SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVALUATING RESULTS OF A SEARCH QUERY IN A NETWORK ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120310926A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gannu, Satish K., Sambhus, Sonali Mihir, Tao, Yicheng, Frazier, Leon A., Durazzo, Kenneth A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,909,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method is provided in one example and includes receiving results for a search query initiated by a user; evaluating the results in relation to a personal profile of the user. The personal profile includes a plurality of characteristics associated with the user. The method also includes ranking the results based on the evaluation in order to generate a resultant that reflects a ranking of the results, and communicating the resultant to the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving results of a search query initiated by a user;

evaluating the results in relation to a personal profile of the user, wherein the personal profile includes a plurality of characteristics associated with the user;

ranking the results based on the evaluation in order to generate a resultant that reflects a ranking of the results; and

communicating the resultant to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of characteristics include at least one of:

a) a media type preferred by the user;

b) a derived expertise for the user;

c) a social network of the user;

d) a user name;

e) an employer associated with the user;

f) a tag cloud associated with the user;

g) an age of the user;

h) an information flow characteristic associated with the user;

i) past queries associated with the user; and

j) a rating of similar searches.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the characteristics is weighted more than another characteristic from the plurality of characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

evaluating the results based on a social network of the user;

evaluating the results based on attributes of the user; and

evaluating the results based on preferences declared by the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein evaluating the results based on the social network is done in parallel with evaluating the results based on the attributes and in parallel with evaluating the results based on the preferences.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal profile of the user is created using a personal vocabulary database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal profile of the user is created using a personalized recommendation engine.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that when executed perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving results for a search query initiated by a user;

evaluating the results in relation to a personal profile of the user, wherein the personal profile includes a plurality of characteristics associated with the user;

ranking the results based on the evaluation in order to generate a resultant that reflects a ranking of the results; and

communicating the resultant to the user.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the plurality of characteristics include at least one of:

a) a media type preferred by the user;

b) a derived expertise for the user;

c) a social network of the user;

d) a user name;

e) an employer associated with the user;

f) a tag cloud associated with the user;

g) an age of the user;

h) an information flow characteristic associated with the user;

i) past queries associated with the user; and

j) a rating of similar searches.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 9, wherein at least one of the characteristics is weighted more than another characteristic from the plurality of characteristics.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8, further comprising:

evaluating the results based on a social network of the user;

evaluating the results based on attributes of the user; and

evaluating the results based on preferences declared by the user.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 11, wherein evaluating the results based on the social network is done in parallel with evaluating the results based on the attributes and in parallel with evaluating the results based on the preferences.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the personal profile of the user is created using a personal vocabulary database.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 8, wherein the personal profile of the user is created using a personalized recommendation engine.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store electronic code;

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the electronic code; and

a recommendation engine and a profile builder module, wherein the apparatus is configured for;

receiving results for a search query initiated by a user;

evaluating the results in relation to a personal profile of the user, wherein the personal profile includes a plurality of characteristics associated with the user;

ranking the results based on the evaluation in order to generate a resultant that reflects a ranking of the results; and

communicating the resultant to the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein at least one of the characteristics is weighted more than another characteristic from the plurality of characteristics.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further configured for:

evaluating the results based on a social network of the user;

evaluating the results based on attributes of the user; and

evaluating the results based on preferences declared by the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein evaluating the results based on the social network is done in parallel with evaluating the results based on the attributes and in parallel with evaluating the results based on the preferences.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the personal profile of the user is created using a personal vocabulary database.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the personal profile of the user is created using a personalized recommendation engine.