Providing result-based query suggestions

• US 9,092,528 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Haahr, Paul, Martin, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Application Number:
  US14/075,366
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/769, 707/770, 709/219, 709/224, 709/226, 709/217, 709/220, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/313 Selection or weighting of terms for indexing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/43 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9532 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described can be embodied in a method that includes, for a first document that is included in first search results responsive to a first user-submitted query, selecting a plurality of previously submitted queries for which the first document was a responsive search result. The method can further include determining whether second documents that are relevant to the previously submitted query have at least a threshold level of diversity in comparison to the first search results, wherein second documents are determined to be relevant to the previously submitted query based on data that is indicative of user behavior. The method can additionally include identifying one or more queries from the selected previously submitted queries to provide as first suggested queries, and providing the one or more identified queries as first suggested queries with the first search results for the first user-submitted query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

at a computing system comprising one or more computers, a computer in the one or more computers having a processor and a memory;

receiving an initial search query;

obtaining a plurality of search results responsive to the initial search query, the search results including a first search result that identifies a first resource, the search results including a second search result that identifies a second resource different from the first resource;

determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the first resource is relevant to a first suggested query different from the initial search query;

determining, using the document-to-query-to-document model, that the second resource is relevant to a second suggested query different from the initial search query and different from the first suggested query;

generating a presentation of the search results responsive to the initial search query, wherein each search result in the presentation includes a link to a respective resource, wherein the first search result in the presentation includes a link that, upon a selection by a user, can cause the first suggested query to be submitted to a search engine, and wherein the second search result in the presentation includes a link that, upon a selection by a user, can cause the different second suggested query to be submitted to the search engine; and

providing the presentation of the search results in response to the initial search query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first suggested query includes a first term that does not occur in the initial search query, and wherein the second suggested query includes a second term that does not occur in the initial search query and that does not occur in the first suggested query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the first resource is relevant to a first suggested query different from the initial search query comprises:

obtaining a first plurality of previously submitted search queries, each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries being associated with the first resource identified by the first search result; and

selecting a first query from the first plurality of previously submitted search queries as the first suggested query, the first query having at least one term that does not occur in the initial search query.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the second resource is relevant to a second suggested query different from the initial search query and different from the first suggested query comprises:

obtaining a second plurality of previously submitted search queries, each of the second plurality of previously submitted search queries being associated with the second resource identified by the second search result; and

selecting a second query from the second plurality of previously submitted search queries as the second suggested query, the second query having a least one term that does not occur in the initial search query and that does not occur in the first suggested query.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising associating the first resource with the first plurality of previously submitted search queries based on user behavior data when the first resource is identified by search results provided to users as responsive to the first plurality of previously submitted search queries.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting a first query from the first plurality of previously submitted search queries as the first suggested query comprises:

determining a respective measure of diversity for each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries, the respective measure of diversity being based on resources associated with each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries and resources identified by the plurality of search results responsive to the initial search query; and

selecting a first query having a measure of diversity that satisfies a threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the document-to-query-to-document model;

associates the first resource with a plurality of previously submitted queries and

associates each of the plurality of previously submitted queries with one or more resources that have been previously identified by search results for the previous query.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first suggested query is associated with search results having an associated measure of diversity with the plurality of search results responsive to the initial query, the measure of diversity satisfying a diversity threshold.

9. 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 an initial search query;

obtaining a plurality of search results responsive to the initial search query, the search results including a first search result that identifies a first resource, the search results including a second search result that identifies a second resource different from the first resource;

determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the first resource is relevant to a first suggested query different from the initial search query;

determining, using the document-to-query-to-document model, that the second resource is relevant to a second suggested query different from the initial search query and different from the first suggested query;

generating a presentation of the search results responsive to the initial search query, wherein each search result in the presentation includes a link to a respective resource, wherein the first search result in the presentation includes a link that, upon a selection by a user, can cause the first suggested query to be submitted to a search engine, and wherein the second search result in the presentation includes a link that, upon a selection by a user, can cause the different second suggested query to be submitted to the search engine; and

