Using recent queries for inserting relevant search results for navigational queries

• US 10,061,850 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2010
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurzion, Yair, Kulick, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Yen, Syling
• Application Number:
  US12/844,744
• Time in Patent Office: 2,954 Days
• Field of Search: 707616, 707706-723, 707731, 707732, 707735, 707748-755, 707759, 707775, 707779-780, 707769, 7079991
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A method and system for using recent search queries for inserting relevant search results for navigational queries. At a server, multiple first queries including one or more search terms are received from a first user of a client. At least a subset of the first queries is stored in memory. A navigational query is received from the first user. The navigational query includes a first identifier of a first web site. An alternate query including one or more of the search terms is performed at the server. The search results for the alternate query are transmitted to the client for display to the first user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a server having one or more processors and memory storing programs executable by the processors,

receiving from a first user a query for one or more items of interest, the query including at least one search term;

obtaining and storing results responsive to the query;

after obtaining and storing the results responsive to the query;

receiving from the first user a separate navigational query for a first website, wherein the navigational query includes a first identifier of the first web site, and wherein the at least one search term is absent from the navigational query; and

in response to receiving the navigational query, when the query is a recent query, obtaining the at least one search term from the recent query and executing an alternate query of the first web site to yield alternate search results responsive to the alternate query within a domain of the first website, the alternate query including the at least one search term and the navigational query; and

formatting for display and transmitting to the first user the alternate search results, at least one top ranking navigational search result, and at least one remaining navigational search result, wherein the at least one top ranking navigational search result, the alternate search results, and the at least one remaining navigational search result are associated with a priority attribute that indicates a priority level for display,

wherein a first priority attribute is associated with the at least one top ranking navigational search result and indicates that the at least one top ranking navigational search result is to be displayed above other search results displayed on a search result page, a second priority attribute is associated with the alternate query search result and indicates that the alternate query search result is to be displayed below the at least one top ranking navigational search result in the search result page, and a third priority attribute is associated with the at least one remaining navigational search result and indicates that the at least one remaining navigational search result is to be displayed below the alternate query search result in the search result page, the first priority attribute having a highest priority level and the third priority attribute having a lowest priority level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining search information for a plurality of second users, the search information including a plurality of search pairs, each search pair including a second identifier of a second web site and an identifier of an item associated with the second web site,

comparing the first identifier of the first web site and the at least one search term with the stored search pairs to determine that a match exits.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the navigational query to obtain navigational search results;

merging the search results for the alternate query and the navigational search results to form merged search results; and

transmitting the merged search results to the client for display to the first user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the merged search results include an arrangement where the at least one top ranking navigational search result is presented with the first priority attribute, the alternate query search result is presented with the second priority attribute, and the at least one remaining navigational search result is presented with the third priority attribute.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

prior to performing the alternative query,

confirming that a second user has previously selected results associated with the at least one search term from the recent query, wherein the previously selected results are associated with the first website.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results for the alternate query further include a search result in the search results for the recent query.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the recent query comprises a first recent query, the method further comprising receiving a plurality of recent queries, including the first recent query, from the first user within a predefined period of time.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a plurality of the recent queries included in most recent N queries received from the user, wherein N is a predefined number.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to performing the alternate query, comparing the at least one search term with a list of items for the first web site to determine that items referenced by the search terms are associated with the first web site.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the recent query and the navigational query are queries received within a same browsing session.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more items of interest are goods or services.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one search term is not present in the navigational query.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first website is an e-commerce web site, and the one or more goods or services can be purchased or sold at the first web site.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigational query is based on text received from the user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one search term corresponds to a most recent query, wherein the most recent query is determined with respect to a time stamp associated with a server of the navigational query from the user.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one top ranking navigational search result, the alternate query search result, and the at least one remaining navigational search result are formatted for concurrent display on the search result page.

17. A system for providing search results to a first user of a client, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing program modules executable by the processors, the program modules including;

a receiving module configured to receive a first query for one or more items of interest and a navigational query for a first website, wherein the first query includes at least one search term, and wherein the navigational query includes a first identifier of the first web site, and the at least one search term is absent from the navigational query;

an execution module configured to;

obtain and store results responsive to the first query prior to receiving the navigation query, wherein the first query is a recent query of the navigation query,

after obtaining and storing the results responsive to the recent query, in response to receiving the navigational query, obtain the at least one search term from the recent query, and

execute an alternate query of the first web site to yield alternate search results responsive to the alternate query within a domain of the first website, the alternate query including the at least one search term and the navigational query; and

a transmitting module configured to transmit to the first user the alternate search results, at least one top ranking navigational search result, and at least one remaining navigational search result for display, wherein the at least one top ranking navigational search result, the alternate search results, and the at least one remaining navigational search result are associated with a priority attribute that indicates a priority level for display,

wherein a first priority attribute is associated with the at least one top ranking navigational search result and indicates that the at least one top ranking navigational search result is to be displayed above other search results displayed on a search result page, a second priority attribute is associated with the alternate query search result and indicates that the alternate query search result is to be displayed below the at least one top ranking navigational search result in the search result page, and a third priority attribute is associated with the at least one remaining navigational search result and indicates that the at least one remaining navigational search result is to be displayed below the alternate query search result in the search result page, the first priority attribute having a highest priority level and the third priority attribute having a lowest priority level.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a second database configured to obtain search information for a plurality of second users, the search information including a plurality of search pairs, each search pair including a second identifier of a second web site and an identifier of an item associated with the second web site; and

a determining module configured to compare the first identifier of the first web site and the at least one search term with the stored search pairs to determine that a match exits and notify the execution module of the existing match.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the determining module is further configured to:

compare the at least one search term with a stored list of items for the first web site; and

when there is a match, notify the execution module of the existing match.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the execution module is further configured to:

perform the navigational query in parallel with the alternate query to receive navigational search results; and

receive the navigational search results for the navigational query.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a merging module configured to merge the search results for the alternate query and the navigational search results to form merged search results;

wherein the transmitting module is further configured to transmit the merged search results to the client for display to the first user.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the merging module is further configured to arrange the merged search results such that

the at least one top ranking navigational search result is presented with the first priority attribute,

the alternate query search result is presented with the second priority attribute, and

the at least one remaining navigational search result is presented with the third priority attribute.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the search results for the alternate query further include a search result in the search results for the recent query.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a determining module configured to confirm, prior to execution of the alternative query by the execution module, that a second user has previously selected the items when they have been returned in prior search results for the navigational query.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the at least one search term corresponds to a most recent query, wherein the most recent query is determined with respect to a time stamp associated with a server of the navigational query from the user.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one top ranking navigational search result, the alternate query search result, and the at least one remaining navigational search result are formatted for concurrent display on the search result page.