Patent ID: 7885962

Claim:
A device for collecting ratings on a plurality of subjects, said device comprising: a processor; a memory connected to said processor; an input device connected to said processor; an output device connected to said processor; and a short-range transceiver connected to said processor, wherein said processor, said memory, said input device, said output device, and said transceiver are contained within a case configured for portability; said processor being configured for: receiving, from said input device, a first set of ratings for ones of a plurality of subjects, storing a policy specifying whether rating information is to be accepted through said short-range transceiver, responsive to said policy being met, receiving, through said short-range transceiver, a second set of ratings for ones of said plurality of subjects, updating ones of said first set of ratings by merging with corresponding ones of said second set of ratings wherein said processor is further configured for updating ones of said first set of ratings by calculating, for each of said ones of said first set of ratings updated, a new weighted rating based on an existing weighted rating from said first set of ratings, an existed weighted rating from said second set of ratings, and a similarity factor between said first set of ratings and said second set of ratings, and displaying said updated ones of said first set of ratings.