Systems and methods for improved searching

• US 8,914,358 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2013
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearson, Mark, Tong, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/973,304
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

Methods and systems for improved searching are described. In one of the described methods, a user enters a search query, and in response, a search engine receives a substantially complete initial search result set having a plurality of ranked article identifiers. The search engine automatically selects at least one of the article identifiers and provides a final result set in which the selected article identifier is ranked higher than in the initial search result set.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

obtaining, in a server device, a plurality of first search results responsive to a first search query, the plurality of first search results being ranked in an order;

obtaining one or more second search results responsive to a second search query, the second search query being related to the first search query;

identifying a particular search result of the second search results;

determining that the particular search result is related to the first search query and that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query;

determining that the particular search result is not within a threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query;

in response to determining that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query and the particular search result is not within a threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query, modifying the first search results by providing the particular search result within the threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query; and

providing the modified plurality of first search results in response to the first search query.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the second search query is related to the first search query based on a temporal relationship between the first search query and the second search query.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the temporal relationship is determined by analyzing log files.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the second search query is related to the first search query based on one or more shared terms between the first search query and the second search query.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the second search query by reformulating the first search query.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein reformulating the first search query includes at least one of replacing or removing a term in the first search query.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein reformulating the first search query includes adding a term to the first search query.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query includes determining that the particular search result appears within a threshold number of highest-ranked second search results of the second search results responsive to the second search query.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining that the particular search result is related to the first search query includes determining that the particular search result is responsive to the first search query;

and wherein modifying the first search results includes moving the particular search result from an original position in the order to an improved position that is within the threshold number of highest-ranked first search results.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the original position of the particular search result is in a lower tier of the first search results and the second position is in a higher tier of the first search results.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on information received after providing the modified plurality of first search results, whether the particular search result has a higher relevance to the first search query than the relevance indicated by the original position.

12. A system comprising:

one or more data processing apparatus; and

a computer-readable storage device having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more data processing apparatus, cause the one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising;

obtaining a plurality of first search results responsive to a first search query, the plurality of first search results being ranked in an order;

obtaining one or more second search results responsive to a second search query, the second search query being related to the first search query;

identifying a particular search result of the second search results;

determining that the particular search result is related to the first search query and that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query;

determining that the particular search result is not within a threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query;

in response to determining that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query and the particular search result is not within a threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query, modifying the first search results by providing the particular first search result within the threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query; and

providing the modified plurality of first search results in response to the first search query.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the second search query is related to the first search query based on a temporal relationship between the first search query and the second search query.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the temporal relationship is determined by analyzing log files.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the second search query is related to the first search query based on one or more shared terms between the first search query and the second search query.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

generating the second search query by reformulating the first search query.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein reformulating the first search query includes at least one of replacing or removing a term in the first search query.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein reformulating the first search query includes adding a term to the first search query.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein determining that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query includes determining that the particular search result appears within a threshold number of highest-ranked second search results of the second search results responsive to the second search query.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein determining that the particular search result is related to the first search query includes determining that the particular search result is responsive to the first search query;

and wherein modifying the first search results includes moving the particular search result from an original position in the order to an improved position that is within the threshold number of highest-ranked first search results.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the original position of the particular search result is in a lower tier of the first search results and the second position is in a higher tier of the first search results.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on information received after providing the modified plurality of first search results, whether the particular search result has a higher relevance to the first search query than the relevance indicated by the original position.

23. A computer program product, encoded on one or more non-transitory computer storage media, comprising instructions that when executed by data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a plurality of first search results responsive to a first search query, the plurality of first search results being ranked in an order;

obtaining one or more second search results responsive to a second search query, the second search query being related to the first search query;

identifying a particular search result of the second search results;

determining that the particular search result is related to the first search query and that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query;

determining that the particular search result is not within a threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query;

in response to determining that the particular search result is highly ranked for the second search query and the particular search result is not within a threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query, modifying the first search results by providing the particular first search result within the threshold number of highest-ranked first search results of the first search results responsive to the first search query; and

providing the modified plurality of first search results in response to the first search query.