CN101770467A - Method, apparatus and system for analyzing and ranking web accessible data objects - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a method, a device and a system for analyzing and sequencing data targets capable of accessing a web. Methods, systems, and computer program products for locating associated products via a computer network include receiving a search topic and one or more attributes associated with the topic from a user at a client terminal, and assigning a rank to at least one attribute. The server is for locating at least two independent instances of the topic and at least two information fields at one or more information locations, each field relating to one of the instances of the topic. The content in each of the at least two of the information fields is associated with at least one attribute, and the content in each of the at least two of the information fields associated with an attribute is compared with each other. A score is assigned to the content of each compared instance of content based on the comparison. Prioritizing the attributes and ordering the located instances of the topic based on the prioritization and a score of content associated with the topic.

Description

Method, apparatus and system for analyzing and sorting web-accessible data objects

technical field

The present invention relates generally to internet content location and ordering, and more particularly to ordering products based on criteria that are relevant and tailored to each specific user and their product needs.

Background technique

The Internet is a publicly accessible worldwide network of other interconnected computers. It is made up of millions of smaller home, college, business and government networks that together carry a variety of information and services such as e-mail, online chat, file transfer, and associated web pages and other documents on the World Wide Web.

The Internet and the World Wide Web (Web) are not the same thing. The Internet is a collection of interconnected computer networks linked by means of communication such as copper wires, fiber optic cables, wireless connections, etc., and the Web is a collection of interconnected documents and other resources linked by hyperlinks and Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). The Web can be accessed via the Internet, such as including e-mail, file sharing, and many other services.

The Web navigates to any of a large number of "web pages" that are located by a unique address. Each of these web pages may contain "content" such as graphics, text, video, and sound. Programmers control the content that appears on each of these web pages. In addition, each web page can be linked to other web pages through hyperlinks. These other web pages are identified by URLs embedded in the hyperlinks and contain further content. Due in part to the ease of programming web pages, the Web has experienced dramatic exponential growth in the number of web pages, and correspondingly, the amount of content accessible via the Internet.

以及许多其它搜索引擎，现在全世界数以百万计的用户可即时访问巨大且不同数量的在线信息。Compared with traditional information sources such as encyclopedias and libraries, the World Wide Web has rapidly dispersed information and data. To help locate this data, "search engines" have been developed by countless software developers. A "search engine" is a well-known document retrieval system for locating information stored on the Web. Internet search engines driven by keywords, like

and many other search engines, millions of users around the world now have instant access to a vast and varied amount of online information.

Understand the work of search engines by accepting keywords entered by users, and compare them with the content on the web page by using keywords entered by users. The comparison may be a substantially direct comparison, a complex algorithm, or some compromise between the two. Once a specified number of web pages have been searched, the results are ranked in some order of "relevance," a term that has been given several definitions by those ranking information. The results are then displayed in a list with the most "relevant" web pages determined to be at the top of the list and the least relevant web pages at the bottom of the list.

Unfortunately, determining relevance is not an exact science. Many search engines define the most relevant site as the site where the keyword occurs most frequently. Other search engines determine relevance by the number of other users who select a web page when presented with a list of potentially related web pages. Many other methods are used to try to find the web page that most closely fits what the searcher is looking for. Some search engines only prioritize pages that pay them the most money.

However, these correlation determination methods are inefficient and inaccurate. For example, suppose a user is searching for mutual funds and types within the keywords "mutual" and "funds." With all state-of-the-art search engines, the user will not be shown a list of mutual funds with their associated details, but instead will be presented with only the words "mutual" and "fund" on their web page or their associated metadata list of web pages. Similarly, if a user is searching for credit cards, a user using an existing search engine is not provided with a list of credit cards sorted by their attributes, but instead is shown a huge list of credit card related sites, which may include credit card issuers, credit card custom Companies, stores that accept credit cards, and a host of other information presented to users based on possibly irrelevant criteria, such as which pays the most cost-per-click or which generates the most web traffic.

Currently the searcher has no way of knowing which web page the searcher is searching in the list of typically thousands of located web pages. Having to click through each of the non-strategic and imprecisely ordered web pages located after a search in order to determine the most relevant web pages is tedious to the searcher and generates a great deal of frustration.

There is therefore a need to overcome the problems in the prior art as discussed above.

Contents of the invention

A system, method, and computer program product for locating related products via a computer network includes receiving a search topic from a user, where the topic is a particular product the user is looking for. Next, one or more attributes associated with the topic are received. The attribute may be a product attribute such as the interest rate of a credit card or certificate of deposit, or may be a user attribute such as user cash flow or liabilities. Next, at least one attribute is assigned a rating, where one attribute can be defined as being more important than another attribute. Informational locations are searched until at least two independent instances of the topic are located. At each information location where an instance of the subject is located, an information field relating to one of the instances of the subject is located. Next, the content in each information field in the at least two information fields is associated with at least one attribute, and the content in the first information field (field) in the information fields is relative to the content in the information field The content in the second information field of is scored. Attributes are then prioritized, and the location instances for the topics are ordered based on the prioritization.

According to another feature of the invention, receiving one or more attributes associated with the user includes receiving input from the user, searching data stored during a previous session of the user, searching a database of user attributes, and/or system default attributes. set up.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said attributes comprise income, credit score and/or location.

According to another feature, embodiments of the invention include displaying one or more of said plurality of sorted results by sorting.

According to an additional feature, embodiments of the invention comprise updating the ranking of said plurality of results in response to receiving a change in the priority of at least one attribute.

According to another feature, embodiments of the invention include receiving a user rating for a product, and ranking the plurality of search results based at least in part on the user rating.

According to another feature, the invention provides a system for locating related products, wherein the system includes a client computer operable to receive a search topic from a user and to receive one or more attributes associated with the user. The system also includes a server communicatively coupled to the client computer and operable to search two or more information locations of the search subject and at least one field of information relating to the subject. Either the client computer or the server associates at least one field of information with at least one attribute, prioritizes the attribute, and/or ranks the plurality of results of the search based on the prioritization of the attribute.

Description of drawings

In the individual views, like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar parts, and the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the following detailed description, serve to further illustrate various embodiments, and to Explain all the various principles and advantages according to the present invention.

