USER ENTERTAINMENT AND ENGAGEMENT ENHANCEMENTS TO SEARCH SYSTEM

• US 20090077072A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: KRAFT, Reiner
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of actively engaging a user of a search system can include receiving from the user a search query for a search of a corpus of information and providing the user with search results for the search. The user can also be prompted to participate in a search-related activity wherein at least one aspect of the search-related activity is dependent on a context of the search. User input for performing the search-related activity can be accepted and an activity response can be provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method of actively engaging a user of a search system while participating in an activity, the method comprising:

(a) displaying an activity from a plurality of activities, wherein the activity is contextual related to at least one search of a corpus of information;

(b) receiving a search query;

(c) in response to receiving the search query;

(i) performing the search of the corpus of information and determining search results for the search; and

(ii) in addition to and separate from (i), selecting one or more advertising portions from an advertisement system;

(d) displaying search results for the search query and displaying the one or more advertising portions;

(e) accepting user input for performing the activity, wherein at least one aspect of the activity is dependent on the contents of the search results;

(f) displaying an activity response to the user; and

(g) repeating steps (b) through (f) when a new search is desired;

wherein the corpus of information, the pluralities of activities, and the advertisement system are stored, maintained, and managed separately from each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the search query is performed in response to user selection of a link presented with said activity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the search query is performed in response to user input of keywords.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more advertisers sponsor the activity.

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 1.

6. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 2.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 3.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 4.

9. A method of engaging a user of a search system while participating in an activity, the method comprising:

displaying on a web page a display that includes (a) an activity and (b) one or more controls for submitting search queries associated with the activity to a search engine; and

in response to a user using one of the controls to submit a query to the search engine, the search engine generating a results page that includes information related to said activity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the results page includes one or more sponsored results.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a control of the one or more controls is a link, button, icon, or other graphic.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a user uses one of the controls to submit a query by selecting a link, icon, or button.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a user uses one of the controls to submit a query by entering keywords.

14. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 9.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 10.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 11.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 12.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 13.