Method for generating user flavor preference profiles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating a flavor preference profile for a user including the steps of obtaining user food preference information for a user regarding a plurality of food elements, the user food preference information being provided by the user, obtaining correlation information regarding the plurality of food elements and a plurality of flavor categories, the correlation information providing a correlation between user preference for each food element and user preference for each of the plurality of flavor categories, determining, by a microprocessor and based on the user food preference information and the correlation information, the relative user preference for each of the plurality of flavor categories, and generating preference output data for the user based on the result of the determining.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating a visual representation of a profile, the method comprising:
 obtaining information representing values for a plurality of categories;   assigning a plurality of graphical elements to the plurality of categories;   determining, by a processor, a length of each graphical element of the plurality of graphical elements, the length of each graphical element being based on the information corresponding to a respective category of the plurality of categories; and   displaying, on a display, the plurality of graphical elements each having the length determined by the processor,   wherein the plurality of graphical elements are positioned on the display around a circle with a portion of an external boundary of each graphical element contacting an external boundary of the circle and with each graphical element extending outward from the external boundary of the circle in accordance with the length determined by the processor, and   the length of each graphical element indicates a relative value for the respective category with respect to other categories of the plurality of categories.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each graphical element extends radially outward from the external boundary of the circle. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the portion of the external boundary of each graphical element that contacts the external boundary of the circle corresponds to a portion of a circumference of the external boundary of the circle. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the portion of the circumference of the external boundary of the circle that the portion of the external boundary of a first graphical element contacts is wider than the portion of the circumference of the external boundary of the circle that the portion of the external boundary of a second graphical element contacts. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the information indicates that a user prioritizes the first graphical element over the second graphical element, the portion of the circumference of the external boundary of the circle that the portion of the external boundary of the first graphical element contacts being displayed wider than the portion of the circumference of the external boundary of the circle that the portion of the external boundary of the second graphical element contacts for giving a greater weight to the first graphical element. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the portion of the circumference of the external boundary of the circle that the portion of the external boundary of each graphical element contacts is equivalent. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein a width of each graphical element increases in accordance with a radial distance from the external boundary of the circle. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the plurality of graphical elements are positioned on the display around the circle in overlapping positions. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of categories are assigned to groups, and   all of the plurality of categories within one of the groups is always displayed in a predetermined position with respect to the circle.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display, a plurality of marks, each of the plurality of marks including the plurality of categories and the circle, the information representing the values for the plurality of categories being different for each of the plurality of marks,   wherein a position of each of the plurality of categories is the same for each of the plurality of marks for enabling the plurality of marks to be compared visually.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying, on the display, a plurality of marks, each of the plurality of marks including a subset of total categories and the circle, the information representing values for the subset of total categories being different for each of the plurality of marks,   wherein positions of the subset of total categories for each of the plurality of marks are set as close as possible to set positions for enabling the plurality of marks to be compared visually.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, in a memory, a plurality of marks, each of the plurality of marks including the plurality of categories and the circle, the information representing the values for the plurality of categories being different for each of the plurality of marks;   determining a similarity between two marks of the plurality of marks; and   determining a recommendation from the information of a first of the two marks for a second of the two marks.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining location information associated with a graphical display of the plurality of graphical elements; and   determining a geo-targeted recommendation based on the location information and the graphical display of the plurality of graphical elements.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the plurality of graphical elements comprise a dynamic representation, and   the method further comprises:
 updating the information using additional information obtained from at least one of an external website and an external location. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the information includes preference information representing preferences of a user with respect to each of the plurality of categories,   the preferences include at least one of flavor preferences and texture preferences, and   the plurality of categories include at least one of flavor categories and texture categories.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein
 a graphical display of the plurality of graphical elements is associated with a recipe, and   the values for the plurality of categories comprise a conglomeration of at least one of flavors and textures of individual ingredients of the recipe.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the graphical display is a dynamic representation that is modifiable by cooking methods and a preparation sequence of the individual ingredients of the recipe.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information includes characteristic information representing characteristics of an element for each of the plurality of categories. 
     
     
         19 . A system for generating a visual representation of a profile, the system comprising:
 a processor, and   a memory including a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including:
 obtaining information representing values for a plurality of categories; 
 assigning a plurality of graphical elements to the plurality of categories; 
 determining a length of each graphical element of the plurality of graphical elements, the length of each graphical element being based on the information corresponding to a respective category of the plurality of categories; and 
 displaying, on a display, the plurality of graphical elements each having the length determined by the processor, 
   wherein the plurality of graphical elements are positioned on the display around a circle with a portion of an external boundary of each graphical element contacting an external boundary of the circle and with each graphical element extending outward from the external boundary of the circle in accordance with the length determined by the processor, and   the length of each graphical element indicates a relative value for the respective category with respect to other categories of the plurality of categories.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including, a program for generating a visual representation of a profile, the program, when executed by at least one processor, causing, the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining information representing values for a plurality of categories:   assigning a plurality of graphical elements to the plurality of categories;   determining a length of each graphical element of the plurality of graphical elements, the length of each graphical element being based on the information corresponding to a respective category of the plurality of categories; and   displaying, on a display, the plurality of graphical elements each having the length determined by the processor,   wherein the plurality of graphical elements are positioned on the display around a circle with a portion of an external boundary of each graphical element contacting an external boundary of the circle and with each graphical element extending outward from the external boundary of the circle in accordance with the length determined by the processor, and   the length of each graphical element indicates a relative value for the respective category with respect to other categories of the plurality of categories.