Search query processing to provide category-ranked presentation of search results
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for processing a search query specified by a user so as to personalize a presentation of search results, the method comprising:
- identifying, within each of a plurality of categories, one or more items that are responsive to the search query (“
responsive items”
);
calculating a respective category score for each of the plurality of categories, said category score reflecting a predicted level of affinity the user has for the respective category as determined from a preexisting profile of the user, said category score further reflecting a degree to which the respective category is relevant to the search query; and
presenting the plurality of categories to the user, together with associated responsive items, in an order which depends upon the category scores;
whereby the order in which the categories are presented is personalized for the user.
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Abstract
A search engine system displays the results of a multiple-category search according to levels of relevance of the categories to a user'"'"'s search query. A query server receives a search query from a user and identifies, within each of multiple item categories, a set of items that satisfy the query. The sets of items are used to generate, for each of the multiple categories, a score that reflects a level significance or relevance of the category to the search. The scores may be based, for example, on the number of hits within each category relative to the total number of items in that category, the popularity levels of items that satisfy the query, a personal profile of the user, or a combination thereof. The categories are then presented to the user, together with the most relevant items within each category, in the order of highest to lowest category relevance.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for processing a search query specified by a user so as to personalize a presentation of search results, the method comprising:
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identifying, within each of a plurality of categories, one or more items that are responsive to the search query (“
responsive items”
);
calculating a respective category score for each of the plurality of categories, said category score reflecting a predicted level of affinity the user has for the respective category as determined from a preexisting profile of the user, said category score further reflecting a degree to which the respective category is relevant to the search query; and
presenting the plurality of categories to the user, together with associated responsive items, in an order which depends upon the category scores;
whereby the order in which the categories are presented is personalized for the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-implemented method of processing search queries, comprising:
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receiving a search query submitted by a user, said search query comprising a query term;
identifying a plurality of item categories that each include one or more items that are responsive to the search query;
for each of the plurality of item categories, determining a respective category score that reflects a degree to which the respective item category is relevant to the search query, each category score being dependent upon prior item selection actions of users who have submitted a search query that includes said query term; and
selecting an order in which to present the plurality of item categories to the user in a response to the search query such that the order is dependent upon the categories. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification