SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERSONALIZED SEARCH SOURCING

• US 20110072010A1
• Filed: 04/28/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wu, Su-Lin, Singh, Vik, Chi, Liang-Yu (Tom)
• Granted Patent: US 8,645,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for customized search results in an advanced search results page including vertical searching pivot points for personalizing and refining searching operations. The method includes tracking user network activities and receiving a search query from the user, the search query including a plurality of search terms. The method and system includes identifying a plurality of preferred content sources based on the tracked network activities and retrieving content items in response to the search query. The method and system filters the content items based on the preferred content sources and therein generates a search result page displaying at least a portion of the filtered content items and at least one of the preferred content sources, wherein the display of the at least one preferred content source allows the user to pivot the search results portion based solely on the preferred content source.

Claims

1. A method for customized search results, the method comprising:

tracking network activities of a user;

receiving a search query from the user, the search query including a plurality of search terms;

identifying a plurality of preferred content sources based on the tracked network activities;

retrieving content items in response to the search query;

filtering the content items based on the preferred content sources; and

generating a search result page displaying at least a portion of the filtered content items and at least one of the preferred content sources, wherein the display of the at least one preferred content source allows the user to pivot the search results portion based solely on the preferred content source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking network activities is based on at least one of:

a user click history, a bookmark database and web browser application toolbar data.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a non-public content source to which the user has access;

performing the search operation on the non-public content source; and

including the non-public content source in the plurality of preferred content sources.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the search results display includes the display of the non-public content source.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

accessing user credentials for verification of access privilege to the non-public content source.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving user-access instructions for accessing the non-public content source and instructions for utilizing the content from the non-public content source in the search results page.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the non-public content is an online discussion group.

8. A system for customized search results, the system comprising:

a memory device having executable instructions stored therein; and

a processing device, in response to the executable instructions, operative to;

track network activities of a user;

receive a search query from the user, the search query including a plurality of search terms;

identify a plurality of preferred content sources based on the tracked network activities;

retrieve content items in response to the search query;

filter the content items based on the preferred content sources; and

generate a search result page displaying at least a portion of the filtered content items and at least one of the preferred content sources, wherein the display of the at least one preferred content source allows the user to pivot the search results portion based solely on the preferred content source.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein tracking network activities is based on at least one of:

a user click history, a bookmark database and web browser application toolbar data.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing device is further operative to:

identify a non-public content source to which the user has access;

perform the search operation on the non-public content source; and

include the non-public content source in the plurality of preferred content sources.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the search results display includes the display of the non-public content source.

12. The system of claim 10, the processing device further operative to:

access user credentials for verification of access privilege to the non-public content source.

13. The system of claim 12, the processing device further operative to:

receive user-access instructions for accessing the non-public content source and instructions for utilizing the content from the non-public content source in the search results page.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the non-public content is an online discussion group.

15. Computer readable media comprising program code that when executed by a programmable processor causes execution of a method for customized search results, the method comprising:

computer program code for tracking network activities of a user;

computer program code for receiving a search query from the user, the search query including a plurality of search terms;

computer program code for identifying a plurality of preferred content sources based on the tracked network activities;

computer program code for retrieving content items in response to the search query;

computer program code for filtering the content items based on the preferred content sources; and

computer program code for generating a search result page displaying at least a portion of the filtered content items and at least one of the preferred content sources, wherein the display of the at least one preferred content source allows the user to pivot the search results portion based solely on the preferred content source.

16. The computer readable media of claim 15, wherein tracking network activities is based on at least one of:

a user click history, a bookmark database and web browser application toolbar data.

17. The computer readable media of claim 15 further comprising:

computer program code for identifying a non-public content source to which the user has access;

computer program code for performing the search operation on the non-public content source; and

computer program code for including the non-public content source in the plurality of preferred content sources.

18. The computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the search results display includes the display of the non-public content source.

19. The computer readable media of claim 17 further comprising:

computer program code for accessing user credentials for verification of access privilege to the non-public content source; and

receiving user-access instructions for accessing the non-public content source and instructions for utilizing the content from the non-public content source in the search results page.

20. The computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the non-public content is an online discussion group.