Automatic identification of related search keywords

• US 8,266,162 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lycos Incorporated (Brightcom Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cava, William
• Primary Examiner(s): LU, KUEN S
• Application Number:
  US11/371,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,379 Days
• Field of Search: 707/755, 707/758, 707/803, 707/769
• US Class Current: 707/755
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/205 Parsing

Abstract

Keyword expansion is used to expand a particular keyword into multiple related keyword candidates using a collection of data that relates to search queries performed using one or more search engines. The data identifies search terms from associated search queries. A particular keyword is identified and one or more candidate keywords related to the particular keyword are identified based on the data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting, using a computer, data indicative of search terms associated with one or more search queries;

identifying, in the search terms, a particular keyword;

identifying, using the computer, remaining search terms as candidate keywords related to the particular keyword; and

generating a confidence score for a candidate keyword, the confidence score comprising a ratio of (i) a number of times the candidate keyword and the particular keyword appeared in a same search query of the one or more search queries, to (ii) a number of times the candidate keyword appeared in the one or more search queries.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the one or more search queries based on the one or more search queries being received from a particular location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the one or more search queries is further based on the one or more search queries being performed within a predetermined time.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining the particular location based on an originating address associated with the one or more search queries.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining the particular location based on data stored on a device from which at least one of the one or more search queries originates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the search terms comprise elements that are related to each other.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the particular keyword comprises at least one of (i) identifying one or more stems of at least one of the search terms, or (ii) identifying a misspelling of at least one of the search terms.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing, from the one or more search queries, data for patterns of similar search tendencies.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising rating the candidate keywords based on confidence scores.

10. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

one or more machine-readable storage devices for storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising;

collecting data indicative of search terms associated with one or more search queries;

identifying, in the search terms, a particular keyword;

identifying remaining search terms as candidate keywords related to the particular keyword; and

generating a confidence score for a candidate keyword, the confidence score comprising a ratio of (i) a number of times the candidate keyword and the particular keyword appeared in a same search query of the one or more search queries, to (ii) a number of times the candidate keyword appeared in the one or more search queries.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the candidate keyword comprises a first candidate keyword, and wherein the operations further comprise:

collecting information relating to usage trends among the search terms; and

using the information relating to the usage trends in identifying at least one of the search terms as a second candidate keyword.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning a weighting to the candidate keyword based on a ratio of a cost for using the candidate keyword in a pay-per-click advertising arrangement to a frequency-of-use metric.

13. One or more machine-readable storage devices for storing instructions that are executable by one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

collecting data indicative of search terms associated with one or more search queries;

identifying, in the search terms, a particular keyword;

identifying remaining search terms as candidate keywords related to the particular keyword; and

generating a confidence score for a candidate keyword, the confidence score comprising a ratio of (i) a number of times the candidate keyword and the particular keyword appeared in a same search query of the one or more search queries, to (ii) a number of times the candidate keyword appeared in the one or more search queries.

14. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the one or more search queries based on the one or more search queries being received from a particular location.

15. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 14, wherein identifying the one or more search queries is further based on the one or more search queries being performed within a predetermined time.

16. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the particular location based on an originating address associated with the one or more search queries.

17. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the particular location based on data stored on a device from which at least one of the one or more search queries originates.

18. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 13, wherein the search terms comprise elements that are related to each other.