Viewing time of search result content for relevancy

• US 8,010,520 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wilson, Jeff K., Naick, Indran
• Primary Examiner(s): COLAN, GIOVANNA B
• Application Number:
  US12/020,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/713, 707/722, 707/758, 707/706, 705/26
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Amounts of time that search result content is displayed for viewing can be collected and used for relevancy ranking. Selection of a first of a plurality of search results is detected. The plurality of search results is received in response to submission of a set of one or more search terms. An amount of time content of the first search result is displayed for viewing is determined. The content is loaded in response to the selection of the first search result. An indication of the amount of time is supplied as input for ranking relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting selection of a first of a plurality of search results, wherein the plurality of search results are received in response to submission of a set of one or more search terms;

determining an amount of time content of the first search result is displayed for viewing, wherein the content is loaded in response to the selection of the first search result;

detecting selection of a reference indicated in the content of the first search result or associated with the content of the first search result;

determining that second content loaded responsive to the selection of the reference is analogous to the content of the first search result;

determining a second amount of time the second content is displayed for viewing responsive to determining that the second content is analogous to the content of the first search result;

associating the second amount of time with the amount of time the content of the first search result is displayed; and

supplying an indication of the amount of time as input for ranking relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising ranking relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms based, at least in part, on the indication and a plurality of other indications of amounts of time the content of the first search result was displayed for active viewing across a multitude of clients.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein said determining that the second content is analagous to the content comprises determining at least one of a number of common terms between the content and the second content, similarities in titles of the content and the second content, similarity of tags between the content and the second content, and similarity of metadata between the content and the second content,

wherein said associating the second amount of time with the amount of time the content of the first search result is displayed comprises aggregating the second amount of time with the amount of time.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising creating a structure that indicates the content of the first search result and the second content and that indicates the amount of time for the content of the first search result and the second amount of time for the second content.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a diminished viewing state of hardware that affects active viewing of the content of the first search result and modifying the amount of time accordingly.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the amount of time comprises determining time lapsed from initial display of the content of the first search result and detection of an activity associated with discontinued viewing of the content of the first search result.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the activity comprises at least one of closing a window of the content, closing a tab of the content, selecting a different one of the search results, decreasing operation state of hardware that affects display of the content, obstructing view of the content, and moving a pointing icon over different non-analogous content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the amount of time comprises distinguishing between diminishing viewing state of the content and displaying second content for concurrent viewing with the search result content.

9. One or more machine-readable storage media having stored therein a program product, which when executed by a set of one or more processor units causes the set of one or more processor units to perform operations that comprise:

detecting selection of a first of a plurality of search results, wherein the plurality of search results are received in response to submission of a set of one or more search terms;

determining an amount of time content of the first search result is displayed for viewing, wherein the content is loaded in response to the selection of the first search result;

detecting selection of a reference indicated in the content of the first search result or associated with the content of the first search result;

determining that second content loaded responsive to the selection of the reference is analogous to the content of the first search result;

determining a second amount of time the second content is displayed for viewing responsive to determining that the second content is analogous to the content of the first search result;

associating the second amount of time with the amount of time the content of the first search result is displayed; and

supplying an indication of the amount of time as input for ranking relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms.

10. The machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise ranking relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms based, at least in part, on the indication and a plurality of other indications of amounts of time the content of the first search result was displayed for active viewing across a multitude of clients.

11. The machine-readable storage media of claim 9,

wherein said determining that the second content is analagous to the content comprises determining at least one of a number of common terms between the content and the second content, similarities in titles of the content and the second content, similarity of tags between the content and the second content, and similarity of metadata between the content and the second content,

wherein said associating the second amount of time with the amount of time the content of the first search result is displayed comprises aggregating the second amount of time with the amount of time.

12. The machine-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise creating a structure that indicates the content of the first search result and the second content and that indicates the amount of time for the content of the first search result and the second amount of time for the second content.

13. The machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise detecting a diminished viewing state of hardware that affects active viewing of the content of the first search result and modifying the amount of time accordingly.

14. The machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein said operation of determining the amount of time comprises determining time lapsed from initial display of the content of the first search result and detection of an activity associated with discontinued viewing of the content of the first search result.

15. The machine-readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the activity comprises at least one of closing a window of the content, closing a tab of the content, selecting a different one of the search results, decreasing operation state of hardware that affects display of the content, obstructing view of the content, and moving a pointing icon over different non-analogous content.

16. The machine-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein said operation of determining the amount of time comprises distinguishing between diminishing viewing state of the content and displaying second content for concurrent viewing with the search result content.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a processor unit;

a bus coupled with the processor unit;

a network interface coupled with the bus; and

a search result content viewing time tracker operable to,

detect selection of a first of a plurality of search results, wherein the plurality of search results are received in response to submission of a set of one or more search terms;

determine an amount of time content of the first search result is displayed for viewing, wherein the content is loaded in response to the selection of the first search result;

detect selection of a reference indicated in the content of the first search result or associated with the content of the first search result;

determine that second content loaded responsive to the selection of the reference is analogous to the content of the first search result;

determine a second amount of time the second content is displayed for viewing responsive to determining that the second content is analogous to the content of the first search result;

associate the second amount of time with the amount of time the content of the first search result is displayed; and

supply an indication of the amount of time as input for ranking relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the search result content tracker is further operable to rank relevancy of the first search result with respect to the set of one or more search terms based, at least in part, on the indication and a plurality of other indications of amounts of time the content of the first search result was displayed for active viewing across a multitude of clients.

19. The apparatus of claim 17,

wherein said determining that the second content is analagous to the content comprises determining at least one of a number of common terms between the content and the second content, similarities in titles of the content and the second content, similarity of tags between the content and the second content, and similarity of metadata between the content and the second content,

wherein said associating the second amount of time with the amount of time the content of the first search result is displayed comprises aggregating the second amount of time with the amount of time.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the search result content viewing time tracker is further operable to create in memory a structure that indicates the content of the first search result and the second content and that indicates the amount of time for the content of the first search result and the second amount of time for the second content.