METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR QUALIFYING KEYWORDS IN QUERY STRINGS

• US 20080016040A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Thomas E., Jones, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for qualifying keyword(s) or phrase(s) to formulate a query string for submitting a search request when the query string contains one or more keywords that may have multiple meanings associated therewith. Database information containing keywords and associated meanings or forms of the keywords is maintained and a requester is prompted to identify one or more of the meanings of a keyword when building the query string. One or more advertisements pertaining to the associated meanings or forms of the keywords in the query string is presented to the requester submitting a search request.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

tracking associated meanings of a keyword; and

qualifying the keyword in response to a selection from the meanings of the keyword when the keyword is contained in a query for a search.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said qualifying is executed prior to triggering the search.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

presenting advertisement information directed to the keyword in accordance with said qualifying.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said tracking includes tracking associated meanings and categories of the keyword in context of other keywords in the query.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said tracking includes maintaining information of at least one category associated with each meaning of the keyword.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said tracking includes maintaining usage information of the keyword in results generated in response to previous searches.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein a default meaning of the keyword is determined based on the usage information.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said selection is made by a human provider executing the search on behalf of a requester.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said selection is made by a requester formulating the query for the search.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

displaying the meanings of the keyword in a predetermined order.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined order is based on frequency of use of each meaning of the keyword and a frequently used meaning is displayed first among the meanings of the keyword.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the query includes other keywords and said tracking of associated meanings of the keyword includes determining contextual meanings of the keyword among the other keywords.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the meanings of the keyword is supplied by an external source.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a new meaning and/or a new category has been developed for the keyword.

15. A method of qualifying a keyword or phrase, comprising:

categorizing a keyword or phrase based on meanings associated therewith;

storing usage information of the categorized keyword or phrase in accordance with corresponding use of meanings associated with the keyword or phrase; and

prompting a user to qualify the keyword or phrase while the user is formulating a query containing the keyword or phrase.

16. A method, comprising:

identifying a meaning of a keyword based on use of the keyword in search requests and results thereof; and

displaying the identified meaning when the keyword is contained in a query string.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the meaning of the keyword is identified based on one or more forms of geographical data of a requester submitting the query string.

18. An interface, comprising:

a query field for entering a query to be searched; and

a selection control for selecting one or more displayed meanings of a keyword when the keyword is contained in the query.

19. A system, comprising:

a device transmitting a query for a search;

a database storing meanings associated with a keyword; and

a display prompting a user to qualify the keyword when the keyword is contained in the query.

20. A method of qualifying a keyword or phrase, comprising:

storing meanings or forms of the keyword or phrase based on use in searches;

dynamically updating the stored meanings or forms in accordance with inputs from expert and/or authorized users;

tracking use of the meanings or forms of the keyword or phrase in a histogram of usage including a matrix of the keyword or phrase per category;

providing a notification regarding said updating to users associated with the keyword or phrase;

prioritizing the meanings or forms of the keyword or phrase based on usage for qualifying the keyword or phrase;

qualifying the keyword or phrase based on the stored meanings or forms of the keyword or phrase including prompting users to identify a meaning or a form of the keyword from said prioritized meanings and forms when the users formulate a query containing the keyword, said qualifying being prior to submitting the query for a search; and

sending the qualified keyword or phrase as a request to at least one search engine and/or other searchable resources.

21. A method of qualifying a keyword or phrase, comprising:

categorizing a keyword or phrase based on meanings associated therewith;

storing usage information of the categorized keyword or phrase in accordance with corresponding use of meanings associated with the keyword or phrase; and

prompting a provider to qualify the keyword or phrase while the provider is formulating a query containing the keyword or phrase.

22. A method, comprising:

identifying a meaning of a keyword based on use of the keyword in relation to searches; and

presenting advertisement information specific to the identified meaning of the keyword when the keyword is contained in a query string.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the advertisement information is linked to the keyword in real-time.

24. A method, comprising:

dynamically adjusting categorization of keywords responsive to a change in associated meanings of the keywords; and

prompting a user to qualify a keyword of a search query based on adjusted categorization of the keyword.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said keywords are classified under one or more subcategories.

26. A method of qualifying a query, comprising:

presenting one or more meanings associated with a keyword for selection when a query phrase submitted for a search contains the keyword; and

generating the search in accordance with said selection.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein an entire content of the query phrase is the keyword.

28. The method according to claim 26, wherein said query phrase is modified based on said selection.

29. The method according to claim 26, comprising:

providing an advertisement targeted to said one or more meanings of the keyword in accordance with said selection.