Method and System for Supporting Symbolic Serendipity

Authors

Abstract

The present invention relates to both information retrieval and cognitive science. It aims at presenting the users with pseudo-serendipitous and serendipitous information that prompts them for discovery in a wide number of fields, which include, but are not limited to, cross-selling in traditional business and e-business systems, cross-reference in Internet search engines, generation of creative insights, scientific discovery, marketing, e-learning systems, career counseling, etc. It provides a method, computer-system, and computer-readable program storage device for supporting serendipity and pseudo-serendipity by providing unsought, unexpected, unforeseen information to a user aimed at stimulating the user's sagacity and providing the user with cognitive material for the formation of creative and/or insightful ideas.

Subject

Serendipity

Conference

United States Patent 7319998, January 2008