Figure 1 diagrammatically represents a networked system of data processing components in which the present invention may be implemented.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating information locating steps according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a screenshot of a sample web page structural layout according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a screenshot of a sample location refinement screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a screenshot of a sample web page for setting attributes associated with a user according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a screenshot of a sample web page for entering detailed attributes according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a screenshot of a sample search result presentation web page according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a screenshot of a product ranking tool according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a screenshot of an interaction summary web page according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

10 is a block circuit diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a block circuit diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a client computer system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

12 is a screenshot of a sample web page structure layout for searching and sorting mutual funds according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 13 is a screenshot of a sample level-definition screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a screenshot of a filter setting screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

15 is a screenshot of a sample web page structure layout for searching and sorting mutual funds according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

16 is a screenshot of a sample search results presentation web page for a mutual fund family according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 17 is a screenshot of a sample web page structure layout for searching and sorting deposit slips according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed ways

While this specification sets forth the claims defining the features of novelty which are believed to be the invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are used throughout.

An exemplary method and hardware platform for intelligently locating products is now described wherein a search for a product is performed on a computer network and by its relevance to the searcher, more particularly by its relevance to the searcher Correlation of associated attributes to select the positioned product. Rather than simply locating web pages that reference, link, or offer a desired product, embodiments of the present invention return a list of results ordered by how well the product fits the searcher's needs and searcher's situation. The term "product" as used herein is defined broadly to refer not only to physical objects but also to services, and combinations of products and services such as credit cards.

network

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 schematically represents a networked system 100 in which data processing components of the present invention may be implemented. System 100 includes network 102 , which is the medium for providing communication links between various devices and computers connected together within networked data processing system 100 . Network 102 provides communication between a plurality of user computers 104a through 104n and a plurality of information servers 106a through 106n. The network 102 is, for example, the Internet and provides online services. Web servers 106 a through 106 n manage network traffic, such as communications between any given user computer 104 and information server 106 . Network 102 includes wired or wireless connections. A few example wired connections are electrical cables, telephone lines, and fiber optics. Exemplary wireless connections include radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) transmissions. Many other wired and wireless connections are known in the art and can be used with the present invention.

浏览器、由

制成的INTERNET以及由

制成的

所述通信软件允许搜索者经由Internet连接及使用在线搜索服务。用户计算机104上的软件管理从服务器106接收到用户计算机104上的信息的显示，以及将用户行为传送回到适当的信息服务器106上，因此额外的显示信息可呈现给用户或所作用的信息上。User computer 104 is equipped with communication software including a World Wide Web (WWW) browser, such as provided by NETSCAPE Made

browser, by

INTERNET and by

Made

The communication software allows searchers to connect and use online search services via the Internet. Software on the user's computer 104 manages the display of information received from the server 106 on the user's computer 104, and transmits user actions back to the appropriate information server 106 so that additional display information can be presented to the user or acted upon .

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, servers 106a-n are connected to network 102 along with storage units 108a-n. The storage units 108a-n store data and are searched by and accessed by the servers 106a-n via the network 102 . Thus alternative one or more storage units 108a-n may be directly coupled to one of the servers 106a-n via link 112, for example.

The servers illustrated in Figure 1 and discussed thereafter are those of the product or service provider, ie the merchant. While the following discussion pertains to communications between shoppers and merchants via the Internet, it is applicable to any information seeker and any information provider on the web. (For example, the information provider may be a library such as a university library, a public library, or the United States Library of Congress, or other type of information provider.) Information about merchants and merchant products or services is stored in a database In one of 108a-n, the merchant server 106a-n accesses the database 108a-n. This may be the trader's own database or the supplier's database.

之类的搜索服务提供商提供的多个搜索服务器110a-n，这些搜索服务提供商维护通过询问由独立贸易商维护的产品信息数据库114所获得的独立贸易商106a-n的产品的全文索引112。像

的这些搜索服务提供商中一些提供商是通用搜索提供商，而其它提供商是主题特定搜索提供商。In addition to servers of independent traders 106 and other information providers, system 100 also includes

A plurality of search servers 110a-n provided by search service providers such as Google, which maintain full-text indexes 112 of products of independent traders 106a-n obtained by querying product information databases 114 maintained by independent traders . picture

Some of these search service providers for are general search providers, while others are topic specific search providers.

Network data processing system 100 may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown. In the depicted embodiment, network data processing system 100 includes the Internet with network 102 representing a collection of global networks, and gateways that communicate with each other using the TCP/IP suite of protocols. At the heart of the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communication lines between major nodes, or host computers, including thousands of commercial, governmental, educational and other computer systems that route data and messages. Of course, the network data processing system 100 can also be implemented as many different types of networks, such as, for example, an intranet, a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN). FIG. 1 is intended as an embodiment, but not as a structural limitation of the present invention.

information location

According to one embodiment, the present invention is a web-based search application running on one of the client devices 104, alone or in conjunction with one or more of the servers 110, 106. Figure 2 shows a process flow diagram of the steps performed by an embodiment of the present invention to locate information. Processing begins at step 200 and moves directly to step 202 where the user selects a topic by typing, clicking from a list of given topics, or any of a variety of other ways of selecting a topic. A few exemplary topics include mutual funds, cars, real estate, jobs, finances, and others. Once a topic is selected, if applicable (step 203), then at step 204 the user will be able to select a list of subtopics. For example, a first topic might be "Finance" and a subtopic of Finance would be "Banking". From there, further subtopics can be selected, until finally a product such as "Credit Cards" is selected, for example. In step 206, it is queried whether to select further subtopics. If the answer to step 206 is yes, the flow moves back to step 204 and further subtopics are selected. If the answer to the query at step 206 is no, then the flow continues to step 208, where the topic and a sufficient number of subtopic levels have been traversed, a list of products is displayed, and each product can be selected by the user. In step 210, the user selects one of the themes.

Once a product is selected, at step 212, a list of possible data sources for the query is retrieved. The system advantageously collects data from multiple data sources. These data sources are either static or dynamic, online or offline, or both. Some interactions with data sources need not be dynamic, such as interacting with websites of scheduled airlines for trawling flight availability. Depending on the kind of search subject, this could be one or a combination of a local data store, a web service or application programming interface (API), or a web application where product information is cached and accessed via Either push or pull technology is updated periodically; through API, product information is dynamically generated based on variable input; through web application, product information is generated dynamically and requires system interaction with the web site in order to achieve the final result. For example, if a product provider provides an online tool to apply, order, or obtain more information about a product, a system according to one embodiment can automatically collect the relevant information from the provider's resources.

