Arranging search engine results

• US 8,126,877 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gscompare, LLC
• Original Assignee: GlobalSpec, Inc. (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Richard Karl, Carey, Kevin D., De, Nilanjana, Gaulin, Mark Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Vy, Hung T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cao, Phuong Thao
• Application Number:
  US12/018,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 707/999.003, 707/999.005, 707/999.007, 707/722, 707/723, 707/728, 707/752
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Search engine results arranged according to one or more first criteria (e.g., relevancy) are obtained. The results are assigned groups within chosen or calculated relevancy ranges. The results are then resorted within each group according to one or more second criteria (e.g., payment). The groups maintain original placement relative to each other during resorting. A list of at least some of the resorted results is then created for various uses, including search or further manipulation.

Claims

1. A method of arranging search engine results, comprising:

obtaining by at least one processor a plurality of search engine results sorted according to relevancy, wherein the plurality of search engine results include at least one paid result and at least one unpaid result;

grouping by at least one processor the sorted plurality of search engine results into at least two groups according to relevancy range without rearranging the sorted plurality of search engine results;

sorting by at least one processor within each of the at least two groups according to payment amount while maintaining relative placement of the at least two groups, wherein within each of the at least two groups any unpaid results are placed below paid results; and

creating by at least one processor a list of at least some of the plurality of search engine results in accordance with the sorting, wherein the obtaining, the grouping, the sorting and the creating are performed in real time;

wherein each group comprises a different range of normalized relevancy scores, and wherein the grouping comprises determining a group for a given result according to the formula (N−

S)/B where N=maximum possible normalized score for the at least one first criteria, S=normalized score of the given result for the at least one first criteria, and B=a predetermined range size of normalized scores for each group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two groups are of predefined size.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a position of one or more results after the sorting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining, the grouping, the sorting and the creating are performed for a page of search engine results.

5. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer readable storage medium encoded with computer readable program code logic to facilitate arranging search engine results, said computer readable program code logic when executing performing the following;

obtaining a plurality of search engine results sorted according to relevancy, wherein the plurality of search engine results include at least one paid result and at least one unpaid result;

grouping the sorted plurality of search engine results into at least two groups according to relevancy range without rearranging the sorted plurality of search engine results;

sorting within each of the at least two groups according to payment amount while maintaining relative placement of the at least two groups, wherein within each of the at least two groups any unpaid results are placed below paid results; and

creating a list of at least some of the plurality of search engine results in accordance with the sorting, wherein the obtaining, the grouping, the sorting and the creating are performed in real time;

wherein each group comprises a different range of normalized relevancy scores, and wherein the grouping comprises determining a group for a given result according to the formula (N−

S)/B where N=maximum possible normalized score for the at least one first criteria, S=normalized score of the given result for the at least one first criteria, and B=a predetermined range size of normalized scores for each group.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein the at least two groups are of predefined size.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 5, further comprising changing a position of one or more results after the sorting.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein the obtaining, the grouping, the sorting and the creating are performed for a page of search engine results.

9. A system to arrange search engine results, the system comprising:

at least one processor to obtain a plurality of search engine results sorted according to relevancy, wherein the plurality of search engine results include at least one paid result and at least one unpaid result;

at least one processor to group the sorted plurality of search engine results into at least two groups according to relevancy range without rearranging the sorted plurality of search engine results;

at least one processor to sort within each of the at least two groups according to payment amount while maintaining relative placement of the at least two groups, wherein within each of the at least two groups any unpaid results are placed below paid results; and

at least one processor to create a list of at least some of the plurality of search engine results in accordance with the sorting, wherein the at least one processor to obtain, the at least one processor to group, the at least one processor to sort, and the at least one processor to create process in real time;

wherein each group comprises a different range of normalized relevancy scores, and wherein the grouping comprises determining a group for a given result according to the formula (N−

S)/B where N=maximum possible normalized score for the at least one first criteria, S=normalized score of the given result for the at least one first criteria, and B=a predetermined range size of normalized scores for each group.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least two groups are of predefined size.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising at least one processor to change a position of one or more results after the sorting.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor to obtain in real time comprises at least one processor to obtain in real time a page comprising the plurality of search engine results.

13. A method of arranging search engine results, comprising:

obtaining by at least one processor a plurality of search engine results sorted according to at least one first criteria, wherein the at least one first criteria comprises relevancy;

grouping by at least one processor the sorted plurality of search engine results into at least two groups according to the at least one first criteria without rearranging the sorted plurality of search engine results;

sorting by at least one processor within each of the at least two groups according to at least one second criteria while maintaining relative placement of the at least two groups; and

creating by at least one processor a list of at least some of the plurality of search engine results in accordance with the sorting;

wherein each group comprises a different range of normalized relevancy scores, and wherein the grouping comprises determining a group for a given result according to the formula (N−

S)/B where N=maximum possible normalized score for the at least one first criteria, S=normalized score of the given result for the at least one first criteria, and B=a predetermined range size of normalized scores for each group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one second criteria comprises a payment amount.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

at least one computer readable storage medium encoded with computer readable program code logic to facilitate arranging search engine results, said computer readable program code logic when executing performing the following;

obtaining a plurality of search engine results sorted according to at least one first criteria, wherein the at least one first criteria comprises relevancy;

grouping the sorted plurality of search engine results into at least two groups according to the at least one first criteria without rearranging the sorted plurality of search engine results;

sorting within each of the at least two groups according to at least one second criteria while maintaining relative placement of the at least two groups; and

creating a list of at least some of the plurality of search engine results in accordance with the sorting;

wherein each group comprises a different range of normalized relevancy scores, and wherein the grouping comprises determining a group for a given result according to the formula (N−

S)/B where N=maximum possible normalized score for the at least one first criteria, S=normalized score of the given result for the at least one first criteria, and B=a predetermined range size of normalized scores for each group.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one second criteria comprises a payment amount.

17. A system to arrange search engine results, the system comprising:

at least one processor to obtain a plurality of search engine results sorted according to at least one first criteria, wherein the at least one first criteria comprises relevancy;

at least one processor to group the sorted plurality of search engine results into at least two groups according to the at least one first criteria without rearranging the sorted plurality of search engine results;

at least one processor to sort within each of the at least two groups according to at least one second criteria while maintaining relative placement of the at least two groups; and

at least one processor to create a list of at least some of the plurality of search engine results in accordance with the sorting;

wherein each group comprises a different range of normalized relevancy scores, and wherein the grouping comprises determining a group for a given result according to the formula (N−

S)/B where N=maximum possible normalized score for the at least one first criteria, S=normalized score of the given result for the at least one first criteria, and B=a predetermined range size of normalized scores for each group.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one second criteria comprises a payment amount.