Search enhancement system having personal search parameters

• US 20050097188A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fish, Edmund J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,165,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

The system and method comprises enhancement of results for a search engine, wherein the results from the search engine are refined or reorganized, based upon information from an identified secondary source. The results obtained using a conventional search are compared against the identified secondary source, e.g. a ratings service, and are filtered and/or sorted appropriately. In some embodiments, identification of the secondary source, such as a ratings service comprising information which may supplement the subject of a search query, is based upon information entered by the user. In alternate embodiments, the secondary source is associated with a user, as part of general user-specified search parameters, wherein one or more parameters are consulted automatically for searches for appropriate subject matter.

Claims

1. A process, comprising the steps of:

storing a set of search parameters specified by a user; and

integrating selected ones of the stored search parameters into a search query based upon a subject matter of the search query.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

returning results of the search query to the user.

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

sending results of the search query to a recipient.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the recipient is selected by the user.

5. The process of claim 3, wherein the recipient is determined based on the results of the search query.

6. The process of claim 3, wherein the recipient is determined based on information input by the user.

7. The process of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a recipient; and

selectively sending results of the search query to the recipient based upon any of the received information from the recipient and a selection of the recipient by the user.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the received information comprises an interest in the results of the search query by the recipient.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the subject matter is explicitly indicated by the user.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the subject matter is inferentially determined based upon user input.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein the user-specified search parameters comprise a selectable applicability based upon subject matter, further comprising the step of:

determining the selected ones of the stored search parameters based upon the selectable applicability.

12. A process, comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one search parameter specified by a user;

receiving a search query from the user;

determining the subject matter of the search query;

selecting one or more user-specified search parameters based on the determined subject matter; and

integrating the selected search parameters with the search query.

13. The process of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

returning results of the search query to the user.

14. The process of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

sending results of the search query to a recipient.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the recipient is selected by the user.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein the recipient is determined based on the results of the search query.

17. The process of claim 14, wherein the recipient is determined based on information input by the user.

18. The process of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a recipient; and

selectively sending results of the search query to the recipient based upon any of the received information from the recipient and a selection of the recipient by the user.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein the received information comprises an interest in the results of the search query by the recipient.

20. The process of claim 12, wherein the subject matter is explicitly indicated by the user.

21. The process of claim 12, wherein the subject matter is inferentially determined based upon user input.

22. The process of claim 12, wherein the user-specified search parameters comprise a selectable applicability based upon subject matter, and further comprising the step of:

determining the selected ones of the stored search parameters based upon the selectable applicability.

23. A system, comprising:

at least one search parameter specified by a user;

an initial search query received from the user;

a determination of subject matter of the search query;

means for selection of one or more of the user-specified search parameters based on the determined subject matter; and

means for integrating the initial search query with the selected search parameters.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein results of the integrated search query are sent to the user.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein results of the integrated search query are sent to a recipient.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the recipient is selectable by the user.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the recipient is based on the results.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the recipient is based on information input by the user.

29. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

information received from a recipient; and

a selective transmission of the results of the integrated search query to the recipient based upon any of the received information and a selection of the recipient b y the user.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the received information comprises an interest in the enhanced results.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the determination of the subject matter is explicitly indicated by the user.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the determination of the subject matter is inferentially determined based upon user input.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the user-specified search parameters comprise a selectable applicability based upon subject matter, and wherein the means for selection is based upon the selectable applicability.