Adaptive search engine query

• US 6,850,934 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NNG LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US09/817,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/9, 707/10, 707/102, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 370/463, 709/217, 709/245, 704/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Embodiments provide a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for searching for information on a network of computers using a modified search query. The search query is modified using translation data. The translation data is any information having a predefined association with the search query content. In one aspect, the translation data comprises a location value and a demographic profile value. The location value, demographic profile value, and search content may include any number and types of characters, keywords, symbols, numerals, etc. Upon receiving a search query, a translation program takes step to locate any keywords within the search content, wherein the keywords indicate that translation data is available for modifying the search query. If the search content contains keywords, then steps are taken to modify the query. The modified query may then be executed by a search tool. In some embodiments, the search tool and the translating program are integrated.

Claims

1. A method of searching for information on a computer connected to a network of computers, the method comprising:

receiving a search query comprising search content;

selecting a translation keyword on the basis of a user selection of at least one of a demographic value and a profile value, wherein the translation keyword has a predefined association with the search content;

modifying the search query with at least one translation keyword to provide a modified search query, wherein modifying the search query comprises combining the search content with the at least one translation keyword;

providing the modified search query to a search tool;

searching the network, by the search tool, using the modified search query; and

returning search results by the search tool to a browser program for display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query is received from the browser program operating on the network of computers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the search query is a user selectable step.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the demographic value and the profile value are selected by a user submitting the query from a graphical user interface screen of the browser program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile value is selected from a group of profile values comprising at least one of ethnic groups, religion, race, age, sex, income, assets, political affiliation, general demographic data, dialect, likes, dislikes, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the demographic value is a location value.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the location value is selected from the group comprising at least one of countries, geographic regions, provinces, states, cities, and combinations thereof.

8. A signal-bearing medium containing a query translation program, wherein the translation program, when executed by a processor, performs a method of searching for information on a computer connected to a network of computers, the method comprising:

receiving a search query comprising search content;

selecting a translation keyword on the basis of a user selection of at least one of a demographic value and a profile value, wherein the translation keyword has a predefined association with the search content;

modifying the search query with at least one translation keyword to provide a modified search query, wherein modifying the search query comprises combining the search content with the at least one translation keyword;

providing the modified search query to a search tool;

searching the network, by the search tool, using the modified search query; and

returning search results by the search tool to a browser program for display.

9. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the demographic value and the profile value are selected by a user submitting the query from a graphical user interface screen of the browser program.

10. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the profile value is selected from a group of profile values comprising at least one of ethnicity, religion, race, age, sex, income, assets, political affiliation, general demographic data, dialect, likes, dislikes, and combinations thereof.

11. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein the demographic value is a location value.

12. The signal-bearing medium of claim 11, wherein the location value is selected from the group comprising at least one of countries, geographic regions, provinces, states, cities, and combinations thereof.

13. A method of searching for information, on a computer connected to a network of computers, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of translation keywords each having pre-defined associations with different query terms;

receiving a search query comprising search content;

receiving a user selection of at least one of a demographic value and a profile value;

selecting, from the plurality of translation keywords, at least one translation keyword having a pre-defined association with the search content wherein the selecting is done on the basis of the user selection;

modifying, using the at least one translation keyword, the search query to provide a modified search query, wherein modifying the search query comprises combining the search content with the at least one translation keyword; and

providing the modified search query to a search tool configured to perform a search for results satisfying the modified search query.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the demographic value and the profile value are selected by a user submitting the query from a graphical user interface screen of the browser program.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the demographic value is a location value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the location value is selected from the group comprising at least one of countries, geographic regions, provinces, states, cities, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim it wherein the pre-defined association is at least one of a demographic association and a profile association.

16. The method of claim if wherein the profile value is selected from a profile group comprising at least one of ethnicity, religion, race, age, sex, income, assets, political affiliation, general demographic data, dialect, personal likes, personal dislikes, and combinations thereof.

19. A signal-bearing medium containing a query translation program which, when executed by a processor, performs a method of searching for information on a computer connected to a network of computers, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of translation keywords each having pre-defined associations with different query terms;

receiving a search query comprising search content;

receiving a user selection of at least one of a demographic value and a profile value;

selecting, from the plurality of translation keywords, at least one translation keyword having a pre-defined association with the search content, wherein the selecting is done on the basis of the user selection;

modifying, using the at least one translation keyword, the search query to provide a modified search query, wherein modifying the search query comprises combining the search content with the at least one translation keyword; and

providing the modified search query to a search tool configured to perform a search for results satisfying the modified search query.

20. The signal-bearing medium of claim 19, wherein the profile association is selected from a profile group comprising at least one of ethnic groups, religion, race, age, sex, income, assets, political affiliation, general demographic data, dialect, likes, dislikes, and combinations thereof.

21. The signal-bearing medium of claim 19, wherein the demographic association is a location association.

22. The signal-bearing medium of claim 21, wherein the location association is selected from the group comprising at least one of countries, geographic regions, provinces, states, cities, and combinations thereof.