Personalizing a search results page based on search history

• US 7,966,324 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sathe, Saleel
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chojnacki; Mellissa M
• Application Number:
  US11/442,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 707/727, 707/732, 707/768
• US Class Current: 707/732
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]

Abstract

A system and method for personalizing a search results mix based on a user'"'"'s search history. A system monitors the types of search results that the user frequently accesses. A default search results page can then be modified according to the frequency in which the user accesses certain search results. The modified search results page can then be presented to the user upon the submission of a search request.

Claims

1. One or more computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for personalizing a displayed arrangement of search results based on a user'"'"'s search history, comprising:

aggregating information corresponding to the user'"'"'s search history;

deriving an algorithmic search result from a search engine'"'"'s index;

retrieving a non-algorithmic search result not derived from the search engine'"'"'s index, the non-algorithmic search result being one of a first non-algorithmic search result type or a second non-algorithmic search result type;

upon identifying the non-algorithmic search result as the first non-algorithmic search result type;

determining a first user access frequency for the first type of non-algorithmic search result based on said information, wherein search results of the first type of non-algorithmic search result include search results that provide information not derived from the search engine'"'"'s index, and wherein determining the first user access frequency includes counting a total number of times that the user accessed search results of the first type of non-algorithmic search result within a predetermined period of time, and

comparing the first user access frequency to a first threshold value;

upon identifying the non-algorithmic search result as the second non-algorithmic search result type;

determining a second user access frequency for the second type of non-algorithmic search result based on a user satisfaction score that shows a degree of satisfaction that the user had with the second type of non-algorithmic search result, wherein the user satisfaction score is determined using said information, and wherein search results of the second type of non-algorithmic search result include search results that provide information not derived from the search engine'"'"'s index, and

comparing the second user access frequency to a second threshold value;

determining that the first user access frequency is at least as high as the first threshold value or that the second user access frequency is at least as high as the second threshold value;

specifying a default layout for a search results page, the default layout indicating a location of the non-algorithmic search result and a location of the algorithmic search result on the search results page;

automatically creating a modified search results page layout in response to determining that the first or second user access frequency is at least as high as the corresponding threshold value, wherein creating the modified search results page layout is performed by a layout component and includes rearranging the location of the non-algorithmic search result and the location of the algorithmic search result on the search results page while retaining the algorithmic search result and the non-algorithmic search result on the search results page; and

providing the search results page having the modified search results page layout to the user.

2. The media according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time includes one month.

3. The media according to claim 1, wherein creating the modified search results page layout further comprises adding one or more additional non-algorithmic search results.

4. The media according to claim 1, wherein the first or second threshold value is based on a geographical location of the user.

5. The media according to claim 1, wherein creating the modified search results page layout further comprises removing one or more additional non-algorithmic search results.

6. One or more computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for personalizing a displayed arrangement of search results based on a user'"'"'s search history, comprising:

aggregating user search history information associated with a user;

receiving a search request from the user, the search request comprising a search query associated with a query category;

deriving an algorithmic search result from a search engine'"'"'s index;

retrieving a first non-algorithmic search result corresponding to one of a first non-algorithmic search result type or a second non-algorithmic search result type, wherein search results of both the first and second non-algorithmic search result types are not derived from the search engine'"'"'s index;

upon identifying the first non-algorithmic search result as the first non-algorithmic search result type;

determining a first user access frequency for the first non-algorithmic search result type, wherein determining the first user access frequency includes counting a total number of times that the user accessed search results of the first non-algorithmic search result type within a predetermined period of time, and

comparing the first user access frequency to a first threshold value;

upon identifying the first non-algorithmic search result as the second non-algorithmic search result type;

determining a second user access frequency for the second non-algorithmic search result type based on a user satisfaction score that shows a degree of satisfaction that the user had with the second type of non-algorithmic search result, wherein the user satisfaction score is determined using the aggregated information, and comparing the second user access frequency to a second threshold value;

specifying a default search results page layout for a search results page, the search results page including the first non-algorithmic search result and the algorithmic search result, wherein said default layout includes a default arrangement of locations of the algorithmic search result and the first non-algorithmic search result on the search results page;

automatically creating a modified search results page responsive to a determination that the first or second user access frequency is at least as high as the corresponding threshold value, wherein creating the modified search results page is performed by a layout component and includes rearranging the locations of the algorithmic search result and the first non-algorithmic search result on the search results page while retaining the algorithmic search result and the first non-algorithmic search result on the search results page; and

providing the modified search results page to the user.

7. The media according to claim 6, wherein the non-algorithmic search result is an instant answer.

8. The media according to claim 6, wherein creating the modified search results page includes removing a second non-algorithmic search result from the search results page, wherein said second non-algorithmic search result is not associated with the query category.

9. The media according to claim 6, wherein determining the user access frequency for the first non-algorithmic search result type includes evaluating at least one item of user search history information to detect how often a user accesses the non-algorithmic result.

10. The media according to claim 6, wherein determining the satisfaction score includes evaluating a plurality of factors associated with the user'"'"'s interaction with search results during the predetermined period of time.

11. The media according to claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of factors includes an amount of time that the user spent viewing the search results.

12. One or more computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions stored thereon for performing a method for personalizing a displayed arrangement of search results based on a user'"'"'s search history, comprising:

collecting user search history information associated with a user for a predetermined time period, wherein said user search history information includes information corresponding to user interactions with search results presented to the user, wherein the search results include a plurality of search results of a first non-algorithmic search result type and a second non-algorithmic search result type;

receiving a search request from the user, the search request comprising a search query;

deriving an algorithmic search result from a search engine'"'"'s index;

retrieving a first non-algorithmic search result corresponding to one of the first non-algorithmic search result type or the second non-algorithmic search result type, wherein said first non-algorithmic search result is not derived from the search engine'"'"'s index;

upon identifying the first non-algorithmic search result as the first non-algorithmic search result type;

determining a first user access frequency for the first non-algorithmic search result, said determining comprising;

counting a total number of times that the user was presented with search results of the first non-algorithmic search result type within the predetermined period of time, counting a total number of times that the user accessed the first non-algorithmic search result within the predetermined period of time, and determining a percentage corresponding to the number of times the user accessed the first non-algorithmic search result compared to the number of search results of the first non-algorithmic search result type presented to the user during the predetermined period of time, and

comparing the first user access frequency to a first threshold value;

upon identifying the first non-algorithmic search result as the second non-algorithmic search result type;

determining a second user access frequency for the second non-algorithmic search result type based on a user satisfaction score that shows a degree of satisfaction that the user had with the second type of non-algorithmic search result, wherein the user satisfaction score is determined using the collected user search history information, and

comparing the second user access frequency to a second threshold value;

specifying a search results page layout according to a default arrangement, said specifying comprising specifying a location of the algorithmic search result and a location of the first non-algorithmic search result on a search results page;

automatically creating a modified search results page in response to determining that the first or second user access frequency meets the corresponding threshold value, wherein creating the modified search results page is performed by a layout component and includes rearranging the locations of the algorithmic search result and the first non-algorithmic search result on the search results page while retaining the algorithmic search result and the first non-algorithmic search result on the search results page; and

providing the modified search results page to the user.

13. The media according to claim 12, wherein the first non-algorithmic search result is an instant answer.

14. The media according to claim 12, wherein creating the modified search results page includes adding one or more additional non-algorithmic search results.