The backend system's ability to know where the data is collected on a query-by-query basis and to determine whether the data is stored locally or dynamic and global is managed by the data collection component. This component is also responsible for caching of data and cache management.

In step 214, the selected data source is queried. Queries can be made in several different ways. One such embodiment is web scraping, which can be performed, for example, by semi-trained agents. Web scraping with semi-trained agents consists of web robots crafted to meet the data representation format of a specified provider. This type of bot is most effective with a limited number of providers or in instances where an intermediary party presents data collected from multiple sources in a similar format. Examples of these are airline websites, consumer watchdog websites, and financial portals. Crawling happens after the document object model of the generated web page, and does not just fetch data from the raw markup language.

The training phase of the bot consists of processing the seeds for each monitor that has observed human interactions with the website. The required input variables are linked to an object structure containing user data, eg unknownPage.Document.Form.INPUT_TEXT_PASSENGER_LASTNAME=FirsName, LastName. The agent simulates the steps of each new query and moves to the specified result page. The results are fetched and combined into product attributes ready for the sorting function. A table resolution mechanism is used to extract data cleanly. Periodically update data and flag structural changes to the data source.

Another approach to data acquisition is through the use of data source discovery along with untrained data collection. Data source discovery includes the process used by metasearch engines to locate potentially relevant data sources. By parsing the results of multiple search engines, the proxy attempts to identify possible data sources of associated information and generate a seed list. The agent then accesses the seed and attempts to extract and verify data in one or more of the following ways:

• Visually group elements on a web page to identify navigational features and web page elements that can contain data.

• Try syntactic word analysis and simple word matching in the visual group to locate links to data sources and possibly product attributes.

• If the data is in a tabular format, try to grab the data and match the fields into the associated tables.

• If the data is not tabular, but there are more than 40% exact matches, then the agent tags the seed and the resulting web page for training.

A few other data collection methods include data-sharing schemes and forwarded or submitted data. The present invention may gain access to data collected by market researchers or data providers by either purchasing the data or participating in a revenue sharing scheme. With push or submit data, providers can submit their own product details to the invention by using the API

Examples of queries performed by the present invention may include user location information and/or importance of product specific attributes, which may be set by system default or by user interaction. At step 216, the system automatically displays the "best" selection for the particular product selected by the user. In one embodiment of the invention, the best part of a particular product is presented as a multilayer structure. For example, Tier 1 (Line 1) may state "Based on your criteria, the best CD in the country is: ExampleBank1 High Yield CD." Tier 2 (Row 2) may state "The best CD in your state is ExampleBank2CD." If e.g. This may be the case if the state is Alabama, but ExampleBank1 does not exist in Alabama. Finally, Tier 3 (row 3) may specify that "the best CD in your town," (where ExampleBank1+ExampleBank2 does not appear) "is the ExampleBank3 CD." When the results in Tier 2 match Tier 1, the Tier Merge into one layer and so on, as in the screenshot in Figure 3.

Determining the "best" item on a list is a task that has been attempted by many developers over the years. According to embodiments of the present invention, determining "best" varies depending on a number of factors. However, because the invention is dynamically changing based on the attributes used for searching and these attribute hierarchies, the invention is advantageous for all prior art devices. For example, for products tied to a location, the "best" selection may be based on best in a country, best in a particular state, and/or best in a user's geographic area. Continuing with the credit card example of a desired product, determining "best" may activate factors such as:

● Annual Percentage Rate (APR).

● Introductory rates.

●Balance transfer fees.

● Transaction fees.

●Annual fee.

● Card Sponsor.

●Safety measures.

●Bonus program

●The consumption level of the card

• The geographic area in which the institution operates.

Each of these factors is found in the information fields associated with the product. An information field is any data area on a web page that is linked to a product. For time-related products (ie, stocks, bonds, currencies, etc.), sorting can be based on current statistics, best daily statistics, monthly or yearly numbers, and others.

At step 218, it is queried whether the user should narrow down the results. If the answer to the query at 218 is yes, the list may be narrowed down automatically or manually at step 220 by, for example, selecting only those products offered within a specified distance from the user's location or another defined location. From step 220 , the process moves back to step 218 . At step 218, the searcher is given options to further narrow down the search results. The search is further narrowed by selecting or adjusting user attributes, ie, bad or no credit history, or product attributes, ie, cards must allow 0% APR on balance transfers. Additionally, ranking of importance of attributes defined for users or products may include final product ranking. An example search result would be: "Within region X (divided into country, state, city), bank Y offers credit card Z that best meets your needs." This result could be an instant result, i.e. displayed directly after the query, or This can be tracked by the system over time in order to identify when more suitable products become available. This is advantageous because tracking products over time allows the system to alert the user if, for example, changes to the product occur, such as changes in interest rates. If no further downscaling is required, processing ends at step 222 .

In at least one aspect, the present invention according to certain embodiments is a "typical" or vertical search engine that operates on a set of predefined data structures representing products offered by providers or participants in the industry or service. For example, a data structure could be general or ontological attributes of a credit card and the institution offering the product. By considering the user's profile data, and/or by being guided by the user's interaction with the inventive engine, the system recommends the most suitable product that meets the user's needs.

example search

The following description and referenced figures provide examples of data locations utilizing the present invention. The chosen example product is a credit card, which advantageously provides a complex scenario illustrating the various considerations in determining product ranking and illustrating how a user would process the information presented. Credit cards are just one example of a search topic, many others exist within all other industries such as real estate, investing, telecommunications, health care, and many others.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a web page structure layout 300 that interacts with the present invention. The web page layout 300 is divided into several sections, the first being the search criteria entry/selection section 302, the second being the results area 312, and the third section 314 allowing the user to see that he/she himself or potential cards have selected the best card. The sort position on the ruler. It should be noted that the selections shown in the figures are exemplary only and not exhaustive of all possible search criteria. In the particular embodiment shown, a user can initiate a search by defining their location in field 303 . The definition may be a selected hierarchical set including, for example, country, state, country, city, or pre-populated if this data has been previously submitted in any other previous session either for this product or for any reason. the location. If this is the first interaction with the site and no other location data exists, IP address targeting will be used to refine location to the lowest possible tier.

