Personalizing search queries based on user membership in social network communities

• US 9,971,839 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Spertus, Ellen, Lawrence, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hasan, Syed H
• Application Number:
  US15/286,830
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3337 Translation of the query language, e.g. Chinese to English
• 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 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Methods and systems for improving user search experience with a search engine by providing a way for associated users to personalize search queries and/or search results based on users'"'"' information gathered from a social network. Search personalization can be achieved through the tailoring of search methodologies or the ranking or ordering of search results in accordance with information gathered for each user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

hosting, using one or more computing devices, a social network comprising a plurality of communities associated with a plurality of users;

identifying, from the plurality of communities, a set of communities that a first user belongs to;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, a list of classifications for the first user based upon the set of communities;

determining a degree of personalization based on an amount that the first user has participated in each community of the set of communities;

determining, using the one or more computing devices, personalization information from the list of classifications associated with the first user and the degree of personalization;

generating, using the one or more computing devices, a personalized search query based upon the personalization information; and

searching, using the one or more computing devices, a content index using the personalized search query to produce a search result set comprising documents relevant to the personalized search query.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the personalization information further comprises receiving a suggested search term from a member of the set of communities, wherein the personalized search query, generated based upon the personalization information, includes the suggested search term, and wherein searching the content index to produce the search result set is based upon the personalized search query including the suggested search term.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting the suggested search term based upon feedback to the search result set.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising determining the personalization information from user profiles associated with the first user and the users connect with the first user in the social network.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4,

wherein determining the personalization information is based on membership information of a second user in a community, and wherein the second user connects with the first user in the social network and the first user fails to be a member of the community.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the degree of personalization is based upon a frequency of participation by the first user in the set of communities.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising automatically determining the personalization information from online activities and consumer information of the first user on the social network.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising ranking the search result set based upon a relevancy of a search result in the search result set to the set of communities.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the first user, a search query directed to the content index that is independent of the social network.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein generating the personalized search query further comprises combining the search query and the personalization information to form the personalized search query.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

host a social network comprising a plurality of communities associated with a plurality of users;

identify, from the plurality of communities, a set of communities that a first user belongs to;

determine a list of classifications for the first user based upon the set of communities;

determine a degree of personalization based on an amount that the first user has participated in each community of the set of communities;

determine personalization information from the list of classifications associated with the first user and the degree of personalization;

generate a personalized search query based upon the personalization information; and

search a content index using the personalized search query to produce a search result set comprising documents relevant to the personalized search query.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the personalization information further comprises receiving a suggested search term from a member of the set of communities, wherein the personalized search query, generated based upon the personalization information, includes the suggested search term, and wherein searching the content index to produce the search result set is based upon the personalized search query including the suggested search term.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to adjust the suggested search term based upon feedback to the search result set.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to determine the personalization information from user profiles associated with the first user and the users connect with the first user in the social network.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to:

determine the personalization information based on membership information of a second user in a community, and wherein the second user connects with the first user in the social network and the first user fails to be a member of the community.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein determining the degree of personalization is based upon one or more of a frequency of participation by the first user in the set of communities.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to automatically determine the personalization information from online activities and consumer information of the first user on the social network.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to rank the search result set based upon a relevancy of a search result in the search result set to the set of communities.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to receive, from the first user, a search query directed to the content index that is independent of the social network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the system to generate the personalized search query by combining the search query and the personalization information to form the personalized search query.