PRECEDENCE-BASED FAST AND SPACE-EFFICIENT RANKING

• US 20200134036A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Tao, Jianbao, Kancha, Santosh Kumar, Baruch, Keren Kochava, Duerr, Anthony Duane, Cholera, Kunal Mukesh, Pattabiraman, Kumaresh
• Granted Patent: US 10,929,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/953 Querying, e.g. by the use of web search engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a fast and space-efficient ranking mechanism is used for vertical searches. A precedence is assigned to a plurality of features based on the relative importance of those features to the provider of a vertical search engine. In an example embodiment, this relative importance may be explicitly indicated by the provider of the vertical search engine. A unique data structure may then be created that incorporates the precedence of each feature.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the system to;

obtain an identification of a plurality of features of search queries and/or search query results, and a precedence for the plurality of features, the precedence indicating an ordering for the plurality of features;

receive a first search query;

obtain a first set of search results by feeding the first search query to a search engine;

for each search result in the first set of search results;

create a linear search result data structure corresponding to the search result, the linear search result data structure containing a plurality of portions, each portion corresponding to a different feature of the plurality of features, the plurality of portions in the linear search result data structure being in an order matching the precedence;

for each feature of the plurality of features;

evaluate the feature;

assign an integer value for the feature based on the evaluation of the feature;

place the integer value in the portion of the linear search result data structure corresponding to the feature;

rank the search results in the first set of search results by reading the portions of the linear search result data structure in order as a score, with a higher score corresponding to a higher ranking.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise causing display of a subset of the first set of search results in a graphical user interface based on the ranking.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the linear search result data structure is a floating point.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the portions are digits in the floating point.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each portion is assigned a fixed number of digits in the linear search result data structure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the precedence is assigned by a search engine provider based on importance of each of the plurality of features to the search engine provider.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the evaluation is based on instructions provided by the search engine provider.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining an identification of a plurality of features of search queries and/or search query results, and a precedence for the plurality of features, the precedence indicating an ordering for the plurality of features;

receiving a first search query;

obtaining a first set of search results by feeding the first search query to a search engine;

for each search result in the first set of search results;

creating a linear search result data structure corresponding to the search result, the linear search result data structure containing a plurality of portions, each portion corresponding to a different feature of the plurality of features, the plurality of portions in the linear search result data structure being in an order matching the precedence;

for each feature of the plurality of features;

evaluating the feature;

assigning an integer value for the feature based on the evaluation of the feature;

placing the integer value in the portion of the linear search result data structure corresponding to the feature;

ranking the search results in the first set of search results by reading the portions of the linear search result data structure in order as a score, with a higher score corresponding to a higher ranking.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising causing display of a subset of the first set of search results in a graphical user interface based on the ranking.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the linear search result data structure is a floating point.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the portions are digits in the floating point.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein each portion is assigned a fixed number of digits in the linear search result data structure.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the precedence is assigned by a search engine provider based on importance of each of the plurality of features to the search engine provider.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the evaluation is based on instructions provided by the search engine provider.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when implemented by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

obtaining an identification of a plurality of features of search queries and/or search query results, and a precedence for the plurality of features, the precedence indicating an ordering for the plurality of features;

receiving a first search query;

obtaining a first set of search results by feeding the first search query to a search engine;

for each search result in the first set of search results;

creating a linear search result data structure corresponding to the search result, the linear search result data structure containing a plurality of portions, each portion corresponding to a different feature of the plurality of features, the plurality of portions in the linear search result data structure being in an order matching the precedence;

for each feature of the plurality of features;

evaluating the feature;

assigning an integer value for the feature based on the evaluation of the feature;

placing the integer value in the portion of the linear search result data structure corresponding to the feature;

ranking the search results in the first set of search results by reading the portions of the linear search result data structure in order as a score, with a higher score corresponding to a higher ranking.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise causing display of a subset of the first set of search results in a graphical user interface based on the ranking.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the linear search result data structure is a floating point.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the portions are digits in the floating point.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein each portion is assigned a fixed number of digits in the linear search result data structure.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the precedence is assigned by a search engine provider based on importance of each of the plurality of features to the search engine provider.