Patent ID: 7076456

Claim:
A system for an adaptive sales interview search technique for an electronic catalog, the system comprising: a customer interface; a host system coupled to said customer interface through a network, the host system performing; system providing in said electronic catalog products contained in a database; providing in said electornic catalog questions relating to said produces to be presented to a customer using said electronic catalog; supplying in said electronic catalog likely answers of the customer linked to constraints relative to said products contained in said database; selectings and electronic catalog questions in order of a ranked importance, said ranked importance independent of any previous answer provided by said customer; presenting a highest ranked question; receiving an answer to said highest ranked question; determining a next highest ranked question, said determining including searching for said next highest ranked question containing at least one relevant answer, the searching including presenting said next highest ranked question if said next higher ranked question contains at least two relevant answers; presenting said next highest ranked question; receiving an answer to said next highest ranked question; applying constraints based on said answer to said highest ranked question and said next highest ranked question; and limitings product choices based on said answer to said highest ranked question and said answer to said next highest ranked question; and a database coupled to said host system.