US Patent 7991841 Trust-based recommendation systems

Systems and methods that analyze aggregated item evaluation behavior of users, to suggest a recommendation for the item. An analysis component forms a collective opinion by taking as input votes of users and trusted relationships established therebetween, to output an evaluation and/or recommendation for the item. Accordingly, within a linked structure of nodes, personalized recommendations to users (e.g., agents) are supplied about an item(s) based upon the opinions/reviews of other users, and in conjunction with the declared trust between the users.