System and method for providing preferred country biasing of search results

• US 7,451,130 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Tong, Simon, Singhal, Amit, Lamping, John, McGrath, Mizuki, Gomes, Ben, Gupta, Vineet
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Khanh B
• Application Number:
  US10/607,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 718/100, 709/219, 704/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A system and method for providing preferred country ordering of search results is described. A search query describing potentially retrievable information provided in a plurality of search result countries is received. A search is executed by evaluating the search query against information characteristics maintained in a searchable data repository. At least one preferred country applicable to search results generated is dynamically determined responsive to the executed search. At least some of the search results are ordered in consideration of the at least one preferred country.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a search query from a user;

performing a search based on the search query to identify search results from a plurality of search result countries;

identifying a particular country for the search results based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query and information from a user interface via which the search query is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query was sent;

ordering the search results to create an ordered list of search results;

determining whether the search results in the ordered list of search results are from the particular country;

adjusting the order of one of the search results among other ones of the search results to create an adjusted list of search results when the one of the search results is from the particular country;

presenting the adjusted list of search results; and

permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the adjusted list of search results and the ordered list of search results.

2. A method according to claim 1, where adjusting the ordering of the one of the search results includes at least one of:

demoting each search result from a country other than the particular country and promoting each search result from the particular country by at least one position within the ordered list of search results;

or

promoting each search result from a country other than the particular country and demoting each search result from the particular country by at least one position within the ordered list of search results.

3. A method according to claim 1,further comprising:

assigning a numerical score to the search results; and

adjusting the numerical score of at least some of the search results from the particular country.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising at least one of:

increasing the numerical score assigned to the search results from the particular country and maintaining the numerical score assigned to the search results from a country other than the particular country;

or

decreasing the numerical score assigned to the search results from the particular country and maintaining the numerical score assigned to the search results from a country other than the particular country.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a second country that is different than the particular country;

determining whether the search results in the ordered list of search results are from the second country; and

adjusting the ordering of a particular one of the search results among other ones of the search results when the particular one of the search results is from the second country.

6. A method according to claim 3, where adjusting the order of the one of the search results includes:

sorting the at least some of the search results based on adjusted numerical scores.

7. A system implemented within a computing device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions for implementing;

a parser receiving a search query from a user;

an indexer;

executing a search based on the search query, and

identifying search results from a plurality of countries based on the search;

a country promoter;

identifying a particular country applicable to the search results based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query and information from a user interface via which the search query is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query was sent,

ordering the search results to create an ordered list of search results, and

adjusting the ordering of at least one of the search results among other ones of the search results to create an adjusted list of search results based on whether the at least one of the search results is from the particular country; and

a presenter permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the adjusted list of search results and the ordered list of search results; and

a processor to execute the instructions in the memory.

8. A system according to claim 7, where the memory further stores instructions for implementing:

a search result orderer ordering the search results based on a match of a country of the search results to the particular country.

9. A system according to claim 8, where:

the search result orderer demotes the search results from a country other than the particular country by a predefined shifting factor.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the predefined shifting factor substantially equals two (2.0).

11. A system according to claim 8, where:

the search result orderer promotes the search results from a country other than the particular country by a predefined shifting factor.

12. A system according to claim 7, where the memory further stores instructions for implementing:

a scorer ordering each of the search results by a degree of match to the information in the searchable data repository.

13. A system according to claim 7, where the memory further stores instructions for implementing at least one of:

a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) analyzer determining a URE extension based on characteristics of the search results;

a domain registrar examiner;

examining a domain registrar address based on characteristics of the search results, and

inferring the particular country from a business associated with the domain registrar address;

a country inferrer inferring the particular country from at least one of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of;

Web severs from which the search results were obtained, search result documents for the search results, or other Web pages on same Web sites as the search results;

or

a hyperlink analyzer examining anchor text of hyperlinks to the search result documents, text near the hyperlinks, or countries of Web pages with hyperlinks to the search result documents.

