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Search ranking based on natural language query patterns

  • US 9,396,235 B1
  • Filed: 12/13/2013
  • Issued: 07/19/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

  • obtaining, by a search engine, a set of query patterns that are associated with searching for a particular fact, the set of query patterns including a first subset of one or more query patterns that are expressed in a natural language format, and a second subset of one or more query patterns that are not expressed in a natural language format;

    determining, by the search engine, (i) a first quantity of query patterns that occur in the set of query patterns that are associated with searching for the particular fact, and (ii) a second quantity of query patterns that occur in the first subset of query patterns that are expressed in a natural language format;

    determining, by the search engine, a likelihood that a particular query is a fact-seeking query based at least on comparing the first quantity and the second quantity, wherein a fact-seeking query is a query for which a factual answer is presented adjacent to one or more search results, in an answer area of a search results page that is generated in response to the query; and

    using, by the search engine, the likelihood as a signal for ranking search results.

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