Field 304 presents a fixed variable list of desired credit card types. The sorting system of the present invention can sort all cards of the same type. A few exemplary sort fields are: All Credit Cards, Regular Credit Cards, Secured Cards, Bonus Cards—Air Travel, Bonus Cards, Gifts/Items, and Other.

There is also a field 306 in this embodiment, which provides help, describes the current selection, and/or provides interactive prompts. Field 306 may vary depending on the selection made in field 304 . The description field 306 provides support to the user and helps the user make the right choice.

A clickable link is provided in field 308 to select the sorting method of the present invention. If no selection is made, embodiments of the invention sort products in a standard three-step process. First, points are assigned to each attribute of each type of card, and are ranked in comparison with other cards of the same type, such as bonus cards. Second, the scores are assigned weights based on each attribute's relevance to individual users, and the scores are then re-scored. Finally, a score for each attribute is recorded, in this example the cards are scored against each other with the overall highest score ranked #1.

There are three levels of complexity for the system of obtaining importance levels for each attribute: system default levels, preset scale levels, and deeply customized levels. This ranking system applies to all products and is explained in further detail below. If the user changes from the default ranking system to some other ranking system, a message appears in field 310 to indicate this change.

location refinement

By refining their location, users can directly access products in their geographic area. Although in a credit card embodiment, this is rarely used due to the huge number of cards that are accepted nationwide. However, there are still a large number of cards that rely on smaller geographic areas.

Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of a location refinement screen that can be used by a user to specify his/her geographic location so that product searches can be narrowed by including these fields. The location screen 400 is reached by selecting the link in field 303 of FIG. 3 . The location-specific screen 400 shown in FIG. 4 includes an exemplary standard set of geographic input boxes, such as zip code 402 , country 404 , state 406 , county 408 , and city 410 . Drop-down boxes or input boxes can be used to enter geographic data into the system. Screen 400 may change based on information obtained, for example, from the IP address of the user's computer. For example, in a location such as the United Kingdom, enter a postal address instead of a postcode.

importance level

Figure 5 shows an embodiment of a graphical user interface for setting properties associated with a user. This screen is reached by selecting the link in field 308 of FIG. 3 . Using this panel 500, for a credit card embodiment, users can rate their own debt or cash flow levels. The present invention may apply a preset level of importance to attributes of the product, depending on the scale value selected. These pre-set levels are determined by considering the general factors that a person for that position on the scale will and should look for in the card.

Scale 502 is structured as a continuum between two values, eg 0 and 100. 0 means high debt and 100 means high cash flow. Users can drag the scale arrow 504 to find the most suitable position for their situation. Value 506 shows the position of the arrow in the ruler. Although the positions are grouped into preset categories, the chosen value still plays a role in the importance calculation. Field 508 provides a description of the preset category. Once the user locates the arrow 504, clicking the button 510 will indicate to the system that the scale value 506 should be used as input for the sorting function. Alternatively, the user can select the system default by clicking on the "Let the system choose for me" button 512 . Panel 500 can be hidden by clicking button 514 if no changes are desired. By clicking on tab 516 at the top of the screen, the user can pull down a screen that allows them to enter a custom rating.

Custom Ratings

FIG. 6 shows a graphical user interface that appears when a user selects tab 516 of FIG. 5 . The resulting screen 600 allows the user to enter more detailed attributes into the system. In this embodiment, the attribute is an importance level setting. The user can choose between the scale levels discussed above and shown in Figure 5, or the custom levels shown here.

The level of customization is selected by moving the slider bar for each corresponding attribute group 604a-n. The slide groups 604a-n shown in FIG. 6 may not always be attributes themselves, but may be low-level groupings of attributes to allow for a more fine-tuned view. For example, attribute group penalty charges 604e apply to attribute one "overdue payment" and "over limit" charges. This section is useful for users with a good knowledge of cards.

At the bottom of the screen are two buttons. A first button 606 indicates to the system that the attributes are set satisfactorily and that they should be used to conduct a custom search. The second button 608 tells the system to use the system defaults for the search. In one embodiment, default data and available configuration configuration data are combined and used as input to the ranking function. It should be noted that the screens shown in the drawings and described herein are exemplary only, and the invention is not limited in any way to that shown in the drawings or described in these embodiments.

result

Figure 7 shows the results of a search performed using the attributes selected in the previous figures and described above. A results screen 312 is typically displayed as soon as the search is activated and results are returned. The results screen 312 has a text field 702 describing the product that was best given the particular location under the appropriate conditions. With credit cards, this is usually shown as a single line item. However, in instances where product #1 is not available at the user's location but is in a wider area, two line items will appear. For example, one row of entries would detail the best products in countries, and the second row of entries would be the best products in states, cities, and towns. This allows users to browse more broadly outside of their state.

Field 704 shows the ranking of the product in the particular search compared to all other returned items. Field 706 shows an image of the product if available; otherwise a "no preview" image appears. In the next field 708, when, the name of the product, shows the credit card and the institution that provided the card. Field 710 provides an overview of the key points that the card must provide. An advantage of the invention is that jargon is simplified. The user can interact with the system to further obtain other attributes of the product, if desired.

In one embodiment of the invention, a user star rating system is implemented. User star ranking 712 is a custom satisfaction rating that may be collected from users, and/or retrieved from consumer watchdog websites. The ranking system scores product attributes and weights the importance of each attribute as it applies to users. It has the ability to combine quantitative and qualitative data in order to generate rankings. If product data cannot be collected by the inventive system, the organization's overall level can be broken down into its product level. Ratings are determined by the product's overall average score; however, weights can vary across data sources. For example, ratings collected by the present invention may have a weight of 1, while ratings for anonymous websites will have a rating of 0.8.

Although a card's customer rating is displayed separately, it can still be used as part of the sorting functionality, as can attributes. It is also possible that consumer grades will feature tie-breakers between grades.

Results screen 312 of FIG. 7 also features an "Info" button 714 . By clicking on the Info button 714, the user can cause a panel display that will list the individual properties of the card compared to all other cards selected on the web page. This comparison is shown, for example, in Figure 8, which will be explained below.

