Abstract:
A method of determining content relevance for a user sets a user preference, which is related to a first area of content. The method calculates a set of scores, by using a combination, of the user preference, affinity data, and a parametric weight. The method organizes the content by using the set of scores, such that the organization of the content has a desirable relationship to the user, and recommends the selected content. Preferably, the method precomputes the affinity data and/or the parametric weight to generate and store the precompiled data for later retrieval. The affinity data describes a relationship between a first item of content and a second item of content, and the parametric weight describes an attribute of the second item. Additional embodiments include a system implementation and computer readable medium.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed towards the field of providing online content, and more particularly toward user interactive precision targeting principle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Online networks, such as the Internet, connect a multitude of different users to an abundance of content. Just as the users are varied, the content is similarly varied in nature and type. In particular, the Internet provides a mechanism for merchants to offer a vast amount of products and services to consumers. Internet portals provide users an entrance and guide into the vast resources of the Internet. Typically, an Internet portal provides a range of search, email, news, shopping, chat, maps, finance, entertainment, and other Internet services and content, Yahoo, the assignee of the present invention, is an example of such an Internet portal. 
     When a user visits certain locations on the Internet (e.g., web sites), including an Internet portal, the user enters information in the form of online activity. This information may be recorded and analyzed to determine behavioral patterns and interests of the user. In turn, these behavioral patterns and interests may be used to target the user to provide a more meaningful and rich experience on the Internet, such as an Internet portal site. For example, if interests in certain products and services of the user are determined, advertisements and other content, pertaining to those products and services, may be served to the user. A behavior targeting system that serves highly appropriate content benefits both the content provider, who provides their message to a target audience, and a user that receives content in areas of interest to the user. 
     Currently, providing content through computer networks such as the Internet is widespread along with content through other mediums, such as television, radio, or print. Different online content has different objectives and appeal depending on the user toward whom the content is targeted. The value to the user of media or a particular medium will largely be based on the quality of the content provided to the user. Quality has a number of factors, including the relevance to a specific user at a specific moment in time, for instance. Hence, considering the vast amount of information available to the broad spectrum of disparate users, the delivery of quality content at any given time is not a trivial task. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Some embodiments operate by using a user interactive precision targeting principle, in which users dynamically adjust content and/or item relevance parameters based on real time needs. Advantageously, item relevance is automatically adjusted based on the users&#39; input parameters. Moreover, the users&#39; parameter adjusting behavior is stored and utilized to enhance user experience and improve targeting effectiveness. 
     More specifically, a method of determining content relevance for a user sets a user preference, which is related to a first area of content. The method calculates a set of scores, by using a combination of the user preference, affinity data, and one or more parametric weights. The method organizes the content by using the set of scores, such that the organization of the content has a desirable relationship to the user, and recommends selected content. Preferably, the method precomputes the affinity data and/or the parametric weight to generate and store the precompiled data for later retrieval. The affinity data describes a relationship between a first item of content and a second item of content, and the parametric weight describes an attribute of the second item. 
     In a particular embodiment, the parametric weight includes a metric for the popularity and/or similarity of an item of content. In some of these embodiments, the content is organized by using a tree structure, and the parametric weight is based on a tree distance. In one implementation, the user preference is received directly from the input of a user through an interactive user interface. These implementations preferably store the user preference, and retrieve the user preference, as needed. Alternatively, the user preference is set by using information retrieved from at least one of the following: (1) an area of content for a particular user, as in the case where the user sets the user preference, or (2) from a set of demographically similar users. The second implementation has advantages when the user has little accumulated data. In these cases, the preference setting optionally occurs without the need for user action. 
     Preferably, the calculated set of scores includes relevance scores. Some embodiments store the calculated set of scores, and retrieve the calculated set of scores, as needed to customize for the particular user, a relevance metric for each of several items of content. These embodiments advantageously select content by using the calculated set of scores, and optionally present the recommended content, which is personalized to the user. The recommending or presentation often involves a push technology. Particular implementations update the user preferences, the affinity date, the parametric weight, and/or the set of scores, as part of an automated process. Further, the updating is periodic, real time, or some combination of both. 
