Chaining context-sensitive search results
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of displaying search results, the method comprising:
- determining a user context based on a tunable parameter;
determining a first aspect of the user context and a second aspect of the user context, wherein the first aspect of the user context includes data indicative of text being accessed by a user, and the second aspect of the user context includes data indicative of at least one user task from a plurality of user tasks, wherein the at least one user task is determined based upon the user context of the user'"'"'s interaction with one or more software applications,formulating a first query based on the user context, the first query being different than the user context;
submitting the first query to a first search engine;
receiving a first plurality of search results from the first search engine;
formulating a second query based on the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
submitting the second query to a second search engine;
receiving a second plurality of search results from the second search engine;
using the user context to determine a first plurality of scores for the first plurality of search results;
using at least one of the user context and the first plurality of search results to determine a second plurality of scores;
combining at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores;
eliminating at least one of the first and second search results from being displayed to the user based on at least one of the first and second plurality of scores; and
generating a display indicative of a ranked list of search results.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus assessing, ranking, organizing, and presenting search results associated with a user'"'"'s current work context are disclosed. The system disclosed assesses, ranks, organizes and presents search results against a user'"'"'s current work context by comparing statistical and heuristic models of the search results to a statistical and heuristic model of the user'"'"'s current work context. In this manner, search results are assessed, ranked, organized, and/or presented with the benefit of attributes of the user'"'"'s current work context that are predictive of relevance, such as words in a user'"'"'s document (e.g., web page or word processing document) that may not have been included in the search query. In addition, search results from multiple search engines are combined into an organization scheme that best reflects the user'"'"'s current task. As a result, lists of search results from different search engines can be more usefully presented to the user.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of displaying search results, the method comprising:
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determining a user context based on a tunable parameter; determining a first aspect of the user context and a second aspect of the user context, wherein the first aspect of the user context includes data indicative of text being accessed by a user, and the second aspect of the user context includes data indicative of at least one user task from a plurality of user tasks, wherein the at least one user task is determined based upon the user context of the user'"'"'s interaction with one or more software applications, formulating a first query based on the user context, the first query being different than the user context; submitting the first query to a first search engine; receiving a first plurality of search results from the first search engine; formulating a second query based on the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context; submitting the second query to a second search engine; receiving a second plurality of search results from the second search engine; using the user context to determine a first plurality of scores for the first plurality of search results; using at least one of the user context and the first plurality of search results to determine a second plurality of scores; combining at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores; eliminating at least one of the first and second search results from being displayed to the user based on at least one of the first and second plurality of scores; and generating a display indicative of a ranked list of search results. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for displaying search results, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; a memory device operatively coupled to the processor; a user input device operatively coupled to the processor; a network device operatively coupled to the processor; and a display device operatively coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory device stores a software program to cause the processor to;determine a user context based on a tunable parameter; determine a first aspect of the user context and a second aspect of the user context, wherein the first aspect of the user context includes data indicative of text being accessed by a user, and the second aspect of the user context includes data indicative of at least one user task from a plurality of user tasks, wherein the at least one user task is determined based upon the user context of the user'"'"'s interaction with one or more software applications, formulate a first query based on the user context, the first query being different than the user context; submit the first query to a first search engine via the network device; receive a first plurality of search results from the first search engine via the network device; formulate a second query based on the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context; submit the second query to a second search engine via the network device; receive a second plurality of search results from the second search engine via the network device; use the user context to determine a first plurality of scores for the first plurality of search results; use at least one of the user context and the first plurality of search results to determine a second plurality of scores; combine at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores; eliminate at least one of the first and second search results from being displayed to the user based on at least one of the first and second plurality of scores; and display a ranked list of search results on the display device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable storage device storing a software program to cause a computing device to:
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determine a user context based on a tunable parameter; determine a first aspect of the user context and a second aspect of the user context, wherein the first aspect of the user context includes data indicative of text being accessed by a user, and the second aspect of the user context includes data indicative of at least one user task from a plurality of user tasks, wherein the at least one user task is determined based upon the user context of the user'"'"'s interaction with one or more software applications, formulate a first query based on the user context, the first query being different than the user context; submit the first query to a first search engine; receive a first plurality of search results from the first search engine; formulate a second query based on the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context; submit the second query to a second search engine; receive a second plurality of search results from the second search engine; use the user context to determine a first plurality of scores for the first plurality of search results; use at least one of the user context and the first plurality of search results to determine a second plurality of scores; combine at least a portion of the first plurality of search results with at least a portion of the second plurality of search results based on at least a portion of the first plurality of scores and at least a portion of the second plurality of scores; eliminate at least one of the first and second search results from being displayed to the user based on at least one of the first and second plurality of scores; and generate a display indicative of a ranked list of search results. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification