Ranking search results using feature extraction

• US 20060136411A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Meyerzon, Dmitriy, Li, Hang
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis

Abstract

Methods and computer-readable media are provided for ranking search results using feature extraction data. Each of the results of a search engine query is parsed to obtain data, such as text, formatting information, metadata, and the like. The text, the formatting information and the metadata are passed through a feature extraction application to extract data that may be used to improve a ranking of the search results based on relevance of the search results to the search engine query. The feature extraction application extracts features, such as titles, found in any of the text based on formatting information applied to or associated with the text. The extracted titles, the text, the formatting information and the metadata for any given search results item are processed according to a field weighting application for determining a ranking of the given search results item. Ranked search results items may then be displayed according to ranking.

Claims

1. A method for ranking search results of a search engine using feature extraction data, comprising:

parsing each of a plurality of resource items into one or more portions of data and associated formatting information applied to the one or more portions of data;

passing the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items through a feature extraction application;

extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items; and

passing the extracted features and the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information through a ranking application for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by a search engine.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby parsing each of the plurality of resource items into one or more portions of data and associated formatting information applied to the one or more portions of data includes parsing a metadata source in each of the plurality of resource items for one or more metadata items and further includes parsing a content portion of each of the plurality of resource items into one or more text selections and associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections.

3. The method of claim 2, whereby extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of a plurality of resource items includes extracting statistical information for any extracted features including a frequency with which any features are found in an associated resource item.

4. The method of claim 3, whereby passing the extracted features and the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information through a ranking application for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by the search engine includes passing the statistical information for the extracted features through the ranking application with the associated extracted features.

5. The method of claim 4, whereby extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items includes computing a score for a beginning point and an ending point for each extracted feature in a given resource item based on formatting information applied to the document.

6. The method of claim 5, whereby extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items includes extracting titles from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items.

7. The method of claim 1, prior to passing the any extracted features and the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information through a ranking application for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items, further comprising:

receiving a search request at a search engine; and

after generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by a search engine, displaying each of the plurality of resource items in a user interface in an order according to a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items whereby a resource item having a ranking value associated with being ranked as most relevant to the search request received by the search engine is displayed first.

8. The method of claim 1, prior to parsing each of a plurality of resource items into one or more portions of data and associated formatting information applied to the one or more portions of data, receiving the plurality of resource items from one or more information sources accessed and parsed by the search engine.

9. A method for ranking search results of a search engine using feature extraction data, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of resource items from an information source;

parsing a metadata source in each of the plurality of resource items for one or more metadata items, and parsing a content portion of each of the plurality of resource items into one or more text selections and associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections;

passing the one or more metadata items and the one or more text selections and associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections for each of the plurality of resource items through a feature extraction application;

extracting titles from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource; and

processing the extracted titles, the one or more metadata items, the one or more text selections and the associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections according to a ranking algorithm for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by the search engine.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying each of the plurality of resource items in a user interface in an order according to a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items whereby a resource item having a ranking value associated with being ranked as most relevant to the search request received by the search engine is displayed first.

11. The method of claim 9,

whereby extracting titles from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of a plurality of resource items includes extracting statistical information for any extracted titles including a frequency with which any titles are found in an associated resource item;

and

further comprising processing the statistical information for the any extracted titles according to the field weighting algorithm in association with processing the any extracted titles, the one or more metadata items, the one or more text selections and the associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections according to a field weighting algorithm.

12. The method of claim 9, prior to processing the extracted titles, the one or more metadata items, the one or more text selections and the associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections according to a ranking algorithm for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by the search engine, receiving a search request at a search engine.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for ranking search results of a search engine using feature extraction data, comprising:

parsing each of a plurality of resource items into one or more portions of data and associated formatting information applied to the one or more portions of data;

passing the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items through a feature extraction application;

extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items; and

passing the extracted features and the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information through a ranking application for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by a search engine.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, whereby parsing each of the plurality of resource items into one or more portions of data and associated formatting information applied to the one or more portions of data includes parsing a metadata source in each of the plurality of resource items for one or more metadata items and further includes parsing a content portion of each of the plurality of resource items into one or more text selections and associated formatting information applied to the one or more text selections.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, whereby extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of a plurality of resource items includes extracting statistical information for any extracted features including a frequency with which any features are found in an associated resource item.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, whereby passing the extracted features and the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information through a ranking application for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by the search engine includes passing the statistical information for the extracted features through the ranking application with the associated extracted features.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, whereby extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items includes computing a score for a beginning point and an ending point for each extracted feature in a given resource item based on formatting information applied to the document.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, whereby extracting features from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items includes extracting titles from the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information for each of the plurality of resource items.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, prior to passing the any extracted features and the one or more portions of data and associated formatting information through a ranking application for generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items, further comprising:

receiving a search request at a search engine; and

after generating a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items based on a relevance of each of the plurality of resource items to a search request received by a search engine, displaying each of the plurality of resource items in a user interface in an order according to a ranking value for each of the plurality of resource items whereby a resource item having a ranking value associated with being ranked as most relevant to the search request received by the search engine is displayed first.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, prior to parsing each of a plurality of resource items into one or more portions of data and associated formatting information applied to the one or more portions of data, receiving the plurality of resource items from one or more information sources accessed and parsed by the search engine.