IP Library Granted Patent US 11,294,977
Granted Patent B2
US 11,294,977 · App. 16/523,106 · Granted Apr 5, 2022

Techniques for presenting content to a user based on the user's preferences

Inventors: Ihab Francis Ilyas (Waterloo, CA); Mohamed A. Soliman (San Mateo, CA)
G06F16/9535G06F16/24578G06F16/36
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,294,977
App. No.
16/523,106
Granted
Apr 5, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for presenting content to users. The techniques include: obtaining user context information including a first keyword; identifying, based on the first keyword, a first attribute and a second attribute among the plurality of attributes, the first attribute being a characteristic of the first keyword and the second attribute being another characteristic of the first keyword; obtaining, based on the user context information, at least one second-order user preference among attributes in the plurality of attributes including a preference between the first attribute and the second attribute; identifying a set of content items among the plurality of content items based on the first attribute and the second attribute; determining a ranking of content items in the set of content items based on the at least one second-order user preference; and presenting content items to the user in accordance with the ranking.

Claims (42)

1. A computer-implemented method for obtaining user preferences, the method comprising:

receiving user context information associated with at least one user;

identifying, based at least in part on the received user context information, a plurality of attributes of items in a plurality of items;

obtaining, using at least one processor, a plurality of first-order preferences based at least in part on a first input provided by the at least one user, the plurality of first-order preferences indicating the at least one user's preference among values of a first attribute in the plurality of attributes and the at least one user's preference among values of a second attribute in the plurality of attributes, wherein the plurality of items includes:

a first item having a value of the first attribute that is, according to the plurality of first-order user preferences, preferred to a value of the first attribute of a second item; and

the second item having a value of the second attribute that is, according to the plurality of first-order user preferences, preferred to a value of the second attribute of the first item; and

after obtaining the plurality of first-order preferences, obtaining, using the at least one processor, at least one second-order user preference based at least in part on a second input provided by the at least one user, wherein the at least one second-order user preference comprises a preference among the plurality of first-order preferences.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the plurality of first-order user preferences comprises interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the at least one second-order user preference comprises interacting with the at least one user to obtain the second input.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input comprises presenting a graphical user interface to the at least one user that enables the at least one user to specify a first-order user preference for the first attribute by specifying the preference among the values of the first attribute.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of items is represented by at least a first concept in a semantic network, wherein the first attribute is an attribute of the first concept, and wherein interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input comprises presenting a graphical user interface to the at least one user that enables the at least one user to specify a first-order user preference for the first attribute by specifying a preference among children of the first attribute.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein presenting the graphical user interface to the at least one user comprises:

prompting the at least one user to specify the first-order user preference for the first attribute.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the user context information associated with the at least one user comprises receiving a search query from the at least one user.

8. A system for obtaining user preferences, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured to:

receive user context information associated with at least one user;

identify, based at least in part on the received user context information, a plurality of attributes of items in a plurality of items;

obtain a plurality of first-order preferences based at least in part on a first input provided by the at least one user, the plurality of first-order preferences indicating the at least one user's preference among values of a first attribute in the plurality of attributes and the at least one user's preference among values of a second attribute in the plurality of attributes, wherein the plurality of items includes:

a first item having a value of the first attribute that is, according to the plurality of first-order user preferences, preferred to a value of the first attribute of a second item; and

the second item having a value of the second attribute that is, according to the plurality of first-order user preferences, preferred to a value of the second attribute of the first item; and

after obtaining the plurality of first-order preferences, obtain at least one second-order user preference based at least in part on a second input provided by the at least one user, wherein the at least one second-order user preference comprises a preference among the plurality of first-order preferences.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain the plurality of first-order user preferences at least by interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain the at least one second-order user preference at least by interacting with the at least one user to obtain the second input.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input comprises presenting a graphical user interface to the at least one user that enables the at least one user to specify a first-order user preference for the first attribute by specifying the preference among the values of the first attribute.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of items is represented by at least a first concept in a semantic network, wherein the first attribute is an attribute of the first concept, and wherein interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input comprises presenting a graphical user interface to the at least one user that enables the at least one user to specify a first-order user preference for the first attribute by specifying a preference among children of the first attribute.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein presenting the graphical user interface to the at least one user comprises:

prompting the at least one user to specify the first-order user preference for the first attribute.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the user context information associated with the at least one user at least by receiving a search query from the at least one user.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium article storing a plurality of processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform:

receiving user context information associated with at least one user;

identifying, based at least in part on the received user context information, a plurality of attributes of items in a plurality of items;

obtaining a plurality of first-order preferences based at least in part on a first input provided by the at least one user, the plurality of first-order preferences indicating the at least one user's preference among values of a first attribute in the plurality of attributes and the at least one user's preference among values of a second attribute in the plurality of attributes, wherein the plurality of items includes:

a first item having a value of the first attribute that is, according to the plurality of first-order user preferences, preferred to a value of the first attribute of a second item; and

the second item having a value of the second attribute that is, according to the plurality of first-order user preferences, preferred to a value of the second attribute of the first item; and

after obtaining the plurality of first-order preferences, obtaining at least one second-order user preference based at least in part on a second input provided by the at least one user, wherein the at least one second-order user preference comprises a preference among the plurality of first-order preferences.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium article of claim 15 , wherein obtaining the plurality of first-order user preferences comprises interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium article of claim 15 , wherein obtaining the at least one second-order user preference comprises interacting with the at least one user to obtain the second input.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium article of claim 16 , wherein interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input comprises presenting a graphical user interface to the at least one user that enables the at least one user to specify a first-order user preference for the first attribute by specifying the preference among the values of the first attribute.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium article of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of items is represented by at least a first concept in a semantic network, wherein the first attribute is an attribute of the first concept, and wherein interacting with the at least one user to obtain the first input comprises presenting a graphical user interface to the at least one user that enables the at least one user to specify a first-order user preference for the first attribute by specifying a preference among the children of the first attribute.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium article of claim 18 , wherein presenting the graphical user interface to the at least one user comprises:

prompting the at least one user to specify the first-order user preference for the first attribute.

Assignments (2)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 2, 2025
From: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA
To: PRIMAL FUSION INC.
Reel/Frame 069720/0988 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2023
From: PRIMAL FUSION INC.
To: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK OF CANADA
Reel/Frame 063425/0274 →
Continuity (10)
Continuation 15658500 · Jul 25, 2017
Continuation 14729958 · Jun 3, 2015
Continuation 13527883 · Jun 20, 2012
Continuation 13345644 · Jan 6, 2012
Continuation In Part PCTCA2012000009 · Jan 6, 2012
Continuation 13345637 · Jan 6, 2012
Continuation 13345640 · Jan 6, 2012
Continuation In Part 13165423 · Jun 21, 2011
Provisional Application 61498899 · Jun 20, 2011
Related Publication 20190347303A1 · Nov 14, 2019