14. A system according to claim 7, where the search results are assigned a numerical score, the memory further storing instructions for implementing:

a search result orderer increasing the numerical score assigned to at least some of the search results from the particular country.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the numerical score is adjusted in accordance with the formula:

$s_i=\frac{s_i+1}{2}$

where s_i comprises the numerical score for each search result i.

16. A system according to claim 7, where the search results are assigned a numerical score, the memory further storing instructions for implementing:

a search result orderer decreasing the numerical score assigned to at least some of the search results from the particular country.

17. A system according to claim 7, where:

the presenter presents the search results in the adjusted list.

18. A system according to claim 17, where:

the presenter at least one of;

controls enablement of presentation of at least some of the search results from the particular country, groups together at least some of the search results from the particular country, or arranges at least some of the search results from the particular country next to at least some of the search results from at least one country other than the particular country prior to presenting the search results.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving a search query from a user;

executing a search to create a list of search results by evaluating the search query against information from a plurality of search result countries that is maintained in a searchable data repository;

determining a particular country applicable to search results generated responsive to the executed search based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query and information from a user interface via which the search query is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query was sent;

determining whether each of the search results are from the particular country;

ordering one of the search results among other ones of the search results based on whether the one of the search results is from the particular country; and

permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the list of search results with the one of the search results ordered among the other ones of the search results based on whether the one of the search results is from the particular country, and presentation of the list of search results without the one of the search results ordered among the other ones of the search results based on whether the one of the search results is from the particular country.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

ordering the search results based on a match of a country of the search results to the particular country.

21. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

ordering the search results by degree of match of a country of the search results to the particular country.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:

demoting the search results from a country other than the particular country by a predefined shifting factor.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the predefined shifting factor substantially equals two (2.0).

24. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:

promoting the search results from a country other than the particular country by a predefined shifting factor.

25. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

ordering each of the search results by a degree of match of terms of the search query to contents of the search results.

26. A method according to claim 19, where the search results are assigned a numerical score, the method further comprising:

increasing the numerical score assigned to at least some of the search results from the particular country.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the numerical score is adjusted in accordance with the formula:

$s_i=\frac{s_i+1}{2}$

where s_i comprises the numerical score for each search result i.

28. A method according to claim 19, where the search results are assigned a numerical score, the method further comprising:

decreasing the numerical score assigned to at least some of the search results from the particular country.

29. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

presenting the search results.

30. A method according to claim 29, further comprising:

performing at least one of controlling enablement of presentation of at least some of the search results from the particular country, grouping together at least some of the search results from the particular country, or arranging at least some of the search results from the particular country next to at least some of the search results from at least one country other than the particular country prior to presenting the search results.

31. A method according to claim 19, further comprising:

selecting a second country that is different from the particular country.

32. A system implemented within a computing device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions for implementing;

a parser receiving a search query request message from a user, and parsing at least one of terms or attributes from the search query request message to identify Web content provided from a plurality of search result countries;

an indexer executing a search by evaluating the at least one of terms or attributes against information maintained in a searchable data repository and generating search results responsive to the executed search;

a country promoter identifying a particular country, comprising;

a country determiner evaluating characteristics of the search query request message and characteristics of the search results, and selecting the particular country based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query message and information from a user interface via which the search query message is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query message was sent; and

a country orderer determining an order for at least some of the search results among other ones of the search results based on whether the at least some of the search results are from the particular country; and

a presenter permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the search results in the determined order and presentation of the search results in another order that is independent of whether the at least some of the search results are from the particular country; and

a processor to execute the instructions in the memory.

33. A system according to claim 32, where the search results are generated in a ranked order, the memory further storing instructions for implementing:

a search result orderer ordering at least some of the search results from the particular country by a predefined shifting factor, comprising at least one of demoting each search result from a country other than the particular country by the predefined shifting factor and promoting each search result from the particular country by at least one position, or promoting each search result from a country other than the particular country by the predefined shifting factor and demoting each search result from the particular country by at least one position.

34. A system according to claim 33, where:

the search result orderer adjusts the predefined shifting factor based on available context in the search query request message and the search results.

