Combining content with a search result

• US 9,342,839 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wai, Conrad, Souvey, Christopher, Denizen, Lewis, Garg, Gaurav, Verma, Awaneesh, Moxley, Emily K., Silber, Jeremy, de M. Rocha, Daniel A., Fischer, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Joshua
• Application Number:
  US13/943,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium, including a method for providing content. A search query is received. Search results responsive to the query are identified, including identifying a first search result in a top set of search results that is associated with a brand. Based at least in part on the query, one or more eligible content items are identified for delivery along with the search results responsive to the query. A determination is made as to when at least one of the eligible content items is associated with a same brand as the brand associated with the first search result. The first search result and one of the determined at least one eligible content items are combined into a combined content item and providing the combined content item as a search result responsive to the request.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a search query;

identifying search results responsive to the query, including identifying a first search result in a top set of search results that is associated with a first brand;

determining the first brand associated with the first search result;

based at least in part on the query, identifying one or more eligible content items for delivery along with the search results responsive to the query;

determining a second brand associated with at least one of the eligible content items;

comparing the first and second brands, and when the first and second brands are the same, creating a combined content item, the combined content item being a single display unit including at least a portion of the first search result and at least a portion of content from the first eligible content item, wherein the respective portions are less than an entire portion of content and being presented along with other search results responsive to the search query, wherein creating further includes determining content sponsor preferences associated with a content sponsor of the first eligible content item, the content sponsor preferences including one or more specifications for how to combine the first eligible content item with the first search result, and wherein creating further includes generating the combined content item in accordance with the content sponsor preferences; and

providing the combined content item as a search result responsive to the request.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first search result is the top search result.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining when the at least one of the eligible content items is associated with a same brand includes determining that one content item is sponsored by an owner of the brand.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein combining includes combining a visual universal resource locator (VisURL), a title, text from the determined one eligible content item and a link to a landing page from the determined one eligible content item into the combined content item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising combining other information associated with the brand in the combination content item.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein other information includes a map to retail locations associated with brand retail presence.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein other information includes retail location information associated with the brand.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the other information includes an image or logo associated with the brand.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the other information includes one or more products associated with the brand.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the other information includes additional links associated with the brand.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first search result is not the top result.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein determining when at least one of the eligible content items is associated with a same brand includes determining that one eligible content item is associated with a retailer associated with the brand.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein combining includes designating content from the at least one eligible content item that is included in the combined content item as sponsored content.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising monetizing interactions with material that is included from the at least one eligible content item that is included in the combined content item based on user interactions with the material.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first search result is associated with the brand by being a product or retailer of the brand.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein combining includes combining additional links relevant to the result.

17. A non-transitive computer-readable medium including instructions, that when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive a search query;

identify search results responsive to the query, including identifying a first search result in a top set of search results that is associated with a first brand;

determine the first brand associated with the first search result;

based at least in part on the query, identify one or more eligible content items for delivery along with the search results responsive to the query;

determine a second brand associated with at least one of the eligible content items;

compare the first and second brands, and when the first and second brands are the same, create a combined content item, the combined content item being a single display unit including at least a portion of the first search result and at least a portion of content from the first eligible content item, wherein the respective portions are less than an entire portion of content and being presented along with other search results responsive to the search query, wherein creating further includes determining content sponsor preferences associated with a content sponsor of the first eligible content item, the content sponsor preferences including one or more specifications for how to combine the first eligible content item with the first search result, and wherein creating further includes generating the combined content item in accordance with the content sponsor preferences; and

provide the combined content item as a search result responsive to the request.

18. A system comprising:

a content identification engine that evaluates terms and phrases in a received query to identify content responsive to the request;

an entity/brand determination engine that determines when at least one of the eligible content items identified by the content identification engine is associated with a same entity/brand as the entity/brand associated with the first search result of the search results;

a content item combination engine that combines a first search result and one of the determined at least one eligible content items into a combined content item;

a request handler that handles requests for content received by the content management system;

a request handler that handles requests for content received by a content management system, the content management system selecting and providing content in response to requests for content;

one or more processors; and

one or more memory elements including instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a search query;

identify search results responsive to the query, including identifying a first search result in a top set of search results that is associated with a first brand;

determine the first brand associated with the first search result;

based at least in part on the query, identify one or more eligible content items for delivery along with the search results responsive to the query;

determine a second brand associated with at least one of the eligible content items;

compare the first and second brands, and when the first and second brands are the same, create a combined content item, the combined content item being a single display unit including at least a portion of the first search result and at least a portion of content from the first eligible content item, wherein the respective portions are less than an entire portion of content and being presented along with other search results responsive to the search query, wherein creating further includes determining content sponsor preferences associated with a content sponsor of the first eligible content item, the content sponsor preferences including one or more specifications for how to combine the first eligible content item with the first search result, and wherein creating further includes generating the combined content item in accordance with the content sponsor preferences; and

provide the combined content item as a search result responsive to the request.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein determining when the at least one of the eligible content items is associated with a same brand includes determining that one content item is sponsored by an owner of the brand.