TRIGGERING KNOWLEDGE PANELS

• US 20150161131A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 06/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Provine, John R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,922,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing knowledge panels with search results. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a query. Search results that are responsive to the received query are obtained. A first set of factual entities referenced by the received query are identified. A particular factual entity is selected from the first set. It is determined that a knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results based, at least in part, on content of the knowledge panel and characteristics of the search results. The knowledge panel can include at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a first resource and at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a second resource different than the first resource. The knowledge panel is provided.

Claims

1. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a query;

obtaining search results that are responsive to the received query;

identifying a first set of factual entities referenced by the received query;

selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results, the selection being based, at least in part, on a measure of topicality between each identified factual entity in the first set and one or more of the obtained search results;

determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results, the determination being based, at least in part, on content of the knowledge panel and characteristics of the search results, the knowledge panel including at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a first resource and at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a second resource different than the first resource; and

providing the knowledge panel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a second set of factual entities, each factual entity of the second set being a factual entity determined to be topical to the obtained search results;

identifying one or more factual entities included in the set of factual entities and in the second set of factual entities; and

selecting one of the one or more factual entities as the identified factual entity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying a second set of factual entities, each factual entity of the second set being a factual entity determined to be topical to the obtained search results, comprises:

identifying a third set of factual entities, each factual entity of the third set being a factual entity referenced in at least one of the obtained search results;

identifying a proper subset of the obtained search results, the proper subset including a particular number of higher ranked obtained search results;

for each factual entity of the third set of factual entities, determining, relative to the factual entity, a partial topicality score for each search result in the proper subset of obtained search results, the partial topicality score for each search result being a measure of topical relatedness between the search result and the factual entity; and

selecting, from the third set of factual entities, the second set of factual entities based on the partial topicality scores.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the second set of factual entities based on the partial topicality scores comprises:

for each factual entity of the third set, determining an overall topicality score for the factual entity based on the partial topicality scores for the factual entity; and

selecting the second set of factual entities based on the overall topicality scores.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the overall topicality score for the factual entity based on the partial topicality scores for the factual entity comprises determining a weighted sum of the partial topicality scores for the factual entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results comprises:

for each obtained search result, determining a topicality score for the search result with respect to each factual entity of the first set of factual entities, the topicality score for a search result with respect to a factual entity being a measure of topical relatedness of the search result with respect to the factual entity;

comparing each topicality score to a topicality threshold to identify a proper subset of the topicality scores that satisfy the topicality threshold;

determining which one of the proper subset of topicality scores corresponds to a highest ranking search result for the proper subset of topicality scores; and

selecting the factual entity that corresponds to the one partial topicality score as the particular factual entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a click-through rate for each obtained search result with respect to the received query;

determining that the identified click-through rates do not satisfy a threshold click-through rate; and

determining to provide the knowledge panel in response to determining that the identified click-through rates do not satisfy the threshold click-through rate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a top ranked search result for the received query;

identifying a click-through rate for the top ranked search result with respect to the received query;

determining that the identified click-through rate does not satisfy a click-through rate threshold; and

determining to provide the knowledge panel in response to determining that the identified click-through rate does not satisfy the click-through rate threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying content for inclusion in the knowledge panel;

determining that the identified content includes at least a threshold amount of content; and

determining to provide the knowledge panel in response to determining that the identified content includes at least a threshold amount of content.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results comprises:

determining whether the knowledge panel includes links to query refinements for the received query; and

determining to provide the knowledge panel in response to determining that the knowledge panel includes links to query refinements for the received query.