35. A system according to claim 32, where the search results are generated in a ranked order by numerical score, the memory further storing instructions for implementing:

a search result orderer adjusting the numerical score of at least some of the search results by a predetermined weighting factor, comprising at least one of increasing the numerical score assigned to the search results from the particular country and maintaining the numerical score assigned to the search results from a country other than the particular country, or decreasing the numerical score assigned to the search results from the particular country and maintaining the numerical score assigned to the search results from a country other than the particular country.

36. A system according to claim 35, where:

the search result orderer adjusts the predetermined weighting factor based on available context in the search query request message and the search results.

37. A system according to claim 32, wherein the search query request message is HTTP-compliant.

38. A method, comprising:

receiving a search query request message from a user, and parsing at least one of terms or attributes from the search query request message to identify Web content provided from a plurality of search result countries;

executing a search by evaluating the at least one of terms or attributes against information maintained in a searchable data repository and generating search results responsive to the executed search;

determining a particular country, comprising;

evaluating characteristics of the search query request message and characteristics of the search results; and

selecting the particular country based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query message and information from a user interface via which the search query message is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query message was sent;

determining an order for the search results among other ones of the search results based on whether the search results are from the particular country;

presenting the search results in the determined; and

permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the search results in the determined order and presentation of the search results in another order that is independent of whether the search results are from the particular country.

39. A method according to claim 38, where the search results are generated in a ranked order, the method further comprising:

ordering at least some of the search results from the particular country by a predefined shifting factor, comprising at least one of;

demoting each search result from a country other than the particular country by the predefined shifting factor and promoting each search result from the particular country by at least one position;

or

promoting each search result from a country other than the particular country by the predefined shifting factor and demoting each search result from the particular country by at least one position.

40. A method according to claim 39, further comprising:

adjusting the predefined shifting factor based on available context in the search query request message and the search results.

41. A method according to claim 38, where the search results are generated in a ranked order by numerical score, the method further comprising:

adjusting the numerical score of at least some of the search results by a predetermined weighting factor comprising at least one of;

increasing the numerical score assigned to the search results from the particular country and maintaining the numerical score assigned to the search results from a country other than the particular country;

or

decreasing the numerical score assigned to the search results from the particular country and maintaining the numerical score assigned to the search results from a country other than the particular country.

42. A method according to claim 41, further comprising:

adjusting the predetermined weighting factor based on available context in the search query request message and the search results.

43. A method according to claim 38, wherein the search query request message is HTTP-compliant.

44. A method comprising:

receiving a search query from a user;

performing a search, based on the search query, to identify a group search results;

ordering the group of search results to form a first ordered list of search results;

identifying a country for the group of search results based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query and information from a user interface via which the search query is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query was sent;

determining whether each search result in the first ordered list of search results is from the identified country;

adjusting, for each of the search results that is from the identified country, a position of the search result within the first ordered list of search results to create a second ordered list of search results, where the second ordered list of search results is different from the first ordered list of search results;

presenting the second ordered list of search results; and

permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the first ordered list of search results and the second ordered list of search results.

45. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, comprising:

one or more instructions for receiving a search query from a user via a user interface;

one or more instructions for executing a search to generate search results from a plurality of countries;

one or more instructions for determining a particular country, comprising;

one or more instructions for evaluating characteristics of the search query and characteristics of the user interface, where the characteristics of the search query differ from the characteristics of the user interface; and

one or more instructions for selecting the particular country based on interface characteristics and Internet protocol (IP) characteristics,

where the interface characteristics include information from the search query and information from a user interface via which the search query is received, and

where the IP characteristics include information associated with a location from which the search query was sent;

one or more instructions for ordering at least some of the search results among other ones of the search results based on whether the at least some of the search results are from the particular country;

one or more instructions for presenting the ordered search; and

one or more instructions for permitting the user to toggle between presentation of the ordered search results and presentation of the search results in another order that is independent of whether the at least some of the search results are from the particular country.