Programmable search engine

• US 20070038616A1
• 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 7,693,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A programmable search engine system is programmable by a variety of different entities, such as client devices and vertical content sites to customize search results for users. Context files store instructions for controlling the operations of the programmable search engine. The contest files are processed by various context processors, which use the instructions therein to provide various pre-processing, post-processing, and search engine control operations.

Claims

1. A method of processing a search query for a-search engine to provide a set of search results to the search query, the method comprising:

receiving a search query for a user;

identifying at least one context file, the context file including commands;

processing the search query using the commands in the identified context file to produce a context processed search query;

executing the context processed search query on a search engine obtain a set of context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query using the commands in the identified context file comprises:

programmatically altering the search query according to the commands in the context file.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein programmatically altering the search query comprises:

adding at least one term to the search query using query modification commands specified in the context file.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein programmatically altering the search query comprises:

replacing at least one term of the search query using query modification commands specified in the context file.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein programmatically altering the query according to the commands in the context file comprises:

processing the context file on a client device from which the query is received.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein programmatically altering the query according to the commands in the context file comprises:

processing the context file on a host system that received the query from the user.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein programmatically altering the query according to the commands in the context file comprises:

processing the context file on search engine system including the search engine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query using the commands in the identified context file comprises:

programmatically altering execution of the search engine according to search engine parameters in the context file.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein programmatically altering execution of the search engine comprises:

selecting at least one document collection specified in the context file for searching using the search query.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein programmatically altering execution of the search engine comprises:

selecting of one or more search engines specified in the context file for processing the search query.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein programmatically altering execution of the search engine comprises:

selecting at least one search algorithm parameter specified in the context file for use by the search engine when processing the search query.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the context processed search query on a search engine to obtain a set of context processed search results includes:

programmatically altering the search results according to the commands in the context file to produce the context processed search results.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

filtering the search results using a restriction filter specified in the context file.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

ranking the search results using ranking parameters specified in the context file.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

clustering the search results using clustering parameters specified in the context file.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

processing the search -results on a client device from which the query is received, according to the commands in the context file.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

processing the search results on a host system that received the query from the user, according to the commands in the context file.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

processing the search results on search engine system including the search engine, according to the commands in the context file.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

providing at least one navigational link to another context files, the navigational link specified in the context file.

20. The method of claim 19, further processing:

responsive to a user selection of the navigational link, accessing the another context file and processing another context file.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein processing the another context file comprises at least of the operations of:

executing a search query on a search query phase specified in the another context file;

filtering the search results using filters specified in the another context file;

ranking the search results using ranking parameters specified in the another context file;

clustering the search results using clustering parameters specified in the another context file; and

annotating the search results using annotations specified in the another context file.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

annotating the search results using annotations specified in the context file.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file based on the user.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file based on a host site from which the query is received.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file based on at least one query term.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein identifying a context file based on at least one query term comprises:

identifying a context file based on the at least one query term denoting a class or instance of an object.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

retrieving the context file from a host system from which the search query was received.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

retrieving the context file from a repository of cached context files, each cached context file associated with a host system from which the context file was received.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

retrieving the context file from a repository of global context files.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to the context file including a redirection command to another context file, processing the another context file.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to the context file including a related context command identifying a context file, annotating the search results with a labeled link that causes processing of the related context file.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to the context file including a related context command identifying a context file, annotating the search results with a link to the related context file.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

modifying the search query responsive to the search query satisfying a query evaluation command.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the query evaluation command comprises at least one a predetermined term to be compared with at least one term of the search query.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the query evaluation command comprises at least one term of the search query denoting an instance of an object defined in a knowledge base.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the search query denotes an instance of an object defined in the knowledge by matching a term of the search query with a value of a property associated with the instance of the object.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the query evaluation command comprises at least one term of the search query denoting a class of an object defined in a knowledge base.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the search query denotes a class of an objected defined in the knowledge by matching a term of the search query with a value of a property associated with the class of the object.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to a property value of the user matching a predefined user property, processing the search query.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to a property value of the search query matching a predefined object property, processing the search query.

41. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to a property value of a search result matching a predefined search result property, altering the search result according to the commands in the context file.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to a search result satisfying a restriction command included in the context file, including the search result in the context processed search results.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the search query comprises:

responsive to a search result satisfying an annotation command included in the context file, including an annotation specified in the annotation command in the processed search results.

44. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing at least one command from the context file, the command selected from a group of commands consisting of;

an query evaluation command for evaluating a property value of a query with respect to a predefined property;

a query modification command for modifying the search query;

a related context command for identifying a related context file in the context processed search results; and

a redirection command for identifying a related context file for processing.

45. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing at least one command from the context file, the command selected from a group of commands consisting of;

a corpus selection command for selecting a document collection for searching with the search query; and

a search engine parameter command for establishing a parameter of a search engine for processing the search query.

46. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing at least one command from the context file, the command selected from a group of commands consisting of;

a restriction command for filtering the search results to include only search results of a designated type in the context processed search results; and

an annotation command for annotating the context processed search results.

47. A method of processing a search query for a search engine of a search engine system to provide a set of search results to the search query, the method comprising:

receiving at the search engine system a search query from a client device of a user;

executing the search query on a search engine obtain a set of search results;

identifying at least one context file, the context file including commands;

processing the search results at the search engine system using the commands in the identified context file to produce a context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the client device of the user.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file associated with a vertical content provider to whom the user has subscribed.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying the user of the client device;

accessing an account of the user;

identifying from the account, a subscription to at least one vertical content provider; and

identifying the context files associated with the identified vertical content provider.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file based on the user.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file based on a host site from which the query is received.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein identifying at least one context file comprises:

identifying a context file based on at least one query term.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein processing the search results at the host system using the commands in the identified context file comprises:

programmatically altering the search results according to the commands in the context file to produce the context processed search results.