As an additional advantageous feature, for credit card applications, as well as for other similar products, an "Apply" button 716 is provided on the results web page 312 . The apply button 716, used in conjunction with the online application tool, allows the user to apply for a product online. This function may direct the user to a product provider web page, or may bring up an information submission screen that may be used to collect information and then forward the information, either electronically or physically, to the product provider enterprise.

further user interaction

In one embodiment, the user can select their existing credit card by using field 314 (in the graphical user interface 300 shown in FIG. 3 ) and find its sorted position on the scale that resulted in the selection of found card #1 . It also gives examples of hypothetical payouts, for example, if a user makes a purchase on a card as opposed to another card. Portion 314 is shown in more detail in FIG. 8 .

Selecting a product may be done by first selecting a provider on a first tab 817 via an input field 802 , and then narrowing down to an individual product via another input field 804 . In the case of a credit card, the user's product selections are displayed in fields 806-816. Field 806 shows the ranking of the card in its category relative to other cards. Fields 808 and 810 show product identifying text and, if available, an image of the product. Field 812 provides a summary of the attributes of the card. In field 814 the customer rating of the card is shown. By selecting the Info button 816, a screen showing more detailed properties of the card can be reached.

In one embodiment, What-if scenarios are available and allow the user to convert card attributes to dollar terms based on the user scenario. A hypothetical scenario may be entered by clicking on tab 818 . These scenarios are powerful tools for the user since it allows him/her to actually simulate different financial states. If for example the invention is used with a mutual fund, it will allow the user to enter different options for the mutual fund, such as changing interest rates, deposit terms, tax rates, etc.

A third available tab 820 allows the user to choose to compare multiple credit cards. In this function, the selected cards are compared attribute by attribute in the detailed table. Further information may be provided to the user by either providing the provider with contact details, or sending the provider a request for product brochures and other information.

interaction summary

FIG. 9 shows an interaction summary web page 900 . The interaction summary web page 900 allows registered users to get a bird's-eye view of all their interactions with the markup of the present invention. At a glance, users will be able to ascertain the overall status of their investments, equipment, policies, purchases, etc. within the general market. As an additional feature, the present invention provides an alert system that flags users about new developments within their products.

Interaction summary web page 900 may form part of a registered user's login web page and be available through various web feed formats such as RSS. RSS is used to continuously publish updated content such as blog entries, news headlines or podcasts. RSS documents, referred to as "feeds," "web feeds," or "channels," include either abstracts or full text of content from an associated website. RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with their favorite websites in an automated way that is easier than manually checking the websites. Users have the ability to use their own web aggregator running on their desktop or web blog to pull down the feed 900 and watch their transactions without having to go through the complicated process of navigating to a website and logging in. Therefore, all further interactions can take place on the website.

FIG. 9 shows several columns 902 - 912 containing exemplary fields that may appear in summary web page 900 . For example, column 902 contains the ranking of each product when the user adds it to the summary, and column 904 contains a field showing the ranking of the products, which applies when downloading the summary. Importance ratings are stored in the user profile and are retrieved when determining this purpose ranking. Column 906 shows the product name and column 908 lists the provider of the product. In this example, column 910 shows important information about the status of each product. In summary screen 900 of FIG. 9, links to other parts of the invention are provided in column 912 to allow further interaction with the product.

The mall is an evolving entity. Decisions made today don't have to be optimal tomorrow. The present invention assists the user in making ongoing and continuous association decisions. This is achieved by continuously searching for "better deals" based on user needs. If the system can recommend a more suitable service provider or product, the user is alerted via a pre-defined channel. For example, as shown in two fields 914 and 916 of column 912, alert indicators 918 and 920, respectively, appear when user-specified conditions are met. These alerts include early and late alerts. Late announcements inform users if better fees or prices are available. Early announcements notify users of upcoming product events or requirements, for example, when a fund approaches its maturity date.

server

Referring to FIG. 10 , a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server, such as server 106 and/or server 110 in FIG. 1 , is depicted in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Data processing system 1000 may be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system including multiple processors 1002 and 1004 coupled to system bus 1006 . Alternatively, a single processor system may be employed. Likewise, connected to system bus 1006 is memory controller/cache 1008 , which provides an interface to local memory 1009 . I/O bus bridge 1010 connects to system bus 1006 and provides an interface to I/O bus 1012 . Memory controller/cache 1008 and I/O bus bridge 1010 may be integrated as described. Processor 1002 or 1004 in conjunction with memory controller 1008 controls data stored in memory 1009 . Processor 1002 or 1004 may also operate in conjunction with any other memory device or storage location, such as storage areas 108a-n, to act as a monitor to monitor the data being stored and/or accessed on data storage areas 108a-n .

Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus bridge 1014 connected to I/O bus 1012 provides an interface to PCI local bus 1016 . Multiple modems may be connected to PCI bus 1016 . A typical PCI bus implementation will support 4 PCI expansion slots or additional connectors. Communications links to network computers 104a-n in FIG. 1 may be provided via modem 1018 and network adapter 1020 connected to PCI local bus 1016 by add-in boards.

Additional PCI bus bridges 1022 and 1024 provide interfaces to additional PCI buses 1026 and 1028 from which additional modems or network adapters may be supported. In this manner, data processing system 1000 allows connection to multiple network computers. Storage mapped graphics adapter 1030 and hard disk 1032 may also be connected to I/O bus 1012 as described, either directly or indirectly.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the hardware depicted in Figure 10 may vary. For example, other peripheral devices, such as optical disc drives, etc., could also be used in addition to or instead of the described hardware. The described embodiments are not meant to imply structural limitations of the invention.

In this document, the terms "computer program medium", "computer usable medium" and "computer readable medium" are used to refer generally to media such as main memory 1009, removable storage drive 1031, removable media 1033, hard disk 1032, and signals medium. These computer program products are means for providing software to computer systems. The computer-readable medium allows a computer system to read data, instructions, messages or packets of messages, and other computer-readable information from the computer-readable medium. For example, computer readable media may include nonvolatile memory such as floppy disks, ROM, flash memory, disk drive memory, CD-ROM, and other persistent storage. It can be used, for example, to transfer information such as data and computer instructions between computer systems. In addition, a computer-readable medium may include computer-readable information in a transitory medium such as a network link and/or network interface including a wired or wireless network that allows a computer to read This computer readable information.

