Dynamic updating of display and ranking for search results

• US 8,370,334 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ferrenq, Isabelle, Chevalier, Pierre-Yves
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Application Number:
  US11/522,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/723
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Presenting search results is disclosed. At least a portion of a first set of results is displayed in an order determined at least in part by a corresponding attribute of each respective result. An updated display of at least a portion of a combined set that includes at least a part of the first set of results and at least a part of the second set of results in an order determined at least in part by the corresponding attribute of each respective result in the combined set is displayed automatically.

Claims

1. A method of presenting search results, comprising:

receiving a first set of results from a first source for a search query;

displaying in a window at least a portion of the first set of results in an order determined at least in part by a first corresponding attribute of each respective result;

receiving a second set of results from a second source for the search query, wherein the second set of results may be ordered at least in part by a second corresponding attribute, and wherein the first corresponding attribute is different from the second corresponding attribute;

normalizing the second corresponding attribute of each respective result in the second set of results to the first corresponding attribute of each respective result in the first set of results, in part to integrate the second set of results with the first set of results;

combining the first set of results and the normalized second set of results;

ordering the combined set of results at least based in part on the first corresponding attribute of each respective result in the combined set of results;

determining a portion of the ordered combined set of results that fits in the window; and

providing dynamically an automatically updated display in the window that includes the portion of the ordered combined set of results that fits.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first corresponding attribute comprises one or more of the following:

a degree of relevance of the respective search result to the search;

a date of the search result;

a score associated with the search result; and

the source of the search result.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the degree of relevance is calculated using one of the following:

HITS algorithm, PageRank, or TrustRank.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein the degree of relevance is based at least in part on one or more of the following:

a file element, a title word, a keyword, a text topic area, a related term use, metadata, a citation, a reference link, document organization, document hierarchy, a heading, the age of file, the size of file, the type of file, grammar use, spelling accuracy, stop word frequency, reading level, or duplicate content.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first source comprises one or more of the following:

a first processing batch, a first internal repository, and a first external repository.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second source comprises one or more of the following:

a second processing batch, a second internal repository, and a second external repository.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the updated display includes one or more of the following:

an updated number of results associated with a cluster, an updated number of results associated with a star ranking, an updated total number of results, an updated total number of window pages of results, or an updated number of results for the displayed window page.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the updated display includes an updated set of search results.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the updated display includes inserted search results.

10. A method as in claim 8, wherein providing the updated display includes not displaying one or more previously displayed search results.

11. A method as in claim 8, wherein providing the updated display includes displaying the updated results in an updated order.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the automatic updating of the display is paused by a user indication.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the automatic updating of the display and the search are stopped by a user indication.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising separating the first set of results into one or more clusters wherein each cluster comprises a subset of the first set of results that are determined to be similar for a particular aspect;

and displaying an indication of each of the one or more clusters.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the particular aspect includes one of the following:

subject, file type, time period, keyword, source, company or organization.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

integrating the second set of results into the one or more clusters wherein each cluster comprises a subset of a combined set including the first set of results and second set or results that are determined to be similar for a particular aspect;

and displaying an updated indication of each of the one or more clusters.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing dynamically includes automatically updating without requiring any refresh from a user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing dynamically includes providing continuously an automatically updated display.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first set of results includes metadata for each respective result that enables treating the search results as typed information for content management system integration.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of results includes an associated information for each respective search result.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the associated information includes metadata that enables treating the search results as typed information.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein providing dynamically an automatically updated display includes providing continuously an automatically updated display.

23. A computer program product for presenting search results, the computer program product being stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a first set of results from a first source for a search query;

displaying in a window at least a portion of the first set of results in an order determined at least in part by a first corresponding attribute of each respective result;

receiving a second set of results from a second source for the search query, wherein the second set of results may be ordered at least in part by a second corresponding attribute, and wherein the first corresponding attribute is different from the second corresponding attribute;

normalizing the second corresponding attribute of each respective result in the second set of results to the first corresponding attribute of each respective result in the first set of results, in part to integrate the second set of results with the first set of results;

combining the first set of results and the normalized second set of results;

ordering the combined set of results at least based in part on the first corresponding attribute of each respective result in the combined set of results;

determining a portion of the ordered combined set of results that fits in the window; and

providing continuously an automatically updated display in the window that includes the portion of the ordered combined set of results that fits.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the first corresponding attribute comprises one or more of the following:

a degree of relevance of the respective search result to the search;

a date of the search result;

a score associated with the search result; and

the source of the search result.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the automatic updating is paused by a user indication.

26. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising computer instructions for separating the first set of results into one or more clusters wherein each cluster comprises a subset of the first set of results that are determined to be similar for a particular aspect;

and displaying an indication of each of the one or more clusters.

27. A system for presenting search results, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions which when executed cause the processor to;

receive a first set of results from a first source for a search query;

display in a window at least a portion of the first set of results in an order determined at least in part by a corresponding attribute of each respective result;

receive a second set of results from a second source for the search query, wherein the second set of results may be ordered at least in part by a second corresponding attribute, and wherein the first corresponding attribute is different from the second corresponding attribute;

normalize the second corresponding attribute of each respective result in the second set of results to the first corresponding attribute of each respective result in the first set of results, in part to integrate the second set of results with the first set of results;

combine the first set of results and the normalized second set of results;

order the combined set of results at least based in part on the first corresponding attribute of each respective result in the combined set of results;

determine a portion of the ordered combined set of results that fits in the window; and

provide continuously an automatically updated display in the window that includes the portion of the ordered combined set of results that fits.