Techniques for modifying a query based on query associations

• US 8,930,356 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawale, Jaya, Pal, Aditya
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Susan
• Application Number:
  US11/938,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,612 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 707/1, 707/708, 707/899, 707/500, 707/765, 709/224
• US Class Current: 707/728
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Techniques are provided through which query associations are made between initial queries and corresponding query modifications to the initial queries previously made. Each query modification is made with respect to a searchable source. Based on these query associations, modified queries are generated on a per-source basis. Query associations may be stored on a per user or per community basis, where a community can include many users. Frequently used query modifications may be stored as templates.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for handling queries, comprising:

storing associations that indicate how to modify user-submitted queries that are to be sent to a plurality of searchable sources;

wherein the associations include a first association between

a first modification,

one or more keywords, and

a first searchable source;

wherein the associations include a second association between

a second modification,

the one or more keywords, and

a second searchable source;

after storing the associations that indicate how to modify user-submitted queries, receiving a user-submitted query, comprising the one or more keywords, to be sent to the plurality of searchable sources;

in response to receiving the user-submitted query, performing the steps of;

generating a first modified query to be sent to the first searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources;

wherein the first modified query is generated by adding a first additional text to the user-submitted query based on

existence of the one or more keywords in the user-submitted query and

the first association;

generating a second modified query to be sent to the second searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources;

wherein the second modified query is generated by adding a second additional text to the user-submitted query based on

existence of the one or more keywords in the user-submitted query and

the second association;

wherein the first association is different than the second association;

wherein the first modification is different than the second modification;

wherein the first searchable source is separate from the second searchable source; and

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an initial query;

wherein the initial query is received before receiving said user-submitted query;

after receiving the initial query, receiving a modification to the initial query, storing an association between the initial query and the modification in a query association database;

determining whether the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query based on the association between the initial query and the modification; and

in response to determining that the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query, performing the steps of;

extracting, from the query association database, the association for the user-submitted query; and

based on the user-submitted query and the association for the user-submitted query, generating and storing in volatile memory the first modified query.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the initial query, the modification to the initial query, and the user-submitted query, are all received from a particular user; and

storing the association is performed on a user-specific basis, thereby causing the association between the initial query and the modification to the initial query to be maintained relative to said particular user; and

determining whether the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query involves determining whether the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query for the particular user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the initial query and the modification to the initial query are received from a first user;

the user-submitted query is received from a second user that is different than the first user.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the first modified query to a user;

receiving, from the user, input indicating whether the user has selected the first modified query; and

in response to determining that the user has selected the first modified query, submitting the first modified query to a search engine.

6. The method of claim 2,

wherein associations in the query association database contain data indicating a number of usefulness indications that has been received for an association in the query association database;

wherein the step of storing the association further comprises incrementing data indicating the number of usefulness indications that has been received for the association;

further comprising;

receiving input indicating whether the first modified query is useful;

in response to the input indicating that the first modified query is useful, incrementing the data indicating the number of usefulness indications that has been received for the association for the user-submitted query.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the relevance of an association for a query in the query association database depends on how frequently usefulness indications for the association have occurred.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the relevance of an association for a query in the query association database depends on how long ago a usefulness indication for the association has occurred.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising performing the following steps in response to determining that the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query:

determining that the query association database contains more than one association for the user-submitted query;

in response to determining that the query association database contains more than one association for the user-submitted query

determining which association, associated with the user-submitted query, has a highest relevance; and

extracting, from the query association database, the association, associated with the user-submitted query, that has the highest relevance;

based on the user-submitted query and the extracted association, generating and storing in volatile memory a modified query.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the particular user is associated with a first identification, and wherein the step of storing an association comprises storing an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first identification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first identification indicates whether the particular user is a member of a community of users.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the step of determining the query association database contains an association comprises determining whether the query association database contains an association among the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first identification; and

the steps of extracting and generating are performed in response to determining that the query association database contains an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first identification.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein

the initial query is associated with the first searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources;

the step of storing an association comprises storing an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first searchable source;

the step of determining comprises determining whether the query association database contains an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first searchable source; and

the steps of extracting and generating are performed in response to determining that the query association database contains an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first searchable source.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that said user-submitted query matches an initial query that was received before receiving said user-submitted query;

determining the first association based on the initial query that matches said user-submitted query.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining the first association is based on user-activity with respect to the first searchable source;

determining the second association is based on user-activity with respect to the second searchable source;

wherein the first modified query comprises one or more keywords derived from user-activity with respect to the first searchable source;

wherein the second modified query comprises one or more keywords derived from user-activity with respect to the second searchable source.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deleting one or more searchable sources from the plurality of searchable sources in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the one or more searchable sources from the plurality of searchable sources;

wherein said deleting of said one or more searchable sources causes said one or more searchable sources to be excluded from a search conducted in response to receipt of said user-submitted query.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein each searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources is associated with a different respective type of content, the method further comprising:

generating a search results page that separately identifies (a) a first respective type of content associated with the first searchable source and search results produced only as a result of executing the first modified query relative to the first searchable source and (b) a second respective type of content associated with the second searchable source and search results produced only as a result of executing the second modified query relative to the second searchable source.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein adding a first additional text to the user-submitted query based on an existence of the-one or more keywords in the user-submitted query and the first association comprises replacing the one or more keywords with the additional text.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for handling queries, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

storing associations that indicate how to modify user-submitted queries that are to be sent to a plurality of searchable sources;

wherein the associations include a first association between

a first modification,

one or more keywords, and

a first searchable source;

wherein the associations include a second association between

a second modification,

the one or more keywords, and

a second searchable source;

after storing the associations that indicate how to modify user-submitted quires, receiving a user-submitted query, comprising the one or more keywords, to be sent to the plurality of searchable sources;

in response to receiving the user-submitted query, performing the steps of;

generating a first modified query to be sent to the first searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources;

wherein the first modified query is generated by adding a first additional text to the user-submitted query based on

existence of the one or more keywords in the user-submitted query and

the first association;

generating a second modified query to be sent to the second searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources;

wherein the second modified query is generated by adding a second additional text to the user-submitted query based on

existence of the one or more keywords in the user-submitted query and

the second association;

wherein the first association is different than the second association; and

wherein the first modification is different than the second modification;

wherein the first searchable source is separate from the second searchable source.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for:

receiving an initial query;

wherein the initial query is received before receiving said user-submitted query;

after receiving the initial query, receiving a modification to the initial query;

storing an association between the initial query and the modification in a query association database;

determining whether the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query based on the association between the initial query and the modification; and

in response to determining that the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query, performing the steps of;

extracting, from the query association database, the association for the user-submitted query; and

based on the user-submitted query and the association for the user-submitted query, generating and storing in volatile memory the first modified query.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein:

the initial query, the modification to the initial query, and the user-submitted query, are all received from a particular user; and

storing the association is performed on a user-specific basis, thereby causing the association between the initial query and the modification to the initial query to be maintained relative to said particular user; and

determining whether the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query involves determining whether the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query for the particular user.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the particular user is associated with a first identification, and wherein the step of storing an association comprises storing an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first identification.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the first identification indicates whether the particular user is a member of a community of users.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein:

the step of determining the query association database contains an association comprises determining whether the query association database contains an association among the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first identification; and

the steps of extracting and generating are performed in response to determining that the query association database contains an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first identification.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein:

the initial query and the modification to the initial query are received from a first user; and

the user-submitted query is received from a second user that is different than the first user.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions for:

displaying the first modified query to a user;

receiving, from the user, input indicating whether the user has selected the first modified query; and

in response to determining that the user has selected the first modified query, submitting the first modified query to a search engine.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20,

wherein associations in the query association database contain data indicating a number of usefulness indications that has been received for an association in the query association database;

wherein the step of storing the association further comprises incrementing data indicating the number of usefulness indications that has been received for the association;

further comprising instructions for;

receiving input indicating whether the first modified query is useful;

in response to the input indicating that the first modified query is useful, incrementing the data indicating the number of usefulness indications that has been received for the association for the user-submitted query.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the relevance of an association for a query in the query association database depends on how frequently usefulness indications for the association have occurred.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the relevance of an association for a query in the query association database depends on how long ago a usefulness indication for the association has occurred.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 further comprising instructions for performing the following steps in response to determining that the query association database contains an association for the user-submitted query:

determining that the query association database contains more than one association for the user-submitted query;

in response to determining that the query association database contains more than one association for the user-submitted query

determining which association, associated with the user-submitted query, has a highest relevance; and

extracting, from the query association database, the association, associated with the user-submitted query, that has the highest relevance;

based on the user-submitted query and the extracted association, generating and storing in volatile memory a modified query.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein

the initial query is associated with the first searchable source;

the step of storing an association comprises storing an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources;