A computer program (also known as computer control logic) is stored in memory. Computer programs may also be received via the communication interface 1016 . When executed, these computer programs enable a computer system to perform the features of the invention discussed herein. In particular, the computer program, when executed, enables processor 1002 and/or 1004 to perform features of the computer system. Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the computer system.

client device

Referring now to FIG. 11, a block diagram of an illustrative data processing system in which the present invention is implemented is depicted. Data processing system 1100 is one embodiment of client computer 104 . Data processing system 1100 utilizes a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus architecture. Although the described embodiment uses the PCI bus, other bus structures such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) may be used. Processor 1102 and main memory 1104 are connected to PCI local bus 1106 through PCI bridge 1108 . PCI bridge 1108 may also include an integrated memory controller and cache for processor 1102 . Additional connections to PCI local bus 1106 may be made through direct component interconnect or through add-in boards. In the depicted embodiment, local area network (LAN) adapter 1110, SCSI host bus adapter 1112, and expansion bus interface 1114 are connected to PCI local bus 1106 by direct component connection. In contrast, audio adapter 1116, graphics adapter 1118, and audio/video adapter 1119 are connected to PCI local bus 1106 by add-in boards inserted into expansion slots. Expansion bus interface 1114 provides connections for keyboard and mouse adapter 1120, modem 1122, and additional memory 1124, for example. Small computer system interface (SCSI) host bus adapter 1112 provides connections for hard disk drive 1126 , tape drive 1128 and CD-ROM drive 1130 , for example. A typical PCI local bus implementation will support 3 or 4 PCI expansion slots or add-on boards.

An operating system runs on processor 1102 and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within data processing system 1100 in FIG. 11 . Each client can execute a different operating system. The operating system may be a commercially available operating system such as WINDOWS XP, available from Microsoft Corporation. A database program such as ORACLE may run in conjunction with the operating system and provide calls to the operating system from JAVA programs or application programs executing on data processing system 1100 . Operating system instructions, an object-oriented operating system, and applications or programs are located on a storage device, such as hard drive 1126 , and can be loaded into main memory 1104 where processor 1102 executes.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in Figure 11 may vary depending on the implementation. In addition to or instead of the hardware illustrated in FIG. 11 , other internal hardware or peripherals such as flash ROM (or equivalent non-volatile memory) or optical disc drives or the like may be used. Likewise, the processing of the present invention is applicable to multiprocessor data processing systems.

As another example, data processing system 1100 may be a stand-alone system configured to start without relying on some type of network communication interface, whether or not data processing system 1100 includes some type of network communication interface. As another example, data system 1100 may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) device configured with ROM and/or flash ROM in order to provide non-volatile memory for storing operating system files and/or user-generated data.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11 as well as the above-described embodiments are not meant to imply structural limitations. For example, data processing system 1100 may also be a notebook computer or a handheld computer in addition to taking the form of a PDA. Data processing system 1100 may also be a kiosk or a web tool.

mutual fund

12-16 illustrate another non-limiting embodiment of the use of the present invention. The particular embodiments shown in Figures 12-16 relate to mutual funds. Figure 12 illustrates an embodiment of a web page structure layout for interaction with the present invention. The web page layout 1200 is divided into several sections, the first section is the search criteria entry/selection section 1202, the second section is the results area 1212, and the third section 1242 allows the user to see himself/herself or potential mutual funds or fund families in the selection The sorted position on the scale of the best fund or fund family. It should be noted that the selections shown in the figures are exemplary only and not exhaustive of all possible search criteria. In the particular embodiment shown, the user initiates a search by defining their location in field 1203 . The definition can be a hierarchical selection set including, for example, country, state, county, city, or for any reason, a pre-assembled location if the data has been submitted prior to this product or any other prior session. If this is the first interaction with the website and no other location data exists, IP address targeting will be used to refine location to the lowest possible tier.

Fields 1204 and 1205 present a list of fixed variables for the desired fund type. Field 1204 is the category and field 1205 is the subcategory of the family and fund. In one embodiment, the drop-down options of category 1204 include: bonds, hybrid funds, international stock funds, and US stock funds. The subcategories in drop-down box 1205 include, for example, Large Blend and Large Growth funds.

Field 1206 allows the user to specify the amount they wish to invest. This field can be used to filter funds by their required original investment amount, or use the investment amount as a criterion for some factors involving the fund.

A clickable link is provided in field 1208 to select the ranking method of the present invention. If no selection is made, embodiments of the present invention sort products according to a standard three-step process. First, assign a score to each attribute of each fund (or any product that is the subject of the search). Second, the scores are weighted based on how each attribute is associated with the individual user, and the scores are then re-recorded. Finally, the scores for each attribute are recorded, and in this example the funds are scored against each other, with the overall highest score ranked #1.

There are three levels of complexity for the system to obtain an importance rating for each attribute: system default ratings, pre-set scale ratings, and in-depth custom ratings. This sorting system applies to all products. FIG. 13 shows a graphical user interface screen 1300 that appears once a user clicks on link 1208 . Similar to the credit card example, this screen indicates how the invention will rank the funds under consideration.

The first optional field of Figure 13 is field 1302, which defines the length of time considered. The present invention will track a fund or fund family over a selected time period to determine returns or other attributes. The following 3 fields 1304, 1306 and 1308 are exemplary attributes of mutual funds that can be used to compare two or more funds. The first field 1304 is a slider to select the importance level of the attribute of appreciation. The second field 1306 has a slider to select the importance level of the benefit attribute. The third field 1308 has a slider to select the importance level of the total return attribute. After setting the importance level for one or more fields, their values are entered into the system by clicking on the "Update Level" button 1310 at the bottom of the screen 1300 .

Returning to Figure 12, field 1210 is a clickable link to determine how the present invention filters funds. An exemplary graphical user interface that appears after a user clicks on link 1210 is shown in FIG. 14 . Screen 1400 may be used by, for example, investors who must invest in accordance with requirements established by their investment organization. Screen 1400 has a check box 1402 that indicates to the system that the user wishes to filter the family by its total net worth. If this check box 1402 is checked, the system will use the value in the user entry field 1404 which indicates to the system the NAV by which to filter the funds. A second check box 1406 indicates to the system that the user wishes to filter fund families by the number of funds each fund family owns. If this checkbox 1406 is checked, the system will filter based on the number of funds indicated in box 1408. As soon as the button 1410 is clicked, the filter is updated and the sorting is updated.

