Method for organizing information
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index;
(b) accepting a first search query from a first user;
(c) identifying the key term components that match the first search query, the key term components that match the first search query being first matched key term components;
(d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query;
(e) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user;
(f) allowing the first user to select at least one of the articles related to the first search query, the article selected by the first user being a selected article;
(g1a) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a length of time spent by the user inspecting the selected article;
(g1b) altering the index such that key term total scores of at least one of the articles related to the first search query under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term total scores;
(h) accepting a second search query from a second user;
(i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components;
(j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article.
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Abstract
A method of organizing information in which the search activity of a user is monitored and such activity is used to organize articles in a subsequent search. The invention operates by assigning scores to articles under key term components in an index. As users enter search queries and select articles, the scores are altered according to, among other things, the amount of time spent inspecting an article, whether the article is the last one inspected, how many articles are ranked higher than the article, how many articles have been previously inspected by the user, and whether an advertising banner was selected by the user.
The scores are then used in subsequent searches to organize the articles that match a search query. As millions of people use the Internet, type in millions of search queries, and display or select the many articles available over the Internet, the present invention uses this search activity to rank information available over the Internet through an evolutionary process. The invention includes additional embodiments which incorporate category key terms and rating key terms.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index; (b) accepting a first search query from a first user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the first search query, the key term components that match the first search query being first matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query; (e) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user; (f) allowing the first user to select at least one of the articles related to the first search query, the article selected by the first user being a selected article; (g1a) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a length of time spent by the user inspecting the selected article; (g1b) altering the index such that key term total scores of at least one of the articles related to the first search query under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term total scores; (h) accepting a second search query from a second user; (i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components; (j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index; (b) accepting a first search query from a first user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the first search query, the key term components that match the first search query being first matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query; (e) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user; (f) allowing the first user to select at least one of the articles related to the first search query, the article selected by the first user being a selected article; (g9) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a magnitude which is greater for a last selected article than for other selected articles inspected by the user before the last selected article; (h) accepting a second search query from a second user; (i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components; (j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index; (b) accepting a first search query from a first user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the first search query, the key term components that match the first search query being first matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query; (e) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user; (f) allowing the first user to select at least one of the articles related to the first search query, the article selected by the first user being a selected article; (g10) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a number of articles ranked higher than the selected article; (h) accepting a second search query from a second user; (i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components; (j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index; (b) accepting a first search query from a first user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the first search query, the key term components that match the first search query being first matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query; (e) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user; (f) allowing the first user to select at least one of the articles related to the first search query, the article selected by the first user being a selected article; (g11) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a number of articles previously displayed to the user before the selected article; (h) accepting a second search query from a second user; (i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components; (j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index; (b) accepting a first search query from a first user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the first search query, the key term components that match the first search query being first matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query; (e1) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user, and displaying an advertising banner in response to key term components of the first search query, the advertising banner being associated with an article; (f1) allowing the first user to select the advertising banner, the article associated with the advertising banner being a selected article when the first user selects the advertising banner; (g) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a length of time spent by the first user inspecting the selected article; (h) accepting a second search query from a second user; (i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components; (j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index, the index being able to store key term components of at least two key terms derived from search queries entered by previous users, and associate each article with at least one of the key term components, the index further being able to associate a key term score with each article under each of the respective key term components when stored within the index; (b) accepting a first search query from a first user; (c) deriving key term components of at least two key terms from the first search query, the key term components derived from the first search query being first matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that are related to the first search query; (e) displaying squibs of articles related to the first search query to the first user; (f) allowing the first user to select at least one of the articles related to the first search query, the article selected by the first user being a selected article; (g) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a length of time spent by the first user inspecting the selected article; (h) accepting a second search query from a second user; (i) identifying key term components that match the second search query, the key term components that match the second search query being second matched key term components; (j) displaying squibs of articles related to the second search query to the second user, wherein the squibs of articles related to the second search query are organized in order of superiority of their key term scores under at least one of the second matched key term components when at least one of the second matched key term components matches at least one of the first matched key term components, whereby the selected article will be ranked higher for the second user than before the first user had selected the article.
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37. A method for organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index of key term components, the index associating each article with a predetermined number of the key term components, the index further associating a key term score with each article under each of the respective predetermined number of key term components; (b) accepting a search query from a user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the search query, the key term components that match the search query being matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that match the search query, the articles that match the search query being matched articles; (e) displaying squibs of the matched articles in order of superiority of the key term scores of each matched article under the matched key terms; (f) allowing the user to select at least one of the matched articles, the matched article selected by the user being a selected matched article; (g) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected least one article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a magnitude which is greater for a last selected article than for other selected articles inspected by the user before the last selected article.
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38. A method for organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index of key term components, the index associating each article with a predetermined number of the key term components, the index further associating a key term score with each article under each of the respective predetermined number of key term components; (b) accepting a search query from a user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the search query, the key term components that match the search query being matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that match the search query, the articles that match the search query being matched articles; (e) displaying squibs of the matched articles in order of superiority of the key term scores of each matched article under the matched key terms; (f) allowing the user to select at least one of the matched articles, the matched article selected by the user being a selected matched article; (g) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected article under at least one of the first matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a number of articles ranked higher than the selected article.
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39. A method for organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index of key term components, the index associating each article with a predetermined number of the key term components, the index further associating a key term score with each article under each of the respective predetermined number of key term components; (b) accepting a search query from a user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the search query, the key term components that match the search query being matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that match the search query, the articles that match the search query being matched articles; (e) displaying squibs of the matched articles in order of superiority of the key term scores of each matched article under the matched key terms; (f) allowing the user to select at least one of the matched articles, the matched article selected by the user being a selected matched article; (g) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected matched article under at least one of the matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores by a function of a number of matched articles previously displayed to the user before the selected matched article.
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40. A method for organizing a plurality of articles comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing an index of key term components, the index associating each article with a predetermined number of the key term components, the index further associating a key term score with each article under each of the respective predetermined number of key term components; (b) accepting a search query from a user; (c) identifying the key term components that match the search query, the key term components that match the search query being matched key term components; (d) identifying articles that match the search query, the articles that match the search query being matched articles; (e) displaying squibs of the matched articles in order of superiority of the key term scores of each matched article under the matched key terms, and displaying an advertising banner in response to key term components of the search query, the advertising banner being associated with an article which is also deemed a matched article; (f) allowing the user to select the advertising banner, the matched article associated with the advertising banner being a selected matched article when the user selects the advertising banner; (g) altering the index such that the key term score for the selected matched article under at least one of the matched key term components is altered relative to other key term scores.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeIAC Search & Media Incorporated (IAC/InterActiveCorp)
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Original AssigneeAsk Jeeves, Inc. (IAC, Inc.)
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InventorsCulliss, Gary
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Primary Examiner(s)Choules, Jack M.
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Application NumberUS09/041,411Time in Patent Office831 DaysField of Search707/5US Class Current1/1CPC Class CodesG06F 16/337 Profile generation, learnin...G06F 16/338 Presentation of query resultsG06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling tech...Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refini...
