MODEL-BASED SEARCHING

• US 20100287175A1
• Filed: 06/16/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: MacDonald, Brian, Otto, Brian Scott, Connell, Derrick L., Beaudreau, Scott J., Dierkes, James P. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,784 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3331 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Computer-readable media and methods for model-based searching to provide search results of relevance to a search topic are provided. A model describing a search framework for generating a plurality of search queries is provided. A number of search topics are identified and attributes are assigned to each search topic. Attribute data elements and values are provided to describe each to the assigned attributes for each search topic. The attributes inform the search framework in order to compile a plurality of search queries for the search topic. A search term is received from a user and a corresponding search topic is identified. The plurality of search queries are executed to obtain search results for the corresponding search topic. The search queries may be pre-executed and the search results cached in a computer memory for later retrieval. The search results are organized based on the model and are presented to the user.

Claims

1. Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for model-based searching to provide semantically relevant search results, the method comprising:

providing a model that indicates a search framework for a search topic, wherein said search framework includes a plurality of search queries that are executable by a computing device via a search engine, wherein said plurality of search queries includes one or more fields in which one or more of a first search term or one or more attributes are inserted, and wherein said search topic includes the one or more attributes that describe said search topic;

receiving a second search term that indicates said search topic, wherein said first and said second search term are the same or different; and

said computing device executing said plurality of search queries via said search engine to obtain one or more search results for said search topic based on said first search term, said second search term, and said one or more attributes of said search topic, wherein one or more of said first search term, said second search term and said one or more attributes inform said one or more search queries.

2. The computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining a search result that includes an additional attribute that describes said search topic;

using said additional attribute to inform an additional search query; and

said computing device executing said additional search query to obtain an additional search result.

3. The computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein one or more of said first search term, said second search term, and said one or more attributes inform said additional search query.

4. The computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

caching at least one of said one or more search results in a computer memory.

5. The computer-readable media of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a search query from a user that includes a user-entered search term that indicates said search topic;

retrieving said at least one search result cached in said computer memory; and

providing said at least one search result to said user.

6. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein providing said at least one search result to said user comprises:

organizing a presentation of said at least one search result based on said model, and

categorizing said at least one search result into one or more sub-topics of search results based on said one or more attributes that describe said search topic.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein said user-entered search term is one of:

the same as said first search term, the same as said second search term, is a search term variant that is included in said one or more attributes, or is a search term variant that is indicated by said model.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more user-context data items that describe one or more of a user'"'"'s preferences, demographics, search history, and browser history; and

identifying said model based at least partially on said one or more user-context data items.

9. The computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more user-context data items that describe one or more of a user'"'"'s preferences, demographics, search history, and browser history; and

executing one or more user-context search queries via said search engine to obtain one or more user-context search results for said search topic based on said one or more user-context data items, said first search term, said second search term, and said one or more attributes that describe said search topic, wherein said one or more user-context data items, said first search term, said second search term, and said one or more attributes that describe said topic inform said one or more user-context search queries.

10. The computer-readable media of claim 9, wherein said one or more search results for said search topic are cached in a computer memory and said one or more user-context search queries are executed at runtime.

11. A computer-implemented method for model-based searching to provide semantically relevant search results, the method comprising:

a first computing process for receiving a first search query that includes a search term that corresponds to a predefined category, and said predefined category including an attribute that is descriptive of said predefined category;

a second computing process for identifying a model that is indicated by said search term of said first search query and that is useable to instruct generation and execution of a plurality of second search queries;

a third computing process for generating said plurality of second search queries based on said model and using said search term and said attribute that describes said predefined category, wherein said search term is combined with said attribute and one or more operators to generate said plurality of second search queries; and

executing said plurality of second search queries based on said model to obtain at least one search result,

wherein said first, second, and third computing processes are completed by one or more computing devices.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving one or more additional attributes with said at least one search result that describe said predefined category;

generating one or more additional search queries based on said model and using said search term, said attribute, and said one or more additional attributes; and

executing said one or more additional search queries to obtain one or more additional search results.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising;

caching said at least one search result in a computer memory;

retrieving said at least one search result from said computer memory; and

presenting said at least one search result to a user.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising;

organizing said at least one search result based on said model.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein organizing said search result based on said model includes sorting said at least one search result into one or more subcategories of said predefined category, and wherein each subcategory includes one or more rules for sorting search results contained therein.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving one or more user-context data items with said first search query that describes one or more of a user'"'"'s preferences, demographics, search history, and browser history;

generating one or more user-context search queries based on said model and using said search term, said attribute, and said one or more user-context data items; and

executing said one or more user-context search queries to obtain one or more user-context search results.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said model is generated or updated by at least one of an administrator, a user, or one or more algorithms, via a fourth computing process executed on said one or more computing devices.

18. Computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for model-based searching to provide semantically relevant search results, the method comprising:

providing a model that describes a search framework for a search topic, wherein said search framework indicates a plurality of model-based search queries that are executable by a computing device via one or more search engines, wherein said plurality of model-based search queries include one or more fields in which to insert one or more of a search term and an attribute, and wherein said search term is indicative of said search topic and said attribute is descriptive of said search topic;

via a computing device, compiling said plurality of model-based search queries for said search topic, wherein one or more of said search term and said attribute are inserted into said one or more fields in each of said plurality of model-based search queries to generate a search string for each of said plurality of model-based search queries;

via said computing device, executing said plurality of model-based search queries using said search strings to obtain a plurality of search results;

caching at least a portion of said plurality of search results in a computer memory;

receiving from a user at a computing device, a search query containing said search term that indicates said search topic;

said computing device, retrieving said portion of said plurality of search results that are cached in said computer memory;

organizing said portion of said plurality of search results based on said model; and

presenting said portion of said plurality of search results that are organized based on said model to said user.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an additional attribute that describes said search topic from a third party;

compiling one or more additional model-based search queries using said additional attribute; and

executing said one or more additional model-based search queries to obtain one or more additional search results.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving one or more user-context data items from said user that describe one or more of said user'"'"'s preferences, demographics, search history, and browser history; and

executing one or more user-context search queries via said one or more search engines to obtain one or more user-context search results for said search topic based on said user-context data items, said search term, and said one or more attributes of said search topic, wherein said one or more user-context data items, said search term, and said attribute of said topic inform said one or more search queries.