Interconnected, universal search experience across multiple verticals

• US 8,489,582 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jain, Ashish
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rayyan, Susan F
• Application Number:
  US12/187,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/708, 707/722, 707/732, 707/736, 707/770, 715/700, 715/763, 715/771, 715/792, 715/968
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

One or more query terms that were submitted by a user in connection with a first vertical of a plurality of verticals and not in connection with any other vertical of the plurality of verticals are received. A first set of search results that are both (a) indexed in the first vertical and (b) relevant to the one or more query terms is determined. A second set of search results that are both (a) indexed in a second vertical, but not in the first vertical and (b) relevant to the one or more query terms is also determined. A search results page that contains search results both sets of search results, and that visually distinguishes the sets from each other, is generated. According to one aspect, the results from the second set are shown on the search results page in what appears to be a yellow sticky note.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving one or more query terms through a search engine interface;

determining, by a first party, a first set of search results that are both (a) indexed in a first vertical and (b) relevant to the one or more query terms;

based on a legal agreement entered into between (a) the first party that is associated with a search engine that determines the first set of search results and (b) a second party that owns a web site that comprises a set of listings submitted to the web site by various users other than the second party over the Internet, receiving, by the first party, the set of listings;

determining, by the first party, a second set of search results at least in part by determining one or more listings, from the set of listings, that are relevant to the one or more query terms;

wherein the determining a second set of search results includes ranking, by the first party, the one or more listings based on the one or more query terms;

generating a search results page that contains both (1) one or more search results from the first set of search results and (2) one or more search results from the second set of search results; and

storing the search results page on a volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium;

wherein the set of listings on the web site are user-searchable via user submission of queries through a user interface specifically for a second vertical of the search engine.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the search results page comprises generating a web page that contains a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains one or more search results from the second set of search results.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be saved to an Internet-accessible repository that is associated with a specified user account.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be sent in an e-mail message to a specified e-mail address.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be sent in an SMS message to a mobile device that is associated with a specified telephone number.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be printed on one or more sheets of physical media.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

receiving one or more query terms through a search engine interface;

determining, by a first party, a first set of search results that are both (a) indexed in a first vertical and (b) relevant to the one or more query terms;

based on a legal agreement entered into between (a) the first party that is associated with a search engine that determines the first set of search results and (b) a second party that owns a web site that comprises a set of listings submitted to the web site by various users other than the second party over the Internet, receiving, by the first party, the set of listings

determining, by the first party, a second set of search results at least in part by determining one or more listings, from the set of listings, that are relevant to the one or more query terms;

wherein the determining a second set of search results includes ranking, by the first party, the one or more listings based on the one or more query terms;

generating a search results page that contains both (1) one or more search results from the first set of search results and (2) one or more search results from the second set of search results; and

storing the search results page on a volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage medium;

wherein the set of listings on the web site are user-searchable via user submission of queries through a user interface specifically for a second vertical of the search engine.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein generating the search results page comprises generating a web page that contains a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains one or more search results from the second set of search results.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be saved to an Internet-accessible repository that is associated with a specified user account.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be sent in an e-mail message to a specified e-mail address.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be sent in an SMS message to a mobile device that is associated with a specified telephone number.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of generating the web page that contains the graphical feature that appears to be the paper note comprises generating a graphical feature that appears to be a paper note that contains a user-selectable control which, when selected by a user, will cause one or more search results contained within the graphical feature, but no search results that are not contained within the graphical feature, to be printed on one or more sheets of physical media.