Systems and methods involving search enhancement features associated with media modules

• US 10,303,723 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Imbruce, Doug, Bossola, Owen, Knutsson, Rasmus, Chheng, Tommy, El Hattab, Hakim
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Khanh B
• Application Number:
  US13/916,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20170060860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Provided herein are mixed-media modules with enhanced features that can be used as search results. Systems and methods are disclosed for performing processing involved with search, such as processing search information to return search results. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method for processing information to return search results including mixed-media media presentation(s) selectable by a user. Moreover, such method may involve user interaction to manipulate the presentation, display various media and/or effect other functionality. Further implementations may involve generation of interactive, visually rich mixed-media content of high information density providing improved user experience and/or improved value to various participants.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a search query input by a user;

identifying, by the computing device, real-time data sources based on the search query and user preferences for the real-time data sources, the real-time data sources comprising third-party websites frequently accessed by a user and serving unstructured data via webpages;

retrieving, by the computing device, real-time updated information related to the search query from the real-time data sources, the real-time updated information comprising recently updated information published on the webpages of the real-time data sources;

parsing, by the computing device, the real-time updated information into metadata, the parsing comprising;

extracting a plurality of content items from the webpages based on information selected from the group consisting of a user profile, user search history, user preferences, and user customization, a content item comprising one or more of image, video, or audio content present within the real-time information,

deduplicating the plurality of content items to obtain a deduplicated set of content items, and

assigning the deduplicated set of content items as the metadata;

ranking, by the computing device, the metadata based on information selected from the group consisting of the user profile, the user search history, the user preferences, and the user customization; and

generating, by the computing device, an interactive mixed-media module based on ranked metadata, the interactive mixed-media module comprising a controllable media component displaying a first portion of the plurality of content items and a navigational control for navigating to a second portion of the plurality of content items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises biographical information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising publishing, by the computing device, the interactive mixed-media module on a search engine results page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query is a news event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking of the metadata further comprises ranking the metadata based on information selected from information types consisting of popularity, information associated with an advertiser, and a search engine index.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive mixed-media module comprises an embedded executable link related to the metadata.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the search query further comprises receiving an incomplete input character string from the user.

8. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving a search query input by a user;

identification logic executed by the processor for identifying real-time data sources based on the search query and user preferences for the real-time data sources, the real-time data sources comprising third-party websites frequently accessed by a user and serving unstructured data via webpages;

retrieving logic executed by the processor for retrieving real-time updated information related to the search query from the real-time data sources, the real-time updated information comprising recently updated information published on the webpages of the real-time data sources;

parsing logic executed by the processor for parsing, the real-time updated information into metadata, the parsing logic comprising;

extraction logic executed by the processor for extracting a plurality of content items from the webpages based on information selected from the group consisting of a user profile, user search history, user preferences, and user customization, a content item comprising one or more of text, image, video, or audio content present within the real-time information,

deduplication logic executed by the processor for deduplicating the plurality of content items to obtain a deduplicated set of content items, and

assignment logic executed by the processor for assigning the deduplicated set of content items as the metadata;

ranking logic executed by the processor for ranking the metadata based on information selected from the group consisting of the user profile, the user search history, the user preferences, and the user customization; and

generating logic executed by the processor for generating an interactive mixed-media module based on ranked metadata, the interactive mixed-media module comprising a controllable media component displaying a first portion of the plurality of content items and a navigational control for navigating to a second portion of the plurality of content items.

9. The computing device of claim 8, further comprising publishing logic executed by the processor for publishing the interactive mixed-media module on a search engine results page.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the interactive mixed-media module comprises an embedded executable link related to the metadata.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for tangibly storing computer program instructions capable of being executed by a computer processor of a computing device, the computer program instructions defining the steps of:

receiving, by the computer processor, a search query input by a user;

identifying, by the computer processor, real-time data sources based on the search query and user preferences for the real-time data sources, the real-time data sources comprising third-party websites frequently accessed by a user and serving unstructured data via webpages;

retrieving, by the computer processor, real-time updated information related to the search query from the real-time data sources, the real-time updated information comprising recently updated information published on the webpages of the real-time data sources;

parsing, by the computer processor, the real-time updated information into metadata, the parsing comprising;

extracting a plurality of content items from the webpages based on information selected from the group consisting of a user profile, user search history, user preferences, and user customization, a content item comprising one or more of text, image, video, or audio content present within the real-time information,

deduplicating the plurality of content items to obtain a deduplicated set of content items, and

assigning the deduplicated set of content items as the metadata;

ranking, by the computer processor, the metadata based on information selected from the group consisting of the user profile, the user search history, the user preferences, and the user customization; and

generating, by the computer processor, an interactive mixed-media module based on ranked metadata, the interactive mixed-media module comprising a controllable media component displaying a first portion of the plurality of content items and a navigational control for navigating to a second portion of the plurality of content items.