US6370526B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Self-adaptive method and system for providing a user-preferred ranking order of object sets
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1999-05-18
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Granted: 2002-04-09
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Expires: 2019-05-18
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for presenting a group of objects in a ranking order. Objects are ranked according to user preferences by first observing the access order of a related group of objects in relation to a predetermined access hypothesis. A user preference model is then adapted to correspond to any deviations between the access order and the access hypothesis for the related group of objects. Next, object preferences are calculated for each of the objects to be ranked according to the preference model. The group of objects is then presented to the user in an order corresponding to the calculated object preferences. The preference model is adaptively updated, unbeknownst to the user, in the normal course of accessing the presented objects.
Inventors
- 👤 Rakesh Agrawal
- 👤 Andreas Arning
- 👤 Roland Seiffert
- 👤 Ramakrishnan Srikant
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/3331; G06F16/334; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis, said preference model comprising a preference feature vector, having object features and associated preference feature values, and a plurality of object feature vectors, having object features, for corresponding objects in said second plurality of objects, and associated preference feature values; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects; presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences; and thereafter continually adaptively updating the preference model as each plurality of objects are observed and processed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis, said preference model comprising a preference feature vector, having object features and associated preference feature values, and a plurality of object feature vectors, having object features, for corresponding objects in said second plurality of objects, and associated preference feature values; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects; presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences; and thereafter continually adaptively updating the preference model as each plurality of objects are observed and processed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said object preferences are calculated as a function of the preference feature values of said object feature vectors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 2 , wherein said object preferences are increased for objects accessed in an order earlier than that predicted by said access hypothesis and for objects having preference features similar to said earlier accessed objects.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 3 , wherein said object preferences are increased by: calculating a bonus value for said objects; then applying said bonus value to the preference feature values of said object feature vectors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 4 , wherein said bonus value relates to the difference between said access order and said access hypothesis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 4 , wherein the magnitude of said bonus value depends upon the type of access to said first plurality of objects.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 6 , wherein said type of access includes at least one of reading, deleting and moving said first plurality of objects.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 2 , wherein said object preferences are decreased for objects accessed in an order later than that predicted by said access hypothesis and for objects having preference features similar to said later accessed objects.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein said object preferences are decreased by: calculating a penalty value for said objects; then applying said penalty value to the preference feature values of said object feature vectors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method according to claim 9 , wherein said penalty value relates to the difference between said access order and said access hypothesis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 9 , wherein the magnitude of said penalty value depends upon the type of access to said first plurality of objects.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method according to claim 11 , wherein said type of access includes at least one of reading, deleting and moving said first plurality of objects.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said access hypothesis relates to the relative position of an object within the presentation of said first plurality of objects.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein said access hypothesis is equal to an offset value, identical for all objects of said first plurality of objects.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation of said access hypothesis is dynamically selectable between at least one of: said access hypothesis being related to the relative position of an object within the presentation of said first plurality of objects; and said access hypothesis being equal to an offset value, identical for all objects of said first plurality of objects.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according claim 1 , wherein said first and second plurality of objects are electronic mail messages existing within an electronic messaging system.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according claim 1 , wherein said first and second plurality of objects are objects retrieved from a database.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the preference model is adaptively updated by dynamically determining object features in the preference feature vector and in the object feature vector.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
139 words
A computer system, comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory to present information derived from digital data processed by said processor; a system interface coupled to said display and said processor for accessing the information presented on said display; and a control program stored in said memory that, when executed on said processor, generates a preference model based upon a user's access actions on a first group of objects, said objects being presented on said display and accessed through said system interface when executed on said processor, and causes a second group of related objects to be presented in a ranked order on said display based upon said preference model.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
139 words
A computer system, comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory to present information derived from digital data processed by said processor; a system interface coupled to said display and said processor for accessing the information presented on said display; and a control program stored in said memory that, when executed on said processor, generates a preference model based upon a user's access actions on a first group of objects, said objects being presented on said display and accessed through said system interface when executed on said processor, and causes a second group of related objects to be presented in a ranked order on said display based upon said preference model.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system according to claim 19 wherein the control program scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system according to claim 20 wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of object.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
235 words
A system for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranked order, comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory to present information derived from digital data processed by said processor; a system interface coupled to said display and said processor for accessing the information presented on said display; and a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to direct the processing of digital data by said processor, said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in observing an access order of a first plurality of objects, presented on said display and accessed through said system interface, in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects, adapting a preference model, stored in said memory, in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis, calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects, presenting said second plurality of objects on said display in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences, and scaling the object preference of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
235 words
A system for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranked order, comprising: a housing; a processor mounted within said housing and processing digital data; memory mounted within said housing for storing digital data and coupled to said processor; a display coupled to said processor and said memory to present information derived from digital data processed by said processor; a system interface coupled to said display and said processor for accessing the information presented on said display; and a control program stored in said memory and accessible by said processor to direct the processing of digital data by said processor, said control program and said processor cooperating, when said control program is executing on said processor, in observing an access order of a first plurality of objects, presented on said display and accessed through said system interface, in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects, adapting a preference model, stored in said memory, in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis, calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects, presenting said second plurality of objects on said display in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences, and scaling the object preference of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system according to claim 22 wherein said aging factor is equal to the value of F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of objects.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
132 words
A data processing program for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranked order based upon object preferences, said program executing in a data processing system comprising software code portions for: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; scaling the object preference of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects; and presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
132 words
A data processing program for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranked order based upon object preferences, said program executing in a data processing system comprising software code portions for: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; scaling the object preference of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects; and presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The program according to claim 24 wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of objects.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
168 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a computer usable medium, having computer readable code modules embedded therein for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranked order based upon object preference information, said computer readable code modules including a computer readable code module for observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; a computer readable code module for scaling the object preference of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor; a computer readable code module for adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; a computer readable code module for calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects; and a computer readable code module for presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
168 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a computer usable medium, having computer readable code modules embedded therein for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranked order based upon object preference information, said computer readable code modules including a computer readable code module for observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; a computer readable code module for scaling the object preference of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor; a computer readable code module for adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; a computer readable code module for calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects is related to said first plurality of objects; and a computer readable code module for presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
47 words
The article of manufacture according to claim 26 wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of objects.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects also includes said first plurality of objects; and presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects also includes said first plurality of objects; and presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects includes said first plurality of objects; presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences; and scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of object.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects includes said first plurality of objects; presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences; and scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of object.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects includes said first plurality of objects; presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences; and scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of object.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for presenting a plurality of objects in a ranking order, the method comprising the steps of: observing an access order of a first plurality of objects in relation to an access hypothesis for those objects; adapting a preference model in response to any deviation between said access order and said access hypothesis; calculating an object preference for each of the objects of a second plurality of objects according to said preference model, wherein said second plurality of objects includes said first plurality of objects; presenting said second plurality of objects in a ranking order corresponding to said calculated object preferences; and scaling the object preferences of said first plurality of objects by an aging factor wherein said aging factor is equal to the value F P , where 0<=F<=1 and P is equal to the number of times an object preference has been calculated for a particular one of said first plurality of object.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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