SELECTING AND PRESENTING SEARCH RESULTS BASED ON DISTINCT TAXONOMIES

• US 20130091116A1
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kumar, Amit
• Application Number:
  US13/649,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091116A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

A search engine stores different taxonomies that each specifies categories and relationships between the categories. When the search engine receives a request having a search query, the search engine determines which taxonomy, if any, it should use to generate a search results page. The search engine bases this determination upon information provided to it in the request, in one embodiment. For example, the search engine might select a taxonomy based on the particular environment from which the search query originated. However, the search engine can select the taxonomy based on other information, such as a role of the user. Thus, a medical researcher and a financial analyst for a particular corporation could receive search results pages that were generated with appropriate taxonomies for each of them.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first search query that includes one or more first keywords and first information about a first origin of the first search query;

based at least in part on the first information about the first origin of the first search query, selecting a first taxonomy of two or more distinct taxonomies, wherein each taxonomy of the two or more distinct taxonomies specifies categories and relationships between the categories;

in response to receiving the first search query, generating a first set of search results specific to the selected first taxonomy;

receiving a second search query that includes one or more second keywords and second information about a second origin of the second search query;

based at least in part on the second information about the second origin of the second search query, selecting a second taxonomy of two or more distinct taxonomies;

in response to receiving the second search query, generating a second set of search results specific to the selected second taxonomy;

wherein the second origin is different than the first origin and the second taxonomy is different than the first taxonomy;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first information about the first origin of the first search query comprises information that identifies a first user that originated the first search query;

selecting the first taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the first user;

the second information about the second origin of the second search query comprises information that identifies a second user that originated the second search query; and

wherein selecting the second taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first information about the first origin of the first search query comprises information that identifies a first set of one or more devices that originated the first search query;

selecting the first taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the first set of one or more devices;

the second information about the second origin of the second search query comprises information that identifies a second set of one or more devices that originated the second search query; and

selecting the second taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the second set of one or more devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first information about the first origin of the first search query comprises information that identifies a first role of a first user that originated the first search query;

selecting the first taxonomy is based at least in part on the first role;

the second information about the second origin of the second search query comprises information that identifies a second role of a second user that originated the second search query; and

selecting the second taxonomy is based at least in part on the second role.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes:

identifying a first generic set of search results for the first search query, wherein the first generic set of search results is independent of the first taxonomy; and

generating the first set of search results based on the first generic set of search results and the first taxonomy;

wherein generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes;

identifying a second generic set of search results for the second search query, wherein the second generic set of search results is independent of the second taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results based on the second generic set of search results and the second taxonomy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes:

requesting, from a search engine, a first generic set of search results for the first search query, wherein the first generic set of search results is independent of the first taxonomy; and

generating the first set of search results based on the first generic set of search results and the first taxonomy;

wherein generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes;

requesting, from a search engine, a second generic set of search results for the second search query, wherein the second generic set of search results is independent of the second taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results based on the second generic set of search results and the second taxonomy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes applying a first set of rules that are associated with the first taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes applying a second set of rules that are associated with the second taxonomy.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes:

identifying a first set of documents that are associated with the first taxonomy; and

generating the first set of search results based on the first search query and the first set of documents;

wherein generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes;

identifying a second set of documents that are associated with the second taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results based on the second search query and the second set of documents.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first taxonomy categorizes documents that are stored in a local database for a company, and

the second taxonomy categorizes documents from one or more World Wide Web domains.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first taxonomy categorizes documents for a first category of related subject matter, and

the second taxonomy categorizes documents for a second category of related subject matter.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing display of the first set of results on a first user device by sending the first set of results toward the first user device, and

causing display of the second set of results on a second user device by sending the second set of results toward the second user device.

12. One or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media storing instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

receiving a first search query that includes one or more first keywords and first information about a first origin of the first search query;

based at least in part on the first information about the first origin of the first search query, selecting a first taxonomy of two or more distinct taxonomies, wherein each taxonomy of the two or more distinct taxonomies specifies categories and relationships between the categories;

in response to receiving the first search query, generating a first set of search results specific to the selected first taxonomy;

receiving a second search query that includes one or more second keywords and second information about a second origin of the second search query;

based at least in part on the second information about the second origin of the second search query, selecting a second taxonomy of two or more distinct taxonomies;

in response to receiving the second search query, generating a second set of search results specific to the selected second taxonomy;

wherein the second origin is different than the first origin and the second taxonomy is different than the first taxonomy;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

13. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein:

the first information about the first origin of the first search query comprises information that identifies a first user that originated the first search query;

selecting the first taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the first user;

the second information about the second origin of the second search query comprises information that identifies a second user that originated the second search query; and

wherein selecting the second taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the second user.

14. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein:

the first information about the first origin of the first search query comprises information that identifies a first set of one or more devices that originated the first search query;

selecting the first taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the first set of one or more devices;

the second information about the second origin of the second search query comprises information that identifies a second set of one or more devices that originated the second search query; and

selecting the second taxonomy is based at least in part on an identity of the second set of one or more devices.

15. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein:

the first information about the first origin of the first search query comprises information that identifies a first role of a first user that originated the first search query;

selecting the first taxonomy is based at least in part on the first role;

the second information about the second origin of the second search query comprises information that identifies a second role of a second user that originated the second search query; and

selecting the second taxonomy is based at least in part on the second role.

16. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes:

identifying a first generic set of search results for the first search query, wherein the first generic set of search results is independent of the first taxonomy; and

generating the first set of search results based on the first generic set of search results and the first taxonomy;

wherein generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes;

identifying a second generic set of search results for the second search query, wherein the second generic set of search results is independent of the second taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results based on the second generic set of search results and the second taxonomy.

17. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes:

requesting, from a search engine, a first generic set of search results for the first search query, wherein the first generic set of search results is independent of the first taxonomy; and

generating the first set of search results based on the first generic set of search results and the first taxonomy;

wherein generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes;

requesting, from a search engine, a second generic set of search results for the second search query, wherein the second generic set of search results is independent of the second taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results based on the second generic set of search results and the second taxonomy.

18. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein:

generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes applying a first set of rules that are associated with the first taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes applying a second set of rules that are associated with the second taxonomy.

19. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein generating the first set of search results specific to the first taxonomy includes:

identifying a first set of documents that are associated with the first taxonomy; and

generating the first set of search results based on the first search query and the first set of documents;

wherein generating the second set of search results specific to the second taxonomy includes;

identifying a second set of documents that are associated with the second taxonomy; and

generating the second set of search results based on the second search query and the second set of documents.

20. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein:

the first taxonomy categorizes documents that are stored in a local database for a company, and

the second taxonomy categorizes documents from one or more World Wide Web domains.

21. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein:

the first taxonomy categorizes documents for a first category of related subject matter, and

the second taxonomy categorizes documents for a second category of related subject matter.

22. The one or more volatile or non-volatile machine-readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:

display of the first set of results on a first user device by sending the first set of results toward the first user device, and

display of the second set of results on a second user device by sending the second set of results toward the second user device.