     Additional embodiments include a computer readable medium storing a computer program, and a system for determining relevance of content. The system has a user interface, a relevance engine, and a profile manager. The user interface is for receiving a user preference. The relevance engine involves a parametric model for calculating a set of scores based on the user preference, affinity data, and/or one or more parametric weights. The profile manager is for organizing the user preference and/or the calculated set of scores. The profile manager typically includes data storage for record keeping and/or retrieval of the user preference and the calculated set of scores, as needed by the system. The calculated and/or inputted user data are optionally organized into user profiles, which are further advantageously mined for information, such as profile similarities and groups. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, for purpose of explanation, several embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following figures. 
         FIG. 1  conceptually illustrates an interactive user interface. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a tree structure for representing content. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative user interface for similarity. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative user interface for distance. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a parametric model of some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates user preference data combined with the parametric model of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a system implementation according to some embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  is a process flow in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, numerous details are set forth for purpose of explanation. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the invention may be practiced without the use of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order not to obscure the description of the invention with unnecessary detail. 
     Within the field of content recommendation, user interaction with the system is an effective real-time factor for enhancing recommendation relevance. Hence, some embodiments exploit user interactions to generate user-based customized results by using three components: (1) an interactive user interface, (2) a relevance engine, and (3) a user preference and/or profile manager. The interactive user interface allows one or more users to input preferences for specific content, or across a variety of content. The relevance engine operates by using a parameterized model that takes individual user preference parameters and dynamically adjusts relevance logic to generate accurate recommendations that are germane and/or appropriate to each user, at particular times and/or levels of user interaction. The user preference manager advantageously includes a data store that retains a user&#39;s preference parameters and more advanced patterns regarding the user&#39;s preferences, interactions, and/or system activities. 
     I. User Interface and Interaction for Expressing Preferences 
     Obtaining input in terms of a real-time contextual user preference is first-hand information in understanding and even anticipating a user&#39;s intentions. Item relevance is context-sensitive upon a user&#39;s needs. For instance, at a broad category level, a particular user is often interested in content related to sports on weekends, but is more interested in the stock market during the week, and then prefers online poker in the evenings. For this single user, or across a demographic of users, delivering the most appropriate content or recommendations for content advantageously results in greater click-through rates, more sales and leads opportunities, and an overall better user experience. Accordingly, particular embodiments of the invention include several components that operate to identify and deliver higher quality and more timely content and/or recommendations. As mentioned above, one such component is an interactive user interface for a user to input preferences. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a user interface  100  of some embodiments. Preferably, the user interface  100  is interactive and allows the user to input a particular preference, by using a selector  102  along a spectrum or gradient of preferences. The exemplary interface  100  is simplified. However, one of ordinary skill recognizes alternative implementations such as, for example, sliding scales, rotating knobs, level meters, and the like. As shown in  FIG. 1 , one preference relates to popularity. For instance, a user who is interested in seeing the most popular content available advantageously directs the selector  102  toward the more popular region of the user interface  100 . 
     One usage of the “popularity” user preference is for users to select or browse between recommendations for content items in the (less popular) tails of a popularity distribution, and the more popular items of the distribution. Another use of a popularity preference is for cold start or new users for whom the recommendation system has not built up a profile that is broad enough to make relevant recommendations. In this situation, a user, or alternatively, the system in an automated process, moves the selector toward the higher popularity side to receive relevant items in an increasing filter fashion. What is more popular varies by content. Hence, different metrics apply to measure each type of content. For instance, news popularity of RSS feeds is measured in numbers of reads, while groups or forum popularity is measured by number of members or users. Content categories are a useful means of discussing content. Hence, content in the form of categories is described in several illustrative examples herein. However, one of ordinary skill recognizes a variety of forms and structures for content. 
     Available content is typically diverse and/or voluminous in nature. Hence, as mentioned above, it is often advantageous to organize available content into a set of manageable categories. For instance, Table 1 illustrates an exemplary organization for content available through a network of networks, such as the Internet. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Sample Categories. 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 # 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 360° 
               
