System and method for associating search results

• US 6,832,218 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2000
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kraft, Reiner, Emens, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US09/668,560
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-3, 707/5-7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method for associating search results is provided. According to the method, an original list of search results is provided to a first user in response to a first query, and the search results selected by the first user are recorded and associated with the first query. Additionally, a second query that is the same as or similar to the first query is received from a second user, and an alternate list of search results is provided to the second user. The alternate list lists those search results from the original list that have been associated with the first query due to selection by a user. Also provided is a system for providing search results that includes a search engine, a query database, and a controller. The search engine provides original lists of search results in response to queries, and the query database stores the search results selected by users in response to each of the queries. The controller provides an alternate list of search results in response to another query that is the same as or similar to one of the queries, with the alternate list of search results listing those search results from the original list that have been recorded in the query database as having been previously selected in response to the one query.

Claims

1. A method for associating search results, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first list of search results to a first user in response to a first query;

for each of the search results from the first list that is selected by the first user, storing a relationship between the first query and that search result in a query database;

receiving a second query from a second user, the second query being the same as or similar to the first query; and

providing to the second user an alternate list consisting of the search results that have been previously selected by at least one user in response to the first query and/or similar queries as indicated by the relationships for the first query that are stored in the query database.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

before the step of receiving the second query from the second user, providing the first list of search results to a plurality of other users in response to queries that are each the same as or similar to the first query; and

for each of the search results from the first list that is selected by one of the other users, storing a relationship between the first query and that search result in the query database,

wherein the alternate list contains only those search results from the first list that were selected by the first user and/or one of the other users.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of providing to the second user the alternate list includes the sub-steps of:

providing the first list of search results to the second user;

receiving a request from the second user to view the alternate list; and

providing the alternate list to the second user.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the storing step includes the sub-steps of:

storing each selected search result in the query database; and

for each stored searched result, storing an alternate results vector for each query for which the stored search result was selected, the alternate results vector including the query and a list of the search results that have been previously selected in response to that query.

17. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the search results in the first list of search results includes a hyperlink to an external resource.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein each of the search results in the first list of search results further includes a short abstract of the external resource.

19. The method as defined in claim 17,

wherein the storing step includes storing a relationship between each of the hyperlinks from the first list that is selected by the first user and the first query, and

the alternate list includes only the hyperlinks that have been previously selected by at least one user in response to the first query and/or similar queries.

20. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein in the storing step, the relationships are stored by storing in the query database the selected search results, each with a list of the queries in response to which that search result has been selected.

5. A method for associating search results, said method comprising the steps of:

providing original lists of search results to users in response to queries, each original list of search results being provided to one of the users in response to one of the queries;

for each of the search results from the original lists that is selected by each of the users in response to each of the queries, storing in a query database a relationship between the search result and the query in response to which that search result was selected;

receiving another query that is the same as or similar to one of the queries; and

providing an alternate list of search results that contains only those search results that have been previously selected by at least one of the users in response to the one query as indicated by the relationships that are stored in the query database for the one query.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the step of providing the alternate list of search results includes the sub-steps of:

providing the original list of search results in response to the one query;

receiving a request to view the alternate list of search results; and

displaying the alternate list of search results.

7. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the storing step includes the sub-steps of:

storing each selected search result in the query database; and

for each stored searched result, storing an alternate results vector for each of the queries in response to which the stored search result was selected, the alternate results vector including the query and a list of the search results that have been previously selected in response to that query.

8. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the step of providing original lists of search results includes the sub-step of:

for each of the queries, searching a network using the query so as to produce one of the original lists of search results.

9. A machine-readable medium encoded with a program for associating search results, said program containing instructions for performing the steps of:

providing original lists of search results to users in response to queries, each original list of search results being provided to one of the users in response to one of the queries;

for each of the search results from the original lists that is selected by each of the users in response to each of the queries, storing in a query database a relationship between the search result and the query in response to which that search result was selected;

receiving another query that is the same as or similar to one of the queries; and

providing an alternate list of search results that contains only those search results that have been previously selected by at least one of the users in response to the one query as indicated by the relationships that are stored in the query database for the one query.

10. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of providing the alternate list of search results includes the sub-steps of:

providing the original list of search results in response to the one query;

receiving a request to view the alternate list of search results; and

displaying the alternate list of search results.

11. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the storing step includes the sub-steps of:

storing each selected search result in the query database; and

for each stored searched result, storing an alternate results vector for each of the queries in response to which the stored search result was selected, the alternate results vector including the query and a list of the search results that have been previously selected in response to that query.

12. The machine-readable medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the step of providing original lists of search results includes the sub-step of:

for each of the queries, searching a network using the query so as to produce one of the original lists of search results.

13. A system for providing search results, said system comprising:

a search engine for providing original lists of search results to users in response to queries, each original list of search results being provided to one of the users in response to one of the queries;

a query database for storing, for each of the search results from the original lists that is selected by each of the users in response to each of the queries, a relationship between the search result and the query in response to which that search result was selected; and

a controller for providing an alternate list of search results in response to another query that is the same as or similar to one of the queries,

wherein the alternate list of search results consists of the search results that have been previously selected by at least one of the users in response to the one query as indicated by the relationships for the one query that are stored in the query database.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein the controller includes:

means for providing the original list of search results in response to the one query;

means for receiving a request to view the alternate list of search results; and

means for displaying the alternate list of search results.

15. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein the query database stores each selected search result, and for each stored searched result, an alternate results vector for each of the queries in response to which the stored search result was selected, the alternate results vector including the query and a list of the search results that have been previously selected in response to that query.

16. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein for each of the queries, the search engine searches a network using the query so as to produce one of the original lists of search results.