Generating Logical Expressions for Search Queries

• US 20140032587A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sankar, Sriram, Stout, Ryan Allen, Jackson, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,991 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/242 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method comprises, by a computer system, receiving a search term, determining a search constraint for a search query, and generating a search query. The search query includes the search term and the search constraint. The search query requires that at least a first number of search results that are returned in response to the search query match both the search term and the search constraint. The search query permits at least a second number of the search results to match only the search term. The computer system provides the search query for a search against a store of data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a computer system, receiving a search term;

by the computer system, determining a search constraint for a search query;

by the computer system, generating a search query comprising the search term and the search constraint, the search query requiring at least a first number of search results returned in response to the search query matching both the search term and the search constraint and permitting at least a second number of the search results to match only the search term; and

by the computer system, providing the search query for a search against a store of data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by the computer system, determining a second search constraint for a second search query;

by the computer system, generating a second search query comprising the search query and the second search constraint, the second search query requiring at least a third number of search results returned in response to the second search query matching the search query and requiring at least a fourth number of search results returned in response to the second search query matching the second search constraint; and

by the computer system, providing the second search query for a search against the store of data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second and third numbers are percentages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second numbers are percentages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the store of data comprises a plurality of data types.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein searching against a store of data comprises comparing the search query to an index of data.

7. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media in one or more computing systems, the media embodying logic that is operable when executed to:

receive a search term;

determine a search constraint for a search query;

generate a search query comprising the search term and the search constraint, the search query requiring at least a first number of search results returned in response to the search query matching both the search term and the search constraint and permitting at least a second number of the search results to match only the search term; and

provide the search query for a search against a store of data.

8. The media of claim 7, the logic further operable when executed to:

determine a second search constraint for a second search query;

generate a second search query comprising the search query and the second search constraint, the second search query requiring at least a third number of search results returned in response to the second search query matching the search query and requiring at least a fourth number of search results returned in response to the second search query matching the second search constraint; and

provide the second search query for a search against the store of data.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the second and third numbers are percentages.

10. The media of claim 7, wherein the first and second numbers are percentages.

11. The media of claim 7, wherein the store of data comprises a plurality of data types.

12. The media of claim 7, wherein searching against a store of data comprises comparing the search query to an index of data.

13. A first computing system comprising:

a memory comprising instructions executable by one or more processors; and

the one or more processors coupled to the memory and operable to execute the instructions, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

receive a search term;

determine a search constraint for a search query;

generate a search query comprising the search term and the search constraint, the search query requiring at least a first number of search results returned in response to the search query matching both the search term and the search constraint and permitting at least a second number of the search results to match only the search term; and

provide the search query for a search against a store of data.

14. The system of claim 13, the processors further operable when executing the instructions to:

determine a second search constraint for a second search query;

generate a second search query comprising the search query and the second search constraint, the second search query requiring at least a third number of search results returned in response to the second search query matching the search query and requiring at least a fourth number of search results returned in response to the second search query matching the second search constraint; and

provide the second search query for a search against the store of data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second and third numbers are percentages.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first and second numbers are percentages.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the store of data comprises a plurality of data types.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein searching against a store of data comprises comparing the search query to an index of data.