Identifying items relevant to a current query based on items accessed in connection with similar queries

• US 7,974,885 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: A9.com Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bowman, Dwayne, Ortega, Ruben E., Spiegel, Joel R., Linden, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): ZURITA, JAMES H
• Application Number:
  US12/619,578
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/27.1
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3334 Selection or weighting of terms from queries, including natural language queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3349 Reuse of stored results of previous queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

The present invention provides a software facility for identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the facility receives a query specifying one or more query terms. In response, the facility generates a query result identifying a plurality of items that satisfy the query. The facility then produces a ranking value for at least a portion of the items identified in the query result by combining the relative frequencies with which users selected that item from the query results generated from queries specifying each of the terms specified by the query. The facility identifies as most relevant those items having the highest ranking values.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for ranking search results, comprising:

under control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions,

obtaining an initial set of search results and a query used to generate the initial set of search results, each search result corresponding to an instance of content, the query including at least one term;

for each term in the query, determining a frequency with which users previously performed a selection action with respect to an instance of content in response to prior search results presented for a prior query that included the term;

combining the determined frequency for each term of the query, with respect to each of a plurality of instances of content having frequency information for at least one term of the query, to generate a ranking value for each of at least a portion of the instances of content;

generating an updated set of search results including at least a portion of the initial set of search results with a ranking based at least in part upon the determined ranking values; and

providing the updated set of search results to a source of the query,

wherein the updated set of search results is capable of including additional search results, corresponding to one or more instances of content not included in the initial set of search results, based at least in part upon a determined ranking value for each of the additional instances of content.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the initial set of search results is received from a search facility.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the search facility provides a portion of a full set of search results at a time, and wherein the updated set of search results is capable of including search results not provided in a first portion of search results received from the search facility.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the updated set of search results includes instances of content with ranking values that meet or exceed a minimum ranking value.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the instances of content correspond to electronic auctions.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one selection action includes selecting an electronic auction to view or placing a bid at an electronic auction.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the instances of content relate to items available for purchase, and wherein at least one selection action includes purchasing the item or adding the item to a shopping basket.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the frequency information is stored in at least one rating table.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining the frequency with which users previously performed a selection action with respect to an instance of content comprises identifying entries in the at least one rating table that have the highest scores for each term in the query.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the updated set of search results is able to be generated including only instances of content that were not included in the initial set of search results.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the updated set of search results is able to be generated when the initial set of search results is empty.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the users are identified with one of a plurality of demographic groups, and wherein the ranking values are further based upon selection actions for at least one of the demographic groups.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ranking values are further based at least in part upon user preference information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection actions are tracked with respect to time, and wherein more recent selection actions are weighted more heavily than less recent selection actions.

15. A system for ranking search results, comprising:

a processor; and

memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

obtain an initial set of search results and a query used to generate the initial set of search results, each search result corresponding to an instance of content, the query including at least one term;

for each term in the query, determine a frequency with which users previously performed a selection action with respect to an instance of content in response to prior search results presented for a prior query that included the term;

utilize the determined frequency for each term of the query, with respect to each of a plurality of instances of content having frequency information for at least one term of the query, to generate a ranking value for each of at least a portion of the instances of content;

generate an updated set of search results including at least a portion of the initial set of search results with a ranking based at least in part upon the determined ranking values; and

provide the updated set of search results to a source of the query,

wherein the updated set of search results is capable of including additional search results, corresponding to one or more instances of content not included in the initial set of search results, based at least in part upon a determined ranking value for each of the additional instances of content.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the initial set of search results is received from a search facility, the search facility providing at least a portion of a full set of search results at a time, and wherein the updated set of search results is capable of including search results not provided in a first portion of search results from the search facility.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the updated set of search results includes instances of content with ranking values that meet or exceed a minimum ranking value.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the frequency with which users previously performed a selection action with respect to an instance of content comprises identifying entries in at least one rating table that have the highest scores for each term in the query.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the selection actions are tracked with respect to time, and wherein more recent selection actions are weighted more heavily than less recent selection actions.

20. A computer-readable storage medium including instructions for ranking search results, the instructions when executed causing a processor to perform steps comprising:

obtaining an initial set of search results and a query used to generate the initial set of search results, each search result corresponding to an instance of content, the query including at least one term;

for each term in the query, determining a frequency with which users previously performed a selection action with respect to an instance of content in response to prior search results presented for a prior query that included the term;

utilizing the determined frequency for each term of the query, with respect to each of a plurality of instances of content having frequency information for at least one term of the query, to generate a ranking value for each of at least a portion of the instances of content;

generating an updated set of search results including at least a portion of the initial set of search results with a ranking based at least in part upon the determined ranking values; and

providing the updated set of search results to a source of the query,

wherein the updated set of search results is capable of including additional search results, corresponding to one or more instances of content not included in the initial set of search results, based at least in part upon a determined ranking value for each of the additional instances of content.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the initial set of search results is received from a search facility, the search facility providing at least a portion of a full set of search results at a time, and wherein the updated set of search results is capable of including search results not provided in a first portion of search results from the search facility.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the updated set of search results includes instances of content with ranking values that meet or exceed a minimum ranking value.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein determining the frequency with which users previously performed a selection action with respect to an instance of content comprises identifying entries in at least one rating table that have the highest scores for each term in the query.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the selection actions are tracked with respect to time, and wherein more recent selection actions are weighted more heavily than less recent selection actions.