11. A system comprising:

a processing apparatus;

a memory storage apparatus in data communication with the data processing apparatus, the memory storage apparatus storing instructions executable by the data processing apparatus and that upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising;

receiving a query;

obtaining search results that are responsive to the received query;

identifying a first set of factual entities referenced by the received query;

selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results, the selection being based, at least in part, on a measure of topicality between each identified factual entity in the first set and one or more of the obtained search results;

determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results, the determination being based, at least in part, on content of the knowledge panel and characteristics of the search results, the knowledge panel including at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a first resource and at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a second resource different than the first resource; and

providing the knowledge panel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a second set of factual entities, each factual entity of the second set being a factual entity determined to be topical to the obtained search results;

identifying one or more factual entities included in the set of factual entities and in the second set of factual entities; and

selecting one of the one or more factual entities as the identified factual entity.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein identifying a second set of factual entities, each factual entity of the second set being a factual entity determined to be topical to the obtained search results, comprises:

identifying a third set of factual entities, each factual entity of the third set being a factual entity referenced in at least one of the obtained search results;

identifying a proper subset of the obtained search results, the proper subset including a particular number of higher ranked obtained search results;

for each factual entity of the third set of factual entities, determining, relative to the factual entity, a partial topicality score for each search result in the proper subset of obtained search results, the partial topicality score for each search result being a measure of topical relatedness between the search result and the factual entity; and

selecting, from the third set of factual entities, the second set of factual entities based on the partial topicality scores.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein selecting the second set of factual entities based on the partial topicality scores comprises:

for each factual entity of the third set, determining an overall topicality score for the factual entity based on the partial topicality scores for the factual entity; and

selecting the second set of factual entities based on the overall topicality scores.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results comprises:

for each obtained search result, determining a topicality score for the search result with respect to each factual entity of the first set of factual entities, the topicality score for a search result with respect to a factual entity being a measure of topical relatedness of the search result with respect to the factual entity;

comparing each topicality score to a topicality threshold to identify a proper subset of the topicality scores that satisfy the topicality threshold;

determining which one of the proper subset of topicality scores corresponds to a highest ranking search result for the proper subset of topicality scores; and

selecting the factual entity that corresponds to the one partial topicality score as the particular factual entity.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a click-through rate for each obtained search result with respect to the received query;

determining that the identified click-through rates do not satisfy a threshold click-through rate; and

determining to provide the knowledge panel in response to determining that the identified click-through rates do not satisfy the threshold click-through rate.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a top ranked search result for the received query;

identifying a click-through rate for the top ranked search result with respect to the received query;

determining that the identified click-through rate does not satisfy a click-through rate threshold; and

determining to provide the knowledge panel in response to determining that the identified click-through rate does not satisfy the click-through rate threshold.

18. A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving a query;

obtaining search results that are responsive to the received query;

identifying a first set of factual entities referenced by the received query;

selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results, the selection being based, at least in part, on a measure of topicality between each identified factual entity in the first set and one or more of the obtained search results;

determining that the knowledge panel for the particular factual entity is to be provided with the search results, the determination being based, at least in part, on content of the knowledge panel and characteristics of the search results, the knowledge panel including at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a first resource and at least one content item, for the selected factual entity, received from a second resource different than the first resource; and

providing the knowledge panel.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 18, wherein selecting, from among the first set of factual entities, a particular factual entity for which a knowledge panel is eligible to be provided with the search results comprises:

identifying a second set of factual entities, each factual entity of the second set being a factual entity determined to be topical to the obtained search results;

identifying one or more factual entities included in the set of factual entities and in the second set of factual entities; and

selecting one of the one or more factual entities as the identified factual entity.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 19, wherein identifying a second set of factual entities, each factual entity of the second set being a factual entity determined to be topical to the obtained search results, comprises:

identifying a third set of factual entities, each factual entity of the third set being a factual entity referenced in at least one of the obtained search results;

identifying a proper subset of the obtained search results, the proper subset including a particular number of higher ranked obtained search results;

for each factual entity of the third set of factual entities, determining, relative to the factual entity, a partial topicality score for each search result in the proper subset of obtained search results, the partial topicality score for each search result being a measure of topical relatedness between the search result and the factual entity; and

selecting, from the third set of factual entities, the second set of factual entities based on the partial topicality scores.

21. The computer storage medium of claim 20, wherein selecting the second set of factual entities based on the partial topicality scores comprises:

for each factual entity of the third set, determining an overall topicality score for the factual entity based on the partial topicality scores for the factual entity; and

selecting the second set of factual entities based on the overall topicality scores.