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Refining search queries by the suggestion of correlated terms from prior searches

DC
  • US 6,006,225 A
  • Filed: 09/01/1998
  • Issued: 12/21/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a computer system that implements a search engine which is accessible to a community of users, a method of assisting users in refining search queries to enhance discovery, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

  • (a) processing search queries submitted to the search engine by a plurality of users over a period of time to generate query term correlation data, the query term correlation data reflecting frequencies with which query terms appear together within the same search query;

    (b) receiving a search query from a user, the search query including at least one query term;

    (c) using at least the query term correlation data to identify a plurality of additional query terms that are deemed to be related to the at least one query term; and

    (d) presenting the plurality of additional query terms to the user for selection to allow the user to refine the search query.

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