Filtering search results using annotations

• US 7,668,812 B1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Riley, Patrick F., Guha, Ramanathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Shahid A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shmatov; Alexey
• Application Number:
  US11/382,452
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/3, 703/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A search engine system accepts queries that include query terms and labels applicable to certain documents. A domain filter is constructed that is used to filter search results to certain domains, where the domains are determined based on the labels included in the query. The filtered search results are processed to ensure that certain portions of the results are from domains included in the filter. The results are further processed to include the query labels with certain ones of the results.

Claims

1. A method performed by a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving a search query over a network, the search query comprising a query term and a categorical identifier;

selecting a domain name associated with the categorical identifier;

generating, based on selecting a first result set of resources responsive to the query term, a second result set of resources in which a respective domain name for each resource matches the determined domain name associated with the categorical identifier;

selecting a resource identifier associated with the categorical identifier, the selected resource identifier comprising the determined domain name and a path;

enhancing a respective relevance score of each resource in the second result set whose respective resource identifier includes the selected resource identifier, a magnitude of enhancement being based on a weight associated with the categorical identifier, the respective relevance score indicating a degree of relevance between the resource and the query term;

ranking each of the resources in the second result set based on the respective relevance scores;

annotating, with categorical identifier, one or more indicia identifying the resources of the ranked second result set whose respective resource identifier matches the selected resource identifier associated with the categorical identifier; and

providing the annotated indicia over the network as a search engine result of the search query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting other labels associated with the second result set of resources; and

providing the selected other labels with the annotated indicia.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting the domain name from the selected resource identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the second result set comprises:

selecting a predetermined minimum number of resources which are associated with the domain name.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a weight associated with the categorical identifier.

6. A system comprising:

one or more computers;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving a search query over a network, the search query comprising a query term and a categorical identifier;

selecting a domain name associated with the categorical identifier;

generating, based on selecting a first result set of resources responsive to the query term, a second result set of resources in which a respective domain name for each resource matches the determined domain name associated with the categorical identifier;

selecting a resource identifier associated with the categorical identifier, the selected resource identifier comprising the determined domain name and a path;

enhancing a respective relevance score of each resource in the second result set whose respective resource identifier includes the selected resource identifier, a magnitude of enhancement being based on a weight associated with the categorical identifier, the respective relevance score indicating a degree of relevance between the resource and the query term;

ranking each of the resources in the second result set based on the respective relevance scores;

annotating, with the categorical identifier, one or more indicia identifying the resources of the ranked second result set whose respective resource identifier matches the selected resource identifier associated with the categorical identifier; and

providing the annotated indicia over the network as a search engine result of the search query.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

selecting other labels associated with the second result set of resources; and

providing the selected other labels with the annotated indicia.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

extracting the domain name from the selected resource identifier.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein generating the second result set comprises:

selecting a predetermined minimum number of resources which are associated with the domain name.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

determining a weight associated with the categorical identifier.

11. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving a search query over a network, the search query comprising a query term and a categorical identifier;

selecting a domain name associated with the categorical identifier;

generating, based on selecting a first result set of resources responsive to the query term, a second result set of resources in which a respective domain name for each resource matches the determined domain name associated with the categorical identifier;

selecting a resource identifier associated with the categorical identifier, the selected resource identifier comprising the determined domain name and a path;

enhancing a respective relevance score of each resource in the second result set whose respective resource identifier includes the selected resource identifier, a magnitude of enhancement being based on a weight associated with the categorical identifier, the respective relevance score indicating a degree of relevance between the resource and the query term;

ranking each of the resources in the second result set based on the respective relevance scores;

annotating, with the categorical identifier, one or more indicia identifying the resources of the ranked second result set whose respective resource identifier matches the selected resource identifier associated with the categorical identifier; and

providing the annotated indicia over the network as a search engine result of the search query.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting other labels associated with the second result set of resources; and

providing the selected other labels with the annotated indicia.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

extracting the domain name from the selected resource identifier.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a weight associated with the categorical identifier.