Category searching

• US 7,523,103 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, William, Goel, Surendra
• Primary Examiner(s): LeRoux; Etienne P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cindy
• Application Number:
  US11/265,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 707 2- 5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9532 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• 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

Abstract

Performing a category search to identify categories of web sites that relate to a search term includes receiving at least one search term that then is compared with a hierarchy of category identifiers, and with terms related to one or more categories, to determine whether matches exist. A category identifier is selected based on the matches that are determined to exist within the hierarchy and the terms, and at least the category identifier is displayed. Performing a search to identify web sites and categories of web sites that relate to a search term also may include receiving at least one search term that then is compared with a list of recommended web sites, previously performed searches, a hierarchy of category identifiers, and terms related to one or more categories to determine whether matches exist. Results based on matches that are determined to exist are displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of performing a search, the method comprising:

receiving at least one query term;

in response to receiving the at least one query term, accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed searches;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches;

based on comparison results, identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term;

conditioned on a number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being less than a threshold, performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term without presenting, prior to performing the search process, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term; and

conditioned on the number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being greater than or equal to the threshold, presenting, prior to performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed searches includes accessing, from electronic storage, previously received query terms; and

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches includes comparing the at least one query term with the accessed previously received query terms.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, search results corresponding to the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches; and

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed search results, wherein

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term based on the comparison of the at least one query term with the accessed search results.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes determining at least one previously performed search associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term; and

presenting a list of query terms associated wit the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting query terms associated with the at least one previously performed search associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes identifying previously performed searches associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term; and

presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting a list of query terms associated wit the previously performed searches associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting user selectable control elements corresponding to the list of query terms.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein presenting user selectable control elements corresponding to the list of query terms includes presenting query terms included in the list of query terms as the user selectable control elements.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the user selectable control elements corresponding to a particular previously performed search;

accessing query terms associated with the particular previously performed search;

performing a search process using the accessed query terms associated with the particular previously performed search; and

presenting search results based on the search process.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the user selectable control elements corresponding to a particular previously performed search;

accessing, from electronic storage, search results corresponding to the particular previously performed search; and

presenting the accessed search results.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term concurrently with an advertisement.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term concurrently with an interface control configured to enable a user to enter query terms.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, information related to recommend sites;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed information related to recommend sites;

based on comparison results, determining a list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term; and

presenting the list of recommended sites.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein presenting the list of recommended sites includes presenting the list of recommended sites concurrently with the list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, category identifiers associated with a hierarchy of categories;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed category identifiers associated with the hierarchy of categories;

based on comparison results, determining one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term; and

presenting category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein presenting category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term concurrently with the list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein:

accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed searches includes accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed hot searches that were previously performed within a threshold period of time prior to receiving the at least one query term;

comparing the at least one query term wit the accessed query terms associated wit previously performed searches includes comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed hot searches that were previously performed within the threshold period of time prior to receiving the at least one query term; and

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes identifying previously performed hot searches that correspond to the at least one query term and that were previously performed within the threshold period of time prior to receiving the at least one query term.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term; and

comparing the determined number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term to the threshold.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, information related to recommend sites;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed information related to recommend sites;

based on comparison results, determining a list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term;

accessing, from electronic storage, category identifiers associated with a hierarchy of categories;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed category identifiers associated with the hierarchy of categories;

based on comparison results, determining one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term;

determining a total number of previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term, recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term, and categories that correspond to the at least one query term, wherein;

conditioned on a number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being less than a threshold, performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term without presenting a list of query terms prior to performing the search process includes, conditioned on the total number being less than the threshold, performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term without presenting, prior to performing the search process, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term, the list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term, and category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term, and

conditioned on the number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being greater than or equal to the threshold, presenting, prior to performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes, conditioned on the total number being greater than or equal to the threshold, presenting, prior to performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term, the list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term, and category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term.

19. An electronic system including one or more devices that are controlled by but distinguished from software, the electronic system comprising:

at least one processing device configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving at least one query term;

in response to receiving the at least one query term, accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed searches;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches;

based on comparison results, identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term;

conditioned on a number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being less than a threshold, performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term without presenting, prior to performing the search process, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term; and

conditioned on the number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being greater than or equal to the threshold, presenting, prior to performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term, a list of query terms associated wit the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein:

accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed searches includes accessing, from electronic storage, previously received query terms; and

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches includes comparing the at least one query term with the accessed previously received query terms.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, search results corresponding to the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches; and

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed search results, wherein

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term based on the comparison of the at least one query term with the accessed search results.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein:

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes determining at least one previously performed search associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term; and

presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting query terms associated with the at least one previously performed search associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein:

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes identifying previously performed searches associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term; and

presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches associated with one or more query terms that are shared by the at least one query term.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting user selectable control elements corresponding to the list of query terms.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein presenting user selectable control elements corresponding to the list of query terms includes presenting query terms included in the list of query terms as the user selectable control elements.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the user selectable control elements corresponding to a particular previously performed search;

accessing query terms associated with the particular previously performed search;

performing a search process using the accessed query terms associated with the particular previously performed search; and

presenting search results based on the search process.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the user selectable control elements corresponding to a particular previously performed search;

accessing, from electronic storage, search results corresponding to the particular previously performed search; and

presenting the accessed search results.

28. The system of claim 19 wherein presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term concurrently with an advertisement.

29. The system of claim 19 wherein presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term concurrently with an interface control configured to enable a user to enter query terms.

30. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, information related to recommend sites;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed information related to recommend sites;

based on comparison results, determining a list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term; and

presenting the list of recommended sites.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein presenting the list of recommended sites includes presenting the list of recommended sites concurrently with the list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches.

32. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, category identifiers associated with a hierarchy of categories;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed category identifiers associated with the hierarchy of categories;

based on comparison results, determining one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term; and

presenting category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein presenting category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term includes presenting category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term concurrently with the list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches.

34. The system of claim 19 wherein:

accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed searches includes accessing, from electronic storage, query terms associated with previously performed hot searches that were previously performed within a threshold period of time prior to receiving the at least one query term;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed searches includes comparing the at least one query term with the accessed query terms associated with previously performed hot searches that were previously performed within the threshold period of time prior to receiving the at least one query term; and

identifying previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes identifying previously performed hot searches that correspond to the at least one query term and that were previously performed within the threshold period of time prior to receiving the at least one query term.

35. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

determining the number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term; and

comparing the determined number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term to the threshold.

36. The system of claim 19 wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform operations further comprising:

accessing, from electronic storage, information related to recommend sites;

comparing the at least one query term with the accessed information related to recommend sites;

based on comparison results, determining a list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term;

accessing, from electronic storage, category identifiers associated with a hierarchy of categories;

comparing the at least one query term wit the accessed category identifiers associated wit the hierarchy of categories;

based on comparison results, determining one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term;

determining a total number of previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term, recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term, and categories that correspond to the at least one query term, wherein;

conditioned on a number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being less than a threshold, performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term without presenting a list of query terms prior to performing the search process includes, conditioned on the total number being less than the threshold, performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term without presenting, prior to performing the search process, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term, the list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term, and category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term, and

conditioned on the number of the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term being greater than or equal to the threshold, presenting, prior to performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term includes, conditioned on the total number being greater than or equal to the threshold, presenting, prior to performing a search process to identify electronic network-based search results based on the at least one query term, a list of query terms associated with the previously performed searches included in the identified previously performed searches that correspond to the at least one query term, the list of recommended sites that correspond to the at least one query term, and category information related to the one or more categories that correspond to the at least one query term.