SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPROVED WEB SEARCHING

• US 20160350434A1
• Filed: 08/15/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: TIMM, Sean Christopher, ACHUTHAN, Sudhir
• Granted Patent: US 10,956,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for improved web searching. In one implementation, suggested search queries are provided based on previous search queries and click data. A weighted bi-partite graph or index may be used to identify related search queries based on overlapping clicked URLs. According to a method, query-click log data of a search engine is processed to generate sets of suggested search queries, data corresponding to each suggested search query, and a set of clicked URLs related to each suggested search query. Additionally, or independently, methods may be provided for contextually correcting spelling errors within sets of suggested search queries using e contextual algorithm, and/or identifying and discarding sets of suggested search queries and URLs that lead to restricted material, such as restricted content and related URLs.

Claims

1-32. -32. (canceled)

33. A computer-implemented method for filtering restricted content, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

retrieving an in-string black list and an in-string white list of at least one of search queries or URL records;

selecting a record from a set of data records;

comparing a substring of the selected record against the in-string black list to determine if the substring of the selected record matches at least one listing in the in-string black list;

marking the selected record as potentially blocked if the substring is determined to match the at least one listing in the in-string black list;

determining if the selected record should be blocked based on analysis of the in-string white list; and

filtering all blocked records from the set of data records.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

matching the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list;

unblocking the selected record if the character substring exactly matches a listing in the in-string white list; and

maintaining the selected record in the set of data records.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

matching the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list;

blocking the selected record if the character substring does not exactly match a listing in the in-string white list; and

discarding the selected record from the set of data records.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

matching the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list; and

automatically adding the selected record to the in-string black list if the character substring does not exactly match a listing in the in-string white list.

37. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

matching the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list; and

determining whether additional records are to be processed when the character substring does not exactly match a listing in the in-string white list.

38. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

comparing a substring of the selected record against an editorial list or automatically generated lists of adult URLs and search queries; and

marking the selected record as potentially blocked if the substring is determined to match the at least one listing in the editorial list or automatically generated lists of adult URLs and search queries.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

determining a threshold value of URLs clicked in response to the search query; and

labeling the search query within the in-string black list that points to a restricted content URL as a restricted content query if more than the threshold value of URLs are clicked in response to the search query.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

overriding the in-string black list to allow a character substring included within the in-string black list to be included in the in-string white list.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

expanding the in-string white list to maintain records for search queries and clicked URLs related to at least one of finance or banking.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the in-string black list includes entries associated with a parental control set by a user, a user authorization level, a fee or subscription based access level, a geographic area or time zone restriction, or a client device and connection status restriction.

43. A system for filtering restricted content, comprising:

a storage medium that stores instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to;

retrieve an in-string black list and an in-string white list of at least one of search queries or URL records;

select a record from a set of data records;

compare a substring of the selected record against the in-string black list to determine if the substring of the selected record matches at least one listing in the in-string black list;

mark the selected record as potentially blocked if the substring is determined to match the at least one listing in the in-string black list;

determine if the selected record should be blocked based on analysis of the in-string white list; and

filter all blocked records from the set of data records.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

match the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list;

unblock the selected record if the character substring exactly matches a listing in the in-string white list; and

maintain the selected record in the set of data records.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

match the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list;

block the selected record if the character substring does not exactly match a listing in the in-string white list; and

discard the selected record from the set of data records.

46. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

match the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list; and

automatically add the selected record to the in-string black list if the character substring does not exactly match a listing in the in-string white list.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

match the character substring of the potentially blocked record against each entry of the in-string white list; and

determine whether additional records are to be processed when the character substring does not exactly match a listing in the in-string white list.

48. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

compare a substring of the selected record against an editorial list or automatically generated lists of adult URLs and search queries; and

mark the selected record as potentially blocked if the substring is determined to match the at least one listing in the editorial list or automatically generated lists of adult URLs and search queries.

49. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

determine a threshold value of URLs clicked in response to the search query; and

label the search query within the in-string black list that points to a restricted content URL as a restricted content query if more than the threshold value of URLs are clicked in response to the search query.

50. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

override the in-string black list to allow a character substring included within the in-string black list to be included in the in-string white list.

51. The system of claim 43, wherein the one or more processors are further operative with the instructions to:

expand the in-string white list to maintain records for search queries and clicked URLs related to at least one of finance or banking.

52. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

retrieving an in-string black list and an in-string white list of at least one of search queries or URL records;

selecting a record from a set of data records;

comparing a substring of the selected record against the in-string black list to determine if the substring of the selected record matches at least one listing in the in-string black list;

marking the selected record as potentially blocked if the substring is determined to match the at least one listing in the in-string black list;

determining if the selected record should be blocked based on analysis of the in-string white list; and

filtering all blocked records from the set of data records.