Temporal search query personalization

• US 7,716,236 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sidhu, Kulraj, Chowdhury, Abdur R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abel-Jalil; Neveen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu; Bai D
• Application Number:
  US11/559,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A user is made able to configure a search query to be responsive to temporal factors in order to adjust the search query to more accurately reflect the user'"'"'s true information need. By adjusting the search query in this way, the user is more likely to receive satisfactory search results.

Claims

1. A method of providing search results to a user, the method comprising:

monitoring electronic document browsing of a user;

in connection with the monitoring, identifying, from each of one or more electronic documents browsed by the user, one or more words descriptive of overall content included in the corresponding electronic document based on relative frequency of occurrence of the one or more words in the corresponding electronic document;

storing, as part of browsing information descriptive of content accessed by the user, the one or more words identified from each of the one or more electronic documents browsed by the user in association with an indication of when the corresponding electronic document was browsed by the user;

receiving a search query from the user;

receiving, from the user, input defining a time component to be associated with the search query, the time component corresponding to a time period prior to receipt of the search query;

accessing, from the stored browsing information descriptive of content accessed by the user, information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user, the accessed information including at least a portion of the one or more words identified from each of the one or more electronic documents browsed by the user;

comparing the received search query to the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user;

based on comparison results, determining, using a processor, whether the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is relevant to the received search query;

when the determination reveals that the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is relevant to the received search query;

adjusting the received search query to include at least a portion of the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period that is determined to be relevant to the received search query, the portion of the accessed information including at least one word identified as being descriptive of overall content included in an electronic document browsed by the user during the time period, and

providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query; and

when the determination reveals that the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is not relevant to the received search query, providing search results responsive to the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period,

wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises;

providing a first list of temporally-based search results responsive to the adjusted search query with a first graphical indication identifying the first list as being based on an adjustment of the received search query; and

providing, simultaneously with the first list of temporally-based search results, a second list of temporally-independent search results responsive to the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period with a second graphical indication identifying the second list as being based on the received search query without adjustment.

2. The method of claim 1 providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises:

identifying at least one additional search term that is not included in the received search query and that is included in the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period;

adjusting the received search query to include the identified at least one additional search term;

performing a search using the adjusted search query that includes one or more search terms of the received search query and the identified at least one additional search term; and

providing the user with search results identified by performing the search using the adjusted search query that includes the one or more search terms of the received search query and the identified at least one additional search term.

3. The method of claim 1 providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query further comprises providing the user with search results that include temporally-based search results identified by performing the search using the adjusted search query and temporally-independent search results identified by performing a search using the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period.

4. The method of claim 1 receiving, from the user, input defining a time component to be associated with the search query includes receiving, from the user, a selection of a time period from among multiple potential time periods.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user includes information descriptive of content browsed by the user over a network during the time, a classification of the information, and a time indication of when the user performed the activity related to the information.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the information, classification and time indication are stored within a time-oriented profile for a predetermined amount of time.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring electronic document browsing of the user; and

generating a feature vector for electronic documents accessed by the user during the electronic document browsing, wherein

accessing information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user comprises accessing the feature vector.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein generating the feature vector comprises:

identifying a word appearing most frequently in an electronic document accessed by the user during the electronic document browsing;

including the word in the feature vector as being representative of the electronic document accessed by the user during the electronic document browsing.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating the feature vector further comprises including a time indication in the feature vector, the time indication indicating a time frame during which the electronic document was accessed by the user, and including a classification of the electronic document in the feature vector, the classification indicating a type of information included in the electronic document.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining multiple potential classifications of the received search query, wherein;

comparing the received search query to the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user comprises comparing the multiple potential classifications of the received query to the feature vector; and

determining whether the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is relevant to the received search query comprises determining whether the feature vector includes information relevant to any one of the multiple potential classifications of the received search query.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises:

selecting, from among the multiple potential classifications of the received search query, a single classification of the received search query that is most related to the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user; and

identifying search results directed to the single classification of the received search query.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the search results are provided based on processing by a third party plug-in.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises:

determining multiple potential subject matter classifications of the received search query;

automatically, without human intervention, selecting, from among the multiple potential subject matter classifications of the received search query, a subject matter classification of the received search query based on the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period; and

