Patent ID: 6041311
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for operating a machine to recommend an item to one of a plurality of users, the item not yet rated by the user, the method comprising the steps of:(a) storing, using the machine, a user profile in a memory for each of the plurality of users, wherein at least one of the user profiles includes a plurality of values, one of the plurality of values representing a rating given to one of a plurality of items by the user and another of the plurality of values representing additional information;(b) calculating, using the machine, for the user, a plurality of similarity factors responsive to both ratings given to items by the user and the additional information, each of the plurality of similarity factors representing a similarity between the user and another one of the plurality of users;(c) selecting, using the machine, for the user, a plurality of neighboring users based on the similarity factors, the selecting step comprising the steps of, for each of the plurality of users:(c1) comparing associated similarity factors for the user and each one of the plurality of users; and(c2) choosing said each one of the plurality of users as one of the neighboring users if a difference between the associated similarity factors exceeds a predetermined threshold value;(d) assigning, using the machine, a weight to each of the neighboring users; and(e) recommending, using the machine, at least one of the plurality of items to the user based on the weights assigned to the plurality of neighboring users and ratings given to the plurality of items by the plurality of neighboring users.