Patent ID: 7117163
Filing Date: 2006-10-03
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented system for offering to a user one or more alternative products similar to a requested product, comprising: a computer-implemented first user interface operable to receive a user request for a product having a plurality of product attributes, the user request specifying a desired attribute value for each of a plurality of selected product attributes; a computer-implemented search procedure operable to select a set of one or more candidate alternative products having attribute values consistent with the desired attribute values specified in the user request for the selected product attributes, for each potential alternative product in a set of potential alternative products the search procedure operable to: a computer-implemented sort procedure operable to rank the one or more candidate alternative products in order of decreasing similarity to the requested product determined according to the product similarity values for the one or more candidate alternative products, each product similarity value having been determined according to the attribute similarity values determined for each selected product attribute for which a desired attribute value is specified in the user request; and a computer-implemented second user interface operable to present the set of one or more candidate alternative products to the user for selection of a candidate alternative product, wherein each attribute similarity value is calculated according to either a first expression or a second expression depending on whether the attribute value for the potential alternative product is less than or greater than the desired attribute value for the requested product, wherein each attribute similarity value ASV for a selected product attribute is calculated as follows: if the attribute value x for the potential alternative product is less than the desired attribute value A where A if the attribute value x for the potential alternative product is greater than the desired attribute value A where A