Apparatus, system and method for a brand affinity engine using positive and negative mentions and indexing

• US 8,452,764 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veritone Media
• Original Assignee: Brand Affinity Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Steelberg, Ryan, Steelberg, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): Casanova, Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US12/722,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 707/728
• US Class Current: 707/728
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

A computer-based search engine for performing a search for a keyword, comprising a result responsive to a search, a database comprising a plurality of terms organized by categories wherein at least one of the categories includes the keyword, and relational ones of the plurality of terms to the keyword; a heuristic engine comprising a plurality of rules which, when executed by a processor, applies the rules in accordance with the relational ones of the plurality of terms to a networked site to assess the keyword as a primary subject of the networked site.

Claims

1. A search engine for performing a search for a keyword comprising non-transitory processor-executable instructions accessible at least partially from at least one computer storage medium, comprising:

an input configured to receive at least one search request that specifies a keyword and a predetermined time period, geography, market, product, or service;

an output configured to provide at least one result responsive to said at least one search;

at least one database comprising a plurality of terms by category, wherein at least one of the categories includes the keyword and relational ones of the plurality of terms to the keyword;

a heuristic engine comprising a plurality of rules, wherein said heuristic engine, when executed by a processor coupled to memory in which the rules are stored, applies said plurality of rules, in accordance with the relational ones of the plurality of terms, to a networked site to assess the keyword as a primary subject of the networked site with regard to the predetermined time period, geography, market, product, or service; and

wherein the plurality of rules comprise a distance of at least two of the relational ones of the plurality of terms and the keyword from a visual center and visual edge of the networked site.

2. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rules comprises a presence of at least two of the relational ones of plurality of terms proximate to the keyword on the networked site.

3. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rules comprises a distance of at least two of the relational ones of the plurality of terms from the keyword on the networked site.

4. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the networked site comprises one of an RSS feed and an internet page.

5. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the keyword is indicative of a person.

6. The search engine of claim 5, wherein at least one of the relational ones of the plurality of terms comprises a nickname for the person.

7. The search engine of claim 5, wherein the person comprises an athlete.

8. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the keyword is indicative of a movie.

9. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the keyword comprises at least one of a television show, a song, an artist, and an actor.

10. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the keyword comprises a good for sale.

11. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the keyword comprises a service for sale.

12. The search engine of claim 1, further comprising a ratings engine, wherein, upon assessment of the primary subject by said heuristic engine, said ratings engine rates a use of the keyword on the networked site.

13. The search engine of claim 1, wherein the relational ones are hierarchical with respect to the keyword.

14. The search engine of claim 13, wherein multiple levels of the hierarchy are required by said heuristic engine for the assessment as the primary subject of the networked site.

15. The search engine of claim 1, wherein said heuristic engine comprises a learning engine.