             
          
           
               
                 A 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Account Information 
               
               
                   
                 Address Book 
               
               
                   
                 Alerts 
               
               
                   
                 Answers 
               
               
                   
                 Anti Spyware 
               
               
                   
                 Anti-Virus 
               
               
                   
                 Ask Yahoo! 
               
               
                   
                 AT&amp;T Yahoo! Dial 
               
               
                   
                 AT&amp;T Yahoo! High 
               
               
                   
                 Speed Internet 
               
               
                   
                 Auctions 
               
               
                   
                 Autos 
               
               
                   
                 Avatars 
               
             
          
           
               
                 B 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Babel Fish Translations 
               
               
                   
                 Banking Center 
               
               
                   
                 Bargains 
               
               
                   
                 Baseball - MLB 
               
               
                   
                 Bill Pay 
               
               
                   
                 Bookmarks 
               
               
                   
                 Briefcase 
               
               
                   
                 Business 
               
               
                   
                 Buzz Index 
               
             
          
           
               
                 C 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Calendar 
               
               
                   
                 Cars 
               
               
                   
                 Chat 
               
               
                   
                 Classifieds 
               
               
                   
                 Courses &amp; Degrees 
               
             
          
           
               
                 D 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Dating 
               
               
                   
                 Del.icio.us 
               
               
                   
                 Developer Network 
               
               
                   
                 Dictionary 
               
               
                   
                 Directory 
               
               
                   
                 Directory Submit 
               
               
                   
                 Domains 
               
               
                   
                 Downloads 
               
               
                   
                 Driving Directions 
               
               
                   
                 DSL 
               
             
          
           
               
                 E 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Education 
               
               
                   
                 Elections 
               
               
                   
                 Encyclopedia 
               
               
                   
                 Entertainment 
               
             
          
           
               
                 F 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Family Accounts 
               
               
                   
                 Fantasy Sports 
               
               
                   
                 FIFA World Cup 
               
               
                   
                 Finance 
               
               
                   
                 Firewall 
               
               
                   
                 Flickr 
               
             
          
           
               
                 G 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Games 
               
               
                   
                 GeoCities 
               
               
                   
                 Golf 
               
               
                   
                 Greetings 
               
               
                   
                 Groups 
               
             
          
           
               
                 H 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Health 
               
               
                   
                 Help 
               
               
                   
                 Horoscopes 
               
               
                   
                 HotJobs 
               
             
          
           
               
                 I 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Insurance 
               
               
                   
                 International 
               
               
                   
                 Internet Access 
               
             
          
           
               
                 J 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Jobs 
               
             
          
           
               
                 K 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Kids 
               
             
          
           
               
                 L 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Loans 
               
               
                   
                 Local 
               
               
                   
                 Lottery 
               
             
          
           
               
                 M 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Mail 
               
               
                   
                 Maps 
               
               
                   
                 Member Directory 
               
               
                   
                 Merchant Solutions 
               
               
                   
                 Message Boards 
               
               
                   
                 Messenger 
               
               
                   
                 Mobile 
               
               
                   
                 Mobile Games 
               
               
                   
                 Mobile Wallpaper 
               
               
                   
                 Movies 
               
               
                   
                 Music 
               
               
                   
                 Mutual Funds 
               
               
                   
                 My Yahoo! 
               
