Scalable search system using human searchers

• US 20070174244A1
• Filed: 01/23/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,065,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages

Abstract

A system that allows a query to be submitted to a query distribution server that locates a human searcher who can perform a search on the query. The searcher performs a search using conventional search tools, such as a computer browser, and provides the results to the user through the system. A searcher who produces a search accepted by the user is rewarded. The results linked to the query can be stored in a database for later use when a similar query is submitted by another user. The searcher is located by comparing keywords of the query to keywords for which the searcher has registered to do searches. The searcher chosen by the system is one that ranks well in the keywords of the query that match to keywords registered by the searcher, prior successful searching by the searcher, speed of producing search results, and other factors that help to provide a quality search and experience for the user. While the search is being performed the user can be occupied by information provided to the user, such as videos, games, advertisements, etc. The information presented during the search can be based on keywords of the query and designated by the searcher who performs the search. The reward for the searchers can be based on revenue from advertisements.

Claims

1. A method of performing a search, comprising:

receiving a query from a query source;

selecting a human searcher who can perform a search responsive to the query; and

presenting the query to the searcher to perform a search for the query and produce search results; and

supplying search results to the query source.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said receiving, selecting, presenting and supplying are performed in real-time.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises searching a database for a searcher matching the query.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein method comprises associating searchers with keywords and said searching comprises comparing keywords of the query to keywords assigned to searchers.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising ranking keywords for selecting a searcher.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising ranking searchers responsive to effectiveness and said selecting of a searcher is based on the rank of the searchers.

7. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said determining comprises identifying plural searchers and said presenting comprises presenting the query to the plurality of searchers.

8. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said determining comprises identifying a first single searcher and said presenting comprises presenting the query to the first single searcher.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said determining comprises identifying a second single searcher after the first single searcher discontinued a search.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein a first searcher to respond is allowed to perform the search.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the results comprise one of a voice message, a text message, a graphics message and a uniform resource locator.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the query has been previously searched; and

providing previous search results responsive to the determining.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said determining comprises:

comparing keywords of the query with keywords of previous queries;

presenting a user with the previous queries having like keywords; and

allowing the user to select one of the previous queries.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the matching comprises a fuzzy match.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the matching comprises a partial match.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the query source comprises one of a user computer system, a digital query source, a user application, a telephone, an automated query source, a translation system and a speech query source.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transcribing a speech query into a text query.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising providing a voice message as search results.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the query source comprises a cellular telephone and the query comprises a text message.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the results comprises a text message displayed by the cellular telephone.

21. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the query source comprises a cellular telephone and the results comprise one of a text message, graphics and a uniform resource locator displayed by the cellular telephone.

22. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the query comprises a voice query and the selecting selects responsive to spoken keywords.

23. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting messages between a user and a searcher concerning the query.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising providing a chat area for the messages.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the messages comprise voice messages.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting via a voice over internet protocol channel.

27. A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising presenting an advertisement during the transmitting.

28. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein either the user or the searcher can modify the query during the search process.

29. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising presenting an advertisement to a user during a time that the search is being performed.

30. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising presenting one of an analog or digital advertisement to a user during a time that the search is being performed.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein the analog advertisement is a spoken message.

32. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising presenting an advertisement to a user during the receiving, selecting, presenting and supplying.

33. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein allowing a searcher accepting a search query to designate the advertisement.

34. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein advertisers may bid for position and placement and timing of advertisements associated with keywords on a user'"'"'s GUI.

35. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein advertisers may bid for position and placement and timing of ads associated with keywords on the searcher'"'"'s GUI and the searcher can optionally pick which advertisement is presented.

36. A method as recited in claim 1, providing a reward to a searcher that has search results accepted by a user.

37. A method as recited in claim 1, providing a reward to a searcher that has search results not rejected by a user.

38. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the determining locates plural searchers for the search, the presenting presents plural searchers with the query, the supplying supplies a first of the searchers search results to the user.

39. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

locating additional searchers when the results are rejected by the user; and

allowing the additional searchers to perform the search.

40. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the searcher ranking is stored in a database and determines how the searcher will be utilized in future searches.

41. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising allowing a searcher to transfer the query to a second searcher.

42. A method as recited in claim 41, wherein the transfer comprises designating a keyword associated with the second searcher.

43. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein searcher ranking for a particular user can be set by the particular user.

45. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

ranking keywords based on a first searcher associated with a first keyword, transferring a query to a second searcher associated with a second keyword;

ranking the second keyword higher than the first keyword, so that in a future query involving the same first and second keywords, the second keyword may be used to select a searcher with higher priority than using the first keyword to select a searcher.

46. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein the rankings for a future query uses a global rank for keywords that gets incremented or decremented.

47. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein the rankings for a future query uses keyword pairs that relate which of two keywords, when seen in combination, should be the higher priority.

48. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising sending the keywords to a search engine.

68. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the presenting presents a video advertisement.

69. A method as recited in claim 68, further comprising allowing uploading video advertisements based on keywords.

70. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the searcher performing a search of a local hard drive, a bookshelf and a non-public source.

71. A method as recited in claim 70 further comprising:

providing search results in a designated web site; and

providing the user with a pointer to the designated web site

44. A method of ranking keywords, comprising:

determining a number of searchers signed up for each of the keywords; and

ordering the keywords responsive to the number.

49. A system, comprising;

a user system allowing a user to enter a query;

a server determining a searcher to search the query; and

a searcher system allowing the searcher to search for search results for the query and provide the search results to the user.

50. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer with a process stored therein, comprising locating a searcher who can perform a search responsive to a received query and presenting the query to the searcher to perform a search for the query and produce search results.

51. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer with a database comprising a query, a keyword corresponding to the query and a searcher corresponding to the keyword.

52. A computer readable data structure of a storage for controlling a computer comprising a keywords and searchers linked to the keywords.

53. A user display, comprising;

a query field for entry of a query by a user to be provided to a searcher; and

a search results field for search results supplied by the searcher.

54. A searcher display, comprising:

a query field providing the query of a user; and

a search results field for search results to be supplied to the user.

66. A display as recited in claim 54, further comprising:

a favorite website area;

a favorite search engine area;

a transfer button to transfer the query to another searcher; and

a results area where search results can be placed to transfer either partial or final search results to the user.

67. A method as recited in claim 66 further comprising an area for the searcher selecting advertisements that can be sent to the user for wm the searcher is conducting a search.

55. A method, comprising:

presenting a searcher with a query and allowing the searcher to produce search results for the query; and

rewarding the searcher for accepted search results.

56. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein the reward is a pyramid reward.

57. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein the reward includes a graduated payment.

58. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein the reward is determined responsive to searcher performance.

59. A method as recited in claim 55, wherein a searcher ranking is lowered responsive to non-accepted results.

60. A method, comprising:

starting a search responsive to a query; and

presenting an advertisement to a user during the search.

61. A method as recited in claim 60, wherein the advertisement is presented prior to returning the search results.

62. A method as recited in claim 60, further comprising producing a user display with a communication area is used for exchanging information between user and searcher.

63. A method as recited in claim 60, further comprising producing a user display with an area for receiving advertisements.

64. A method as recited in claim 60, wherein said advertisement is associated with a keyword.

65. A method as recited in claim 63, wherein said advertisement is chosen by a searcher before being sent to the display.