System and Method for Compiling Search Results Using Information Regarding Length of Time Users Spend Interacting With Individual Search Results

• US 20110184925A1
• Filed: 01/28/2010
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haystack Ws Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alaska Consumer Oil and Gas, LLC
• Inventors: Muth, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 9,262,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2477 Temporal data queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• 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: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A system and method for producing more relevant search results. When a user selects a search result from a search result listing, the amount of time that the user spends interacting with the item associated with the search result is tracked. Such information regarding interaction time is compiled and is used as a factor in assessing relevance of items in future searches.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of processing search engine search results, comprising:

determining a length of time spent by a user on a web page associated with a search result; and

processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said length of time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said processing comprises using said length of time in determining a search result ranking for a subsequent search.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining and processing operations are performed by a computing device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining operation comprises measuring a length of time spent by a user on a web page associated with a search result.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining operation comprises receiving information regarding a length of time spent by a user on a web page associated with a search result.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the following operations performed prior to the determining operation:

receiving a search query from a user;

providing a search result listing in response to said query; and

causing a web page to be displayed on a user access device in response to a selection by the user from said search result listing.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using said length of time to update information pertaining to a typical length of time users spend on said web page after being directed there in response to a same or similar search, and wherein the processing operation comprises processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said information pertaining to a typical length of time.

8. A computer-implemented method of processing a search result generated by an automated search for media files, comprising:

determining a length of time spent by a user experiencing a media item associated with a search result; and

processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said length of time.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said processing comprises using said length of time in determining a search result ranking for a subsequent search.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the determining and processing operations are performed by a computing device.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the determining operation comprises measuring a length of time spent by a user experiencing a media item associated with a search result.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the following operations performed prior to the determining operation:

receiving a search query from a user;

providing a search result listing in response to said query; and

causing a media item to be presented on a user device in response to a selection by the user from said search result listing.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising using said length of time to update information pertaining to a typical length of time users spend experiencing said media item after being directed to it in response to a same or similar search, and wherein the processing operation comprises processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said information pertaining to a typical length of time.

14. A computer-implemented method of processing a search result generated by an automated database search, comprising:

determining a length of time spent by a user viewing a database entry associated with a search result; and

processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said length of time.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said processing comprises using said length of time in determining a search result ranking for a subsequent search.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining and processing operations are performed by a computing device.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining operation comprises measuring a length of time spent by a user viewing a database entry associated with a search result.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the following operations performed prior to the determining operation:

receiving a search query from a user;

providing a search result listing in response to said query; and

causing a database entry to be displayed on a user device in response to a selection by the user from said search result listing.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising using said length of time to update information pertaining to a typical length of time users spend viewing said database entry after being directed to it in response to a same or similar search, and wherein the processing operation comprises processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said information pertaining to a typical length of time.

20. A computer-implemented method of processing search results generated by a search engine, comprising:

determining a length of time spent by a user on an item associated with a search result; and

processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said length of time.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said processing comprises using said length of time in determining a search result ranking for a subsequent search.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the determining and processing operations are performed by a computing device.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the determining operation comprises measuring a length of time spent by a user on an item associated with a search result.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the following operations performed prior to the determining operation:

receiving a search query from a user;

providing a search result listing in response to said query; and

causing an item to be presented on a user device in response to a selection by the user from said search result listing.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising using said length of time to update information pertaining to a typical length of time users spend on said item after being directed to it in response to a same or similar search, and wherein the processing operation comprises processing a subsequent search result based at least in part on said information pertaining to a typical length of time.