specific UserID used to express preferences on a second website, the method further comprises:
recording preferences published on a first set of one or more websites for a specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a first group of other users registered on the first set of one or more websites;
recording preferences published on a second set of one or more websites for the specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a second group of other users registered on the second set of one or more websites;
determining that preferences of the first group of other users published on the first set of one or more websites do not correlate with those of the second group of other users published on the second set of one or more websites;
and
determining due to a lack of preference correlation between the first group of other users and the second group of other users that the person utilizing the first userID on the first set of one or more websites is a different person than the person utilizing the first userID on the second set of one or more websites and thereafter treating the first userID as two different userIDs respective of the first and second sets of websites.

8 more elements

A method for enabling users to receive suggestions relative to items shown on one or more websites based on preference association across multiple websites, comprising:

when a first user visits a first website, showing the first user a first item available on at least a second website, based on published reviews available on at least a third and fourth website;
wherein the first item previously received positive reviews from a second user on the third website and a third user on the fourth website;
wherein the first item previously received positive reviews from a fourth user published on both the third and fourth websites under the same userID;
wherein the reviews from the second, third, and fourth users were retrieved by a Web crawler based on each user's published userID;
wherein published reviews from the second, third, and fourth users correlate with each other;
and
wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
recording preferences published on a first set of one or more websites for a specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a first group of other users registered on the first set of one or more websites;
recording preferences published on a second set of one or more websites for the specific first userID that correlate consistently with those of a second group of other users registered on the second set of one or more websites;
determining that preferences of the first group of other users published on the first set of one or more websites do not correlate with those of the second group of other users published on the second set of one or more websites;
and
determining due to a lack of preference correlation between the first group of other users and the second group of other users that the person utilizing the first userID on the first set of one or more websites is a different person than the person utilizing the first userID on the second set of one or more websites and thereafter treating the first userID as two different userIDs respective of the first and second sets of websites.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.