Systems and methods for modifying search results based on a user's history

• US 9,256,685 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zamir, Oren E., Korn, Jeffrey L., Fikes, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Waldron, Scott A
• Application Number:
  US11/097,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,967 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/1, 707/4, 707/5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• 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

A user'"'"'s prior searching and browsing activities are recorded for subsequent use. A user may examine the user'"'"'s prior searching and browsing activities in a number of different ways, including indications of the user'"'"'s prior activities related to advertisements. A set of search results may be modified in accordance with the user'"'"'s historical activities. The user'"'"'s activities may be examined to identify a set of preferred locations. The user'"'"'s set of activities may be shared with one or more other users. The set of preferred locations presented to the user may be enhanced to include the preferred locations of one or more other users. A user'"'"'s browsing activities may be monitored from one or more different client devices or client application. A user'"'"'s browsing volume may be graphically displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for modifying a set of search results, comprising:

at a server system having one or more processors and memory;

receiving a submitted search query from a search requester;

identifying a set of relevant search results corresponding to the submitted search query;

identifying one or more prior search queries from the search requester that are similar to, but different from, the submitted search query, wherein the one or more prior search queries have corresponding prior search results;

identifying one or more of the prior search results that is not included in the relevant search results;

combining the set of relevant search results and the identified one or more prior search results not included in the relevant search results to form a set of combined search results; and

returning the set of combined search results to the search requester.

2. A computer-implemented method for enhancing search results, comprising:

at a server system having one or more processors and memory;

receiving a submitted search query from a search requester;

identifying a set of search results from a document repository;

identifying a history event relevant to the submitted search query, wherein the history event is selected from the group consisting of;

advertisements previously selected by the search requester,

prior search queries different from the submitted search query, wherein the prior search queries were submitted by the search requester, and

product reviews previously reviewed by the search requester; and

returning both the set of search results and the history event to the search requester.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identified history event is returned with an associated date/time indicator.

4. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution on a server system having one or more processors and memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

receiving a submitted search query from a search requester;

identifying a set of search results from a document repository;

identifying a history event relevant to the submitted search query, wherein the history event is selected from the group consisting of;

advertisements previously selected by the search requester,

prior search queries different from the submitted search query, wherein the prior search queries were submitted by the search requester, and

product reviews previously reviewed by the search requester; and

returning both the set of search results and the history event to the search requester.

5. A computer system, comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more programs, stored in the memory and executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving a submitted search query from a search requester;

identifying a set of search results from a document repository;

identifying a history event relevant to the submitted search query, wherein the history event is selected from the group consisting of;

advertisements previously selected by the search requester,

prior search queries different from the submitted search query, wherein the prior search queries were submitted by the search requester, and

product reviews previously reviewed by the search requester; and

returning both the set of search results and the history event to the search requester.

6. A system for using a set of historical activities to enhance a search request, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs, including;

means for receiving a submitted search query from a search requester;

means for identifying a set of search results from a document repository;

means for identifying a history event relevant to the submitted search query, wherein the history event is selected from the group consisting of;

advertisements previously selected by the search requester,

prior search queries different from the submitted search query, wherein the prior search queries were submitted by the search requester, and

product reviews previously reviewed by the search requester; and

means for returning both the set of search results and the history event to the search requester.

7. A method for using a user'"'"'s historical activities to enhance a set of search results, comprising:

receiving a submitted search query from a search requester;

obtaining current search results relevant to the submitted search query from a document repository;

identifying a previously submitted query that;

(a) was submitted by the search requester;

(b) is similar to the submitted search query;

(c) is different from the submitted search query; and

(d) has previous search results;

identifying a previous result in the previous search results not included in the current search results; and

returning the current search results and the identified previous result to the search requester, wherein the returning further comprises;

combining the current search results and the identified previous result to create a combined set of search results, each search result of the combined set having an associated search result ranking value;

identifying at least one of the search results in the combined set as having been returned to the search requester in response to a previous search query;

modifying the associated search result ranking value of the identified search result in accordance with one or more prior activities of the search requester with respect to the identified search result, wherein the prior activities comprise actions prior to submission of the search query; and

ordering the search results in the combined set in accordance with the modified search result ranking value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the modifying includes increasing the associated search result ranking value if the search requester had previously selected the identified search result.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the associated search result ranking value is increased in proportion to the number of times the search requester has visited a page associated with the identified search result.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the modifying includes decreasing the associated search result ranking value if the search requester did not previously select the identified search result.