Hybrid category mapping for on-line query tool

• US 6,826,559 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Ponte, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): PARDO, THUY N
• Application Number:
  US09/283,268
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/5, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 709/201, 709/203, 345/327, 345/354, 705/3, 715/500.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• 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 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for performing online data queries. The system for performing online data queries is a distributed computer system with a plurality of server nodes each fully redundant and capable of processing a user query request. Each server node includes a data query cache and other caches that may be used in performing data queries. The data query, as well as request allocation, is performed in accordance with an adaptive partitioning technique with a bias towards an initial partitioning scheme. Generic objects are created and used to represent business listings upon which the user may perform queries. Various data processing and integration techniques are included which enhance data queries. An update technique is used for synchronizing data updates as needed in updating the plurality of server nodes. A multi-media data transfer technique is used to transfer non-text or multi-media data between various components of the online query tool. Optimizations for searching, such as the common term optimization, are included for those commonly performed data queries. Also disclosed is a system for targeting advertisements that are displayed to a user of the system.

Claims

1. A method executed in a computer system for establishing super-category term lists for use in performing a data query, comprising:

obtaining categories of documents that may be retrieved in accordance with said data query, each of the categories having at least one term;

establishing super-categories for the documents;

mapping each of the categories to a super-category, wherein at least one of said categories is mapped to a super-category automatically in accordance with one or more previously determined mappings of categories to super-categories; and

establishing a super-category term list for each term appearing in a super-category or a category, each element of a list including the terms in the super-category and the terms in the categories that are mapped to that super-category.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching advertisements to the super-categories.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the categories to the super-categories includes manually assigning at least one of the categories to a super-category.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

assigning at least one category to a super-category based on a ranking of the co-occurrence frequency of terms in the category with terms that appear in a manually assigned category.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning at least one category to a super-category based upon co-occurrence of terms appearing in the category and the super-category.

6. The method of claim 1, further including:

mapping one category to more than one super-category.

7. The method of claim 1, further including:

mapping one super-category to more than-one-category.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said mapping each of the categories to a super-category includes a combination of automatic and manual mapping.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

automatically assigning a category to a super-category in accordance with previous manual assignments by comparing terms appearing in said category to terms that appear in each of the other categories that was previously manually assigned to a super-category.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the super-category to which said at least one category is assigned is the super-category having the highest co-occurrence.

11. A computer program product for establishing super-category term lists for use in performing a data query, the computer program product comprising:

machine executable code for obtaining categories of documents that may be retrieved in accordance with said data query, each of said categories having at least one term;

machine executable code for establishing super-categories for the documents;

machine executable code for mapping each of the categories to a super-category, wherein at least one of said categories is mapped to a super-category automatically in accordance with one or more previously determined mappings of categories to super-categories; and

machine executable code for establishing a super-category term list for each term appearing in one of a super-category and a category, each element of a list including the terms in the super-category and the terms in the categories that are mapped to that super-category.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

machine executable code for matching advertisements to the super-categories.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said machine executable code for mapping the categories to super-categories includes manually assigning at least one of the categories to a super-category.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

machine executable code for assigning at least one category to a super-category based on a ranking of the co-occurrence frequency of terms in the category with terms that appear in a manually assigned category.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

machine executable code for assigning at least one category to a super-category based upon co-occurrence of terms appearing in the category and the super-category.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

machine executable code for mapping one category to more than one super-category.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

machine executable code for mapping one super-category to more than one category.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said machine executable code for mapping each of the categories to a super-category includes a combination of automatic and manual mapping.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

machine executable code for automatically assigning a category to a super-category in accordance with previous manual assignments by comparing terms in said category to terms that appear in each of the other category that was previously manually assigned to a super-category.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the super-category to which said at least one category is assigned is the super-category having the highest co-occurrence.

21. An apparatus for establishing super-category term lists for use in performing a data query, the computer program product comprising:

means for obtaining categories of documents that may be retrieved in accordance with said data query, each of said categories having at least one term;

means for establishing super-categories for the documents;

means for mapping each of the categories to a super-category, wherein at least one of said categories is mapped to a super-category automatically in accordance with one or more previously determined mappings of categories to super-categories; and

means for establishing a super-category term list for each term appearing in one of a super-category and a category, each element of a list including the terms in the super-category and the terms in the categories that are mapped to that super-category.