Entity based search and resolution

• US 9,443,021 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chandra, Ashok K, Dabrowski, Olivier Jerzy, Gemmell, David James, Rubinstein, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MERILYN P
• Application Number:
  US13/341,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/748, 707/752, 707/754
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing a rich search experience utilizing entity-type characterization are provided. A search query is received and an entity type is determined for the query. A Web search is then performed for the query against a predefined list of sources determined to be authoritative for the determined entity type. The results of the source-specific searches are filtered based upon the entity type providing a filtered list of results that each pertains to an entity of the entity type determined to be associated with the query. The filtered list are then compared to a list of resolved entities to determine equivalent entities identified by different searched sources, the equivalent entities being combined into a single potential search result. The consolidated search results are then ordered based upon rank values. At least a portion of the results may then be presented to the user.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method for targeting search based upon entity types and resolving results of the search, the method comprising:

receiving a search query;

identifying at least one entity associated with the search query;

determining at least one entity type relevant to the at least one entity associated with the received search query, wherein the entity type represents at least one common attribute shared by the at least one entity and one or more other entities;

identifying a plurality of authoritative sources, the authoritative sources comprising Web sources determined to be authoritative for the at least one entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query;

performing a search of each of the authoritative sources for the received search query to identify search results relevant to the received search query, wherein the search results are compiled into source-specific search result lists for each of the authoritative sources;

for the each of the authoritative sources, filtering each source-specific search result lists for each of the authoritative sources based on the entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query to create a filtered list of search results for each of the authoritative sources, each search result in the filtered list of search results relevant to the received search query and pertaining to a particular entity associated with the at least one entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query;

consolidating equivalent entities across each of the filtered lists for each of the authoritative sources to generate a plurality of sets of equivalent entities, each set of equivalent entities relevant to the received search query and pertaining to a different particular entity associated with the at least one entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query;

ordering the sets of equivalent entities based upon rank values, wherein a rank value assigned to at least one of the sets of equivalent entities is an aggregate rank value computed from individual rank values provided for the particular entity pertaining to the at least one set by at least a portion of the authoritative sources;

providing at least a portion of the sets of equivalent entities, wherein information associated with at least one of the presented sets of equivalent entities is derived from multiple ones of the authoritative sources; and

providing one or more indicators corresponding to at least a portion of the multiple ones of the authoritative sources from which the information associated with the at least a portion of the sets of equivalent entities is derived.

2. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein filtering the search results to create the filtered list of search results comprises filtering the search results, at least in part, utilizing Uniform Resource Locator patterning.

3. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein consolidating the equivalent entities across the each of the filtered lists comprises comparing the each of the filtered lists to a resolved entity list to determine the equivalent entities.

4. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the information derived from at least one of the multiple ones of the authoritative sources is not presented in association with the at least a portion of the sets of equivalent entities provided.

5. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the one or more indicators corresponding to the at least a portion of the multiple ones of the authoritative sources is selectable.

6. A method being performed by one or more computing devices including at least one processor, for targeting search based upon entity types and resolving results of the search, the method comprising:

receiving a search query;

identifying at least one entity associated with the search query;

determining at least one entity type relevant to the at least one entity associated with the received search query, wherein the entity type represents at least one common attribute shared by the at least one entity and one or more other entities;

identifying a plurality of authoritative sources, the authoritative sources comprising Web sources determined to be authoritative for the at least one entity type associated with the received search query, the authoritative sources comprising one or more of a subset of crawled Web sources or subscribed structured feeds relevant to the at least one entity type associated with the received search query;

using the received search query, searching each of the authoritative sources to identify a list of search results relevant to the received search query for each of the authoritative sources;

for each of the authoritative sources, filtering each list of search results for each of the authoritative sources based on the at least one entity type associated with the received search query to create a filtered list of search results for each of the authoritative sources, each search result in the filtered list of search results relevant to the received search query and pertaining to a particular entity associated with the at least one entity type;

comparing, using the one or more computing devices, each of the filtered lists of search results for each of the authoritative sources to a resolved entity list to determine equivalent entities across the each of the filtered lists of search results;

creating a consolidated list of search results by consolidating the equivalent entities determined across the each of the filtered lists of search results, each search result in the consolidated list of search results relevant to the received search query and pertaining to a different particular entity associated with the at least one entity type associated with the received search query;

ordering the consolidated list of search results based upon rank values, wherein a rank value assigned to at least one of the search results in the consolidated list of search results is an aggregate rank value computed from individual rank values provided for the particular entity pertaining to the at least one of the search results by at least a portion of the authoritative sources;

providing at least a portion of the ordered list of search results, wherein information associated with at least one search result of the provided portion of the ordered list of search results is derived from multiple ones of the authoritative sources, and wherein one or more indicators corresponding to at least a portion of the multiple ones of the authoritative sources is provided.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein filtering the search results based on the at least one entity type associated with the received search query to create the filtered list of search results comprises filtering the search results, at least in part, utilizing Uniform Resource Locator patterning.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the information derived from at least one of the multiple ones of the authoritative sources is not provided.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the one or more indicators is selectable.

10. A system for targeting search based upon entity type and resolving results of the search, the system comprising:

a computing device associated with a search engine having one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media; and

a data store coupled with the search engine, wherein the search engine;

receives a search query;

identifies at least one entity associated with the search query;

determines at least one entity type relevant to the at least one entity associated with the received search query, wherein the at least one entity type represents at least one common attribute shared by the at least one entity and one or more other entities;

identifies a plurality of authoritative sources, the authoritative sources comprising Web sources that have been determined to be authoritative for the at least one entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query the authoritative sources comprising one or more of a subset of Web sources crawled by the search engine or structured feeds relevant to the at least one entity type subscribed to by the search engine;

searches each of the authoritative sources to determine a list of search results relevant to the received search query;

for each of the authoritative sources, filters the list of search results based on the entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query to create a filtered list of search results, each search result in the filtered list of search results relevant to the received search query and pertaining to a particular entity associated with the at least one entity type;

compares each of the filtered lists of search results to a resolved entity list to determine equivalent entities across the each of the filtered lists of search results;

creates a consolidated list of search results by consolidating the equivalent entities determined across the each of the filtered lists of search results, each search result in the consolidated list of search results relevant to the received search query and pertaining to a different particular entity associated with the at least one entity type determined to be relevant to the received search query;

orders the consolidated list of search results based upon rank values, wherein a rank value assigned to at least one of the search results in the consolidated list of search results is an aggregate rank value computed from individual rank values provided for the particular entity pertaining to the at least one of the search results by at least a portion of the authoritative sources; and

providing at least a portion of the ordered list of search results, wherein each search result pertains to a different entity, and wherein at least one search result is associated with one or more selectable indicators corresponding to each authoritative source from which the at least one search result is derived,

wherein information associated with the at least one search result of the presented portion of the ordered list of search results is derived from multiple ones of the authoritative sources.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the information derived from at least one of the multiple ones of the authoritative sources is not presented.