METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DYNAMICALLY SUGGESTING ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TO A PORTAL OF AN ONLINE SERVICE

• US 20130246406A1
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: McFarlane, Patrick, Mathrubootham, Ganesh, Yang, Shuchun
• Granted Patent: US 9,218,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for dynamically suggesting answers to questions submitted to a portal of an online service. These mechanisms and methods for dynamically suggesting answers to questions submitted to a portal of an online service can enable embodiments to provide help document suggestions with limited user input. The ability of embodiments to provide help document search term suggestions with limited user input can enable users to quickly and efficiently find useful help documents.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically providing search suggestions to a user of an on-demand service in a multi-tenant database environment, the method comprising:

receiving, at a host system that is remote from a user system, input from a user for conducting a search;

searching a storage area at the host system for stored search terms from prior searches that are similar to the input;

determining a ranking for each search term found based on the searching, the ranking being a value that indicates an expected likelihood that the user will be interested in the search term;

sending, from the host system to the user system, the search terms found listed in order of ranking as search suggestions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search suggestions that are sent are formatted such that search suggestions having a higher ranking are displayed higher than search suggestions having a lower ranking.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the search suggestions that are sent are previously submitted search terms.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing in a first object for storing data, the search suggestions in association with scores;

storing in a second object for storing data, raw search terms that were previously used for conducting a search.

5. A computer-readable medium storing one or more sequences of instructions for causing one or more processors to implement a method for dynamically providing search suggestions to a user of an on-demand service in a multi-tenant database environment, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a host system that is remote from a user system, input from a user for conducting a search;

searching a storage area at the host system for stored search terms from prior searches that are similar to the input;

determining a ranking for each search term found based on the searching, the ranking being a value that indicates an expected likelihood that the user will be interested in the search term;

sending, from the host system to the user system, the search terms found listed in order of ranking as search suggestions.

6. A machine resident host system for dynamically providing search suggestions to a user of an on-demand service in a multi-tenant database environment, the host system comprising:

a processor system, a memory system including at least volatile memory, and non-volatile memory;

the non-volatile memory including at least one machine readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which when implemented causes the processor system to implement a method comprising;

receiving, at a host system that is remote from a user system, input from a user for conducting a search;

searching a storage area at the host system for stored search terms from prior searches that are similar to the input;

determining a ranking for each search term found based on the searching, the ranking being a value that indicates an expected likelihood that the user will be interested in the search term;

sending, from the host system to the user system, the search terms found listed in order of ranking as search suggestions.