Relevancy Ranking of Search Results in a Network Based Upon a User's Computer-Related Activities

• US 20120185472A1
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chakra, Al, Ahmed, Maryam, Hillary, Matthew C., McCall, Kimberly D., Thomason, M. Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/728
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product providing ordered search results within a search engine. Items are retrieved from a network satisfying search criteria provided by a user. Computer-related activities performed by the user, including social networking activities, are determined, and the retrieved items are ranked based on the computer-related activities. The ranking of the retrieved items is dependent upon whether any retrieved item has been referenced by the social networking activities of the user, and the search results are provided including the retrieved items in order of the ranking.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing ordered search results within a search engine comprising:

retrieving items from a network satisfying search criteria provided by a user;

determining computer-related activities performed by the user, wherein the computer-related activities comprise social networking activities;

ranking the retrieved items based on the computer-related activities, wherein the ranking of the retrieved items is dependent upon whether any retrieved item has been referenced by the social networking activities of the user; and

providing the search results including the retrieved items in order of the ranking.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking comprises:

ranking the retrieved items in an initial ranked order based upon the search criteria provided by the user;

determining a relevance factor for each retrieved item based upon referencing of the retrieved item by the social networking activities of the user; and

modifiying the ranking order of the retrieved items based upon the determined relevance factors of the retrieved items.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the relevance factor for each retrieved item is dependent upon a number of references to the retrieved item in the social activities of the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the social networking activities of the user comprise activities in a social media network, the social media network comprising a hierarchical grouping of entities that includes the user, and the relevance factor for each retrieved item is dependent upon a distance in the hierarchical grouping between the user and each entity which references the retrieved item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network from which items are retrieved comprises a social networking website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network from which items are retrieved comprises the internet or intranet, and the social networking activities comprise activities that occur on a social media website that is accessible via the internet or intranet.

7. A system for providing ordered search results from a search of a network, the system comprising:

a server including a search engine module configured with logic to;

retrieve items from the network satisfying search criteria provided by a user;

determine computer-related activities performed by the user, wherein the computer-related activities comprise social networking activities;

rank the retrieved items based on the computer-related activities, wherein the ranking of the retrieved items is dependent upon whether any retrieved item has been referenced by the social networking activities of the user; and

provide the search results including the retrieved items in order of the ranking.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the ranking by the search engine module comprises:

ranking the retrieved items in an initial ranked order based upon the search criteria provided by the user;

determining a relevance factor for each retrieved item based upon referencing of the retrieved item by the social networking activities of the user; and

modifiying the ranking order of the retrieved items based upon the determined relevance factors of the retrieved items.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the relevance factor for each retrieved item is dependent upon a number of references to the retrieved item in the social activities of the user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the social networking activities of the user comprise activities in a social media network, the social media network comprising a hierarchical grouping of entities that includes the user, and the relevance factor for each retrieved item is dependent upon a distance in the hierarchical grouping between the user and each entity which references the retrieved item.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the network from which items are retrieved comprises a social networking website.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the network from which items are retrieved comprises the internet or intranet, and the social networking activities comprise activities that occur on a social media website that is accessible via the internet or intranet.

13. A computer program product for providing ordered search results from a search of a network, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code configured to;

retrieve items from the network satisfying search criteria provided by a user;

determine computer-related activities performed by the user, wherein the computer-related activities comprise social networking activities;

rank the retrieved items based on the computer-related activities, wherein the ranking of the retrieved items is dependent upon whether any retrieved item has been referenced by the social networking activities of the user; and

provide the search results including the retrieved items in order of the ranking.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the ranking by the computer readable storage code comprises:

ranking the retrieved items in an initial ranked order based upon the search criteria provided by the user;

determining a relevance factor for each retrieved item based upon referencing of the retrieved item by the social networking activities of the user; and

modifiying the ranking order of the retrieved items based upon the determined relevance factors of the retrieved items.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the relevance factor for each retrieved item is dependent upon a number of references to the retrieved item in the social activities of the user.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the social networking activities of the user comprise activities in a social media network, the social media network comprising a hierarchical grouping of entities that includes the user, and the relevance factor for each retrieved item is dependent upon a distance in the hierarchical grouping between the user and each entity which references the retrieved item.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the network from which items are retrieved comprises a social networking website.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the network from which items are retrieved comprises the internet or intranet, and the social networking activities comprise activities that occur on a social media website that is accessible via the internet or intranet.