Aggregating context data for programmable search engines

• US 20070038601A1
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Guha, Ramanathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Search results are generated using aggregated context data from two or more contexts. When two or more programmable search engines relate to a similar topic, context data associated with the programmable search engines are aggregated. The context is then applied to a query in order to present, in an integrated manner, relevant search results that make use of context intelligence from more than one programmable search engine.

Claims

1. A method of processing a search query, the method comprising:

receiving a search query for a user from a host system;

identifying at least two contexts, each context being associated with at least one of the user or a host system;

aggregating the at least two contexts to form an aggregated context;

processing the query using the aggregated context by programmatically altering at least one of;

execution of the search engine on the query; and

the search results;

to produce processed search results; and

providing the processed search results to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least one common characteristic among the contexts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least one common tag among the contexts.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least one common result generated by the contexts.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processed search results comprise search results for each of the identified contexts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processed search results comprise merged search results for each of the identified contexts.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein aggregating the at least two contexts comprises combining at least one characteristic of a first context with at least one characteristic of a second context.

8. A method of processing a search query, the method comprising:

receiving a search query for a user from a host system;

identifying at least two contexts, each context being associated with at least one of the user or a host system;

for each of the identified contexts, processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering at least one of;

execution of the search engine on the query; and

the search results;

to produce processed search results; and

aggregating the processed search results;

providing the aggregated search results to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, prior to providing the aggregated search results to the user, removing duplicate search results.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the search query comprises receiving a search query entered by a user via a general search site.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying at least two contexts comprises identifying contexts based on at least a portion of the received search query.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least two specialized search sites based on at least a portion of the received search query; and

identifying contexts associated with the at least two specialized search sites.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the search query comprises receiving a search query entered by a user via a specialized search site.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying at least two contexts comprises:

identifying a first context associated with the specialized search site; and

identifying a second context based on a predetermined similarity between the specialized search site and a second specialized search site.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying a second context comprises:

identifying a second specialized search site associated with subject matter similar to the first specialized search site.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying a second context comprises:

identifying a second specialized search site that yields results similar to the first specialized search site.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the processed search results comprise at least one result derived from a context associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, an indication as to whether to include results associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query;

wherein, responsive to the user indicating that results associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query should be included, the processed search results comprise at least one result derived from a context associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the query comprises at least one of:

pre-processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering execution of the search engine on the query, to produce search results responsive to the pre-processed query; and

post-processing the search results using the identified context by programmatically altering the search results.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein processing the query comprises:

pre-processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering execution of the search engine on the query, to produce search results responsive to the pre-processed query; and

post-processing the search results using the identified context by programmatically altering the search results.

21. A computer program product for processing a search query, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

receiving a search query for a user from a host system;

identifying at least two contexts, each context being associated with at least one of the user or a host system;

aggregating the at least two contexts to form an aggregated context;

processing the query using the aggregated context by programmatically altering at least one of;

execution of the search engine on the query; and

the search results;

to produce processed search results; and

providing the processed search results to the user.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein identifying the at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least one common characteristic among the contexts.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein identifying the at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least one common tag among the contexts.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein identifying the at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least one common result generated by the contexts.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the processed search results comprise search results for each of the identified contexts.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the processed search results comprise merged search results for each of the identified contexts.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein aggregating the at least two contexts comprises combining at least one characteristic of a first context with at least one characteristic of a second context.

28. A computer program product for processing a search query, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

receiving a search query for a user from a host system;

identifying at least two contexts, each context being associated with at least one of the user or a host system;

for each of the identified contexts, processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering at least one of;

execution of the search engine on the query; and

the search results;

to produce processed search results; and

aggregating the processed search results;

providing the aggregated search results to the user.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising, prior to providing the aggregated search results to the user, removing duplicate search results.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein receiving the search query comprises receiving a search query entered by a user via a general search site.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein identifying at least two contexts comprises identifying contexts based on at least a portion of the received search query.

32. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein identifying at least two contexts comprises:

identifying at least two specialized search sites based on at least a portion of the received search query; and

identifying contexts associated with the at least two specialized search sites.

33. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein receiving the search query comprises receiving a search query entered by a user via a specialized search site.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein identifying at least two contexts comprises:

identifying a first context associated with the specialized search site; and

identifying a second context based on a predetermined similarity between the specialized search site and a second specialized search site.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein identifying a second context comprises:

identifying a second specialized search site associated with subject matter similar to the first specialized search site.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein identifying a second context comprises:

identifying a second specialized search site that yields results similar to the first specialized search site.

37. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the processed search results comprise at least one result derived from a context associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query.

38. The computer program product of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, an indication as to whether to include results associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query;

wherein, responsive to the user indicating that results associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query should be included, the processed search results comprise at least one result derived from a context associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query.

39. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein processing the query comprises at least one of:

pre-processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering execution of the search engine on the query, to produce search results responsive to the pre-processed query; and

post-processing the search results using the identified context by programmatically altering the search results.

40. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein processing the query comprises:

pre-processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering execution of the search engine on the query, to produce search results responsive to the pre-processed query; and

post-processing the search results using the identified context by programmatically altering the search results.

41. A system for processing a search query, the system comprising:

an input mechanism, for receiving a search query for a user from a host system;

a search engine interface, coupled to the input mechanism, for identifying at least two contexts, each context being associated with at least one of the user or a host system;

a context aggregator, coupled to the search engine interface, for aggregating the at least two contexts to form an aggregated context;

a context processor, coupled to the context aggregator, for processing the query using the aggregated context by programmatically altering at least one of;

execution of the search engine on the query; and

the search results;

to produce processed search results; and

an output mechanism, coupled to the context processor, for providing the processed search results to the user.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the context aggregator identifies at least one common characteristic among the contexts.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the context aggregator identifies at least one common tag among the contexts.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the context aggregator identifies at least one common result generated by the contexts.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the processed search results comprise search results for each of the identified contexts.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein the processed search results comprise merged search results for each of the identified contexts.

47. The system of claim 41, wherein the context aggregator combines at least one characteristic of a first context with at least one characteristic of a second context.

48. A system for processing a search query, the system comprising:

an input mechanism, for receiving a search query for a user from a host system;

a search engine interface, coupled to the input mechanism, for identifying at least two contexts, each context being associated with at least one of the user or a host system;

a context processor, coupled to the search engine interface, for, for each of the identified contexts, processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering at least one of;

execution of the search engine on the query; and

the search results;

to produce processed search results; and

a context aggregator, coupled to the context processor, for aggregating the processed search results;

an output mechanism, coupled to the context processor, for providing the aggregated search results to the user.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the context aggregator removes duplicate search results.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the input mechanism comprises a general search site.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the search engine interface identifies at least two contexts based on at least a portion of the received search query.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the search engine interface identifies at least two contexts by:

identifying at least two specialized search sites based on at least a portion of the received search query; and

identifying contexts associated with the at least two specialized search sites.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein the input mechanism comprises a specialized search site.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the search engine interface identifies at least two contexts by:

identifying a first context associated with the specialized search site; and

identifying a second context based on a predetermined similarity between the specialized search site and a second specialized search site.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the search engine interface identifies a second context by:

identifying a second specialized search site associated with subject matter similar to the first specialized search site.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the search engine interface identifies a second context by:

identifying a second specialized search site that yields results similar to the first specialized search site.

57. The system of claim 53, wherein the processed search results comprise at least one result derived from a context associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query.

58. The system of claim 53, wherein:

the input mechanism receives, from the user, an indication as to whether to include results associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query;

and wherein, responsive to the user indicating that results associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query should be included, the context processor processes search results by including at least one result derived from a context associated with a specialized search site other than the specialized search site used for entering the query.

59. The system of claim 48, wherein the context processor performs at least one of:

pre-processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering execution of the search engine on the query, to produce search results responsive to the pre-processed query; and

post-processing the search results using the identified context by programmatically altering the search results.

60. The system of claim 48, wherein the context processor performs at least one of:

pre-processing the query using the identified context by programmatically altering execution of the search engine on the query, to produce search results responsive to the pre-processed query; and

post-processing the search results using the identified context by programmatically altering the search results.