providing the presentation of the search results in response to the initial search query.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first suggested query includes a first term that does not occur in the initial search query, and wherein the second suggested query includes a second term that does not occur in the initial search query and that does not occur in the first suggested query.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the first resource is relevant to a first suggested query different from the initial search query comprises:

obtaining a first plurality of previously submitted search queries, each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries being associated with the first resource identified by the first search result; and

selecting a first query from the first plurality of previously submitted search queries as the first suggested query, the first query having at least one term that does not occur in the initial search query.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the second resource is relevant to a second suggested query different from the initial search query and different from the first suggested query comprises:

obtaining a second plurality of previously submitted search queries, each of the second plurality of previously submitted search queries being associated with the second resource identified by the second search result; and

selecting a second query from the second plurality of previously submitted search queries as the second suggested query, the second query having a least one term that does not occur in the initial search query and that does not occur in the first suggested query.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

associating the first resource with the first plurality of previously submitted search queries based on user behavior data when the first resource is identified by search results provided to users as responsive to the first plurality of previously submitted search queries.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein selecting a first query from the first plurality of previously submitted search queries as the first suggested query comprises:

determining a respective measure of diversity for each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries, the respective measure of diversity being based on resources associated with each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries and resources identified by the plurality of search results responsive to the initial search query; and

selecting a first query having a measure of diversity that satisfies a threshold.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the document-to-query-to-document model:

associates the first resource with a plurality of previously submitted queries and

associates each of the plurality of previously submitted queries with one or more resources that have been previously identified by search results for the previous query.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first suggested query is associated with search results having an associated measure of diversity with the plurality of search results responsive to the initial query, the measure of diversity satisfying a diversity threshold.

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

receiving an initial search query;

obtaining a plurality of search results responsive to the initial search query, the search results including a first search result that identifies a first resource, the search results including a second search result that identifies a second resource different from the first resource;

determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the first resource is relevant to a first suggested query different from the initial search query;

determining, using the document-to-query-to-document model, that the second resource is relevant to a second suggested query different from the initial search query and different from the first suggested query;

generating a presentation of the search results responsive to the initial search query, wherein each search result in the presentation includes a link to a respective resource, wherein the first search result in the presentation includes a link that, upon a selection by a user, can cause the first suggested query to be submitted to a search engine, and wherein the second search result in the presentation includes a link that, upon a selection by a user, can cause the different second suggested query to be submitted to the search engine; and

providing the presentation of the search results in response to the initial search query.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first suggested query includes a first term that does not occur in the initial search query, and wherein the second suggested query includes a second term that does not occur in the initial search query and that does not occur in the first suggested query.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the first resource is relevant to a first suggested query different from the initial search query comprises:

obtaining a first plurality of previously submitted search queries, each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries being associated with the first resource identified by the first search result; and

selecting a first query from the first plurality of previously submitted search queries as the first suggested query, the first query having at least one term that does not occur in the initial search query.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein determining, using a document-to-query-to-document model, that the second resource is relevant to a second suggested query different from the initial search query and different from the first suggested query comprises:

obtaining a second plurality of previously submitted search queries, each of the second plurality of previously submitted search queries being associated with the second resource identified by the second search result; and

selecting a second query from the second plurality of previously submitted search queries as the second suggested query, the second query having a least one term that does not occur in the initial search query and that does not occur in the first suggested query.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

associating the first resource with the first plurality of previously submitted search queries based on user behavior data when the first resource is identified by search results provided to users as responsive to the first plurality of previously submitted search queries.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein selecting a first query from the first plurality of previously submitted search queries as the first suggested query comprises:

determining a respective measure of diversity for each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries, the respective measure of diversity being based on resources associated with each of the first plurality of previously submitted search queries and resources identified by the plurality of search results responsive to the initial search query; and

selecting a first query having a measure of diversity that satisfies a threshold.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the document-to-query-to-document model:

associates the first resource with a plurality of previously submitted queries and

associates each of the plurality of previously submitted queries with one or more resources that have been previously identified by search results for the previous query.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first suggested query is associated with search results having an associated measure of diversity with the plurality of search results responsive to the initial query, the measure of diversity satisfying a diversity threshold.