Method, device and software for querying and presenting search results

• US 20050050023A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kittleg Holdings LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Vortaloptics, Inc.
• Inventors: Nutzman, Justin R., Gosse, David B., Winters, Michael T., Feindel, Tym D., Gosse, Jennifer L., Kim, Jungho, Nutzman, Jason P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

There is disclosed a method, device, and software for presenting search results in a response to an end-user query. Search results are combined from results from a plurality of indexes, each of the search results having an associated key field. Index entries of each of the plurality of indexes are queried using an index-specific search algorithm to obtain a set of matching search results for each index, each matching search result having a quality of match specific to its index. A relative priority is determined for each of the plurality of indexes and the matching search results from the plurality of indexes are combined into a merged list of ordered search results based on the determined priority. A search result from a lower priority index is discarded in favor of any matching search result from a higher priority index.

Claims

1. A method of presenting search results in a response to an end-user query, said search results being combined from results from a plurality of indexes, each of said search results having an associated key field, said method comprising:

(i) querying index entries of each of said plurality of indexes using an index-specific search algorithm to obtain a set of matching search results for each index, each matching search result having a quality of match specific to its index;

(ii) determining a relative priority to each of said plurality of indexes;

(iii) combining said matching search results from said plurality of indexes into a merged list of ordered search results based on said relative priority of each of said plurality of indexes, in which any search result from a lower priority index for which an associated key field is identical to the associated key field of a matching search result in a higher priority index is discarded, in favor of said matching search result from said higher priority index.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one keyword assigned to each index entry of a first index of said plurality of indexes, and matching said at least one keyword to said end-user query to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising identifying a weight associated with each said at least one keyword, and calculating said quality of match by summing said weights for any said keywords matching said end-user query.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a key phrase assigned to each index entry of a first index of said plurality of indexes, and matching said key phrase to said end-user query to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining whether a current time for said end-user query falls within a valid time range assigned to each said index entry of said first index to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising identifying a relative placement position in said merged list of ordered search results assigned to each matching search result in said set of matching search results for said first index, and placing in said relative placement position a value associated with each said matching search result from said first index.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said value comprises a URL.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising identifying a share group assigned to a search result in said set of matching search results from said first index, each share group having assigned thereto a range of relative placement positions in said merged list of ordered search results, and placing a value associated with said matching search result from said first index in said range of relative placement positions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said value comprises a URL.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying values placed in said range of relative placement positions in a contiguous order.

11. A method of presenting search results in a response to an end-user query, said search results being combined from results from at least first and second indexes, each of said search results having an associated key field, said method comprising:

(i) querying index entries from a first index using an index-specific search algorithm to obtain matching search results, and identifying at least one relative placement position associated with each said matching search result;

(ii) querying index entries from a second index using an index-specific search algorithm to obtain matching search results;

(iii) combining said matching search results from said first and second indexes into a merged ordered list of search results, in which each matching search result from said first index is placed in said relative placement position, and any search result from said second index for which an associated key field is identical to the associated key field of a matching search result in said first index is discarded, in favor of said matching search result from said first index

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether a current time for said end-user query falls within a valid time range assigned to each said index entry in said first index to obtain said set of matching search results from said first index.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether a share group is assigned to each said matching search result from said first index, each share group having assigned thereto a range of relative placement positions in said merged list of ordered search results, and if so, placing a value associated with said matching search result in said range of relative placement positions.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining whether a current time for said end-user query falls within a valid time range assigned to each said index entry in said first index to obtain said set of matching search results from said first index.

15. A computing device comprising a processor and computer readable memory, said memory storing

a plurality of indexes, each comprising a plurality of index entries, said index entries of said plurality of indexes each having an associated key field,

search engine software adapting said device to

(i) query index entries of each of said plurality of indexes using an index-specific search algorithm to obtain a set of matching search results for each index, each matching search result having a quality of match specific to its index;

(ii) determine a relative priority to each of said plurality of indexes;

(iii) combine said matching search results from said plurality of indexes into a merged list of ordered search results based on said relative priority of each of said plurality of indexes, in which any search result from a lower priority index for which an associated key field is identical to the associated key field of a matching search result in a higher priority index is discarded, in favor of said matching search result from said higher priority index.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to identify at least one keyword assigned to each index entry of a first index of said plurality of indexes, and match said at least one keyword to said end-user query to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to identify a weight associated with each said at least one keyword, and calculating said quality of match by summing said weights for any said keywords matching said end-user query.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to identify a key phrase assigned to each index entry of a first index of said plurality of indexes, and match said key phrase to said end-user query to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to determine whether a current time for said end-user query falls within a valid time range assigned to each said index entry of said first index to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to identify a relative placement position in said merged list of ordered search results assigned to each matching search result in said set of matching search results for said first index, and place in said relative placement position a value associated with each said matching search result from said first index.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said value comprises a URL.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to identify a share group assigned to a search result in said set of matching search results from said first index, each share group having assigned thereto a range of relative placement positions in said merged list of ordered search results, and place a value associated with said matching search result from said first index in said range of relative placement positions.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said value comprises a URL.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein said search engine software further adapts said computing device to display values placed in said range of relative placement positions in a contiguous order.

25. A computer readable medium, storing computer executable instructions that when loaded at a computing device comprising a processor and processor readable memory storing a plurality of indexes, each of said indexes comprising a plurality of index entries having an associated key field, adapt said computing device to:

(i) query index entries of each of said plurality of indexes using an index-specific search algorithm to obtain a set of matching search results for each index, each matching search result having a quality of match specific to its index;

(ii) determine a relative priority to each of said plurality of indexes;

(iii) combine said matching search results from said plurality of indexes into a merged list of ordered search results based on said relative priority of each of said plurality of indexes, in which any search result from a lower priority index for which an associated key field is identical to the associated key field of a matching search result in a higher priority index is discarded, in favor of said matching search result from said higher priority index.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to identify at least one keyword assigned to each index entry of a first index of said plurality of indexes, and match said at least one keyword to said end-user query to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to identify a weight associated with each said at least one keyword, and calculate said quality of match by summing said weights for any said keywords matching said end-user query.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to identify a key phrase assigned to each index entry of a first index of said plurality of indexes, and match said key phrase to said end-user query to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to determine whether a current time for said end-user query falls within a valid time range assigned to each said index entry of said first index to obtain said set of matching search results for said first index.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to identify a relative placement position in said merged list of ordered search results assigned to each matching search result in said set of matching search results for said first index, and place in said relative placement position a value associated with each said matching search result from said first index.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein said value comprises a URL.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to identify a share group assigned to a search result in said set of matching search results from said first index, each share group having assigned thereto a range of relative placement positions in said merged list of ordered search results, and place a value associated with said matching search result from said first index in said range of relative placement positions.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein said value comprises a URL.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein said computer executable instructions further adapt said computing device to display values placed in said range of relative placement positions in a contiguous order.