             
          
           
               
                 N 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 NASCAR 
               
               
                   
                 NBA 
               
               
                   
                 NCAA Basketball 
               
               
                   
                 NCAA Football 
               
               
                   
                 News 
               
               
                   
                 NFL 
               
               
                   
                 NHL 
               
               
                   
                 Norton Internet Security 
               
               
                   
                 Notepad 
               
             
          
           
               
                 P 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Parental Controls 
               
               
                   
                 People Search 
               
               
                   
                 Personals 
               
               
                   
                 Pets 
               
               
                   
                 Photos 
               
               
                   
                 Picks 
               
               
                   
                 Podcasts 
               
               
                   
                 Points 
               
               
                   
                 Pop-Up Blocker 
               
               
                   
                 Premium Services 
               
               
                   
                 Publisher Network 
               
             
          
           
               
                 R 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Radio 
               
               
                   
                 Real Estate 
               
               
                   
                 Reference 
               
               
                   
                 Ringtones 
               
             
          
           
               
                 S 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Search 
               
               
                   
                 Search Marketing 
               
               
                   
                 Security Center 
               
               
                   
                 Shopping 
               
               
                   
                 Small Business 
               
               
                   
                 Soccer 
               
               
                   
                 Sponsor Listings 
               
               
                   
                 Sports 
               
               
                   
                 Spyware Removal 
               
               
                   
                 Stock Quotes 
               
             
          
           
               
                 T 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Taxes 
               
               
                   
                 Tech 
               
               
                   
                 Tennis 
               
               
                   
                 The Spark 
               
               
                   
                 Tickets 
               
               
                   
                 Tones 
               
               
                   
                 Toolbar 
               
               
                   
                 Travel 
               
               
                   
                 TV 
               
             
          
           
               
                 U 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Upcoming.org 
               
             
          
           
               
                 V 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Verizon Yahoo! for 
               
               
                   
                 DSL 
               
               
                   
                 Video 
               
               
                   
                 Video Games 
               
               
                   
                 Voice 
               
             
          
           
               
                 W 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Wallet 
               
               
                   
                 Weather 
               
               
                   
                 Web Hosting 
               
               
                   
                 Widgets 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Y 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Yahoo! by Phone 
               
               
                   
                 Yahoo! Next 
               
               
                   
                 Yahoo! Phone Card 
               
               
                   
                 Yahooligans! 
               
               
                   
