Method and apparatus for merging result lists from multiple search engines
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method of merging result lists from multiple search engines, said method comprising:
- transmitting a query to a set of search engines;
receiving in response to said query a result list from each search engine of said set of search engines, each result list including one or more entries;
selecting a subset of entries from each result list to form a set of selected entries;
assigning to each selected entry of said set of selected entries a scoring value according to a scoring function;
assigning to each subset a representative value according to the scoring values assigned to its entries; and
producing a merged list of entries in a predetermined manner based on the representative value assigned to each result list, wherein the representative value varies in accordance with predetermined manner.
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Abstract
This invention includes the step of transmitting a query to a set of search engines. Any result lists returned from these search engines is received, and a subset of entries in each result list is selected. Each entry in this subset is assigned a scoring value according to a scoring function, and each result list is then assigned a representative value according to the scoring values assigned to its entries. A merged list of entries is produced based upon the representative value assigned to each result list.
206 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of merging result lists from multiple search engines, said method comprising:
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transmitting a query to a set of search engines;
receiving in response to said query a result list from each search engine of said set of search engines, each result list including one or more entries;
selecting a subset of entries from each result list to form a set of selected entries;
assigning to each selected entry of said set of selected entries a scoring value according to a scoring function;
assigning to each subset a representative value according to the scoring values assigned to its entries; and
producing a merged list of entries in a predetermined manner based on the representative value assigned to each result list, wherein the representative value varies in accordance with predetermined manner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer-readable memory to instruct a computer to function in a specified manner, comprising:
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executable instructions stored in said memory, said executable instructions including;
instructions for forming a set of selected entries by selecting a subset of entries from each result list of a set of result lists, wherein each result list in said set of result lists has been generated in response to a query processed by a search engine;
instructions for assigning each entry of said set of selected entries a scoring value according to a scoring function;
instructions for assigning each result list in said set of result lists a representative value based on the scoring values assigned to its entries; and
instructions for ranking every entry based on the representative value assigned to its result list, wherein said instructions for ranking include instructions for (A) assigning to each result list a probability value that is based on its average value, (B) selecting a result list preferentially based on its probability value so as to form a selected list, (C) selecting from said selected list the first entry that has not already been selected for ranking, and repeating (A), (B) and (C) in order until every entry in every result list has been selected. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of merging result lists from multiple search engines, said method comprising:
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transmitting a query to a set of search engines;
receiving in response to said query a set of result lists, each result list in said set of result lists including one or more entries;
selecting a subset of entries from each result list;
determining a scoring value for each entry of said subset of entries;
characterizing said subset in accordance with a representative value; and
merging entries in a predetermined manner into a single list based on said representative value, wherein said representative value varies in accordance with said predetermined manner. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-readable memory to instruct a computer to function in a specified manner, comprising:
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executable instructions stored in said memory, said executable instructions including;
instructions for transmitting a query to a set of search engines;
instructions for receiving in response to said query a set of result lists, each result list in said set of result lists including one or more entries;
instructions for selecting a subset of entries from each result list;
instructions for determining a scoring value for each entry of said subset of entries;
instructions for characterizing said subset in accordance with a representative value; and
instructions for merging entries in a predetermined manner into a single list based on said representative value, wherein said representative value varies in accordance with said predetermined manner. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification