Search engine system and method with user feedback on search results

• US 7,801,885 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neal Akash Verma
• Original Assignee: Neal Akash Verma
• Inventors: Verma, Neal Akash
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US12/020,461
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 707/713, 707/758, 707/759
• US Class Current: 707/713
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

In one embodiment the present invention includes a search engine that incorporates user feedback to refine search results. The feedback of users regarding previous search results is used to increase the relevancy of future searches. Feedback responses by a particular user may be tracked for user loyalty purposes, in order to increase the amount of user feedback.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of using user feedback to improve searching, comprising the steps of:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

receiving a query from a user;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms;

generating a first plurality of search results from a first search data structure using the revised query, wherein the first search data structure includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

generating a second plurality of search results from a second search data structure using the query, wherein the second search data structure includes a second plurality of search data;

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results;

displaying the second plurality of search results;

displaying a feedback request regarding a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results;

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request;

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a reward with the user in response to receiving the feedback.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of feedback from the user in response to a plurality of feedback requests corresponding to a plurality of particular search results;

storing, in a user profile data structure, the plurality of particular search results; and

displaying for the user the plurality of particular search results from the user profile data structure.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of classifications classify the plurality of terms as nouns, verbs and adjectives;

and

wherein the revised query is generated from the subset of the plurality of terms that are the nouns.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the revised query is used instead of the query to generate the first plurality of search results and to update the first plurality of search data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a plurality of user personalization options; and

displaying the first plurality of search results in accordance with the plurality of user personalization options.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a user personalization option related to a favorable feedback; and

displaying the first plurality of search results such that at least one of the first plurality of search results having the favorable feedback is displayed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a user personalization option related to a negative feedback; and

displaying the first plurality of search results such that at least one of the first plurality of search results having the negative feedback is not displayed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user comprises a first user, further comprising:

setting a user personalization option that the feedback of the first user remains local to the first user; and

displaying the first plurality of search results for a second user without the feedback from the first user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a suggested search result from the user related to the query; and

updating the first plurality of search data in the first search data structure according to the query and the suggested search result.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a tag from the user, wherein the tag is related to the particular search result;

updating the first plurality of search data in the first search data structure according to the tag as well as the query.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback request is one of a plurality of feedback requests, wherein each of the first and second pluralities of search results are associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of feedback requests, and wherein the plurality of feedback requests are displayed with the first and second pluralities of search results.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result; and

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to clicking the particular search result; and

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the feedback request further comprises:

displaying a plurality of feedback requests next to the first and second pluralities of search results, wherein the user provides the feedback regarding a particular search result without visiting a website corresponding to the particular search result.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing, on a computer system associated with the user, a computer program that implements a toolbar with which the user provides the feedback.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result; and

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result;

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage; and

stopping displaying the particular webpage when the user mouses out of the particular webpage.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, and wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, and wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage; and

stopping displaying the frame when the user mouses out of the frame.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first search data structure comprises a first table, wherein the second search data structure comprises a second table, and wherein a database includes the first table and the second table.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first search data structure comprises a first plurality of tables, wherein the second search data structure comprises a second plurality of tables, and wherein a database includes the first plurality of tables and the second plurality of tables.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein a database comprises a table that includes the first search data structure and the second search data structure.

24. A computer-implemented method of using user feedback to improve searching, comprising the steps of:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

receiving a query from a user;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms;

generating a first plurality of search results from a first search data structure using the query, wherein the first search data structure includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

generating a second plurality of search results from a second search data structure using the query, wherein the second search data structure includes a second plurality of search data;

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results;

displaying the second plurality of search results;

displaying a feedback request regarding a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results;

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request; and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback, wherein the revised query is used instead of the query to update the first plurality of search data.

25. The method of claim 24,

wherein the plurality of classifications classify the plurality of terms as nouns, verbs and adjectives;

and

wherein the revised query is generated from the subset of the plurality of terms that are the nouns.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result; and

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result;

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage; and

stopping displaying the particular webpage when the user mouses out of the particular webpage.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, and wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, and wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, further comprising:

receiving a user input related to the particular search result, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage; and

stopping displaying the frame when the user mouses out of the frame.

30. A computer-implemented method of using user feedback to improve searching, comprising the steps of:

receiving a query from a user;

generating a first plurality of search results from a first search data structure using the query, wherein the first search data structure includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

generating a second plurality of search results from a second search data structure using the query, wherein the second search data structure includes a second plurality of search data;

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results;

displaying the second plurality of search results;

receiving a user input related to a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result;

displaying a feedback request regarding the particular search result, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage;

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request; and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

stopping displaying the particular webpage when the user mouses out of the particular webpage.

32. A computer-implemented method of using user feedback to improve searching, comprising:

receiving a query from a user;

generating a first plurality of search results from a first search data structure using the query, wherein the first search data structure includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

generating a second plurality of search results from a second search data structure using the query, wherein the second search data structure includes a second plurality of search data;

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results;

displaying the second plurality of search results;

receiving a user input related to a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, and wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage;

displaying a feedback request regarding the particular search result, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage;

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request; and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

stopping displaying the frame when the user mouses out of the frame.

34. A search engine system implemented on a computer system for using user feedback to improve searching, comprising:

a first search data structure that includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

a second search data structure that includes a second plurality of search data; and

a search engine, coupled to the first search data structure and the second search data structure, that executes processing comprising;

receiving a query from a user,

generating a first plurality of search results from the first search data structure using the query,

generating a second plurality of search results from the second search data structure using the query,

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results,

displaying the second plurality of search results,

receiving a user input related to a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result,

displaying a feedback request regarding the particular search result, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage,

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage,

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request, and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

35. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

stopping displaying the particular webpage in response to the user mousing out of the particular webpage.

36. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

associating a reward with the user in response to receiving the feedback.

37. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

receiving a plurality of feedback from the user in response to a plurality of feedback requests corresponding to a plurality of particular search results;

storing, in a user profile data structure, the plurality of particular search results; and

displaying for the user the plurality of particular search results from the user profile data structure.

38. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms; and

using the revised query instead of the query to generate the first plurality of search results.

39. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms; and

using the revised query instead of the query to update the first plurality of search data.

40. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms; and

using the revised query instead of the query to generate the first plurality of search results and to update the first plurality of search data.

41. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

setting a user personalization option related to a favorable feedback; and

displaying the first plurality of search results such that at least one of the first plurality of search results having the favorable feedback is displayed.

42. The search engine system of claim 34, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

setting a user personalization option related to a negative feedback; and

displaying the first plurality of search results such that at least one of the first plurality of search results having the negative feedback is not displayed.

43. A computer program tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium, the computer program when executed causing a computer system to implement processing comprising:

managing a first search data structure that includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

managing a second search data structure that includes a second plurality of search data;

receiving a query from a user;

generating a first plurality of search results from the first search data structure using the query;

generating a second plurality of search results from the second search data structure using the query;

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results;

displaying the second plurality of search results;

receiving a user input related to a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results, wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result;

displaying a feedback request regarding the particular search result, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage;

displaying the particular webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed with the particular webpage;

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request; and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

44. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

stopping displaying the particular webpage in response to the user mousing out of the particular webpage.

45. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

associating a reward with the user in response to receiving the feedback.

46. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

receiving a plurality of feedback from the user in response to a plurality of feedback requests corresponding to a plurality of particular search results;

storing, in a user profile data structure, the plurality of particular search results; and

displaying for the user the plurality of particular search results from the user profile data structure.

47. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms; and

using the revised query instead of the query to generate the first plurality of search results.

48. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms; and

using the revised query instead of the query to update the first plurality of search data.

49. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

providing a dictionary data structure that includes a plurality of terms and a plurality of classifications corresponding to the plurality of terms;

generating a subset of the plurality of terms by accessing the dictionary data structure using the query;

generating a revised query based on one or more of the plurality of classifications corresponding to the subset of the plurality of terms; and

using the revised query instead of the query to generate the first plurality of search results and to update the first plurality of search data.

50. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

setting a user personalization option related to a favorable feedback; and

displaying the first plurality of search results such that at least one of the first plurality of search results having the favorable feedback is displayed.

51. The computer program of claim 43, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

setting a user personalization option related to a negative feedback; and

displaying the first plurality of search results such that at least one of the first plurality of search results having the negative feedback is not displayed.

52. A computer program tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium, the computer program when executed causing a computer system to implement processing comprising:

receiving a query from a user;

generating a first plurality of search results from a first search data structure using the query, wherein the first search data structure includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

generating a second plurality of search results from a second search data structure using the query, wherein the second search data structure includes a second plurality of search data;

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results;

displaying the second plurality of search results;

receiving a user input related to a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, and wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage;

displaying a feedback request regarding the particular search result;

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage;

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request; and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

53. The computer program of claim 52, wherein the computer system is configured to implement processing further comprising:

stopping displaying the frame when the user mouses out of the frame.

54. A search engine system implemented on a computer system for using user feedback to improve searching, comprising:

a first search data structure that includes a first plurality of search data and a plurality of user feedback data associated with the first plurality of search data;

a second search data structure that includes a second plurality of search data; and

a search engine, coupled to the first search data structure and the second search data structure, that executes processing comprising;

receiving a query from a user,

generating a first plurality of search results from the first search data structure using the query,

generating a second plurality of search results from the second search data structure using the query,

displaying the first plurality of search results according to the plurality of user feedback data that corresponds to the first plurality of search results,

displaying the second plurality of search results,

receiving a user input related to a particular search result of the first plurality of search results and the second plurality of search results, wherein the particular search result indicates a particular webpage, wherein the first and second pluralities of search results are displayed on a search results webpage, and wherein the user input corresponds to mousing over the particular search result on the search results webpage,

displaying a feedback request regarding the particular search result,

displaying the particular webpage in a frame on top of the search results webpage in response to the user input, wherein the feedback request is displayed in the frame with the particular webpage,

receiving feedback from the user in response to the feedback request, and

updating the first plurality of search data and the plurality of user feedback data in the first search data structure according to the query, the particular search result, and the feedback.

55. The search engine system of claim 54, wherein the search engine executes processing further comprising:

stopping displaying the frame when the user mouses out of the frame.