SYNDICATING SEARCH QUERIES USING WEB ADVERTISING

• US 20090119259A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: MOSS, KENNETH ALAN, WILLIAMS, HUGH EVAN
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Displaying potential search-engine queries in a portion (e.g., a portion allocated for a web advertisement or within an inline frame) of a web page along with the content of the web page is described herein. The potential search-engine queries are determine by first analyzing either the underlying content of the web page (or other web pages) or searching various historic user metrics. Once determined, the potential search-engine queries are displayed within the portion of the web page along with the content of the web page. When a user selects one of the displayed potential search-engine queries, a query is sent to a search engine requesting web content relevant to the selected potential search-engine query.

Claims

1. One or more tangible computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing steps to present one or more potential search-engine queries related to the content of a requested web page along with the requested web page to a user, comprising:

determining whether a portion of the web page is allocated for at least one web advertisement;

requesting web content for the allocated portion;

determining the content of the web page;

determining potential search-engine queries based on the content of the web page; and

presenting potential search-engine queries in the portion of the requested web page.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein determining whether a portion of the web page is allocated for at least one web advertisement includes ascertaining whether the web page includes one or more inline frames (iFrames).

3. The media of claim 1, wherein determining whether a portion of the web page is allocated for at least one web advertisement includes ascertaining whether the web page includes at least one of a banner ad, pop-up advertisement.

4. The media of claim 1, wherein determining whether a portion of the web page is allocated for at least one web advertisement includes ascertaining whether the web page includes at least one sponsored-search result.

5. The media of claim 1, wherein requesting the web content for the allocated portion further comprises submitting a request for querying one or more click logs.

6. The media of claim 5, wherein requesting the web content for the allocated portion further comprises querying at least one of a click log or a database storing one or more SmartTags associated with one or more web pages.

7. The media of claim 1, wherein requesting the web contend for the allocated portion further comprises querying a click log.

8. The media of claim 1, wherein the potential search-engine queries are presented such that selection of the potential search-engine queries by a user initiates a search-engine query.

9. The media of claim 1, wherein the content is determined by analyzing historical user metrics.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein historical user metrics include at least one of a plurality of historical user keywords, traffic information, user-profile data, and toolbar information.

11. The media of claim 1, wherein the potential search-engine queries are determined by analyzing one or more weights assigned to one or more SmartTags.

12. The media of claim 1, wherein the potential search-engine queries are determined by analyzing one or more weights assigned to one or more SmartTags.

13. A method for presenting, within a web browser, one or more potential search-engine queries related to the content of a requested web page along with the requested web page to a user, comprising:

determining whether an ancillary portion of the web page is allocated for ancillary content not associated with the requested web page;

determining the content of the web page based on one or more historical user metrics;

determining potential search-engine queries based on the content of the web page; and

presenting potential search-engine queries in the ancillary portion of the web page.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the ancillary content comprises a web advertisement.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the ancillary portion of the web page comprises one or more inline frames (iFrames).

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more historical user metrics include at least one of a plurality of historical user keywords, traffic information, user-profile data, and toolbar information.

17. A graphical user interface embodied on a computer-readable medium and executable on a computer, said graphical user interface comprising:

a first display area configured for displaying a web page; and

a second display area configured for displaying one or more potential search-engine queries based on the content of the web page.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 17, wherein the content of the web page is determined by analyzing one or more historical user metrics.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 18, wherein the one or more historical user metrics include at least one of a plurality of historical user keywords, traffic information, user-profile data, and toolbar information.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 17, wherein the second display area is presented in a portion of the web page allocated for an advertisement.