Methods and systems for providing a response to a query

• US 20050125376A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
• Original Assignee: IAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
• Inventors: Curtis, Andy, Gerasoulis, Apostolos, Levin, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,152,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• 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 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing a response to a user'"'"'s query based on other users'"'"' picks. For one embodiment of the invention, user responses are correlated to determine an affinity among users. User affinity is then used to modify the presentation of the search results. For one embodiment the location of other user'"'"'s is used to modify the presentation of the search results.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an affinity between a plurality of users by correlating user responses in regard to presented information; and

modifying the presentation of the information based upon the affinity between users.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining an affinity between a plurality of users comprises:

determining a plurality of responses issued by a first user; and

determining one or more users that have issued responses that are identical to or similar to a specified number of the plurality of responses issued by a first user.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the presented information comprises search results and the responses are either of search queries or search result picks.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein modifying the search results based upon the affinity between users comprises:

assigning a weight to each query and pick;

calculating an affinity score based upon the weighted queries and picks; and

reordering the search results based upon the affinity score.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the weights are inversely proportional to how frequently the queries and picks were issued by a plurality of users.

6. A machine-readable medium that provides executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

determining an affinity between a plurality of users by correlating user responses in regard to presented information; and

modifying the presentation of the information based upon the affinity between users.

7. The machine-readable medium of claim 6 wherein determining an affinity between a plurality of users comprises:

determining a plurality of responses issued by a first user; and

determining one or more users that have issued responses that are identical to or similar to a specified number of the plurality of responses issued by a first user.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 7 wherein the presented information comprises search results and the responses are either of search queries or search result picks.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein modifying the search results based upon the affinity between users comprises:

assigning a weight to each query and pick;

calculating an affinity score based upon the weighted queries and picks; and

reordering the search results based upon the affinity score.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the weights are inversely proportional to how frequently the queries and picks were issued by a plurality of users.

11. A system comprising:

a server digital processing system (DPS) to determine an affinity between a plurality of users by correlating user responses in regard to presented information, modify the presentation of the information based upon the affinity between users, and communicate the information to a user; and

one or more client DPSs to present the information to one or more users and communicate user responses to the server DPS.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein determining an affinity between a plurality of users comprises:

determining a plurality of responses issued by a first user; and

determining one or more users that have issued responses that are identical to or similar to a specified number of the plurality of responses issued by a first user.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the presented information comprises search results and the responses are either of search queries or search result picks.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein modifying the search results based upon the affinity between users comprises:

assigning a weight to each query and pick;

calculating an affinity score based upon the weighted queries and picks; and

reordering the search results based upon the affinity score.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the weights are inversely proportional to how frequently the queries and picks were issued by a plurality of users.

16. A method comprising:

receiving a query from a user;

determining the location of the user; and

providing a search result based upon the location of the user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the search result includes one or more result URLs further comprising:

determining a corresponding location for each of one or more result URLs;

determining the location of the user in relation to each corresponding location of a result URL; and

providing a search result based upon the proximity of the user to one or more corresponding locations of a result URL.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining a corresponding location for each of one or more URLs comprises:

determining a centroid for each URL; and

determining a weighting function for each URL, the weighting function based on a distance and a direction from the centroid.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the centroid and weighting function are determined based upon statistical data regarding the location of each of one or more users who have picked the URL.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the centroid and weighting function are determined based upon location content determined from the URL.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the location content is selected from the group consisting of metatags, text, other URL data, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

correlating user search information for a plurality of users to determine one or more jurisdictions having result URLs that account for a specified portion of user picks issued in response to the query;

presenting a modified search result to users in one of the one or more jurisdictions.

23. A machine-readable medium that provides executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a query from a user;

determining the location of the user; and

providing a search result based upon the location of the user.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the search result includes one or more result URLs further comprising:

determining a corresponding location for each of one or more result URLs;

determining the location of the user in relation to each corresponding location of a result URL; and

providing a search result based upon the proximity of the user to one or more corresponding locations of a result URL.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, wherein determining a corresponding location for each of one or more URLs comprises:

determining a centroid for each URL; and

determining a weighting function for each URL, the weighting function based on a distance and a direction from the centroid.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the centroid and weighting function are determined based upon statistical data regarding the location of each of one or more users who have picked the URL.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the centroid and weighting function are determined based upon location content determined from the URL.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the location content is selected from the group consisting of metatags, text, other URL data, and combinations thereof.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 23 further comprising:

correlating user search information for a plurality of users to determine one or more jurisdictions having result URLs that account for a specified portion of user picks issued in response to the query;

presenting a modified search result to users in one of the one or more jurisdictions.

30. A system comprising:

a server digital processing system (DPS) to receive a query from a user, determine a location of a user, and create a search result corresponding to the query based upon the location of the user; and

a client DPSs to present the search result to the user and communicate user responses to the server DPS.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the search result includes one or more result URLs and creating a search result corresponding to the query based upon the location of the user includes determining a corresponding location for each of one or more result URLs, determining the location of the user in relation to each corresponding location of a result URL, and providing a search result based upon the proximity of the user to one or more corresponding locations of a result URL.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein determining a corresponding location for each of one or more URLs includes determining a weighting function for each URL, the weighting function based on a distance and a direction from the centroid.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the centroid and weighting function are determined based upon statistical data regarding the location of each of one or more users who have picked the URL.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the centroid and weighting function are determined based upon location content determined from the URL.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the location content is selected from the group consisting of metatags, text, other URL data, and combinations thereof.

36. The system of claim 30 wherein user search information for a plurality of users is correlated to determine one or more jurisdictions having result URLs that account for a specified portion of user picks issued in response to the query and a modified search result is presented to users in one of the one or more jurisdictions.