Automatic webpage characterization and search results filtering

• US 10,140,374 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Original Assignee: Robert Osann Jr
• Inventors: Osann, Jr., Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phong H
• Application Number:
  US15/383,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20170177730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 707706, 707722, 707723, 707E17014
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for automatically analyzing and characterizing Internet search results, and removing search results from a search results page according to specific characteristics of operational function type information displayed on each webpage located at a URL corresponding to a search result. Operational function types include one or more of: a composition of information displayed on the webpage; a behavior of the webpage; a style of the webpage; an organization of the webpage; and a purpose of the webpage.

Claims

1. A computerized method utilizing:

one or more processors;

at least one webpage analysis engine for analyzing information displayed on a webpage and determining an operational function type of the analyzed webpage;

at least one search results filtering engine for excluding or including search results webpages according to their determined operational function type;

the Internet; and

information output from a search engine operating a search engine website;

wherein the search engine;

receives from a user, a first search request comprising one or more search terms;

performs an Internet search based on the first search request; and

outputs information comprising a first list of Internet search results;

wherein after the Internet search has been performed by the search engine, the computerized method automatically filters the first list of Internet search results output from the search engine to include or exclude certain search results thereby automatically producing a second list of filtered search results, the computerized method further comprising in sequential order the following steps;

(i) prior to the Internet search being performed, receiving from a user a list of filter selection criteria for categorizing referenced webpages according to operational function types, and wherein the list of filter selection criteria specifies which operational function types of referenced webpages the user desires that the computerized method use to exclude and/or include referenced webpages in the second list of filtered search results;

(ii) receiving, after the Internet search has been performed, the first list of Internet search results output from the search engine, the first list of Internet search results comprising a plurality of search results, each search result comprising at least one of a title of a referenced webpage, a link to the referenced webpage, and a URL of the referenced webpage;

(iii) for each referenced webpage in the first list of Internet search results, automatically accessing the referenced webpage to retrieve information displayed on the referenced webpage;

(iv) automatically analyzing the retrieved information displayed on the one or more referenced webpages located at URLs associated with the first list of Internet search results to determine one or more operational function types for each of the one or more referenced webpages according to the list of filter selection criteria;

(v) using the search results filtering engine, automatically including or excluding from the first list of Internet search results certain Internet search results where one or more operational function types for each referenced webpage are consistent with the received filter selection criteria, thereby creating the second list of Internet search results that has been filtered such that excluded search results are not displayed to the user; and

(vi) displaying the second list of filtered Internet search results to the user on a personal computing device.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the function type of the referenced webpage that is included or excluded from the second list of filtered Internet search results is determined to comprise a composition consistent with a listed filter selection criteria.

3. The computerized method of claim 2 wherein the composition of the referenced webpage is consistent with a webpage primarily providing links to other websites.

4. The computerized method of claim 2 wherein the composition of the referenced webpage is consistent with that of a primary manufacturer of goods or services.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the function type of the referenced webpage that is included or excluded from the second list of filtered Internet search results is determined to comprise a style consistent with a listed filter selection criteria.

6. The computerized method of claim 5 wherein the style is consistent with a gallery-style webpage.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the function type of the referenced webpage that is included or excluded from the second list of filtered Internet search results is determined to comprise an organization consistent with a listed filter selection criteria.

8. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the organization is consistent with that of a blog or forum webpage.

9. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the organization is consistent with that of a webpage offering primarily encyclopedia information.

10. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the organization is consistent with that of a webpage offering primarily news information.

11. The computerized method of claim 7 wherein the organization is consistent with that of a webpage offering primarily product or service review information.

12. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the function type of the referenced webpage that is included or excluded from the second list of filtered Internet search results is determined to comprise a purpose consistent with a listed filter selection criteria.

13. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the purpose is consistent with that of a price-comparison webpage.

14. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the purpose is consistent with that of a webpage offering goods or services for sale.

15. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the purpose is consistent with that of a webpage offering documents or publications for sale.

16. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the purpose is consistent with that of a webpage offering Social Networking.

17. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the function type of the referenced webpage that is included or excluded from the second list of filtered Internet search results is determined to comprise a behavior consistent with a listed filter selection criteria.

18. The computerized method of claim 17, wherein the behavior of the referenced webpage includes inserting terms on the webpage that echo one or more search terms supplied by the user to the search engine.

19. The computerized method of claim 17, wherein the behavior of the referenced webpage primarily includes operating a search engine.

20. A computerized method utilizing:

one or more processors;

at least one webpage analysis engine for analyzing information displayed on a webpage and determining an operational function type of the analyzed webpage;

at least one search results filtering engine for excluding or including search results webpages according to their determined operational function type;

the Internet; and

information output from a search engine operating a search engine website;

wherein the search engine;

receives from a user, a first search request comprising one or more search terms;

performs an Internet search based on the first search request; and

outputs information comprising a first list of Internet search results;

wherein after the Internet search has been performed by the search engine, the computerized method automatically filters the first list of Internet search results output from the search engine to include or exclude certain search results thereby automatically producing a second list of filtered search results, the computerized method further comprising in sequential order the following steps;

(i) prior to the Internet search being performed, receiving from a user a list of filter selection criteria for categorizing referenced webpages according to operational function types, wherein the user chooses desired operational function types to be filtered by selecting radio buttons or check boxes on a matrix displayed to the user in a user interface, wherein the matrix provides a list of possible operational function types that are available to be included or excluded from displayed search results;

(ii) receiving, after the Internet search has been performed, the first list of Internet search results output from the search engine, the first list of Internet search results comprising a plurality of search results, each search result comprising at least one of a title of a referenced webpage, a link to the referenced webpage, and a URL of the referenced webpage;

(iii) for each referenced webpage in the first list of Internet search results, automatically accessing the referenced webpage to retrieve information displayed on the referenced webpage;

(iv) automatically analyzing the retrieved information displayed on the one or more referenced webpages located at URLs associated with the first list of Internet search results to determine one or more operational function types for each of the one or more referenced webpages according to the list of filter selection criteria;

(v) using the search results filtering engine, automatically including or excluding from the first list of Internet search results certain Internet search results where the one or more operational function types for each referenced webpage is consistent with the filter selection criteria, thereby creating the second list of Internet search results that has been filtered such that excluded search results are not displayed to the user;

(vi) displaying the second list of filtered Internet search results to the user on a personal computing device; and

wherein the one or more operational function types for each specific webpage referenced by a search result in the second list of Internet search results includes one or more of;

a composition of information displayed on the webpage;

a behavior of the webpage;

a style of the webpage;

an organization of the webpage; and

a purpose of the webpage.