Method, system, and program for ordering search results using an importance weighting

• US 6,718,365 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhary, Anita
• Application Number:
  US09/549,153
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/203, 709/245, 707/3-6
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

Disclosed is a technique for providing, accessing, and using bookmark data to supplement information in a search engine database. The bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses, e.g., URLs, that are capable of being selected to access observable data, e.g., a page of text, images, sound file, movie file, etc., at the selected network address. A user computer receives user modifications to bookmark data and transmits the modifications to the bookmark data to a server over a network. A server gathers bookmark data indicating saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address. A search engine server receives bookmark data gathered from multiple Internet users and determines an importance rating for at least one network address from the received bookmark data. The determined importance rating is included in the search engine index. Further, when executing a search query against the index to determine at least one search result, the search engine server presents the search results ordered according to their importance rating.

Claims

1. A method for gathering information on user preferences for network addresses that are capable of being selected to access observable data at the selected network address, comprising:

maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword and an importance rating associated with each network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data,

receiving modifications to bookmark data indicating saved user selected network addresses, wherein the modifications to the bookmark data include associating at least one network address with a classification;

transmitting the modifications to the bookmark data to a server over a network, wherein the transmitted bookmark data is used to update the importance rating associated with each network address in the search engine index of network addresses, and wherein a search for one or more keywords is performed against the search engine index of network addresses to identify network addresses that are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address; and

adding the classification associated with the network address to a keyword field associated with the network address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an entire bookmark data file to the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bookmark data is maintained by an Internet browser program and wherein the modifications to the bookmark data are made through the Internet browser program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

registering for a service over the Internet to provide bookmark data to the server;

receiving an application program over the Internet from the server in response to registering for the service;

executing the application program, wherein the application program receives modifications to the bookmark data and transmits the modifications to the server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modifications to the bookmark data comprise adding network addresses and deleting network addresses.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the modifications are to bookmark data designated as private, wherein only those modifications to bookmark data not designated as private are transmitted to the server over the network.

7. A method for gathering user data, comprising:

maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword and an importance rating associated with each network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

registering Internet users over the Internet for a service;

transmitting over the Internet an application program to execute at computers of registered users connected to the Internet; and

receiving from the application program executing on the user computers connected to the Internet bookmark data from the users, wherein the bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address, wherein the bookmark data includes an association of at least one network address with a classification, wherein the classification is added to a keyword field associated with the network address, wherein the bookmark data is used to update the importance rating associated with each network address in the search engine index of network addresses, and wherein a search for one or more keywords is performed against the search engine index of network addresses to identify network addresses that are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving modifications to bookmark data from the application program over the Internet.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising assembling modifications to bookmark data for multiple registered users in a file.

10. A method for generating a search engine index, comprising:

maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword associated with each network address, wherein user observable data is maintained at the observable data at the network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

receiving bookmark data gathered from multiple Internet users, wherein the bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address;

determining an importance rating for each of the network addresses for which bookmark data was received;

including the determined importance rating in the search engine index;

performing a single search for one or more keywords in the search engine index; and

identifying multiple network addresses associated with the one or more keywords, wherein the multiple network addresses are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

executing a search query against the index to determine at least one search result; and

presenting the search results ordered according to their importance rating.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising increasing the importance rating for a network address entry in the index for bookmark data indicating that the network address was added to bookmark data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising decreasing the importance rating for one network address entry in the index for bookmark data indicating that the network address was removed from bookmark data.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

adding classification terms associated with a network address in the bookmark data to the keyword field of the entry for the associated network address in the index.

15. A method for ordering search results, comprising:

creating an index of network addresses, wherein at least one of the network addresses has associated bookmark data and at least one of the network addresses does not have associated bookmark data;

receiving network addresses returned in response to a user'"'"'s search request performed with a single search against the index, wherein a user is capable of using a network address to access observable data at the received network address; and

using bookmark data including saved user selected network addresses to determine an importance rating for the received network addresses; and

using the determined importance rating to order a presentation of the received network addresses.

16. A system for gathering information on user preferences for network addresses that are capable of being selected to access observable data at the selected network address, comprising:

means for maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword and an importance rating associated with each network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

means for receiving modifications to bookmark data indicating saved user selected network addresses, wherein the modifications to the bookmark data include associating at least one network address with a classification;

means for transmitting the modifications to the bookmark data to a server over a network, wherein the transmitted bookmark data is used to update the importance rating associated with each network address in the search engine index of network addresses, and wherein a search for one or more keywords is performed against the index of network addresses to identify network addresses that are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address; and

means for adding the classification associated with the network address to a keyword field associated with the network address.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for transmitting an entire bookmark data file to the server.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the bookmark data is maintained by an Internet browser program and wherein the modifications to the bookmark data are made through the Internet browser program.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for registering for a service over the Internet to provide bookmark data to the server;

means for receiving an application program over the Internet from the server in response to registering for the service; and

means for executing the application program, wherein the application program receives modifications to the bookmark data and transmits the modifications to the server.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the modifications to the bookmark data comprise adding network addresses, and deleting network addresses.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for determining whether the modifications are to bookmark data designated as private, wherein only those modifications to bookmark data not designated as private are transmitted to the server over the network.

22. A system for gathering user data, comprising:

means for maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword and an importance rating associated with each network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

means for registering Internet users over the Internet for a service;

means for transmitting over the Internet an application program to execute at computers of registered users connected to the Internet; and

means for receiving from the application program executing on the user computers connected to the Internet bookmark data from the users, wherein the bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address, wherein the bookmark data includes an association of at least one network address with a classification, wherein the classification is added to a keyword field associated with the network address, wherein the bookmark data is used to update the importance rating associated with each network address in the search engine index of network addresses, and wherein a search for one or more keywords is performed against the search engine index of network addresses to identify network addresses that are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising receiving modifications to bookmark data from the application program over the Internet.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising assembling modifications to bookmark data for multiple registered users in a file.

25. A system for generating a search engine index, comprising:

means for maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword associated with each network address, wherein user observable data is maintained at the observable data at the network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

means for receiving bookmark data gathered from multiple Internet users, wherein the bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address;

means for determining an importance rating for each of the network addresses for which bookmark data was received;

means for including the determined importance rating in the search engine index;

means for performing a single search for one or more keywords in the search engine index; and

means for identifying multiple network addresses associated with the one or more keywords, wherein the multiple network addresses are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

means for executing a search query against the index to determine at least one search result; and

means for presenting the search results ordered according to their importance rating.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for increasing the importance rating for a network address entry in the index for bookmark data indicating that the network address was added to bookmark data.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising means for decreasing the importance rating for one network address entry in the index for bookmark data indicating that the network address was removed from bookmark data.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for adding classification terms associated with a network address in the bookmark data to the keyword field of the entry for the associated network address in the index.

30. A system for ordering search results, comprising:

means for creating an index of network addresses, wherein at least one of the network addresses has associated bookmark data and at least one of the network addresses does not have associated bookmark data;

means for receiving network addresses returned in response to a user'"'"'s search request performed with a single search against the index, wherein a user is capable of using a network address to access observable data at the received network address; and

means for using bookmark data including saved user selected network addresses to determine an importance rating for the received network addresses; and

means for using the determined importance rating to order a presentation of the received network addresses.

31. An information bearing medium including code for gathering information on user preferences for network addresses that are capable of being selected to access observable data at the selected network address, wherein the code is capable of causing a processor to perform:

maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword and an importance rating associated with each network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

receiving modifications to bookmark data indicating saved user selected network addresses, wherein the modifications to the bookmark data include associating at least one network address with a classification;

transmitting the modifications to the bookmark data to a server over a network, wherein the transmitted bookmark data is used to update the importance rating associated with each network address in the search engine index of network addresses, and wherein a search for one or more keywords is performed against the index of network addresses to identify network addresses that are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address; and

adding the classification associated with the network address to a keyword field associated with the network address.

32. The information bearing medium of claim 31, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform transmitting an entire bookmark data file to the server.

33. The information bearing medium of claim 31, wherein the bookmark data is maintained by an Internet browser program and wherein the modifications to the bookmark data are made through the Internet browser program.

34. The information bearing medium of claim 31, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform:

registering for a service over the Internet to provide bookmark data to the server;

receiving an application program over the Internet from the server in response to registering for the service;

executing the application program, wherein the application program receives modifications to the bookmark data and transmits the modifications to the server.

35. The information bearing medium of claim 31, wherein the modifications to the bookmark data comprise adding network addresses, and deleting network addresses.

36. The information bearing medium of claim 31, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform:

determining whether the modifications are to bookmark data designated as private, wherein only those modifications to bookmark data not designated as private are transmitted to the server over the network.

37. An information bearing medium including code for gathering user data, wherein the code is capable of causing a processor to perform:

maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword and an importance rating associated with each network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

registering Internet users over the Internet for a service;

transmitting over the Internet an application program to execute at computers of registered users connected to the Internet; and

receiving from the application program executing on the user computers connected to the Internet bookmark data from the users, wherein the bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address, wherein the bookmark data includes an association of at least one network address with a classification, wherein the classification is added to a keyword field associated with the network address, wherein the bookmark data is used to update the importance rating associated with each network address in the search engine index of network addresses, and wherein a search for one or more keywords is performed against the search engine index of network addresses to identify network addresses that are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address.

38. The information bearing medium of claim 37, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform receiving modifications to bookmark data from the application program over the Internet.

39. The information bearing medium of claim 38, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform assembling modifications to bookmark data for multiple registered users in a file.

40. An information bearing medium including code for generating a search engine index, wherein the code is capable of causing a computer to perform:

maintaining a search engine index of network addresses and at least one keyword associated with each network address, wherein user observable data is maintained at the observable data at the network address, wherein at least one of the network addresses is associated with bookmark data and wherein at least one of the network addresses is not associated with bookmark data;

receiving bookmark data gathered from multiple Internet users, wherein the bookmark data indicates saved user selected network addresses that the user is capable of selecting to access observable data at the selected network address;

determining an importance rating for each of the network addresses for which bookmark data was received;

including the determined importance rating in the search engine index;

performing a single search for one or more keywords in the search engine index; and

identifying multiple network addresses associated with the one or more keywords, wherein the multiple network addresses are ordered based on the importance rating associated with each network address.

41. The information bearing medium of claim 40, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform:

executing a search query against the index to determine at least one search result; and

presenting the search results ordered according to their importance rating.

42. The information bearing medium of claim 40, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform increasing the importance rating for a network address entry in the index for bookmark data indicating that the network address was added to bookmark data.

43. The information bearing medium of claim 42, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform decreasing the importance rating for one network address entry in the index for bookmark data indicating that the network address was removed from bookmark data.

44. The information bearing medium of claim 42, wherein the code further causes the computer to perform adding classification terms associated with a network address in the bookmark data to the keyword field of the entry for the associated network address in the index.

45. An information bearing medium including code for ordering search results, wherein the code is capable of causing a computer to perform:

creating an index of network addresses, wherein at least one of the network addresses has associated bookmark data and at least one of the network addresses does not have associated bookmark data;

receiving network addresses returned in response to a user'"'"'s search request performed with a single search against the index, wherein a user is capable of using a network address to access observable data at the received network address;

using bookmark data including saved user selected network addresses to determine an importance rating for the received network addresses; and

using the determined importance rating to order a presentation of the received network addresses.