The next main section 1212 of FIG. 12 shows a first family of funds 1214 and a first fund 1216 . The results shown in fields 1214 and 1216 are typically displayed as soon as the search is activated and returns results. Each of fields 1214 and 1216 has a text field 1218 and 1220 respectively, which specify the best product for a given particular location, where appropriate.

In the next fields 1222 and 1224, the performance of the fund family and the performance of the fund over time are shown, respectively. This period of time is identified in headers 1226 and 1228 above fields 1222 and 1224, respectively. The family of funds and the identifier of the family of funds are shown in fields 1230 and 1232, respectively. Fields 1234 and 12336 provide a summary of key aspects of the top-ranked fund family and fund, respectively. These top-ranked products may preferably qualify for the location information entered into field 1203 . An advantage of the invention is that jargon is simplified. The user can interact with the system and, if desired, further obtain additional attributes of the product.

In one embodiment of the invention, an analyst star ranking system is implemented. Analyst star ranking 1238 is a custom satisfaction rating that is collected from the analyst and/or retrieved from other sources of information. The ranking system scores product attributes. It has the ability to combine quantitative and qualitative data in order to generate rankings. If the inventive system cannot collect product data, the organization's overall level can be broken down into its product level. Ratings are determined by the product's overall average score; however, weights can vary across data sources. For example, ratings collected by the present invention may have a weight of 1, whereas ratings from lesser-known sites would have a rating of 0.8. Although a fund's Analyst Rating is displayed separately, it can still be used as part of the attribute's sorting functionality. It is also possible that analyst ranks will feature tie-ins between ranks.

Results field 1212 also features an "Info" button 1240 . By clicking on the Info button 1240, the user can cause the panel display to list the fund's individual properties compared to all other funds selected on the web page.

The sort field provides two tabs. The first tab 1244 , when selected, allows the user to enter a fund family identification code in field 1246 . This section sorts the user families in which he/she has invested. These rankings are continuously updated as the user changes filtering or scaling requirements. This is where the user views his own fund ordering as it happens in the change criteria. Upon pressing button 1248, a screen similar to that shown in FIG. 15 is shown to the user.

The second tab 1250 presents a screen similar to the screen 1600 shown in FIG. 16 . Screen 1600 allows the user to see individual fund performance. Further interactions in this section will allow the user to track the fund's performance at set intervals over time. The performance can be presented in rank as well as in percent change.

deposit slip

Figure 17 illustrates another exemplary use of the present invention, analyzing certificates of deposit (CDs). Screen 1700 is similar to those embodiments described above and shown in the figures. FIG. 17 has a first field 1702 for entering CD criteria, such as total investment 1704 and investment period 1706 . Screen 1700 has results section 1708 presenting number 1CD and sort and compare section 1716 . A sort and compare section 1716 has a first tab 1710 which, when selected, allows the user to sort a particular CD relative to all other members of the compare group. A second tab 1712 allows the user to participate in a hypothetical scenario. Finally, a third tab 1714 allows the user to compare multiple CDs relative to each other.

The graphical user interface 1700 shown in FIG. 17 is not meant to be limiting. The invention does not necessarily have all of the features shown, and may have additional features.

overview

The present invention is an unbiased and objective web application for intelligently locating products in which searches for products are performed over a computer network accessible to users through internet access devices including personal computers, laptops, mobile phones, and many other devices computer network. The present invention accepts pre-defined and/or open-ended search criteria and user configuration data, and responds to a user accessing one or more data source. Positioned products are selected by their relevance to the searcher, and more particularly by their relevance to attributes associated with the searcher. Embodiments of the present invention not only locate web pages that reference, link, or offer a desired product, but return a list of results ordered by how well the product fits the searcher's needs and situation.

The invention according to one embodiment generates a ranking of associated products by receiving from a user a search topic and one or more attributes associated with the user. The attributes are factors such as user-specific demographic or profile data. The invention then searches a plurality of information locations for said search subject, and also searches at least one information field connected to each information location and associated with the subject. The invention then associates the content of at least one information field with at least one attribute. By "association", the present invention makes a logical correlation between the content of one of the information fields and one of the attributes entered by the user. The correlation cannot be direct. For example, a user may enter "attributes" for their total debt and income. The present invention can "link" these attributes to the information field containing the maximum loan limit, and also "link" to the minimum credit score. A user credit score can be calculated by the present invention based on debt vs income. Information fields are then prioritized to create hierarchies of factors based on importance or relevance. For example, a user may wish to find a credit card with the highest credit limit so they can get rid of debt rather than worry about interest rates. Based on the prioritization, the products are ordered relative to each other.

Embodiments of the present invention construct a comprehensive profile of users by monitoring user click events and recommendation acceptance. This comprehensive collection of mineable data increases the ability of the present invention to recommend suitable products and can lead to a sustainable revenue stream.

The system has the potential to enable providers to make their products more competitive and attractive to consumers by providing measurable benefits. While the quantifiable aspect of the product is not ignored (users are allowed to independently rate this), product recommendations are presented that best suit the user's profile and search needs. This, coupled with the ability to recommend products that far exceed the most concerned issues of the average consumer, is the highest level in the play field, providing great advantages for consumer decision-making.

The invention can impact a variety of industries including investment, lending, insurance, travel, health care, telecommunications, education, and many others.

The present invention provides many advantages over previously known search engines. For example, the results (ranking) are specific to the user doing the search and are not burdensome to other users of the system. Specifically, where most search engines consider the number of other users navigating to a web page, the present invention makes each search suitable only for the user managing the search. The present invention rates products and services with respect to their attributes and the association of each attribute with the searching user profile.

Since the present invention is based on published, industry-specified data, it is unbiased and objective. The queries processed by the system are those involved in a particular industry in order to find quantifiable results. This could be a financial rate comparison, a top service provider, or the product that best meets the user's needs. The query results are unbiased since the entity providing the inventive service receives no financial reward for making the referral.

