Systems and methods for modifying search results based on a user's history

• US 10,394,908 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zamir, Oren E., Korn, Jeffrey L., Fikes, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Son T
• Application Number:
  US15/018,838
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 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

Abstract

A user'"'"'s prior searching and browsing activities are recorded for subsequent use. A user may examine the user'"'"'s prior searching and browsing activities in a number of different ways, including indications of the user'"'"'s prior activities related to advertisements. A set of search results may be modified in accordance with the user'"'"'s historical activities. The user'"'"'s activities may be examined to identify a set of preferred locations. The user'"'"'s set of activities may be shared with one or more other users. The set of preferred locations presented to the user may be enhanced to include the preferred locations of one or more other users. A user'"'"'s browsing activities may be monitored from one or more different client devices or client application. A user'"'"'s browsing volume may be graphically displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

at a server system having one or more processors and memory;

receiving a submitted first search query from a search requester;

identifying search results from a document repository, wherein the identified search results are responsive to the received first search query;

enhancing the search results from the document repository by identifying a history event from a user activity repository, the identified history event being different from the identified search results and specifying an activity that was previously performed by the search requester and being relevant to the submitted first search query; and

returning both the identified search results from the document repository and the identified history event from the user activity repository for simultaneous presentation to the search requester.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified history event is returned with an associated date/time indicator.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising returning for display, based on the date/time indicator, a time associated with the identified history event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the time includes a date.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more advertisements previously selected by the search requester.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more search query results responsive to a prior search query, wherein the prior search query was submitted by the search requester.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more product reviews previously reviewed by the search requester.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more web pages previously visited by the search requester.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the identified history event is a query previously submitted by the search requester.

10. A computer system, comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more programs, stored in the memory and executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for causing the system to;

receive a submitted first search query from a search requester;

identify search results from a document repository, wherein the identified search results are responsive to the received first search query;

enhance the search results from the document repository identifying, from a user activity repository, a history event in which an activity was performed by the search requester, the identified history event being different from the identified search results and the performed activity being relevant to the submitted first search query; and

return both the search results from the document repository and the identified history event from the user activity repository for simultaneous display to the search requester.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified history event is returned with an associated date/time indicator.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the display, based on the date/time indicator, of a time associated with the identified history event.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the time includes a date.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more advertisements previously selected by the search requester.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more prior search query results responsive to a prior search query different from the submitted first search query, wherein the prior search query was submitted by the search requester.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more product reviews previously reviewed by the search requester.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified history event specifies one or more web pages previously visited by the search requester.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one of the one or more web pages previously visited by the search requester is returned with a frequency indicator specifying a number of times the search requester visited the at least one of the one or more web pages.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one of the one or more web pages is returned with a date of last access by the search requester of the at least one of the one or more web pages.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the identified history event is a query previously submitted by the search requester.