Methods and systems for using community defined facets or facet values in computer networks
First Claim
1. A database search method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- providing access to a database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information;
receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the database;
searching the database for records of the at least one category of information;
in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view;
(a) a set of search results, including records from the database of the at least one category of information, and(b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values;
enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; and
in response to user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, refining the first search term based on the user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, resulting in (i) a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus the user-selected any one or combination of facets and facet values or user-inputted second search term, and (ii) a search of the database using the refined search term, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A database search method and system utilize user community defined facets and facet values for refining searches. The system provides access to a database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information. Each record has one or more facets to the respective category of information. The system enables user input of a search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the database. In response to the user input, the invention system displays (a) a set of search results, including records from the database of the at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of facets and/or facet values of the records in the search results. The listing of facets and/or facet values serve as suggested additional parameters for further refining the search terms or guiding user navigation of the database. In response to user selection of a facet value from the listing, the system refines the search term resulting in a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus the user selected facet and/or facet value. A search of the database is rerun using the refined search term. The facets and facet values are defined by a computer network community of users over time and through use of the network community portal. Another embodiment is an advertising engine that displays targeted advertisements to the user based on refined search. Another embodiment is a method that utilizes refined search to help the user with navigation of a site (e.g., website or other computer network site) as a component of a GUI.
24 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A database search method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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providing access to a database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information; receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the database; searching the database for records of the at least one category of information; in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of search results, including records from the database of the at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values; enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; and in response to user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, refining the first search term based on the user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, resulting in (i) a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus the user-selected any one or combination of facets and facet values or user-inputted second search term, and (ii) a search of the database using the refined search term, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A database search method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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providing access to a plurality of databases, each database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information; receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the databases; searching the databases for records of the at least one category of information; in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of search results, including records from the databases of the at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values; enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; and in response to user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, refining the first search term based on the user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, resulting in (i) a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus the user-selected any one or combination of facets and facet values or user-inputted second search term, and (ii) a search of the databases using the refined search term, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users.
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36. A method for targeting advertising comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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providing access to a database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information; receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the database; in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of search results, including records from the database of at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users; targeting advertising to the user based on the user inputted first search term; enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; in response to user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, refining the first search term, term resulting in (i) a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus the user selected any one or combination of facets and facet values or user inputted second search term, and (ii) a search of the database using the refined search term; and refining targeting of advertising based on the user selected any one or combination of facets and facet values or user inputted second search term.
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37. A computer system comprising:
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a database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information; means for receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the database; a search engine to implement a search of the database for records of the at least one category of information; means for displaying, in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of search results, including records from the database of the at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users; means for enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; and a refinement engine for refining the search based on the listing and additional user input or the second search term. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74)
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73. A computer system comprising:
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a plurality of databases, each database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information; means for receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the databases; a search engine to implement a search of the databases for records of the at least one category of information; means for displaying, in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of search results, including records from the databases of the at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values; a refinement engine for refining the search based on the listing and additional user input; means for receiving user input of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of a second search term; and means for refining the first search term, in response to user input of a facet or facet value from the listing, resulting in (i) a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus any one or both of the facet and the facet value or the second search term, and (ii) a search of the database using the refined search term, wherein at least one of the any one or both of the facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users.
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75. An advertising engine comprising:
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a database having a plurality of records in respective categories of information, each record having one or more facets to the respective category of information; means for receiving user input of a first search term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the database; means for displaying, in response to the user input of the first search term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of search results, including records from the database of at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values of the records in the set of search results, the listing of facet values serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first search term upon user selection of the any one or combination of facets and facet values, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users and corresponds to content generated by the community of users; advertisements that are displayed to the user and that are targeted to the user based on the user input search term; means for enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; means for refining the search term in response to user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing or user input of the second search term, resulting in (i) a refined search term formed of the first parameter plus the user-selected any one or combination of facets or facet values or second search term, and (ii) a search of the database using the refined search term; and means for refining targeting of advertising based on any one or combination of user-selected facets and user-selected facet values or second search term.
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76. A site navigation method comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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providing access to a data store having information indicative of a subject site, said information being in respective categories of information, there being one or more facets to the respective categories of information; receiving user input of a first input term formed of a first parameter indicative of at least one category of information of the data store; matching the first input term to the data store to identify at least one category of information; in response to the user input of the first input term, simultaneously displaying both in a same screen view; (a) a set of results, including indications from the data store of the at least one category of information, and (b) a listing of any one or combination of facets and facet values in the set of results, the listing serving as suggested additional parameters for further refining the first input term upon user selection of any one or combination of the facets and facet values, wherein at least one of the any one or combination of facets and facet values is defined by a community of users of the subject site and corresponds to content generated by the community of users of the subject site; and enabling user input of a second search term formed of a second parameter; in response to user selection of any one or combination of facets and facet values from the listing, refining the first input term, resulting in a refined input term formed of the first parameter plus the user-selected any one or combination of facets and facet values or user input of the second search term; matching the refined input term to the data store to identify information corresponding to the refined input term; and navigating to the location on the site of the refined input term.
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Specification