the step of determining comprises determining whether the query association database contains an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first searchable source; and

the steps of extracting and generating are performed in response to determining that the query association database contains an association that establishes a relationship between the initial query, the user-submitted query, and the first searchable source.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for:

determining that said user-submitted query matches an initial query that was received before receiving said user-submitted query;

determining the first association based on the initial query that matches said user-submitted query.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein:

determining the first association is based on user-activity with respect to the first searchable source;

determining the second association is based on user-activity with respect to the second searchable source;

wherein the first modified query comprises one or more keywords derived from user-activity with respect to the first searchable source;

wherein the second modified query comprises one or more keywords derived from user-activity with respect to the second searchable source.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions for:

deleting one or more searchable sources from the plurality of searchable sources in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the one or more searchable sources from the plurality of searchable sources;

wherein said deleting of said one or more searchable sources causes said one or more searchable sources to be excluded from a search conducted in response to receipt of said user-submitted query.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein each searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources is associated with a different respective type of content, further comprising instructions for:

generating a search results page that separately identifies (a) a first respective type of content associated with the first searchable source and search results produced only as a result of executing the first modified query relative to the first searchable source and (b) a second respective type of content associated with the second searchable source and search results produced only as a result of executing the second modified query relative to the second searchable source.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein instructions for adding a first additional text to the user-submitted query based on an existence of the-one or more keywords in the user-submitted query and the first association comprise instructions for replacing the one or more keywords with the first additional text.

37. A computer-implemented method for handling queries, comprising:

receiving a user-submitted query comprising one or more keywords directed against a plurality of searchable sources;

in response to receiving the user-submitted query, performing the steps of;

(a) generating and storing in volatile memory a first modified query to be directed against a first searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources, wherein the first modified query is generated based on a first association between a first modification, said user-submitted query, and said first searchable source, and (b) generating and storing in volatile memory a second modified query to be directed against a second searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources, wherein the second modified query is generated based on a second association between a second modification, said user-submitted query, and said second searchable source;

wherein the first association is different than the second association;

wherein the first modification is different than the second modification;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices;

storing, in a query template database, first data that establishes an association between (a) a plurality of template associations, and (b) a name of a particular template;

wherein each template association comprises an association between a modification and one or more searchable sources;

wherein said plurality of template associations include said first association and said second association;

prior to generating any modified queries for said user-submitted query, performing the steps of

receiving the name of the particular template in association with said user-submitted query;

in response to receiving the name of the particular template in association with said user-submitted query, inspecting the first data to determine that the plurality of template associations are associated with said name and therefore should be used to generate modified queries based on the user-submitted query;

in response to determining that the plurality of template associations are associated with said name, extracting, from the query template database, the plurality of template associations;

for each of the plurality of template associations, generating a modified query, based on the modification specified in the template association, to be directed against the one or more searchable sources specified in the template association;

wherein generating and storing the first modified query and the second modified query are performed as part of generating a modified query for each of the plurality of template associations.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for handling queries, wherein the instructions include instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving a user-submitted query comprising one or more keywords directed against a plurality of searchable sources;

in response to receiving the user-submitted query, performing the steps of;

(a) generating and storing in volatile memory a first modified query to be directed against a first searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources, wherein the first modified query is generated based on a first association between a first modification, said user-submitted query, and said first searchable source, and (b) generating and storing in volatile memory a second modified query to be directed against a second searchable source of the plurality of searchable sources, wherein the second modified query is generated based on a second association between a second modification, said user-submitted query, and said second searchable source;

wherein the first association is different than the second association;

wherein the first modification is different than the second modification;

storing, in a query template database, first data that establishes an association between (a) a plurality of template associations, and (b) a name of a particular template;

wherein each template association comprises an association between a modification and one or more searchable sources;

wherein said plurality of template associations include said first association and said second association;

prior to generating any modified queries for said user-submitted query, performing the steps of

receiving the name of the particular template in association with said user-submitted query;

in response to receiving the name of the particular template in association with said user-submitted query, inspecting the first data to determine that the plurality of template associations are associated with said name and therefore should be used to generate modified queries based on the user-submitted query;

in response to determining that the plurality of template associations are associated with said name, extracting, from the query template database, the plurality of template associations;

for each of the plurality of template associations, generating a modified query, based on the modification specified in the template association, to be directed against the one or more searchable sources specified in the template association;

wherein generating and storing the first modified query and the second modified query are performed as part of generating a modified query for each of the plurality of template associations.