Ask Jeeve's Patent Application

[rubble88]

Some of you might be interested to read a patent application filed by Ask.Com. It was filed about 8 months ago.

"Automated decision advisor" [appft1.uspto.gov]

Abstract:
The present invention provides an automated system to guide people ("users") to help them find and select products, services, or other items, that best meet their needs and preferences. The system obtains information from and about users to assess their needs and preferences. The system dynamically selects those questions to ask that are most likely to help discriminate between items based on information about user preferences and differences between the items, based on information about the user obtained so far. The system scores the available items in terms of how well they match user's needs and preferences and generates lists of recommended items. The system explains its recommendations using lists of pros and cons to help users understand how well the features or attributes of the items do or do not match their expressed needs.

Ask already has been awared this Patent

"Personalized search methods" [patft.uspto.gov]

[Brett_Tabke]

It will be interesting to see if this one gets granted! Sounds very similar to a couple other patents.

[msgraph]

Another patent issued for Ask on the personalization subject today.

Personalized Search Methods [patft.uspto.gov]

the other from 2001 [patft.uspto.gov]