using the automatically-selected subject matter classification to inform search results provided in response to the received search query.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein selecting the subject matter classification of the received search query based on the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period comprises determining that, during the time period, the user browsed documents having subject matter related to the subject matter classification of the received search query.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving, from the user, input defining a time component to be associated with the search query comprises receiving, from the user, input defining a time component to be associated with the search query with the received search query.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user comprises accessing metadata descriptive of web pages the user accessed during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein:

accessing information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user comprises accessing phrases included in web pages accessed during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user; and

adjusting the received search query to include at least a portion of the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period that is determined to be relevant to the received search query comprises adjusting the received search query to include at least one of the phrases included in web pages accessed during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the received search query to include at least a portion of the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period that is determined to be relevant to the received search query further comprises adjusting the received search query to specifically exclude interpretations that do not correspond to the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period that is determined to be relevant to the received search query.

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

monitoring electronic document browsing of a user;

in connection with the monitoring, identifying, from each of one or more electronic documents browsed by the user, one or more words descriptive of overall content included in the corresponding electronic document based on relative frequency of occurrence of the one or more words in the corresponding electronic document;

storing, as part of browsing information descriptive of content accessed by the user, the one or more words identified from each of the one or more electronic documents browsed by the user in association with an indication of when the corresponding electronic document was browsed by the user;

receiving a search query from the user;

receiving, from the user, input defining a time component to be associated with the search query, the time component corresponding to a time period prior to receipt of the search query;

accessing, from the stored browsing information descriptive of content accessed by the user, information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user, the accessed information including at least a portion of the one or more words identified from each of the one or more electronic documents browsed by the user;

comparing the received search query to the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user;

based on comparison results, determining, using a processor, whether the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is relevant to the received search query;

when the determination reveals that the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is relevant to the received search query;

adjusting the received search query to include at least a portion of the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period that is determined to be relevant to the received search query, the portion of the accessed information including at least one word identified as being descriptive of overall content included in an electronic document browsed by the user during the time period, and

providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query; and

when the determination reveals that the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding the time component defined by the user is not relevant to the received search query, providing search results responsive to the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period,

wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises;

providing a first list of temporally-based search results responsive to the adjusted search query with a first graphical indication identifying the first list as being based on an adjustment of the received search query; and

providing, simultaneously with the first list of temporally-based search results, a second list of temporally-independent search results responsive to the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period with a second graphical indication identifying the second list as being based on the received search query without adjustment.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises:

identifying at least one additional search term that is not included in the received search query and that is included in the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period;

adjusting the received search query to include the identified at least one additional search term;

performing a search using the adjusted search query that includes one or more search terms of the received search query and the identified at least one additional search term; and

providing the user with search results identified by performing the search using the adjusted search query that includes the one or more search terms of the received search query and the identified at least one additional search term, wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query further comprises providing the user with search results that include temporally-based search results identified by performing the search using the adjusted search query and temporally-independent search results identified by performing a search using the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period.

21. A method of providing search results to a user, the method comprising:

receiving a search query from a user;

receiving, from the user, input defining a time component to be associated with the search query, the time component corresponding to a time period prior to receipt of the search query;

accessing information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period corresponding to the time component defined by the user, the accessed information having been stored based on monitoring of content accessed by the user during the time period;

adjusting the received search query to include at least a portion of the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period, and

providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query,

wherein providing search results responsive to the adjusted search query comprises;

providing a first list of temporally-based search results responsive to the adjusted search query with a first graphical indication identifying the first list as being based on an adjustment of the received search query; and

providing, simultaneously with the first list of temporally-based search results, a second list of temporally-independent search results responsive to the received search query without adjustment to include the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period with a second graphical indication identifying the second list as being based on the received search query without adjustment.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein providing the first list of temporally-based search results and providing the second list of temporally-independent search results comprises providing the first list with the first graphical indication and the second list with the second graphical indication on a single page, wherein the first graphical indication indicates a classification derived from the accessed information descriptive of content accessed by the user during the time period and used in identifying the results included in the first list and the second graphical indication indicates that the second list includes general search results.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein:

receiving the search query from the user comprises receiving a search query from a user via a user interface.