System for classifying a search query

• US 20080183685A1
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: He, Xiaofei, Jhala, Pradhuman Dasharalhasinh
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A system is described for classifying a search query. The system may create a machine learning classifier function that may be “trained” by a plurality of categorized queries within a query taxonomy. The system may represent the queries as term vectors and input the term vectors to the machine learning classifier function to generate a value that may correspond to a particular category within the query taxonomy. The system may regularize the machine learning classifier function based on user search click data to improve the classifying accuracy.

Claims

1. A method of classifying a search query comprising:

categorizing a plurality of selected search queries;

computing a term vector for each of the plurality of selected search queries as a function of a web search;

creating a classifier function as a function of the computing; and

classifying an un-categorized search query as a function of the classifier function.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of selected search queries comprises a plurality of search queries selected according to at least one of a query frequency, variety, specificity, length, or combinations thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the categorizing comprises:

manually categorizing the selected search queries in a query taxonomy.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing comprises:

submitting each of the plurality of selected search queries to a search engine;

identifying one or more returned web pages for each of the plurality of selected search queries; and

computing the term vector for each of the plurality of selected search queries as a function of terms extracted from the one or more returned web pages.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the classifier function comprises a supervised learning algorithm.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the creating comprises:

determining related search queries as a function of query log data; and

regularizing the classifier function as a function of the related search queries.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the un-categorized search query comprises a search query submitted to a search engine by a user.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the classifying comprises:

computing a term vector for the un-categorized search query as a function of a web search; and

classifying the un-categorized search query as a function of the classifier function.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the un-categorized search query in a query taxonomy as a function of the classifying.

4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

13. A system for creating a regularized classifier function for classifying a search query comprising:

a taxonomy database operable to store a plurality of categorized search queries;

a term vector processor coupled with the taxonomy database and operable to create term vectors for each of the plurality of categorized search queries as a function of a web search;

a classification processor coupled with the term vector processor and operable to create a classifier function as a function of the term vectors; and

a regularization processor coupled with the classification processor and operable to regularize the classifier function.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the taxonomy database comprises a query taxonomy.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the term vector processor is operable to:

submit each of the plurality of categorized search queries to a search engine;

extract terms located within one or more returned web pages corresponding to each of the plurality of categorized search queries; and

create the term vectors for each of the plurality of categorized search queries as a function of the terms.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the classification processor comprises a machine learning function operable to create the classifier function.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the regularization processor is operable to determine relationships between search queries and incorporate the relationships into the classifier function to create a regularized classifier function.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the regularization processor is coupled with a query log database that is operable to store query log data.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the regularization processor is operable to compute a query weight graph.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the query weight graph comprises at least one edge connecting two search queries, and wherein the edge represents a relationship between the two search queries.

23. The system of claim 13 further comprising a vector space processor coupled with the term vector processor and operable to create a dimensional vector space as a function of the term vectors.

16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

24. A system for creating a regularized classifier function for classifying a search query comprising:

computing means for computing term vectors as a function of training data;

generating means, coupled with the computing means, for generating a vector space as a function of the term vectors;

creating means, coupled with the generating means, for creating a classifier function as a function of the vector space; and

regularizing means, coupled with the creating means, for regularizing the classifier function.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the vector space comprises dimensions as a function of a number of unique terms contained within the term vectors.

28. The system of claim 24 wherein the regularizing means comprises regularizing the classifier function as a function of user click data derived from query log data.

25. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

29. A system for classifying a search query comprising computer programming logic stored in a memory and executable by a processor coupled with the memory, the computer programming logic comprising:

first logic operative to compute term vectors as a function of categorized search queries in a query taxonomy;

second logic coupled with the first logic and operative to generate a vector space as a function of the term vectors;

third logic coupled with the second logic and operative to create a classifier function as a function of the vector space; and

fourth logic coupled with the third logic and operative to classify an un-categorized search query as a function of the classifier function.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the categorized search queries comprise training data operative to train the classifier function.

31. The system of claim 29 further comprising:

fifth logic coupled with the third logic and operative to regularize the classifier function.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the wherein the fourth logic is further operative to store the un-categorized search query in the taxonomy database as a function of the classification.