IP Library Granted Patent US 9,535,897
Granted Patent B2
US 9,535,897 · App. 14/136,111 · Granted Jan 3, 2017

Content recommendation system using a neural network language model

Inventors: Glen Anderson (Palo Alto, CA); Michael Schuster (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: Google Inc.
G06F17/276G06F17/28G06F17/3064G06F17/30864G06N3/02G06Q30/0631H04N21/44222H04N21/4666H04N21/4668
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,535,897
App. No.
14/136,111
Granted
Jan 3, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to applying techniques similar to those used in neural network language modeling systems to a content recommendation system. For example, by associating consumed media content to words of a language model, the system may provide content predictions based on an ordering. Thus, the systems and techniques described herein may produce enhanced prediction results for recommending content (e.g. word) in a given sequence of consumed content. In addition, the system may account for additional user actions by representing particular actions as punctuation in the language model.

Claims (23)

1. A computer-implemented method of providing recommendations, comprising:

obtaining a user history for a user, the user history identifying a plurality of items, the plurality of items comprising items representing one or more media items presented to the user and items representing one or more actions performed by the user;

generating a sequence of tokens that includes a respective token associated with each of the one or more media items presented to the user and a respective token associated with each of the one or more actions performed by the user;

providing each token in the sequence of tokens as an input to a recurrent neural network that is configured to process each of the tokens and, after processing a last token in the sequence of tokens, predict a next token subsequent to the last token in the sequence of tokens; and

providing a recommendation to the user based on an item associated with the predicted next token.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions performed by the user include one of selecting an advertisement, performing a search, visiting a webpage, navigating a webpage, rating a media item, sharing a media item, and interrupting a played media item.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more actions performed by the user include ending a session.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more media items presented to the user include videos, music, documents, or applications.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the recurrent neural network is configured to associate each of a plurality of candidate tokens with a respective probability.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the recommendation to the user is provided as a list identifying items associated with the plurality of candidate tokens for the next token.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the items associated with the plurality of candidate tokens for the next token are ordered in the list based on probabilities associated with the plurality of candidate tokens.

8. A system for providing recommendations, comprising:

a processor, the processor configured to:

obtain a user history for a user, the user history identifying a plurality of items, the plurality of items comprising items representing one or more media items presented to the user and items representing one or more actions performed by the user;

generate a sequence of tokens that includes a respective token associated with each of one or more media items presented to the user and a respective token associated with each of the one or more actions performed by the user;

provide each token in the sequence of tokens as an input to a recurrent neural network that is configured to process each of the tokens and, after processing a last token in the sequence of tokens, predict a next token subsequent to the last token in the sequence of tokens; and

provide a recommendation to the user based on an item associated with the predicted next token.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more actions performed by the user include one of selecting an advertisement, performing a search, visiting a webpage, navigating a webpage, rating a media item, sharing a media item, and interrupting a played media item.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more actions performed by the user include ending a session.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more media items presented to the user include videos, music, documents, or applications.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the recurrent neural network is configured to associate each of a plurality of candidate tokens with a respective probability.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the recommendation to the user is provided as a list identifying items associated with the plurality of candidate tokens for the next token.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the items associated with the plurality of candidate tokens for the next token are ordered in the list based on probabilities associated with the plurality of candidate tokens.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044097/0658 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2013
From: ANDERSON, GLEN; SCHUSTER, MICHAEL
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 031867/0163 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20150178265A1 · Jun 25, 2015