                 Yellow Pages 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     As recognized by one of ordinary skill, each category in Table 1 further contains copious amounts of content and subcontent. Preferably, such categories, content and/or subcontent are organized into a searchable and/or navigable structure such as a tree.  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary tree structure  200  for some of the categories and related content illustrated in Table 1. The illustrative tree  200  of  FIG. 2 , preferably includes several top level categories  202 , and a number of sublevels  203  and  204 , for additional and/or detailed content organized within each top level category  202 . More specifically,  FIG. 2  illustrates two categories Sports and Shopping, each having related content and/or subcontent. The Sports category includes, for example, Baseball, and Basketball, which each have subcontent, such as, for example, major league baseball (MLB) and college baseball (NCAA) for baseball, while basketball has national league (NBA) and American league (ABA). Separately from the Sports category, the Shopping category has such content as Baseball Cards, which relate to purchase, sale, trade, or other transactions for baseball cards. One of ordinary skill recognizes that the tree structure  200  is merely exemplary, and that each category in the tree  200 , preferably spawns many branches and large amounts of associated content. 
     Accordingly, users of the exemplary content of Table 1 and  FIG. 2 , typically have additional interest and/or preferences in such content, beyond merely popularity, for example. Hence some embodiments include additional user interlaces for receiving the preferences of these users.  FIG. 3  illustrates a user interface  300  for another user selectable preference. As shown in this figure, the user advantageously directs another content preference, namely, item similarity, by using a selector  302 .  FIG. 4  illustrates an alternative interface  400  whereby a selector  402  indicates a preference for content relevance by using a different moniker, namely, distance in terms of content relationship. 
     The foregoing  FIGS. 1 through 4  illustrate a variety of possible relationships between content in terms of the arbitrarily defined categories of Table 1, and between the content and the user. These relationships are optionally defined by selected item attributes or parameters. The item parameters are preferably defined by the content itself. These item parameters such as popularity, similarity or distance, and other parameters are preferably used in conjunction with the preferences of the user. 
     Preferably, the combined use of these item parameters with the user preference is calculated and stored only for the particular user expressing the preference as part of a user profile, for example. The parameters expressing the general relationship between content items is stored separately as part of a data base or storage tree of content items, such that the relationships between content items are useable for several users. Further, item parameters or attributes are updated, separately from the preferences of a single user. For instance, while a specific user has a preference for popular items, which is stored, each item has its own popularity, which is separately stored. Meanwhile, the user typically updates the user preference, and separately, the system updates the content attributes such as the item parameter for popularity, for instance. 
     The following illustrates the interaction between an item parameter and a user preference. Some embodiments define content similarities by a particular distance function, for instance, tree distance. In these embodiments, the user advantageously Indicates a preference for a range of tree distances, for a selected category, to customize the user&#39;s interaction with the content. This interaction is typically both automated, and manually specified at various times by the user. 
     For instance, one usage of the “category distance” user preference is when a user wishes to explore recommendation items that belong to different categories, if the user is more interested in items in similar categories, the user moves the category distance preference selector toward the less distant area of the interface to adjust the type of recommendation items, which the user receives. In the example illustrated by  FIG. 2 , NCAA Baseball is the top recommendation for a user profile that shows an interest in major league baseball (MLB), since these content categories and/or items are nearest each other in the example tree. If however, the user selects more distant (or less similar) content, for example, some embodiments include a relevance and/or recommendation engine that produces recommendations for a wider variety of items such as items related to the NBA, for instance. The relevance and/or recommendation engine of these embodiments is further described next. 
     II. Parameterized Relevance Model 
     Advantageously, the item parameters discussed above are implemented as part of a relevance-based computation model.  FIG. 5  is an illustration of such a model  500 . As shown in this figure, the model  500  includes an exemplary predictor item (NBA) and several associated target items (ABA basketball, NCAA basketball, and baseball-cards abbreviated as b-card). For this example, the items of  FIG. 5  correspond to the category tree items of  FIG. 2 . 
     Each of the target items has an associated Affinity-based Score, and/or one or more parameter weights, such as a popularity weight and a distance weight, which are shown in the exemplary illustration  500 . Preferably, the affinity score and/or parametric weights are predetermined by using demographic data, and/or by using a set of properties for the predictor item and each target item. For instance, there is a strong relationship between the NBA and the ABA, as shown by the illustrative affinity score of 0.95. However, the minor league American Basketball Association (ABA) is generally not a popular content item, as shown by the example popularity weight of 0.20. 
     As another example, there is an affinity for users of NBA content, for baseball-card content, such as baseball card sales in the Shopping category. Embodiments of the invention advantageously include such affinities, though not always apparent, as part of demographic and other affinity data. For instance, there is often an affinity between beer and diaper consumers. Some embodiments pre-calculate the various affinity and parametric data and/or update such data on an ongoing periodic and/or real time basis. Once the model  500  is populated with various affinity and or parametric weight data, some embodiments advantageously combine user preference data into the model to yield a variety of useful content relevance information for a particular user, and based on the particular user&#39;s preferences. Such an embodiment is described by reference to  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the particular user specified preferences of popularity  602  and similarity  604 , advantageously combined with the exemplary scores and parametric values illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Advantageously, the user adjusts these preferences by using the user interfaces described above in relation to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 . One of ordinary skill recognizes a variety of combinations for the user preferences of  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , and the parameterized data of  FIG. 5 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a particular embodiment whereby, for each target item, the user popularity preference  602  is multiplied by the popularity weight, while the user similarity preference  604  is multiplied by the distance weight. 
     Then, once the parameter weights are adjusted by the user preferences, the weights are multiplied together, and the product is multiplied with the affinity score, to yield a final_relevance_score for each target item. Such relevance data  610  is advantageously stored and/or used to select, determine, and/or deliver content that is more relevant to the user. A variety of content items along with affinity data, and/or parametric weights, describing the relationship between content is preferably generated and/or used by a relevance engine  608  that operates by using or is represented by the parametric relevance model described above. 
     Hence, the parameterized relevance engine of these embodiments advantageously uses item data which is organized into sets, such as set of affinity items, and a corresponding set of affinity scores for each affinity item. Further, each affinity item has as set of corresponding item parameters. Each item parameter preferably has one score value for each parameter that is considered by the system and/or that is associated or known for the affinity item. The foregoing is generalized by the following item numbers and parameter numbers. The sample score and weight values are merely exemplary. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Pre- 
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 dic- 
               
