System and method for determining relative preferences for marketing, financial, internet, and other commercial applications

Abstract

A method transforms ratings data for evaluation items to response data that indicates an approach, if any, toward the evaluation items and avoidance from the items. Approach entropy values and avoid entropy values may be generated for the items based on the response data. A relative preference order for the items may be determined from the generated approach and avoid entropy values.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions executable by one or more data processing entities, the one or more media comprising:
 instructions to perform a keypress procedure, the keypress procedure including
 presenting a plurality of evaluation items to one or more users, and 
 obtaining response data from the one or more users, where the response data is generated based on the one or more users entering one or more inputs at a computing device as the plurality of evaluation items are being presented at the computing device to the one or more users, and at least a first portion of the response data is indicative of at least an approach toward the plurality of evaluation items by the one or more users; 
   instructions to store the response data in a first memory;   instructions to generate, by a processor coupled to the first memory or the second memory, for the one or more users approach entropy values for the plurality of evaluation items, where the approach entropy values, for the one or more users, are generated based on the stored response data;   instructions to determine for each of the one or more users a customized relative preference order among the plurality of evaluation items, the customized relative preference order based on the approach entropy values generated based on the stored response data; and   instructions to present the customized relative preference order, for each of the one or more users, on an output device, where
 the response data includes relative approach probabilities, and 
 the approach entropy values are generated by applying a sum function to the relative approach probabilities. 
   
     
     
         2 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of evaluation items are associated with one or more of movies, books, and songs. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of evaluation items are organized into a plurality of categories, and the response data is indicative of at least an approach toward the plurality of categories. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 3  wherein the categories are genres. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 1  wherein at least a second portion of the response data is indicative of an avoidance from the plurality of evaluation items by the one or more users, the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media further comprising:
 instructions to generate, by the processor, for the one or more users avoid entropy values for the plurality of evaluation items, wherein 
 the customized relative preference order is further determined based on the generated avoid entropy values. 
 
     
     
         6 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5  wherein
 the response data that is indicative of an avoidance from the plurality of evaluation items includes relative avoid probabilities, and 
 the avoid entropy values are generated by applying a sum function to the relative avoid probabilities. 
 
     
     
         7 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 5  further comprising:
 instructions to generate a plot of the approach entropy values versus the avoid entropy values. 
 
     
     
         8 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 1  wherein the one or more users includes a plurality of users, the medium further comprising:
 instructions to determine at least one of a number and a percentage of the plurality of users having the same customized relative preference order among the plurality of evaluation items. 
 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 performing a keypress procedure, the keypress procedure including:
 presenting a plurality of evaluation items to one or more users, and 
 obtaining response data from the one or more users, where the response data is generated based on the one or more users entering one or more inputs at a computing device as the plurality of evaluation items are being presented at the computing device to the one or more users, and at least a first portion of the response data is indicative of at least an approach toward the plurality of evaluation items by the one or more users; 
 storing, by a first processor, the response data in a memory coupled to the first processor; 
 generating, by the first or a second processor, for the one or more users approach entropy values for the plurality of evaluation items, where the approach entropy values, for the one or more users, are generated based on the stored response data; 
 determining for each of the one or more users a customized relative preference order among the plurality of evaluation items, the customized relative preference order based on the approach entropy values generated based on the stored response data; and 
 presenting, by the first, the second, or a third processor, the customized relative preference order, for each of the one or more users, on an output device, where
 the response data includes relative approach probabilities, and 
 the approach entropy values are generated by applying a sum function to the relative approach probabilities. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The method  claim 10  wherein the plurality of evaluation items are associated with one or more of movies, books, and songs. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of evaluation items are organized into a plurality of categories, and the response data is indicative of at least an approach toward the plurality of categories. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the categories are genres. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein at least a second portion of the response data is indicative of an avoidance from the plurality of evaluation items by the one or more users, the method further comprising:
 generating for the one or more users avoid entropy values for the plurality of evaluation items, wherein 
 the customized relative preference order is further determined based on the generated avoid entropy values. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein
 the response data that is indicative of an avoidance from the plurality of evaluation items includes relative avoid probabilities, and 
 the avoid entropy values are generated by applying a sum function to the relative avoid probabilities. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 generating a plot of the approach entropy values versus the avoid entropy values. 
 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the one or more users includes a plurality of users, the method further comprising:
 determining at least one of a number and a percentage of the plurality of users having the same customized relative preference order among the plurality of evaluation items. 
 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus comprising:
 an output device; and   one or more processors, at least one of the one or more processors coupled to the output device, the one or more processors configured to:
 implement a keypress procedure, the keypress procedure including
 presenting a plurality of evaluation items to one or more users, and 
 obtaining response data from the one or more users, where the response data is generated based on the one or more users entering one or more inputs at a computing device as the plurality of evaluation items are presented at the computing device to the one or more users, and at least a portion of the response data is indicative of at least an approach toward the plurality of evaluation items by the one or more users; 
 
 generate for the one or more users approach entropy values for the plurality of evaluation items, where the approach entropy values, for the one or more users, are generated based on the response data; 
 determine for each of the one or more users a customized relative preference order among the plurality of evaluation items, the customized relative preference order based on the approach entropy values generated based on the stored response data; and 
 present on the output device the customized relative preference order, for each of the one or more users, on an output device, where
 the response data includes relative approach probabilities, and 
 the approach entropy values are generated by applying a sum function to the relative approach probabilities. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of evaluation items are associated with one or more of movies, books, and songs. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of evaluation items are organized into a plurality of categories, and the response data is indicative of at least an approach toward the plurality of categories. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  wherein the categories are genres. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein at least a second portion of the response data is indicative of an avoidance from the plurality of evaluation items by the one or more users, the one or more processors further configured to:
 generate for the one or more users avoid entropy values for the plurality of evaluation items, wherein 
 the customized relative preference order is further determined based on the generated avoid entropy values. 
 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein
 the response data that is indicative of an avoidance from the plurality of evaluation items includes relative avoid probabilities, and 
 the avoid entropy values are generated by applying a sum function to the relative avoid probabilities. 
 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein the one or more processors is further configured to:
 generate a plot of the approach entropy values versus the avoid entropy values. 
 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the one or more users includes a plurality of users, the one or more processors further configured to:
 determine at least one of a number and a percentage of the plurality of users having the same customized relative preference order among the plurality of evaluation items. 
 
     
     
         27 . (canceled)