Method and system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters

• US 7,640,236 B1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pogue, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darno; Patrick A
• Application Number:
  US11/654,352
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• 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

Abstract

A method and system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters includes receiving a search parameter at a search engine. The search engine is equipped with a plurality of tunable knobs set at an initial setting. The search parameter is quantified by the initial setting of the plurality of tunable knobs. A search result is generated for the search parameter based on the initial setting of the plurality of tunable knobs. The search result includes a plurality of result objects. The search result is presented by the search engine. One or more result objects selected from the search result over time, is determined. The plurality of tunable knobs in the search engine are automatically tuned using one or more search algorithms to obtain optimal search result based on the selection of the result objects over time.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters, comprising:

receiving a search parameter at a search engine equipped with a plurality of tunable knobs set at an initial setting;

generating a first search result for the search parameter based on the received search parameter and the initial setting of the plurality of tunable knobs,

automatically adjusting setting of the plurality of tunable knobs to a second setting;

generating, using a microprocessor, a second search result for the search parameter based on the received search parameter and using the second setting of the plurality of tunable knobs, wherein the first and second search results include a plurality of result objects;

combining, using a microprocessor, the plurality of result objects from the first search result with the plurality of result objects from the second search result to generate a combined search result and presenting the result objects from the combined search result in response to the search parameter;

determining, using a microprocessor, a selection of one or more of the result objects from the combined search result over time, the selection of the result objects identifying the associated tunable knob settings; and

selecting, using a microprocessor, one of the two tunable knob settings to be retained as the initial setting for a subsequent search, the selection of the two tunable knob settings based on the selection of one or more result objects over a period of time, the selected tunable knob setting providing an optimal search result for the search parameter.

2. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 1, wherein presenting the search result further comprising:

interleaving the result objects from the first search result with the result objects from the second search result to generate a combined search result; and

presenting the combined search result.

3. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 2, wherein the result objects from the first search result and the second search result are interleaved randomly.

4. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 2, wherein the combined search result is an indexed set of result objects.

5. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 2, wherein determining a selection of one or more of the result objects over time further comprising:

identifying a first counter for the first search result;

identifying a second counter for the second search result; and

incrementing one of the first counter or the second counter upon selection of the result object from the combined search result, the selected result object identifying one of the first search result defining the initial setting of plurality of tunable knobs or the second search result defining the second setting of the plurality of tunable knobs to which the selected result object belongs.

6. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 5, wherein selecting one of the two tunable knob settings further comprising:

comparing the first counter with the second counter to determine the counter with a maximum value, the counter with the maximum value identifying the corresponding tunable knob setting and result objects relevant to a search;

retaining the tunable knob setting with the maximum counter value as the initial tunable knob setting for the subsequent search; and

disregarding the other tunable knob setting.

7. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 5, wherein at least one selected result object is common between the first search result and the second search result.

8. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 7, wherein the first counter and second counter are both incremented upon selection of the common result object.

9. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 1, wherein adjusting setting of the plurality of tunable knobs is by choosing one tunable knob at a time and adjusting the knob to attempt to obtain a more optimal search result.

10. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 1, wherein adjusting setting of the plurality of tunable knobs is by choosing a plurality of tunable knobs at a time and adjusting the plurality of tunable knobs to attempt to obtain a more optimal search result.

11. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 1, wherein adjusting setting of the plurality of tunable knobs is to identify at least a local maxima and at least a global maxima using one or more search algorithms.

12. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 11, wherein adjusting setting of the plurality of tunable knobs is to identify the global maxima, the global maxima determining the optimal setting of the tunable knobs for arriving at an optimal search result.

13. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 5, further comprising

generating a third search result for the search parameters based on the received search parameter and using a third setting of the plurality of tunable knobs, the third setting of the plurality of tunable knobs obtained by adjusting one or more of the plurality of tunable knobs, the third setting of the plurality of tunable knobs being different from the initial and the second settings,

wherein the third search result includes a plurality of result objects, and wherein the result objects are presented from the first search result, the second search result and the third search result, the third search result associated with a third counter that gets incremented when a result object from the third search result is selected.

14. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 13, wherein selection of one or more of the result objects over time including selection of one or more result objects from two or more searches.

15. The method for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 1, wherein receiving a plurality of search parameters and determining a selection of one or more of the result objects is through an user interface.

16. A system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters, comprising:

a computer system, the computer system including

a user interface configured to receive a search parameter; and

a search engine with a program stored in a computer memory, which when executed by the computer system performs automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters, the program includes logic to,

interact with the user interface to receive the search parameter, the search engine equipped with a plurality of tunable knobs set at an initial setting;

generate a first search result for the search parameter based on the received search parameter and the initial setting of the plurality of tunable knobs,

automatically adjust setting of one or more of the plurality of tunable knobs to a second setting;

generate, using a microprocessor, a second search result for the search parameter based on the received search parameter and using the second setting of the plurality of tunable knobs, wherein the first and second search results include a plurality of result objects;

combine, using a microprocessor, the plurality of result objects from the first search result with the plurality of result objects from the second search result to generate a combined search result;

forward the combined search result with the plurality of result objects to the user interface;

receive a selection of one or more of the result objects over time from the user interface, the selection of one or more result objects identifying associated tunable knobs; and

select, using a microprocessor, one of the two tunable knob settings to be retained as the initial setting for a subsequent search, the selection of one of the two tunable knob settings based on the selection of one or more result objects over time, the selected tunable knob setting provides an optimal search result for the search parameter.

17. The system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 16, wherein the user interface further including an input device to,

receive the search parameter;

select one or more result objects; and

a display device to display the combined search result upon receiving the combined search result from the search engine.

18. The system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 16, wherein the program logic to generate the combined search result further includes,

program logic for executing a first search using the initial setting of the tunable knobs to obtain first search result;

program logic for executing a second search using a second setting of the tunable knobs, the second setting of the tunable knobs obtained by adjusting at least one of the tunable knobs; and

interleaving the first search result with the second search result to obtain the combined search result.

19. The system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 18, wherein the program in the search engine further includes logic to generate,

a first counter associated with the first search result;

and

a second counter associated with the second search result,

wherein one of first counter or second counter is incremented upon selection of the result object from the combined search result, the selected result object identifying one of first search result defining the initial setting of plurality of tunable knobs or the second search result defining the second setting of the plurality of tunable knobs to which the selected result object belongs.

20. The system for automatic distributed tuning of search engine parameters of claim 19, wherein the program in the search engine further includes logic to generate a third search result for the search parameter based on the received search parameter and using a third setting of the plurality of tunable knobs, the third setting of the plurality of tunable knobs obtained by adjusting one or more of the plurality of tunable knobs, the third setting of the plurality of tunable knobs being different from the initial setting and the second setting, wherein the third search result including a plurality of result objects is included in the combined search result forwarded to the user interface,

the program further including logic to generate a third counter associated with the third search result, wherein the third counter is incremented upon selection of the result object from the third search result, and wherein receiving a selection of one or more of the result objects over time includes receiving a selection of one or more of the results objects from two or more searches and selections.