In addition, the knowledge base and data warehouse of the present invention are built on publicly available information (ie, web data) and/or data compiled by trusted, impartial third parties. Operators of the present invention need not obtain subscriptions from service providers, nor prioritize results based on arbitrary financial incentives. Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention create an automated "live" data warehouse that is continuously up-to-date and actively monitors changes in the market and searches for new providers and products.

Users are often familiar with formulating natural language queries in order to receive a list of possible answers, and then manually filtering the results in order to locate the most relevant answers. However, the ability to formulate effective natural language queries depends on the level of sophistication a user has within a particular field.

Using the present invention, the user is guided through a question/answer based expert system that helps the user narrow down the query and filter the results to find the most relevant and beneficial single result in the targeted industry. Said expert systems are industry specific and developed in conjunction with experts working in that particular field. This allows the invention to provide a service to both complex and simple users in the same way, allowing both to achieve the best possible results.

Another advantage is that the present invention can present only the most relevant results. In this embodiment, the ultimate goal is to provide a single best-fit result based on user query criteria and needs, ie one query equals one result.

Furthermore, where possible and/or applied, the inventive system facilitates transactions between users and service providers. This could take the form of an online transaction, or simply presenting contact details.

The present invention advantageously provides a different application platform that assists the user in making the most informed decision as well as monitoring the effectiveness of that decision over any given length of time.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes may be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to these specific embodiments. Furthermore, the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications and implementations as being within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (26)

1. A method of locating related products via a computer network, the method comprising: Receive search topics from users; receiving one or more attributes associated with the subject; assigning a grade to at least one attribute; locating at least two independent instances of the subject matter at one or more informational locations; locating each field relating to one of the instances of said subject at at least two information fields; associating the contents of at least two information fields with at least one attribute; comparing the contents of each of the at least two information fields associated with the attribute with each other; assigning a score to the content of each compared instance of content based on the comparison; prioritizing the attributes; and The located instances of the topic are ordered based on the prioritization and a score of content associated with the topic. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of enforcing attributes by at least one of: receive input from the user; Search data stored during the user's previous session; search user attribute databases; and Assign default values. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one attribute includes geographic location. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the two or more information locations to search based at least in part on at least one of the attributes. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: One or more of the sorted instances of the topic are displayed by sorting. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The ranking of the instances of the topic is updated in response to receiving a change in the priority of at least one of the attributes. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: Receive the user level of the product; and The plurality of results of the search are ranked based at least in part on the user rating. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The ranking is automatically updated based on changes to at least one of the information fields. 9. A system for locating associated products, the system comprising: Client, operable with: Receive search topics from users; receive one or more attributes associated with the subject; and assigning a grade to at least one attribute; a server, communicatively coupled to said client computer and operable to: locating at least two independent instances of the subject matter at one or more informational locations; locating each field relating to one of the instances of said subject at at least two information fields; wherein at least one of the client computer and the server is operable: associating content in each of the at least two information fields with at least one attribute; comparing the contents of each of the at least two information fields associated with the attribute with each other; assigning a score to the content of each compared instance of content based on the comparison; prioritizing the attributes; and The located instances of the topic are ordered based on the prioritization and a score of content associated with the topic. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the client computer is operable to receive the one or more attributes associated with the topic by at least one of: receive input from the user; Search data stored during the user's previous session; search user attribute databases; and Assign default values. 11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of said attributes includes geographic location. 12. The system of claim 9, further comprising selecting the two or more information locations to search based at least in part on at least one of the attributes. 13. The system of claim 9, wherein a client computer is further operable to display one or more of said ranked instances of said topic by ranking. 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the client computer is further operable to update the ranking of the instances of the topic in response to receiving a change in the priority of at least one of the attributes. 15. The system of claim 9, wherein the client computer is further operable to: Receive the user level of the product; and The plurality of results of the search are ranked based at least in part on the user rating. 16. A method of locating a credit card product via a computer network, the method comprising: receiving one or more attributes associated with at least one of the user and the desired credit card product; locating two or more telematics locations containing independent instances of the desired credit card product; locating at each of said telematics locations an information field relating to one of said instances of said credit card product; associating content in each of at least two of said information fields with at least one of said attributes; scoring the attribute associated with the first positioned product with the attribute associated with the second positioned product; prioritizing the attributes; and The plurality of results of the search are ordered based on the prioritization of the information fields. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: Based on the ranking, a single credit card product that best matches the desired credit card product is displayed. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said associating comprises: A characteristic of a credit card product is associated to at least one of said attributes. 19. A computer program product for locating an associated product, said computer program product comprising: A storage medium readable by a processing circuit and stored instructions executed by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising: Receive search topics from users; receiving one or more attributes associated with the subject; assigning a grade to at least one attribute; locating at least two independent instances of the subject matter at one or more informational locations; locating each field relating to one of the instances of said subject at at least two information fields; associating content in each of the at least two information fields with at least one attribute; comparing the contents of each of the at least two information fields associated with the attribute with each other; assigning a score to the content of each compared instance of content based on the comparison; prioritizing the attributes; and The located instances of the topic are ordered based on the prioritization and a score of content associated with the topic. 20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising performing the attribute step by one of: receive input from the user; Search data stored during the user's previous session; search user attribute databases; and Assign default values. 21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the attributes include at least one of: income; credit score; the amount of debt; and geographic location. 22. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising selecting the two or more information locations to search based at least in part on at least one of the attributes. 23. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising: One or more of the sorted instances of the topic are displayed by sorting. 24. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising: The ranking of the plurality of results is updated in response to a change in the prioritization of at least one of the attributes. 25. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising: Receive the user level of the product; and The plurality of results of the search are ranked based at least in part on the user rating. 26. A method of locating an associated product via a computer network, the method comprising: receive location information; Receive search topics from users; receiving one or more attributes associated with the user; assigning a value to each of said attributes associated with said user; accept one or more attributes associated with said search subject; assigning a value to each of said attributes associated with said user; locating two or more information locations comprising the search topic and at least one information field pertaining to the topic at each location, wherein the information locations comply with the location information; associating content in at least one of said information fields with at least one of said attributes; comparing the contents of the information field at a first of said located locations with the contents of the information field at a second of said located locations; assigning a score to the content of each compared instance of content based on said comparison; prioritizing the attributes; and The located instances of the topic are ordered based on the prioritization and a score of content associated with the topic.

Images