Selecting content based on entities present in search results

• US 9,436,946 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Collins, Alexander, Wansley, Andrew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hasan, Syed
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ahmed, Saba
• Application Number:
  US13/955,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for providing content to a user. A method includes: receiving a query; receiving query results based on the query; determining for each of a predetermined number of top results entities associated therewith; using the determined entities to either augment or filter the query producing an enhanced query; and using the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation to a user along with the query results.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a query submitted from a user device;

receiving a set of query results identified using the query;

prior to presentation of the set of query results;

evaluating, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept;

creating an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query;

using the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and

incorporating the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining one or more sponsored content items includes determining one or more advertisements that are targeted to the entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the query results are of the form of suggestions that are made responsive to the query being entered and prior to the submission of the query to a search service and wherein the one or more sponsored content items include sponsored content items for presentation along with a resource associated with a selected suggestion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the query is an implicit query and results in presentation of query results to the user without the user explicitly providing the query.

6. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage device and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a query submitted from a user device;

receive a set of query results identified using the query;

prior to presentation of the set of query results;

evaluate, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept;

create an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query;

use the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and

incorporate the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

7. The product of claim 6 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.

8. A system comprising:

a query enhancer;

a content selector; and

wherein the query enhancer is configured to;

receive a query submitted from a user device;

receive a set of query results identified using the query;

prior to presentation of the set of query results;

evaluate, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept; and

create an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query; and

wherein the content selector is configured to;

use the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and

incorporate the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.