54. The method of claim 47, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

filtering the search results using a restriction filter specified in the context file.

55. The method of claim 47, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

ranking the search results using ranking parameters specified in the context file.

56. The method of claim 47, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

clustering the search results using clustering parameters specified in the context file.

57. The method of claim 47, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

providing at least one navigational link to another context files, the navigational link specified in the context file.

58. The method of claim 57, further processing:

responsive to a user selection of the navigational link, accessing the another context file and processing another context file.

59. The method of claim 47, wherein programmatically altering the search results comprises:

annotating the search results using annotations specified in the context file.

60. A method of processing a search query for a search engine to provide a set of search results to the search query, the method comprising:

receiving a search query of a user from a vertical content provider site;

retrieving at least one context file associated with vertical content provider site;

programmatically modifying the search query according to the commands in the context file;

processing the modified search query to obtain a set of search results;

programmatically altering the search results according to the commands in the context file to obtain a set of context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the user.

61. A method of processing a search query for a search engine to provide a set of search results to the search query, the search engine being part of a search engine system, the method comprising:

receiving a search query of a user from a vertical content provider site;

retrieving at least one context file associated with vertical content provider site, the at least one context file stored in a repository of cached context files at the search engine system;

programmatically modifying by the search engine system the search query according to the commands in the context file;

processing the modified search query with the search engine to obtain a set of search results;

programmatically altering by the search engine system the search results according to the commands in the context file to obtain a set of context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the user.

62. A method of processing a search query for a search engine to provide a set of search results to the search query, the search engine being part of a search engine system, the method comprising:

receiving a search query of a user;

pre-processing the search query to select a context file by evaluating the search query with respect to a knowledge base;

programmatically modifying the search query according to the commands in the selected context file;

processing the modified search query with the search engine to obtain a set of search results;

programmatically altering the search results according to the commands in the selected context file to obtain a set of context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the user.

63. A method of processing a search query for a search engine to provide a set of search results to the search query, the search engine being part of a search engine system, the method comprising:

at a vertical content provider site;

receiving a search query of a user;

pre-processing the search query to select a context file by evaluating the search query with respect to a knowledge base;

at the search engine system;

receiving from the vertical context provider-site the search query and an identifier of the selected context file;

retrieving the selected context file;

programmatically modifying the search query according to the commands in the selected context file;

processing the modified search query with the search engine to obtain a set of search results;

programmatically altering the search results according to the commands in the selected context file to obtain a set of context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the user.

64. A method of processing a search query for a search engine to provide a set of search results to the search query, the search engine being part of a search engine system, where the search query is received at a vertical content provider site, the method comprising:

receiving from the vertical content provider site the search query and an identifier of a context file;

retrieving the identified context file;

programmatically modifying the search query according to the commands in the identified context file;

processing the modified search query with the search engine to obtain a set of search results;

programmatically altering the search results according to the commands in the selected context file to obtain a set of context processed search results; and

providing the context processed search results to the user.

65. The method of claim 64, further comprising:

receiving from the vertical content provider site a plurality of context files;

caching the received context files in association with an identifier, so as to allow the context file to be retrieved using the identifier received from the vertical content provider site.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein receiving from vertical content provider site comprises periodically and automatically crawling the vertical content provider site and copying the context files.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein receiving from vertical content provider site comprises receiving the context files via a registration interface.

68. A programmable search engine system, comprising:

a repository of cached context files, the context files including commands for pre-processing a search query, and post-processing search results from the search query, selected ones of the context files associated with vertical content provider sites;

a context server that receives an identifier of a vertical content provider site from which a search query is received and retrieves from repository at least one context file associated with the vertical content provider site;

a context processor that modifies the search query according to a pre-processing command in the retrieved context file; and

a search engine the searches a document collection using the modified search query to produce context processed search results.

69. The programmable search engine system of claim 68, wherein the context processor processes the context processed search results according to a post-processing command in the retrieved context file.

70. The programmable search engine system of claim 68, wherein the commands for pre-processing the search query include at least one command from the group consisting of:

an query evaluation command for evaluating a property value of a query with respect to a predefined property;

a query modification command for modifying the search query;

a related context command for including a link to a related context file in the context processed search results; and

a redirection command for identifying a related context file for processing by the context processor.

71. The programmable search engine system of claim 68, wherein the commands for pre-processing the search query include at least one command from the group consisting of:

a corpus selection command for selecting a document collection for—

searching with the search query;

a search engine parameter command for establishing a parameter of a search engine for processing the search query.

72. The programmable search engine system of claim 68, wherein the commands for post-processing the search results include at least one command from the group consisting of:

a restriction command for filtering the search results to include only search results of a designated type in the context processed search results;

and

an annotation command for annotating the context processed search results.

73. A client system for modifying search queries and search results, the system comprising:

a repository of user specific context files, the context files including commands for preprocessing a search query and commands for post-processing search results from the search query; and

a context processor that receives a user search query from the client system and that modifies the search query according to a pre-processing command in at least one of the user-specific context file, and provides the modified search query to a search engine, that receives from the search engine a set of search results responsive to the modified search query, and that processes the search results according to a post-processing command in at least one user-specific context file to produce context processed search results.

74. A vertical content provider system, comprising:

a repository of context files, the context files including commands for pre-processing a search query, and post-processing search results from the search query;

a context server that retrieves from the repository at least one context file in response to a search query received from a client system; and

a context processor that modifies the search query according to a pre-processing command in a retrieved context file, and provides the modified search query to a search engine via a search engine interface, that receives from the search engine a set of search results responsive to the modified search query, that processes the search results according to a post-processing command in a retrieved context file to produce context processed search results, and that provides the context processed search results to the client system.