               
                 tor 
                 Affinity 
                 Affinity 
                 Param_1 
                 Param_1 
                 Param_2 
                 Param_2 
               
               
                 Item 
                 Item 
                 Score 
                 Type 
                 Weight 
                 Type 
                 Weight 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 I_1 
                  I_237 
                 0.58 
                   
                 0.99 
                   
                 0.12 
               
               
                   
                 I_98 
                 0.74 
                   
                 0.11 
                   
                 0.99 
               
               
                   
                 I_56 
                 0.95 
                   
                 0.50 
                   
                 0.48 
               
               
                   
                 . . . 
                 . . . 
                   
                 . . . 
                   
                 . . . 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     Accordingly, the system operates by using a number of affinity items and a number of parameters. Moreover, one of ordinary skill recognizes that these data are combined differently in different implementations. One implementation of the operation performed by the parameterized relevance engine is integration of all the parameter values available into one final score, which is generalized as follows: 
               Final_Score   ⁢     (   affinity_item   )       =     AFF_Score   +     User_Specified   ⁢   _Pref   ⁢   _for   ⁢   _Param   ⁢   _   ⁢   1   *   Param_   ⁢   1   ⁢           ⁢   Weight     +     User_Specified   ⁢   _Pref   ⁢   _for   ⁢   _Param   ⁢   _   ⁢   2   *   Param_   ⁢   2   ⁢           ⁢   Weight   ⁢           ⁢   …     +     User_Specified   ⁢   _Pref   ⁢   _for   ⁢   _Param   ⁢   _N   *   Param_N   ⁢           ⁢   Weight             
III. User Parameter Profile Manager
 
