DYNAMIC FACET ORDERING FOR FACETED SEARCH

• US 20120173521A1
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: LAM, LAWRENCE
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Methods for dynamically ordering facets for search result presentation are provided. Facets specific to a query are determined and facet orderings are dynamically generated. A number of search result arrangements are generated based upon the facet orderings and, as users input the query, various search results arrangements are presented and user engagement with respect thereto is monitored. To determine which of the arrangements to present to a given user, a number of factors are taken into account, e.g., previous user engagement for each arrangement across a segment or population of users, and whether the user has previously been shown any of the arrangements and, if so, the nature of the user'"'"'s engagement therewith. Each time an arrangement is presented to a user and the user'"'"'s behavior with respect thereto is recorded, additional data becomes available for deciding what arrangement to show the next time a user inputs the query.

Claims

1. Computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for dynamically ordering facets for search result presentation, the method comprising:

receiving a first query;

determining a plurality of facets that pertain to the first query;

dynamically generating a first facet ordering, the first facet ordering including at least a first portion of the plurality of facets that pertain to the first query;

presenting search results arranged in accordance with the first facet ordering in a first arrangement;

monitoring at least one measure of user behavior with regard to the first arrangement; and

storing the first arrangement and a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect thereto in association with one another.

2. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second query, the second query being the same, similar to, or belonging to a common query vector as the first query;

dynamically generating a second facet ordering, the second facet ordering including at least a second portion of the plurality of facets that pertain to the first query;

presenting search results arranged in accordance with the second facet ordering in a second arrangement;

monitoring the at least one measure of user behavior with regard to the second arrangement; and

storing the second arrangement and a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect thereto in association with one another.

3. The computer storage media of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

comparing the value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect to the first arrangement with the value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect to the second arrangement;

determining which of the first and second arrangements yields higher user engagement based upon the comparison of the value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect to the first and second arrangements; and

categorizing the one of the first and second arrangements yielding the higher user engagement based upon the comparison as a successful arrangement.

4. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second query from a user, the second query being the same, similar to, or belonging to a common query vector as the first query;

receiving a user identifier associated with the user;

determining that a particular arrangement in accordance with a particular facet ordering has been shown to the user previously in response to at least one of the first and the second queries;

determining that the particular arrangement is a successful arrangement; and

presenting the particular arrangement to the user in response to receiving the second query.

5. The computer storage media of claim 4, wherein the user identifier is one of an anonymous user identifier and a user-segment identifier.

6. The computer storage media of claim 4, wherein prior to determining that the particular arrangement is a successful arrangement, the method further comprises determining that at least one threshold criterion has been met that permits presentation of the particular arrangement at a present time.

7. The computer storage media of claim 6, wherein the at east one threshold criterion is one of a user-specific criterion and a time-related criterion.

8. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second query from a user, the second query being the same or similar to the first query;

receiving a user identifier associated with the user;

determining that a particular arrangement in accordance with a particular facet ordering has been shown to the user previously in response to at least one of the first and the second queries;

determining that the particular arrangement is a failed arrangement; and

presenting search results in accordance with an arrangement other than the particular arrangement to the user in response to receiving the second query.

9. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second query from a user, the second query being the same, similar to, or belonging to a common query vector as the first query;

receiving a user identifier associated with the user;

determining that a particular arrangement in accordance with a particular facet ordering has been shown to the user previously in response to at least one of the first and the second queries;

determining that at least one threshold criteria has not been met so that presentation of the particular arrangement at a present time is not permitted; and

presenting an arrangement other than the particular arrangement to the user in response to receiving the second query.

10. The computer storage media of claim 9, wherein the at least one threshold criterion is one of a user-specific criterion and a time-related criterion.

11. A system for dynamically ordering facets for search result presentation, the system comprising:

a computing device associated with one or more processors and one or more computer storage media;

a data store coupled with the computing device;

a facet ordering component that dynamically generates face orderings including at least a portion of a plurality of facets, the portion pertaining to a received query; and

an arrangement generation component that presents search results in arrangements based upon the facet orderings.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a facet determining component at determines the plurality of facets that pertain to the received query.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a monitoring component at:

monitors at least one measure of user behavior with regard to a first arrangement and a second arrangement;

compares a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect to the first arrangement with a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect to the second arrangement;

determines which of the first and second arrangements yields higher user engagement based upon the comparison of the value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect to the first and second arrangements; and

categorizes the one of the first and second arrangements yielding the higher user engagement based upon the comparison as a successful arrangement.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data store stores one or more of received queries, facets pertaining to received queries, facet orderings, facet arrangements, measures of user behavior and any values associated therewith, and categories associated with the arrangements.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a receiving component that receives queries from a user and a user identifier associated with the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein, based upon the user identifier associated with the user, the arrangement generation component further:

determines that a particular arrangement in accordance with a particular facet ordering has been shown to the user previously in response to a received query,

determines that the particular arrangement is a successful arrangement, and

presents search results in the particular arrangement to the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein, prior to determining that the particular arrangement is a successful arrangement, the arrangement generation component determines that at least one threshold criteria has been met that permits presentation of the particular arrangement at a present time.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein, based upon the user identifier associated with the user, the arrangement generation component further:

determines that a particular arrangement in accordance with a particular facet ordering has been shown to the user previously in response to a received query,

determines that the particular arrangement is a failed arrangement, and

presents search results in accordance with an arrangement other than the particular arrangement to the user.

19. Computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for dynamically ordering facets for search result presentation, the method comprising:

receiving a first query from a user;

receiving a user identifier associated with the user;

dynamically generating a first facet ordering, the first facet ordering including at least a first portion of a plurality of facets that pertain to the first query;

presenting search results arranged in accordance with the first facet ordering in a first arrangement;

monitoring at least one measure of user behavior with regard to the first arrangement;

storing the first arrangement and a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect thereto in association with one another;

receiving a second query from the user, the second query being the same or similar to the first query; and

determining whether the first arrangement is a successful arrangement based upon the at least one measure of user behavior with regard thereto,

wherein upon determining that the first arrangement is a successful arrangement, the method further comprises presenting the first arrangement to the user in response to receiving the second query,

and wherein upon determining that the first arrangement is a failed arrangement, the method further comprises;

dynamically generating a second facet ordering, the second facet ordering including at least a second portion of the plurality of facets that pertain to the first query; and

presenting search results arranged in accordance with the second facet ordering in a second arrangement.

20. The computer storage media of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring at least one measure of user behavior with regard to the first arrangement and the second arrangement;

storing the first arrangement and a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect thereto in association with one another; and

storing the second arrangement and a value of the at least one measure of user behavior with respect thereto in association with one another.