Methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for use in searching for information using computer platforms

• US 8,560,536 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Greene, John, Wroblewski, Luke, Miranda, Aramys, Rechin, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUNG D
• Application Number:
  US12/722,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/731
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, systems or apparatuses relating to data processing and more particularly to methods, systems, and/or apparatuses for use in searching for information are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by one or more processors, two or more shared keyterms shared among at least two search results of a set of search results at least partially in response to a particular search query being performed;

transmitting, to a computing platform, one or more first signals comprising at least a portion of a set of search results for said particular search query and visual indicators for two or more of said two or more shared keyterms to indicate a frequency of occurrence of said two or more shared keyterms within said at least two search results;

obtaining one or more second signals representing a selection, made via one or more user inputs, of one or more selectable features associated with said two or more shared keyterms; and

performing a search based at least partially on said selection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting one or more of said shared keyterms as a part of said set of search results.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection is based at least in part on one or more interactions with one or more said selectable features displayed as a part of said set of search results.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least a portion of a subsequent set of search results;

said portion being determined based, at least in part, on said selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying comprises iterating over a plurality of search results of at least a portion of said set to identify said one or more keyterms shared among at least said plurality of said at least two of said search results.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying is performed prior to said obtaining said one or more second signals representing said selection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying is performed after said obtaining said one or more second signals representing said selection.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

using said one or more second signals at least in part to identify said one or more shared keyterms among at least a plurality of search results.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a number of instances a particular shared keyterm occurs among at least said plurality of search results.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said shared keyterms comprises a median keyterm for a plurality of shared keyterms corresponding at least in part to a particular search result.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of said search results comprises one or more documents, files, or hyperlinks associated with one or more web pages, at least in part.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more selectable features comprises one or more buttons, icons, or hyperlinks, at least in part.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual indicators comprise a display of at least one number indicating said frequency of occurrence.

14. A system, comprising:

a first computing platform, comprising one or more processors, capable of;

identifying two or more shared keyterms shared among at least two search results of a plurality of search results at least partially in response to a particular search query being performed;

processing binary digital signals representing a selection, made via one or more user inputs, of one or more selectable features associated with one or more shared keyterms, said one or more selectable features comprising visual indicators for two or more of said two or more shared keyterms to indicate a frequency of occurrence of said two or more shared keyterms within said at least two search results;

performing a search based, at least in part, on said selection; and

transmitting at least a portion of said set of search results to at least one second computing platform.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first computing platform and said second computing platform are communicatively coupled via a network.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said network comprises at least a part of an Internet or Intranet.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said first computing platform or said second computing platform is capable of determining a number of instances a particular shared keyterm occurs among said plurality of said search results.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein said at least one of said shared keyterms comprises a median, mean, or mode shared keyterm.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a special purpose computing platform further comprising;

a shared keyterm processor to;

identify two or more shared keyterms shared among at least two search results of a set of search results at least partially in response to a particular search query being performed;

process binary digital signals representing one or more user inputs representing a selection of one or more selectable features associated with said one or more shared keyterms, said one or more selectable features comprising visual indicators for two or more of said two or more shared keyterms to indicate a frequency of occurrence of said two or more shared keyterms within said at least two search results; and

perform a search based, at least in part, on said selection.