Presenting search results

• US 8,892,591 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Haugen, Frances B., Crichton, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leroux, Etienne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US13/632,356
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 707/723, 707/727, 707/767
• US Class Current: 707/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for presenting search results. One of the methods includes receiving a first content request, the first content request comprises one or more search terms received within a social networking application. The method includes determining a first level of popularity of the first content request, the first level of popularity based on the frequency with which the first content request has been previously submitted. The method includes comparing the first level of popularity to a second level of popularity, the second level of popularity based on the frequency with which a second query has been previously submitted. The method includes determining that the second level of popularity exceeds the first level of popularity. The method includes determining search results responsive to the second content request. The method includes providing at least one of the search results.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first content request, the first content request comprising one or more search terms received within a social networking application;

determining a first level of popularity of the first content request, the first level of popularity based, at least in part, on a frequency with which the first content request has been previously submitted within the social networking application within a predetermined period of time;

comparing the first level of popularity to a second level of popularity, the second level of popularity based, at least in part, on a frequency with which a second content request has been previously submitted within the predetermined period of time;

determining, on one or more processing devices, that the second level of popularity exceeds the first level of popularity;

determining a plurality of search results that are responsive to the second content request;

determining, on one or more processing devices, respective levels of popularity for the plurality of search results;

and

providing at least one of the plurality of search results comprising;

providing at least a plurality of search results based on the respective levels of popularity of the plurality of search results; and

providing one or more alternate search terms that have higher respective levels of popularity than the one or more search terms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing at least a plurality of search results comprises causing a user to be directed to a resource associated with the at least one of the plurality of search results.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content request comprises one or more search terms that are different from the one or more search terms associated with the first content request.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing a control within the social networking application that, when activated, causes a plurality of search results associated with the first content request to be provided.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the respective levels of popularity comprises determining respective levels of user activity associated with the plurality of search results.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining respective levels of user activity comprises determining a respective number of users associated with the plurality of search results;

and

ranking the plurality of search results according to the respective number of users.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing at least one of the plurality of search results comprises causing a user to be directed to a resource associated with the at least one of the plurality of search results.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first content request, the first content request comprising one or more search terms received within a social networking application;

determining a first level of popularity of the first content request, the first level of popularity based, at least in part, on a frequency with which the first content request has been previously submitted within the social networking application within a predetermined period of time;

comparing the first level of popularity to a second level of popularity, the second level of popularity based, at least in part, on a frequency with which a second content request has been previously submitted within the predetermined period of time;

determining, on the one or more computers, that the second level of popularity exceeds the first level of popularity;

determining a plurality of search results that are responsive to the second content request;

determining, on the one or more computers, respective levels of popularity for the plurality of search results; and

providing at least one of the plurality of search results comprising;

providing at least a plurality of search results based on the respective levels of popularity of the plurality of search results; and

providing one or more alternate search terms that have higher respective levels of popularity than the one or more search terms.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein providing at least a plurality of search results comprises causing a user to be directed to a resource associated with the at least one of the plurality of search results.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the second content request comprises one or more search terms that are different from the one or more search terms associated with the first content request.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more computers and one or more storage devices further store instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising providing a control within the social networking application that, when activated, causes a plurality of search results associated with the first content request to be provided.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the respective levels of popularity comprises determining respective levels of user activity associated with the plurality of search results.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein determining respective levels of user activity comprises determining a respective number of users associated with the plurality of search results;

and

ranking the plurality of search results according to the respective number of users.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein providing at least one of the plurality of search results comprises causing a user to be directed to a resource associated with the at least one of the plurality of search results.

15. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with computer program instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first content request, the first content request comprising one or more search terms received within a social networking application;

determining a first level of popularity of the first content request, the first level of popularity based, at least in part, on a frequency with which the first content request has been previously submitted within the social networking application within a predetermined period of time;

comparing the first level of popularity to a second level of popularity, the second level of popularity based, at least in part, on a frequency with which a second content request has been previously submitted within the predetermined period of time;

determining, on one or more computers, that the second level of popularity exceeds the first level of popularity;

determining a plurality of search results that are responsive to the second content request;

determining, on one or more computers, respective levels of popularity for the plurality of search results;

providing at least one of the plurality of search results comprising;

providing at least a plurality of search results based on the respective levels of popularity of the plurality of search results; and

providing one or more alternate search terms that have higher respective levels of popularity than the one or more search terms.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein providing at least a plurality of search results comprises causing a user to be directed to a resource associated with the at least one of the plurality of search results.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the second content request comprises one or more search terms that are different from the one or more search terms associated with the first content request.

18. The medium of claim 17, further comprising providing a control within the social networking application that, when activated, causes a plurality of search results associated with the first content request to be provided.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein determining the respective levels of popularity comprises determining respective levels of user activity associated with the plurality of search results.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein determining respective levels of user activity comprises determining a respective number of users associated with the plurality of search results;

and

ranking the plurality of search results according to the respective number of users.

21. The medium of claim 19, wherein providing at least one of the plurality of search results comprises causing a user to be directed to a resource associated with the at least one of the plurality of search results.