Aggregating context data for programmable search engines

• US 8,756,210 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Guha, Ramanathan V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US13/253,722
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/707, 707/722, 707/767, 707/776
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Search results are generated using aggregated context data from two or more contexts. When two or more programmable search engines relate to a similar topic, context data associated with the programmable search engines are aggregated. The context is then applied to a query in order to present, in an integrated manner, relevant search results that make use of context intelligence from more than one programmable search engine.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing, to a client device, information for presenting a search engine user interface for a third party content provider;

receiving, from the client device, a search query entered using the search engine user interface;

processing the search query to determine a context identifier for a context file;

retrieving a context file from the third party content provider identified by the context identifier;

modifying the search query using one or more commands to produce a context processed search query, wherein the one or more commands are contained in the context file;

providing the context processed search query to a search engine;

obtaining, from the search engine, context processed search results responsive to the context processed search query; and

providing the context processed search results to the client device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining multiple context files; and

aggregating commands in the multiple context files into a set of aggregated commands.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein modifying the search query using the one or more commands to produce a context processed search query comprises:

processing the search query using the aggregated commands to produce the context processed search query.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein providing the context processed search results comprises:

providing the context processed search results in accordance with the aggregated commands.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the commands comprise a command that reformulates the search query.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the commands comprise a command that specifies a document collection in which to conduct a search.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the context processed search results to the client device comprises performing post-processing operations on the context processed search results in accordance with the commands.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the commands comprise a command that re-ranks the context processed search results.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the commands comprise a command that removes duplicate results from the context processed search results.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the context file comprises annotations associated with potential search engine results;

and

providing the context processed search results further comprises;

applying the annotations from the context file to the context processed search results.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the commands are for modifying the search query and for processing search results responsive to the modified search query.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the context file from the client device or the search engine.

13. A system of one or more computers configured to perform operations comprising:

providing, to a client device, information for presenting a search engine user interface for a third party content provider;

receiving, from the client device, a search query entered using the search engine user interface;

processing the search query to determine a context identifier for a context file;

retrieving a context file from the third party content provider identified by the context identifier;

modifying the search query using one or more commands to produce a context processed search query, wherein the one or more commands are contained in the context file;

providing the context processed search query to a search engine;

obtaining, from the search engine, context processed search results responsive to the context processed search query; and

providing the context processed search results to the client device.

14. The system of claim 13, the operations further comprising:

obtaining multiple context files; and

aggregating commands in the multiple context files into a set of aggregated commands.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein modifying the search query using the one or more commands to produce a context processed search query comprises:

processing the search query using the aggregated commands to produce the context processed search query.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein providing the context processed search results comprises:

providing the context processed search results in accordance with the aggregated commands.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the commands comprise a command that reformulates the search query.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the commands comprise a command that specifies a document collection in which to conduct a search.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein providing the context processed search results to the client device comprises performing post-processing operations on the context processed search results in accordance with the commands.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the commands comprise a command that re-ranks the context processed search results.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the commands comprise a command that removes duplicate results from the context processed search results.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the context file comprises annotations associated with potential search engine results;

and

providing the context processed search results further comprises;

applying the annotations from the context file to the context processed search results.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the commands are for modifying the search query and for processing search results responsive to the modified search query.

24. The system of claim 13, the operations further comprising obtaining the context file from the client device or the search engine.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising commands that, when executed, operate to cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

providing, to a client device, information for presenting a search engine user interface for a third party content provider;

receiving, from the client device, a search query entered using the search engine user interface;

processing the search query to determine a context identifier for a context file;

retrieving a context file from the third party content provider identified by the context identifier;

modifying the search query using one or more commands to produce a context processed search query, wherein the one or more commands are contained in the context file;

providing the context processed search query to a search engine;

obtaining, from the search engine, context processed search results responsive to the context processed search query; and

providing the context processed search results to the client device.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, the operations further comprising:

obtaining multiple context files; and

aggregating commands in the multiple context files into a set of aggregated commands.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein modifying the search query using the one or more commands to produce a context processed search query comprises:

processing the search query using the aggregated commands to produce the context processed search query.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein providing the context processed search results comprises:

providing the context processed search results in accordance with the aggregated commands.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the commands comprise a command that reformulates the search query.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the commands comprise a command that specifies a document collection in which to conduct a search.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein providing the context processed search results to the client device comprises performing post-processing operations on the context processed search results in accordance with the commands.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the commands comprise a command that re-ranks the context processed search results.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the commands comprise a command that removes duplicate results from the context processed search results.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the context file comprises annotations associated with potential search engine results;

and providing the context processed search results further comprises;

applying the annotations from the context file to the context processed search results.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the commands are for modifying the search query and for processing search results responsive to the modified search query.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising obtaining the context file from the client device or the search engine.