Patent ID: 8036946

Claim:
A method for making an inference based on cumulative data, said method comprising: observing a retail environment for a customer, said observing utilizing at least one device selected from the group comprising video and audio and biometric devices; in response to having identified said at least one customer, identifying at least one cohort corresponding to said customer, each cohort of said at least one cohort comprising a group of identifiable entities sharing at least one common characteristic, each cohort of said at least one cohort further comprising cumulative data corresponding to purchases made in said retail environment by each identifiable entity in said group corresponding to said cohort; in response to having identified said at least one cohort corresponding to said customer, identifying at least one product said customer selected from said retail environment; in response to having identified said at least one product, a computer processor making an inference based on said at least one product and said cumulative data residing in each cohort of said at least one cohort corresponding to said customer; and in response to said making said inference, updating said cumulative data residing in each cohort of said at least one cohort corresponding to said customer, said updating comprising utilizing said inference.