System and method for retrieving information according to improved matching criteria
US6708174B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 16, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/24578
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for retrieving information for a user includes a database containing values for one or more parameters of one or more available items, each available item with corresponding parameter values. A matching server receives values for one or more parameters of a target item, these parameters being organized into subsets. The matching server applies the parameter values for the target item against the database and, for each available item and each parameter subset of the target item, computes a distance between the parameter values for the available item and the parameter values for the target item. For each of the parameter subsets, the matching server then applies a weight to the distance to compute a weighted distance for the parameter subset. The matching server computes an overall distance between the available item and the target item based on the weighted distances for the parameter subsets and returns results to the user reflecting the overall distance for the available item. The user may be a buyer and the overall distance for the available item may allow the buyer to make a purchasing decision with respect to the available item.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.