     Regardless of the particular calculations used to determine user desirability for content or relevance, at a given time, some embodiments include a User Parameter Profile Manager (UPPM) to store the user&#39;s customized parameter profile. The profile manager provides statistics on a user&#39;s behavioral patterns at an individual user level. The stored profile information has several beneficial uses such as, for example, users re-visit a previously determined or stored setting in similar contexts, without the need to re-enter preferences, and such data is shared across multiple user environments and/or experiences. Moreover, for targeting purposes, the profile manager uses stored user patterns as part of a user profile for prediction purposes, and further as a recommended and/or default parameter profile across users, such as for other similar users and/or for new users, who have little accumulated data. 
       FIG. 7  conceptually illustrates a user parameter profile manager  710  as part of a system  700  in accordance with some implementations. As shown in this figure, the system  700  includes one or more users who access content on the system  700  by using various electronic devices  702  and  704 , such as computers, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, and the like. These devices  702  and  704  are typically networked to a server environment  714  through a network  706 , or network of networks such as the Internet. Content typically resides in a number of locations throughout the network  706 , and is often difficult to find, view, organize, and/or navigate. Accordingly, server  714  includes a relevance engine  708 , a profile manager  710 , and one or more data storages  712 . As illustrated in the figure, the relevance engine  708  is preferably coupled to the profile manager  710  and the data storage  712  by using multiple data paths. 
     The relevance engine  708  is advantageously used for performing calculations and relevance determinations based on user preference, affinity data, parametric weights, and/or a relevance scoring system. Hence, the relevance engine  708  is configured to exchange data with the profile manager  710  and data storage(s)  712  by using the data paths. For instance, in some embodiments a first user enters a first preference by using an interactive interface on the device  702 . The user preference is received by the relevance engine  708 , which uses the user preference to calculate relevance scores. Typically, the relevance engine  708  employs data retrieved from the profile manager  710 , such as affinity data, parametric weights, and/or any stored profile data for the first user. 
     Once the relevance engine  708  calculates a set of relevance scores based on the available data, the scores are used in various ways. For instance, some embodiments rank content, select content, recommend and/or present the recommended content to the user. Further, the user preference and/or the calculated scores are stored by using the profile manager  710  such as in the data storage  720 . The data is advantageously stored as part of a profile for the particular first user. Some embodiments track the users and profiles by using an identification system such that, as additional users interact with the system, preferences, scores, and/or profiles for these users are managed, stored, and/or retrieved by the system  700 . Moreover, the various user identifiers, preferences, profiles, and other system data are passed by using the different data paths. 
     In some cases, little data has been accumulated for a second user such as a new user interacting with an interface through the device  704 . In some of these cases, the server  714  provides an initial preference setting and/or profile, for the new user. The profile manager  710  and/or relevance engine  708  of some implementations advantageously provides the initial information for the new user based on demographic information, affinity data, other parameters, and/or stored profile information. For instance, some embodiments use profile information for similarly situated users. 
       FIG. 8  is a process  800  that illustrates a method employed by some of the embodiments described above. As shown in this figure, the process  800  begins at the step  810 , where a user preference is received and/or set. Typically, a user applies a preference by using the interactive user interface as described above. However, in some cases the preference is set by using information retrieved from another content area for a particular user, or from a set of demographically similar users, for a user who has little accumulated data, such as a new user, for example. 
     Once one or more preferences are set at the step  810 , the process  800  transitions to the step  820 , where a set of scores are calculated. Preferably, the scores are calculated by using a combination of the user preferences, and affinity and parametric weight data, for a variety of content. As described above, the content data is often complex and generated by using a variety of factors, including demographic information. 
     Advantageously, the result of the step  820  is a relevance scoring system that is customized for the particular user, for each of several items of content. The calculated information is optionally stored and/or retrieved for multiple applications such as, for example, to determine information about a specific user, or to perform determinations about a group of users. 
     Then, at the step  830 , the process  800  determines and/or selects content having a desirable relationship to the user by using the set of scores calculated, stored, and/or retrieved at the step  820 . After the desirable content is determined at the step  830 , the process  800  transitions the step  840 , where the selected content is presented and/or recommended to the user. One of ordinary skill recognizes a variety of means by which the selected content is presented to the user, such as, by “push” or other technologies, for example. Then, the process  800  transitions to the step  850 , where a determination is made whether to continue and/or repeat the cycle. Some embodiments allow the user to input preferences at various times, such as in real time, for example. Moreover, some embodiments constantly update the preferences, affinities, weights, other parameters, and/or relevance scores periodically, on an ongoing basis, in real time, or based on particular stimuli, that often include the system activities of the user, and/or based on other system activities without the need for user interaction or activity. For instance, popularity data is often updated over a group of users, while similarity data is updated over a group of content items, without the need for specific interaction. 
     If the process  800  should continue at the step  850 , then the process  800  returns to the step  810 . Otherwise, the process  800  concludes. 
     As described above, some implementations store user customized parameter profiles and further, provide statistics on user behavioral patterns at an individual user level. One purpose of storing a user&#39;s customized parameter profile is for users to re-visit their settings in the future or over a variety of situations. Another purpose is that content providers advantageously use the stored patterns for prediction purposes, or as a recommended parameter profile for other similar users. Accordingly, the embodiments described above include a user-interactive, parameterized recommendation relevance machine that advantageously enables a user to participate in the recommendation process. These embodiments incorporate a user&#39;s contextual interest into the relevance parameters and affinity data, which enhances the user&#39;s experience and promotes beneficial interaction. Some embodiments accumulate and utilize user preference patterns for analysis. Additionally, some implementations present associated parameter values along with each individual recommendation, which also beneficially increases the user&#39;s experience of interactive participation and engagement with the recommendation system. The result is not only a more personalized experience, but also the potential for greater click-through and/or conversion rates. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to numerous specific details, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, while the embodiments above are described in relation to online content, one of ordinary skill recognizes applications in additional media and data types. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details, but rather is to be defined by the appended claims.