Facilitated Search Systems and Methods for Domains
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Abstract
A system that enables the search for providers of services or products, for a given user query that'"'"'s in free text, and typically the services or products are focused on a particular area, such as an industry, a sector, etc. The system thus enables a searcher to submit queries that are substantially similar to those asked to an expert in the area, and get back results that are helpful in their decision making in obtaining services or products. Thus the searcher'"'"'s experience is substantially similar to that of consulting a human expert. The system employs methods in creating a parameterized database from records such as web pages from the entire Web, with a focus on the area. It also employs methods in segmenting a free-text user query into one or more pieces of information, applying rules to individual pieces as well as their relationship so as to deduct knowledge to be used in search. It also employs methods in performing Proximity Search on records of multi-dimensions for queries of multi-dimensions. Further, it employs methods in matching and placing advertisements in relation to user queries and the concepts contained in these queries. Still further, it employs other various methods to enhance the searcher'"'"'s effectiveness in their decision making. Finally, the system is aware of a user query'"'"'s language and region, and serves results, including advertisements, accordingly. The system comprised of automatically discerning the best combinations of a user query'"'"'s geographical origin and language, retrieving and displaying search results accordingly. A record on the system are associated with a geographic location and a language. A record could be composed of two or more records, each of which associates with a location and a language. A record could be in rich media format.
28 Citations
22 Claims
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1-10. -10. (canceled)
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11. A method of providing information to a user with respect to an industry, comprising:
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abstracting web pages into a parameterized and at least partially normalized database using industry knowledge; allowing the user to conduct keyword searches against the database to identify suitable providers for a given project; determining additional information deemed to be helpful in selecting a provider; seeking the additional information from the user; and providing a list of the suitable providers to the user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of modifying a query, comprising applying industry-related lists against the query to derive related additional terms other than terms derived from stemming.
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19. A method of facilitating a search, comprising:
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identifying by human inspection a first dataset comprising a collection of web pages that is known to be an industry; identifying by human inspection a list of keywords for the industry; identifying a second dataset that is at least partially a superset of the first dataset; iteratively expanding the first dataset by copying pages from the second dataset; updating the list of keywords by adding a new keyword; modifying a quality measure of at least one of the keywords; and establishing a stop threshold. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification