SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING SEARCH RESULTS BY WAY OF UPDATING SEARCH INDICES

• US 20160188667A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROVI Product Corporation (Xperi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Maughan, Benjamin H., Stathacopoulos, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,140,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/635 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/71 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/735 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for efficiently providing personalized search results to a user. Personalized search allows a user to receive search results that are most relevant to that user. For example, when a user with a strong interest in rap searches for “50 cent” they may be presented with top search results corresponding to 50 Cent'"'"'s rap albums. Conversely, when a coin collector searches for “50 cent” they may be presented with top search results containing antique coins.

Claims

1. A method for providing search results to a user, the method comprising:

identifying a database profile of a plurality of database profiles that represents common user profile traits of a segment of users, wherein the database profile identifies a first index and a second index;

receiving search queries from a plurality of users of the segment comprising a common symbol;

in response to receiving each search query of the search queries, searching for data corresponding to the first index that matches the symbol while refraining from searching data corresponding to the second index;

determining, during each searching operation that occurs in response to receiving each search query, that the searching for data corresponding to the first index yields insufficient search results;

in response to determining that the searching for data corresponding to the first index yields insufficient search results, searching for data corresponding to the second index that matches the symbol;

determining that a threshold number of search queries comprising the common symbol yields sufficient search results when searching for data corresponding to the second index; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of search queries comprising the common symbol yields sufficient search results when searching for data corresponding to the second index, updating the first index to include data of the second index.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a user with the results of the search before updating the indices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the searching for data corresponding to the second index in parallel to providing the search results to the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to finding a first search result of the search results, presenting the first search result to the user while continuing to perform the searching for data corresponding to the first index.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the search results to the user comprises:

determining attributes corresponding to each search result of the search results;

grouping each search result of the search results into a respective group of a plurality of groups based on the attributes of each search result of the search results; and

generating for display the search results in a manner that is organized based on the plurality of groups.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the database profile, with respect to each database profile of the plurality of database profiles, best matches user profile data of a plurality of users, and wherein the method further comprises:

monitoring symbols input by each user of the plurality of users; and

dynamically modifying the first index and the second index based on the monitoring.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the occurrence of a real-world event;

determining a plurality of attributes corresponding to the real-world event;

identifying data in the second index that corresponds to an attribute of the plurality of attributes; and

updating the first index to include the identified data from the second index.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing attributes associated with data that has not yet been placed in the first index or the second index to attributes associated with the database profile, and

in response to determining that the attributes associated with the data match the attributes associated with the database profile by at least a first threshold value;

updating the first index to contain the data; and

in response to determining that the attributes associated with the data match the attributes associated with the database profile by at least a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value;

updating the second index to contain the data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving the user input, associating an entry of the first index that yielded a search result of the search results with a timestamp;

periodically comparing the timestamp against a threshold timestamp; and

in response to determining, based on the comparing, that the timestamp is older than the threshold timestamp,

identifying data in the first index where the timestamp is older than a threshold timestamp, in response to the identifying;

updating the second index to include the entry, and

deleting the entry from the first index.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of a database profile further comprises:

identifying attributes corresponding to the search symbol;

identifying a database profile of a plurality of database profiles that, with respect to each database profile of the plurality of database profiles, best matches data of the user profile and the attributes corresponding to the search symbol.

11. A system for providing search results to a user, the system comprising:

user input circuitry;

communications circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to;

identify a database profile of a plurality of database profiles that represents common user profile traits of a segment of users, wherein the database profile identifies a first index and a second index;

receive search queries from a plurality of users of the segment comprising a common symbol;

in response to receiving each search query of the search queries, search for data corresponding to the first index that matches the symbol while refraining from searching data corresponding to the second index;

determine, during each searching operation that occurs in response to receiving each search query, that the searching for data corresponding to the first index yields insufficient search results;

in response to determining that the searching for data corresponding to the first index yields insufficient search results, search for data corresponding to the second index that matches the symbol;

determine that a threshold number of search queries comprising the common symbol yields sufficient search results when searching for data corresponding to the second index; and

in response to determining that the threshold number of search queries comprising the common symbol yields sufficient search results when searching for data corresponding to the second index, update the first index to include data of the second index.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein control circuitry is further configured to present a user with the results of the search before updating the indices.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to perform the search for data corresponding to the second index in parallel to providing the search results to the user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, in response to finding a first search result of the search results, present the first search result to the user while continuing to perform the search for data corresponding to the first index.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when providing the search results to the user, to:

determine attributes corresponding to each search result of the search results;

group each search result of the search results into a respective group of a plurality of groups based on the attributes of each search result of the search results; and

generate for display the search results in a manner that is organized based on the plurality of groups.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to, when the database profile, with respect to each database profile of the plurality of database profiles, best matches user profile data of a plurality of users, to:

monitor symbols input by each user of the plurality of users; and

dynamically modify the first index and the second index based on the monitoring.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine the occurrence of a real-world event;

determine a plurality of attributes corresponding to the real-world event;

identify data in the second index that corresponds to an attribute of the plurality of attributes; and

update the first index to include the identified data from the second index.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

compare attributes associated with data that has not yet been placed in the first index or the second index to attributes associated with the database profile, and

in response to determining that the attributes associated with the data match the attributes associated with the database profile by at least a first threshold value;

update the first index to contain the data; and

in response to determining that the attributes associated with the data match the attributes associated with the database profile by at least a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value;

update the second index to contain the data.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

in response to receiving the user input, associate an entry of the first index that yielded a search result of the search results with a timestamp;

periodically compare the timestamp against a threshold timestamp; and

in response to determining, based on the comparing, that the timestamp is older than the threshold timestamp,

identify data in the first index where the timestamp is older than a threshold timestamp, in response to the identifying;

update the second index to include the entry, and

delete the entry from the first index.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when identifying a database profile, to:

identify attributes corresponding to the search symbol;

identify a database profile of a plurality of database profiles that, with respect to each database profile of the plurality of database profiles, best matches data of the user profile and the attributes corresponding to the search symbol.

21-50. -50. (canceled)