METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTENT QUERIES AND RESULTS

• US 20090049032A1
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramamurthi, Shiv, Maghoul, Farzin
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A search engine compares entered search terms to an index of terms signifying a specific or local intent. If an entered term matches term in the index, then the search engine identifies and outputs information corresponding to the specific or local intent. Terms to include in the index of terms can be identified by monitoring the searching behavior of a set of users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying terms to be included in an index of terms associated with a specific intent by monitoring a set of users'"'"' searching behavior;

responsive to a request to retrieve information stored on a computer system, said request including at least one search term, comparing said at least one search term to said index of terms;

if said at least one search term matches a term in said index of terms, identifying information corresponding to said specific intent;

outputting said information corresponding to said specific intent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said specific intent includes an intent to find information relevant to a location.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a user'"'"'s location; and

identifying said information relevant to said location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring includes tracking a refinement of a prior search.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said request is received from a user of a mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a display format from a plurality of display formats based on whether said at least one search term matches a term in said index of terms.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a threshold number or threshold percentage of said set of users'"'"' searching behavior indicates said identified term signifies said specific intent, adding an identified term, not previously included, to said index of terms.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating characteristics of a second term with a first term within said index of terms.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

associating said characteristics of said second term with said first term only if said set of users'"'"' searching behavior indicates that both said first term and said second term signify said specific intent.

10. A method comprising:

identifying terms to be included in an index of terms expressing a local intent by monitoring a set of users'"'"' searching behavior;

receiving through a search engine interface a search term;

comparing said search term to said index of terms;

identifying a location from which said search term is being sent;

outputting in a group format results relevant to said location if said search term matches a term in said index of terms.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying said results in a default format if said search term does not match a term in said index of terms.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said monitoring includes tracking a refinement of a prior search, said refinement including adding a second search term, said second search term being a location identifier.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

if a threshold number or threshold percentage of said set of users'"'"' searching behavior indicates said identified term signifies said local intent, adding an identified term, not previously included, to said index of terms.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said location is identified by obtaining global positioning system coordinates of said mobile device.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein a term in said index of terms has associated distance information, said distance information to be used to determine results relevant to said location.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said index of terms expressing said local intent is associated with a unique location.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating characteristics of a second term with a first term within said index of terms.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

associating said characteristics of said second term with said first term only if said set of users'"'"' searching behavior indicates that both said first term and said second term signify said local intent.