System and technique for suggesting alternate query expressions based on prior user selections and their query strings

• US 6,671,681 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kraft, Reiner, Emens, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US09/583,782
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-7, 707/10, 707/102, 709/218, 709/220
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An invention for monitoring user choices and selections on a search result web page and providing alternative query expressions to further narrow and enhance the user'"'"'s search. Monitoring and recording user choices and selections is achieved by a query manager. Query strings are then standardized. The search is performed on an Internet search engine, and each search result item in the result output set is then associated with a list of alternative standardized queries by an alternate query matching manager. Each search result item in the result output set that is associated with the alternate queries is then flagged. The resulting flagged list of alternative queries is displayed to the user by a page presentation manager using a graphical user interface for subsequent user selection. Upon selection of the graphical user interface for alternate query expressions, an alternate query selection manager retrieves and displays each alternate query to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing an alternate search for a current search query associated with a current search result during a current search of an information repository by a current user, comprising:

recording a prior search query and an associated prior search result selected by a prior user during a prior search of said information repository;

matching said current search result with said prior search result said matching including;

performing a search on one of said current user query strings and retrieving a plurality of search result output its from said search;

matching said plurality of search result output items to said search result output items from said alternate search query strings of said prior user;

designating said plurality of search result output items that match said search result output items from said alternate search query strings by flagging said search query string results that match said alternate search query string results; and

,

providing said prior search query to said current user as said alternate for said current query.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said information repository comprises Internet, Intranet, and wide area network configurations.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said matching said current search result with said prior search result comprises:

storing said prior search result in a database;

comparing said current search result with said prior search result in said database; and

,

designating said current search result as a matched search result when said current search result is the same as said prior search result.

4. A method for providing alternate search query expressions to a current user during a search of an information repository, comprising:

recording search queries and selections of said search queries made by said current user;

performing said search on one of said search queries using said information repository, wherein said search yields search result output items;

determining said alternate search query expressions corresponding to said search result output items, wherein said alternate search query expressions represent prior search result output items from a prior user that match said search result output items from said current user, said determination including

performing a search on one of said current user search query strings and retrieving a plurality of search results output items from said search;

match said plurality of search result output items to said search result output items from said alternate search query strings of said prior user; and

designating said plurality of search result output items that match said search result output items from said alternate search query strings by flagging said search query string results that match said alternate search query string results; and

,

displaying said search result output items with said alternate search query expressions to said current user.

5. The method of claim 4 further providing:

designating those of said search result output items associated with said alternate search query expressions from said prior user; and

,

displaying said alternate search query expressions to said current user for each of said search result output items so designated.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising standardizing said queries and forwarding said standardized queries to a database.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising building and displaying a search result output page, and providing a graphical user interface on said output page for each of said search result output items so designated.

8. The method of claim 4 further comprising gathering said alternate search query expressions having search result output items from said prior user that match said search result output items from said search by said current user, and generating and displaying an alternate search query selection page to said current user.

9. A method for providing alternate search query strings from a prior user to a current user during a search of an information repository, comprising:

monitoring and recording said current user search selections of query strings made during said search;

standardizing said current user search query strings;

storing said standardized current user search query strings in a database, wherein said database includes said standardized current user search query strings, said prior user alternate search query strings, and search result output items from said alternate search query strings;

performing said search on one of said current user search query strings and retrieving a plurality of search result output items from said search;

matching said plurality of search result output items to said search result output items from said alternate search query strings of said prior user;

designating said plurality of search result output items that match said search result output items from said alternate search query strings;

displaying said plurality of search result output items; and

,

retrieving and displaying said alternate search query strings for each of said plurality of search result output items so designated.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein standardizing said current user search query strings further includes converting a Boolean formula into a canonical representation while sorting keywords alphabetically.

11. The method of claim 9, further including building and displaying a search result output page, and providing a graphical user interface designator on said output page for each of said plurality of search result output items so designated.

12. A system for providing alternate search query strings from a prior user to a current user during a search of an information repository, having connections to an interface device operated by said current user and said information repository, said system comprising:

a query manager adapted to accept a search query string from said current user;

a database for storage and retrieval of alternate search query strings from said prior user, said alternate search query string results, said search query string from said current user, and said search query string results from said information repository;

an alternate query matching manager adapted to match said search query string results to said alternate search query string results;

a page presentation manager for displaying to said interface device said search query string results, and for flagging said search query string results that match said alternate search query string results; and

,

an alternate query selection manager adapted to retrieve said alternate search query strings and displaying said alternate search query strings to said interface device.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a standardizer for standardizing said search query string from said current user.

14. A computer program product comprising,

a computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect accepting a search query string from a current user;

a computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect standardizing said search query string;

a computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect storage and retrieval of alternate search query strings and alternate search query string results from a prior user, and said standardized search query string and said standardized search query string results from said current user;

a computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect matching said standardized search query string results to said alternate search query string results;

a computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect displaying to an interface device said standardized search query string results, and for flagging those of said standardized search query string results that match said alternate search query string results; and

,

a computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect an alternate query selection manager capable of retrieving said alternate search query strings and displaying said alternate search query strings to said interface device.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing alternate search query strings to an Internet search user, said method steps comprising:

recording a prior search query and an associated prior search result selected by a prior user during a prior search of said information repository;

matching said current search result with said prior search result, said matching including;

performing a search on one of said current user search query strings and retrieving a plurality of search result output items from said search;

matching said plurality of search result output items to said search result output items from said alternate query strings of said prior user;

designating said plurality of search result output items that match said search result output items from said alternate search query string by flagging said search query string results that match said alternate search query string results; and

,

providing said prior search query to said current user as said alternate for said current search query.

16. The program storage device of claim 15 further comprising embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of:

storing said prior search result in a database;

comparing said current search result with said prior search result in said database; and

, designating said current search result as a matched search result when said current search result is the same as said prior search result.

17. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing alternate search query expressions to a current user during a search of an information repository, said method steps comprising:

recording search queries and selections of said search queries made by said current user,

performing said search on one of said search queries using said information repository, wherein said search yields search result output items;

determining said alternate search query expressions corresponding to said search result output items, wherein said alternate search query expressions represent prior search result output items from a prior user that match said search result output items from said current user, said determination including

performing said search on one of said current user search query strings and retrieving a plurality of search results output items from said search;

matching said plurality of search result output items to said search result output items from said alternate search query strings of said prior user; and

designating said plurality of search result output items that match said search result output items from said alternate search query strings by flagging said search query string results that match said alternate search query string results;

and,

displaying said search result output items with said alternate search query expressions to said current user.

18. The program storage device of claim 17 further providing:

designating those of said search result output items associated with said alternate search query expressions from said prior user; and

,

displaying said alternate search query expressions to said current user for each of said search result output items so designated.

19. The program storage device of claim 17 further comprising standardizing said search queries and forwarding said standardized queries to a database.

20. The program storage device of claim 18 further comprising building and displaying a search result output page, and providing a graphical user interface on said output page for each of said search result output items so designated.

21. The program storage device of claim 17 further comprising gathering said alternate search query expressions having search result output items from said prior user that match said search result output items from said search by said current user, and generating and displaying an alternate search query selection page to said current user.