Method and apparatus for search scoring

• US 20050071255A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energetic Power Investment Limited
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Panchapakesan, Venkat, Acton, Brian, Wang, Xuejun
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. The present invention exploits the fact that users'"'"' choices on each given search term tend to converge to several products from several merchants, and all of the results are very relevant to the search term. In one embodiment, these results are used to decide the order of merchants for each search term. By learning the users'"'"' choices, especially from purchasing and/or clicking information, highly relevant and most popular products can be assigned a higher score or rank over text relevant only products.

Claims

1. A method for generating a score for a document, wherein said document is listed within a search result set in response to a search term, said method comprising the steps of:

a) gathering sales information associated with said document; and

b) generating a score for said document, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said sales information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said score is applied to effect placement of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for passage of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for positioning of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

5. The method claim 1, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said document.

6. The method claim 1, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said search term.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

c) applying said score in conjunction with a text relevancy score, a paid inclusion score, or a paid sponsorship score.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said document is a product.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said document is a catalog page.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said catalog page represents a display page for a product that displays a plurality of merchants who are offering said product.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said catalog page also displays pricing information for said product by said plurality of merchants.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating step b) generates a score for said document in accordance with at least one sales type.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a preferred merchant sales type that represents sales made with a preferred merchant.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a non-preferred merchant sales type that represents sales made with a non-preferred merchant.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a related search preferred merchant sales type that represents sales made with a preferred merchant from a related search.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a catalog sales type that represents sales made with a catalog page.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said catalog page represents a display page for a product that displays a plurality of merchants who are offering said product.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a related search catalog sales type that represents sales made with a catalog page from a related search.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a mapped catalog sales type that represents sales of a product that is associated with a catalog page.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a related search mapped catalog sales type that represents sales of a product that is associated with a catalog page from a related search.

21. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

d) applying a usage function to said score.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

c) computing a configuration parameter for each of said at least one sales type, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said configuration parameter and said at least one sales type.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said score is generated in accordance with:

Hotscore_k,p=Σ

(α

_k,t,T(t)C_k,p,t)

where C_k,p,t is a number of said at least one sales type t'"'"'s occurrence for said search term k on said document p, and α

_k,t,T(t) is said configuration parameter.

97. The method of claim 1, wherein a configuration for generating said score is selectable.

24. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps comprising of:

a) gathering sales information associated with said document; and

b) generating a score for said document, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said sales information.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein said score is applied to effect placement of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for passage of time.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for positioning of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

28. The computer-readable medium claim 24, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said document.

29. The computer-readable medium claim 24, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said search term.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

c) applying said score in conjunction with a text relevancy score, a paid inclusion score, or a paid sponsorship score.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein said document is a product.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein said document is a catalog page.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein said catalog page represents a display page for a product that displays a plurality of merchants who are offering said product.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein said catalog page also displays pricing information for said product by said plurality of merchants.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein said generating step b) generates a score for said document in accordance with at least one sales type.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a preferred merchant sales type that represents sales made with a preferred merchant.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a non-preferred merchant sales type that represents sales made with a non-preferred merchant.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a related search preferred merchant sales type that represents sales made with a preferred merchant from a related search.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a catalog sales type that represents sales made with a catalog page.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38, wherein said catalog page represents a display page for a product that displays a plurality of merchants who are offering said product.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a related search catalog sales type that represents sales made with a catalog page from a related search.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a mapped catalog sales type that represents sales of a product that is associated with a catalog page.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein said at least one sales type comprises a related search mapped catalog sales type that represents sales of a product that is associated with a catalog page from a related search.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

d) applying a usage function to said score.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, further comprising the step of:

c) computing a configuration parameter for each of said at least one sales type, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said configuration parameter and said at least one sales type.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 45, wherein said score is generated in accordance with:

Hotscore_k,p=Σ

(α

_k,t,T(t)C_k,p,t)

where C_k,p,t is a number of said at least one sales type t'"'"'s occurrence for said search term k on said document p, and α

_k,t,T(t) is said configuration parameter.

47. An apparatus for generating a score for a document, wherein said document is listed within a search result set in response to a search term, said apparatus comprising:

means for gathering sales information associated with said document; and

means for generating a score for said document, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said sales information.

48. The apparatus of claim 47, wherein said score is applied to effect placement of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

49. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for passage of time.

50. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for positioning of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

51. The apparatus claim 47, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said document.

52. The apparatus claim 47, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said search term.

53. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

means for applying said score in conjunction with a text relevancy score, a paid inclusion score, or a paid sponsorship score.

54. The apparatus of claim 47, further comprising:

means for applying a usage function to said score.

55. A method for generating a score for a document, wherein said document is listed within a search result set in response to a search term, said method comprising the steps of:

a) gathering click information associated with said document; and

b) generating a score for said document, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said click information.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said score is applied to effect placement of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

57. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for passage of time.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for positioning of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

59. The method claim 55, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said document.

60. The method claim 55, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said search term.

61. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of:

c) applying said score in conjunction with a text relevancy score, a paid inclusion score, or a paid sponsorship score.

62. The method of claim 55, wherein said document is a product.

63. The method of claim 55, wherein said document is a catalog page.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein said catalog page represents a display page for a product that displays a plurality of merchants who are offering said product.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein said catalog page also displays pricing information for said product by said plurality of merchants.

66. The method of claim 55, wherein said generating step b) generates a score for said document in accordance with at least one click type.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein said at least one click type comprises a preferred merchant click type that represents clicks made with a preferred merchant.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein said at least one click type comprises a mapped catalog click type that represents clicks of a product that is associated with a catalog page.

69. The method of claim 61, further comprising the step of:

d) applying a usage function to said score.

70. The method of claim 66, further comprising the step of:

c) computing a configuration parameter for each of said at least one click type, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said configuration parameter and said at least one click type.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein said score is generated in accordance with:

Hotscore_k,p=Σ

(α

_k,t,T(t)C_k,p,t)

where C_k,p,t is a number of said at least one click type t'"'"'s occurrence for said search term k on said document p, and α

_k,t,T(t) is said configuration parameter.

98. The method of claim 55, wherein a configuration for generating said score is selectable.

72. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps comprising of:

a) gathering click information associated with said document; and

b) generating a score for said document, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said click information.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, wherein said score is applied to effect placement of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for passage of time.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for positioning of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

76. The computer-readable medium claim 72, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said document.

77. The computer-readable medium claim 72, further comprising the step of:

c) adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said search term.

78. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, further comprising the step of:

c) applying said score in conjunction with a text relevancy score, a paid inclusion score, or a paid sponsorship score.

79. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, wherein said document is a product.

80. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, wherein said document is a catalog page.

81. The computer-readable medium of claim 80, wherein said catalog page represents a display page for a product that displays a plurality of merchants who are offering said product.

82. The computer-readable medium of claim 81, wherein said catalog page also displays pricing information for said product by said plurality of merchants.

83. The computer-readable medium of claim 72, wherein said generating step b) generates a score for said document in accordance with at least one click type.

84. The computer-readable medium of claim 83, wherein said at least one click type comprises a preferred merchant click type that represents clicks made with a preferred merchant.

85. The computer-readable medium of claim 83, wherein said at least one click type comprises a mapped catalog click type that represents clicks of a product that is associated with a catalog page.

86. The computer-readable medium of claim 78, further comprising the step of:

d) applying a usage function to said score.

87. The computer-readable medium of claim 83, further comprising the step of:

c) computing a configuration parameter for each of said at least one click type, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said configuration parameter and said at least one click type.

88. The computer-readable medium of claim 87, wherein said score is generated in accordance with:

Hotscore_k,p=Σ

(α

_k,t,T(t)C_k,p,t)

where C_k,p,t is a number of said at least one click type t'"'"'s occurrence for said search term k on said document p, and α

_k,t,T(t) is said configuration parameter.

89. An apparatus for generating a score for a document, wherein said document is listed within a search result set in response to a search term, said apparatus comprising:

means for gathering click information associated with said document; and

means for generating a score for said document, wherein said score is generated in accordance with said click information.

90. The apparatus of claim 89, wherein said score is applied to effect placement of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

91. The apparatus of claim 89, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for passage of time.

92. The apparatus of claim 89, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for positioning of said document within a listing order of said search result set.

93. The apparatus claim 89, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said document.

94. The apparatus claim 89, further comprising:

means for adjusting said score to account for a specific knowledge of said search term.

95. The apparatus of claim 89, further comprising:

means for applying said score in conjunction with a text relevancy score, a paid inclusion score, or a paid sponsorship score.

96. The apparatus of claim 89, further comprising:

means for applying a usage function to said score.