TRAIL-BASED EXPLORATION OF A REPOSITORY OF DOCUMENTS

• US 20090265347A1
• Filed: 04/21/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srivastava, Utkarsh, Bohannon, Philip, Reed, Benjamin C., Meredith, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,051,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

Techniques that support trail-based exploration by a user of a repository of documents are described herein. In one embodiment, trail definition data that specifies a trail is received. The trail includes an ordered series of waypoints including a trailhead, intermediate waypoints, and one or more trailends. In some embodiments, deadends may also be defined in the trial. A particular waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints is established as a current waypoint. Search terms can be received from a user to cause a search to be performed. It is then determined whether the search satisfies matching criteria associated with a waypoint that immediately follows the current waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints. If so, the user advances to the next waypoint. Otherwise, the user remains at the current waypoint. Finally, if a trailend is reached, then an action such as rewarding the user in some way may be performed.

Claims

1. A method for trail-based exploration by a user of a repository of documents, comprising the computer-executed steps of:

receiving trail definition data that specifies a trail, wherein the trail includes an ordered series of waypoints;

establishing a first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint;

as a user performs searches against said repository, determining whether the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint that immediately follows the first waypoint;

in response to determining that the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint that immediately follows the first waypoint, performing an action associated with the second waypoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint comprises:

retrieving history data that is associated with said user; and

based on trail exploration information in the history data, establishing the first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint comprises establishing a trailhead of the trail as a current waypoint.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing the second waypoint as the current waypoint;

as the user performs new searches against said repository, determining whether the new searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a third waypoint that immediately follows the second waypoint; and

in response to determining that the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a third waypoint that immediately follows the second waypoint, performing an action associated with the third waypoint.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving, into history data that is associated with said user, trail exploration information related to said trail.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the matching criteria associated with the second waypoint specifies a URL; and

wherein determining whether the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint includes determining whether a document associated with the URL is listed in search results produced by said search.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the document associated with the URL provides information on next search terms for a next search that satisfies next matching criteria associated with a third waypoint that immediately follows the second waypoint.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the matching criteria associated with the second waypoint specifies particular search terms; and

wherein determining whether the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint includes determining whether said received search terms match said particular search terms.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying to said user a plurality of selectable trails that includes said trail.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving one or more keywords from the user; and

determining the plurality of selectable trails using the one or more keywords.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a display page from the user; and

determining the plurality of selectable trails that are associated with the display page.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a hot link with a message that is associated with the first waypoint;

displaying said hot link to said user; and

displaying to said user the message that is associated with the first waypoint in response to receiving a user input event in connection with said hot link.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one waypoint in said series of ordered waypoints is associated with a dead end.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one waypoint in said series of ordered waypoints is associated with a dead end, wherein the dead end is associated with second matching criteria and a second message;

and further comprising;

determining whether the searches satisfy specific matching criteria associated with a dead end that is associated with the first waypoint;

in response to determining that the searches satisfy specific matching criteria associated with a dead end that is associated with the first waypoint, performing;

associating a hot link with a particular message that is associated with the dead end;

displaying said hot link to said user; and

displaying to said user the particular message that is associated with the dead end in response to receiving a user input event in connection with said hot link.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining trail exploration information for one or more active trails that are being explored by said user, wherein the one or more active trails include said trail.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising deleting one or more trails that were previously available for exploration.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said second waypoint is one in a plurality of waypoints that immediately follow said current waypoint.

43. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordered series of waypoints include:

a trailhead,

zero or more intermediate waypoints; and

one or more trailends;

wherein the trailhead is associated with a message, wherein each intermediate waypoint is associated with matching criteria and a message, and wherein each trailend is associated with matching criteria and a particular action.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein performing an action associated with the second waypoint includes:

determining whether the second waypoint is a trailend of the trail; and

in response to determining that the second waypoint is a trailend of the trail, performing the particular action associated with the trailend.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein performing an action associated with the second waypoint includes:

determining that the second waypoint is not a trailend of the trail; and

in response to determining that the second waypoint is not a trailend of the trail, presenting the message associated with the second waypoint.

3. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

22. A computer readable storage medium for storing one or more sequences of instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

receiving trail definition data that specifies a trail, wherein the trail includes an ordered series of waypoints;

establishing a first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint;

as a user performs searches against said repository, determining whether the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint that immediately follows the first waypoint;

in response to determining that the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint that immediately follows the first waypoint, performing an action associated with the second waypoint.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein establishing a first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint comprises:

retrieving history data that is associated with said user; and

based on trail exploration information in the history data, establishing the first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein establishing a first waypoint in the ordered series of waypoints as a current waypoint comprises establishing a trailhead of the trail as a current waypoint.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

establishing the second waypoint as the current waypoint;

as the user performs new searches against said repository, determining whether the new searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a third waypoint that immediately follows the second waypoint; and

in response to determining that the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a third waypoint that immediately follows the second waypoint, performing an action associated with the third waypoint.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising saving, into history data that is associated with said user, trail exploration information related to said trail.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein:

the matching criteria associated with the second waypoint specifies a URL; and

wherein determining whether the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint includes determining whether a document associated with the URL is listed in search results produced by said search.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the document associated with the URL provides information on next search terms for a next search that satisfies next matching criteria associated with a third waypoint that immediately follows the second waypoint.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein:

the matching criteria associated with the second waypoint specifies particular search terms; and

wherein determining whether the searches satisfy matching criteria associated with a second waypoint includes determining whether said received search terms match said particular search terms.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising displaying to said user a plurality of selectable trails that includes said trail.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving one or more keywords from the user; and

determining the plurality of selectable trails using the one or more keywords.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a display page from the user; and

determining the plurality of selectable trails that are associated with the display page.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising:

associating a hot link with a message that is associated with the first waypoint;

displaying said hot link to said user; and

displaying to said user the message that is associated with the first waypoint in response to receiving a user input event in connection with said hot link.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein at least one waypoint in said series of ordered waypoints is associated with a dead end.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein at least one waypoint in said series of ordered waypoints is associated with a dead end, wherein the dead end is associated with second matching criteria and a second message;

and further comprising;

determining whether the searches satisfy specific matching criteria associated with a dead end that is associated with the first waypoint;

in response to determining that the searches satisfy specific matching criteria associated with a dead end that is associated with the first waypoint, performing;

associating a hot link with a particular message that is associated with the dead end;

displaying said hot link to said user; and

displaying to said user the particular message that is associated with the dead end in response to receiving a user input event in connection with said hot link.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising maintaining trail exploration information for one or more active trails that are being explored by said user, wherein the one or more active trails include said trail.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, further comprising deleting one or more trails that were previously available for exploration.

42. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said second waypoint is one in a plurality of waypoints that immediately follow said current waypoint.

46. The computer readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the ordered series of waypoints include:

a trailhead,

zero or more intermediate waypoints; and

one or more trailends;

wherein the trailhead is associated with a message, wherein each intermediate waypoint is associated with matching criteria and a message, and wherein each trailend is associated with matching criteria and a particular action.

47. The computer readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the instructions for performing an action associated with the second waypoint include instructions for:

determining whether the second waypoint is a trailend of the trail; and

in response to determining that the second waypoint is a trailend of the trail, performing the particular action associated with the trailend.

48. The computer readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein the instructions for performing an action associated with the second waypoint further comprise instructions for:

determining that the second waypoint is not a trailend of the trail; and

in response to determining that the second waypoint is not a trailend of the trail, presenting the message associated with the second waypoint.

24. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

41. (canceled)