Associative search engine

• US 8,631,036 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockstar Consortium US LP (Rockstar Consortium Inc.)
• Inventors: Skillen, Richard Prescott, Livermore, Frederick Caldwell
• Primary Examiner(s): MOSER, BRUCE M
• Application Number:
  US13/723,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 389 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/780
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• 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 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

This invention relates to an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network. The machine receives, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information and searches, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results. It also correlates the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information. The search results together with the particular advertisement are provided by the machine to the user.

Claims

1. A method of searching for desired information, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user having user profile data associated therewith, a first search request comprising a first search argument indicative of desired information;

correlating, using at least one non-precise technique, the first search argument and the user profile data to first particular information in a database;

providing the first particular information to the user as a first search result;

updating the user profile data based on at least one of the first search argument, user selection of certain of the first particular information in the first search result, and user non-selection of certain of the first particular information in the first search result;

receiving from the user a subsequent search request comprising a subsequent search argument indicative of the desired information;

correlating, using the at least one non-precise technique, the received subsequent search argument and the updated user profile data to subsequent particular information in the database to provide a subsequent search result; and

providing the subsequent search result to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein correlating the received subsequent search argument and the updated user profile data to subsequent particular information in the database comprises using rule-based software algorithms.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises aural information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises visual information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises anecdotal information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is an advertisement database.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the user profile data based on past search sessions of the user.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising customizing, based on the user profile data, the subsequent search result for receipt by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein customizing, based on the user profile, the subsequent search result comprises at least one of aurally enhancing the subsequent search result, visually enhancing the subsequent search result, textually enhancing the subsequent search result, anecdotally enhancing the subsequent search result, and logically enhancing the subsequent search result.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising maintaining the user profile data from at least one of past search sessions of the user and historical data gathered on buying habits of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising customizing, based on preferences of the user, the subsequent search result for receipt by the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user profile data comprises geographical data.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is a contextual database.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is a product database.

15. The method of claim 1, comprising customizing, based on the user profile data, the first search result for receipt by the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein customizing, based on the user profile data, the first search result comprises at least one of aurally enhancing the first search result, visually enhancing the first search result, textually enhancing the first search result, anecdotally enhancing the first search result, and logically enhancing the first search result.

17. The method of claim 1, comprising customizing, based on preferences of the user, the first search result for receipt by the user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one non-precise technique comprises fuzzy logic.

19. A method of searching for desired information, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user having user profile data associated therewith, a first search request comprising a first search argument indicative of desired information;

correlating, using at least one rule based software algorithm, the first search argument and the user profile data to first particular information in a database;

providing the first particular information to the user as a first search result;

updating the user profile data based on at least one of the first search argument, user selection of certain of the first particular information in the first search result, and user non-selection of certain of the first particular information in the first search result;

receiving from the user a subsequent search request comprising a subsequent search argument indicative of the desired information;

correlating, using at least one non-precise technique, the received subsequent search argument and the updated user profile data to second particular information in the database to provide a subsequent search result; and

providing the subsequent search result to the user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the database is an advertisement database.

21. The method of claim 19, comprising customizing, based on the user profile data, the first search result for receipt by the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein customizing, based on the user profile data, the first search result comprises at least one of aurally enhancing the first search result, visually enhancing the first search result, textually enhancing the first search result, anecdotally enhancing the first search result, and logically enhancing the first search result.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising customizing, based on preferences of the user, the search result for receipt by the user.