METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHAINING SEARCH RESULTS

• US 20070185861A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northwestern University, Perfect Market, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Media River, Inc.
• Inventors: Hammond, Kristian, Birnbaum, Lawrence, Budzik, Jerome, Crossen, Andrew, Sood, Sanjay
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/242 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

Methods and apparatus assessing, ranking, organizing, and presenting search results associated with a user'"'"'s current work context are disclosed. The system disclosed assesses, ranks, organizes and presents search results against a user'"'"'s current work context by comparing statistical and heuristic models of the search results to a statistical and heuristic model of the user'"'"'s current work context. In this manner, search results are assessed, ranked, organized, and/or presented with the benefit of attributes of the user'"'"'s current work context that are predictive of relevance, such as words in a user'"'"'s document (e.g., web page or word processing document) that may not have been included in the search query. In addition, search results from multiple search engines are combined into an organization scheme that best reflects the user'"'"'s current task. As a result, lists of search results from different search engines can be more usefully presented to the user.

Claims

1. A method of displaying search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a user context, the user context including data indicative of text being accessed by a user and data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks, the first query being different than the user context;

receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;

determining a second query from the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;

receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query; and

generating a display indicative of the second plurality of search results.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results; and

generating data indicative of a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the scores.

3. The method of claim 1, including:

comparing data indicative of the first plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a first plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results;

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to the data indicative of the user context to determine a second plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results; and

combining at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results into a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores.

4. The method of claim 1, including:

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a plurality of organization schemes, the plurality of organization schemes grouping at least a portion of the second plurality of search results into at least two genres; and

generating data indicative of an organized list of search results based on the plurality of organization schemes.

5. The method of claim 1, including:

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results; and

filtering at least one of the second plurality of search results from being displayed to the user based on at least a portion of the scores.

6. A method of displaying ranked search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a first aspect of a user context, the first aspect including data indicative of text being accessed by a user, the first query being different than the user context;

receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;

determining a second query from the first aspect of the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;

receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of a second aspect of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results, the second aspect of the user context including data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks; and

generating a display indicative of a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the plurality of scores.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second aspect of the user context is based on at least five of (a) a location of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user, (b) a style of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user, (c) a presence of at least one specified word in the text being accessed by the user, (d) an absence of the at least one specified word in the text being accessed by the user, (e) metadata attributes of at least a portion of the text being accessed by the user, (f) a field presented by a computer application, (g) an attribute of information being presented in the computer application, (h) an element of the computer application visible to the user, (i) a document genre, (j) a document type, (k) a type associated with the computer application, (l) a method by which the user is accessing the computer application, (m) a role in an organization, (n) a type of the organization, (o) a property of the organization, (p) a stage in a task, (q) a stage in a workflow, (r) a type of task being supported by the computer application, (s) a stage in a task being executed by the computer application, (t) a pervious user behavior, (u) a topical area of interest, (v) a proportion of hyperlinked text to non-hyperlinked text, and (w) an average sentence length in the text being accessed by the user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second aspect of the user context is based on (a) a style of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user and (b) a type associated with a computer application.

9. A method of organizing search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a first aspect of a user context, the first aspect including data indicative of text being accessed by a user, the first query being different than the user context;

receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;

determining a second query from the first aspect of the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;

receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of a second aspect of the user context to determine a plurality of organization schemes, the plurality of organization schemes grouping at least a portion of the first plurality of search results into at least two genres, the second aspect of the user context including data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks; and

generating a display indicative of an organized list of search results based on the plurality of organization schemes.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second aspect of the user context is based on at least five of (a) a location of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user, (b) a style of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user, (c) a presence of at least one specified word in the text being accessed by the user, (d) an absence of the at least one specified word in the text being accessed by the user, (e) metadata attributes of at least a portion of the text being accessed by the user, (f) a field presented by a computer application, (g) an attribute of information being presented in the computer application, (h) an element of the computer application visible to the user, (i) a document genre, (j) a document type, (k) a type associated with the computer application, (l) a method by which the user is accessing the computer application, (m) a role in an organization, (n) a type of the organization, (o) a property of the organization, (p) a stage in a task, (q) a stage in a workflow, (r) a type of task being supported by the computer application, (s) a stage in a task being executed by the computer application, (t) a pervious user behavior, (u) a topical area of interest, (v) a proportion of hyperlinked text to non-hyperlinked text, and (w) an average sentence length in the text being accessed by the user.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second aspect of the user context is based on (a) a style of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user and (b) a type associated with a computer application.

12. A method of displaying ranked search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a first aspect of a user context, the first aspect including data indicative of text being accessed by a user, the first query being different than the user context;

receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;

determining a second query from the first aspect of the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;

receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;

comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of a second aspect of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results, the second aspect of the user context including data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks; and

filtering at least one of the plurality of search results from being displayed to the user based on at least a portion of the plurality of scores.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second aspect of the user context is based on at least five of (a) a location of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user, (b) a style of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user, (c) a presence of at least one specified word in the text being accessed by the user, (d) an absence of the at least one specified word in the text being accessed by the user, (e) metadata attributes of at least a portion of the text being accessed by the user, (f) a field presented by a computer application, (g) an attribute of information being presented in the computer application, (h) an element of the computer application visible to the user, (i) a document genre, (j) a document type, (k) a type associated with the computer application, (l) a method by which the user is accessing the computer application, (m) a role in an organization, (n) a type of the organization, (o) a property of the organization, (p) a stage in a task, (q) a stage in a workflow, (r) a type of task being supported by the computer application, (s) a stage in a task being executed by the computer application, (t) a pervious user behavior, (u) a topical area of interest, (v) a proportion of hyperlinked text to non-hyperlinked text, and (w) an average sentence length in the text being accessed by the user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second aspect of the user context is based on (a) a style of the at least one predetermined word in the text being accessed by the user and (b) a type associated with a computer application.

15. An apparatus for displaying search results, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory device operatively coupled to the processor;

a user input device operatively coupled to the processor;

a network device operatively coupled to the processor; and

a display device operatively coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory device stores a software program to cause the processor to;

determine a first query based on a user context, the user context including data indicative of text being accessed by a user via the user input device and data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks, the first query being different than the user context;

receive a first plurality of search results from a first search engine via the network device, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;

determine a second query from the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;

receive a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine via the network device, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query; and

generate a display via the display device indicative of the second plurality of search results.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the software is structured to cause the processor to:

compare data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results; and

generate data indicative of a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the scores.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the software is structured to cause the processor to:

compare data indicative of the first plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a first plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results;

compare data indicative of the second plurality of search results to the data indicative of the user context to determine a second plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results; and

combine at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results into a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores.

18. A computer readable medium storing a software program to cause a computing device to:

determine a first query based on a user context, the user context including data indicative of text being accessed by a user and data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks, the first query being different than the user context;

receive a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;

determine a second query from the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;

receive a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query; and

generate a display indicative of the second plurality of search results.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the software is structured to cause the computing device to:

compare data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results; and

generate data indicative of a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the scores.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the software is structured to cause the computing device to:

compare data indicative of the first plurality of search results to data indicative of the user context to determine a first plurality of scores associated with the first plurality of search results;

compare data indicative of the second plurality of search results to the data indicative of the user context to determine a second plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results; and

combine at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results into a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores.