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Amazon Patents User Viewing Histories
Chris Cleveland writes "Yet another astounding patent from the USPTO. I was browsing the patent database, and discovered that Amazon received a patent today on using customer viewing histories to generate recommendations. If a customer views product A, and then later views product B, and you use that to infer a relationship between A and B, then you've infringed on this patent. This patent is a continuation of an earlier patent (#6,317,722) on using shopping carts to generate recommendations. When will this stupidity end?"
I don't code for living, but I do work and patent other types of intellectual property -- and I have to say this seems like a reasonable patent. Why all the fuss? I think it's just sour grapes from those people that didn't think of, or didn't go to the effort to patent the idea.
They do mention patent boundaries due to prior art and they specify specific embodiment examples. Yep, it's a patent. [STAMP]
Welcome to the real world and the economic engine that is capitalism. Everything good in the world today flows forth from its bosom.
Dear Chris Cleveland,
Based upon your inference that the patent of inferring A to B purchases is stupid, you have violated Amazon's patent on Stupid Inferences and thus owe us one *million* dollars.
--Jeff B.
and now back to the fallout shelter...
Amazon created a novel process for automatically generating user recommendations.
What's wrong with patenting that?
Nothing.
What would be wrong is if you're too lame to negotiate an appropriate royalty when they come to collect.
I'd say 0.05% on net would be your upper limit.
And if they don't accept it, then just keep using your system, and be prepared to replace it with a dummy when they try to examine your code.