Systems and methods using reputation or influence scores in search queries

• US 9,135,294 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Prakash, Vipul Ved, Ghosh, Rishab Alyer
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Loan T
• Application Number:
  US14/169,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20140250112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/35 Clustering; Classification
• 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 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

One or more processors determine reputation scores for one or more subjects based on connections. One or more processors use a plurality of citations, with each citation representing an expression of opinion or description by a subject on an object. One or more processors select a subset of citations for each object from the citations citing each object. The content of the citations matches one or more search terms for a search query. One or more processors assign citation scores to a subset of a plurality of objects. The citation scores indicate relevance of the objects cited by citations and are determined based at least in part on matching one or more search terms with the content of the citations of the objects by the one or more subjects. The selection scores for an object are determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object.

Claims

1. A system of ranking entities using reputation or influence scores, comprising:

one or more processors that determines reputation scores for one or more subjects based on connections, the reputation scores indicating reputations of the subjects;

one or more processors that use a plurality of citations, each citation representing an online posting of an expression of opinion by a subject on an object, wherein the subject is representative of a user;

one or more processors that select a subset of citations for each object from the citations citing each object, the content of the citations in the selected subset matching one or more of search terms for a search query;

one or more processors that assign citation scores to a subset of a plurality of objects, the citation scores indicating relevance of the objects cited by citations and are determined based at least in part on matching one or more search terms with the content of the citations of the objects by the one or more subjects, the selection scores for an object being determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object;

one or more processors that combine the citation scores for the objects and the reputation scores for the subjects citing the objects to calculate selection scores for the objects determined based on matching of the one or more search terms with the content of the citations, the selection scores for an object determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object, with the subjects in the subset being the subjects of previously selected subsets of citations to each object, a different selection score computed for the same object when a different search query is provided; and

one or more processors that select and rank the objects based on the selection scores of the objects, a different ranking computed for a same set or overlapping sets of objects when the search query is different.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a different subset of citations being selectable for a same object when a different search query is provided.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the subjects in the subset of subjects are the subjects of previously selected subsets of citations to each object.

4. The system recited in claim 1, wherein the objects include books, films, music, documents, websites, objects for sale, objects that are reviewed or recommended or cited, or any entities that are associated with a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), wherein the subjects include entities representing authors of Internet content or users of social media services.

5. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more processors that receive descriptive criteria from a user.

6. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more processors that receive search terms, wherein the search terms are provided in a search query, and wherein the search terms are included in the descriptive criteria.

7. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more processors that display a subset of top ranked objects based on the selection scores.

8. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more processors that receive search terms, wherein the search terms are provided in a search query; and

one or more processors that display a subset of top ranked objects based on the selection scores, wherein the top ranked objects based on the selection scores provide a subjective based search result.

9. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more processors that determine a content score for an object based on the description criteria;

wherein the selection score is based on the citation score, the subjective reputation score, and the content score.

10. The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:

one or more processors that determine an expertise score for each subject citing each object based on a second descriptive criteria, wherein the selection score is based on the citation score, the subjective reputation score, and the expertise score.

11. A method of ranking entities using reputation or influence scores, comprising:

using a processor to determine reputation scores for one or more subjects based on connections, the reputation scores indicating reputations of the subjects;

providing a plurality of citations, each citation representing an online posting of an expression of opinion by a subject on an object, wherein the subject is representative of a user;

using a processor to select a subset of citations for each object from the citations citing each object, the content of the citations in the selected subset matching one or more of search terms for a search query;

assigning citation scores to a subset of a plurality of objects, the citation scores indicating relevance of the objects cited by citations and are determined based at least in part on matching one or more search terms with the content of the citations of the objects by the one or more subjects, the selection scores for an object being determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object;

combining the citation scores for the objects and the reputation scores for the subjects citing the objects to calculate selection scores for the objects determined based on matching of the one or more search terms with the content of the citations, the selection scores for an object determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object, with the subjects in the subset being the subjects of previously selected subsets of citations to each object, a different selection score computed for the same object when a different search query is provided; and

selecting and ranking the objects based on the selection scores of the objects, a different ranking computed for a same set or overlapping sets of objects when the search query is different.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a different subset of citations being selectable for a same object when a different search query is provided.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the subjects in the subset of subjects are the subjects of previously selected subsets of citations to each object.

14. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the objects include books, films, music, documents, websites, objects for sale, objects that are reviewed or recommended or cited, or any entities that are associated with a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), wherein the subjects include entities representing authors of Internet content or users of social media services.

15. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving descriptive criteria from a user.

16. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving search terms, wherein the search terms are provided in a search query, and wherein the search terms are included in the descriptive criteria.

17. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

displaying a subset of top ranked objects based on the selection scores.

18. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving search terms, wherein the search terms are provided in a search query; and

displaying a subset of top ranked objects based on the selection scores, wherein the top ranked objects based on the selection scores provide a subjective based search result.

19. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

determining a content score for an object based on the description criteria;

wherein the selection score is based on the citation score, the subjective reputation score, and the content score.

20. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising:

determining an expertise score for each subject citing each object based on a second descriptive criteria, wherein the selection score is based on the citation score, the subjective reputation score, and the expertise score.

21. A non-transitory machine-readable medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing device cause the device to perform a method of ranking entities using reputation or influence scores, comprising:

using a processor to determine reputation scores for one or more subjects based on connections, the reputation scores indicating reputations of the subjects;

providing a plurality of citations, each citation representing an online posting of an expression of opinion by a subject on an object, wherein the subject is representative of a user;

using a processor to select a subset of citations for each object from the citations citing each object, the content of the citations in the selected subset matching one or more of search terms for a search query;

assigning citation scores to a subset of a plurality of objects, the citation scores indicating relevance of the objects cited by citations and are determined based at least in part on matching one or more search terms with the content of the citations of the objects by the one or more subjects, the selection scores for an object being determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object;

combining the citation scores for the objects and the reputation scores for the subjects citing the objects to calculate selection scores for the objects determined based on matching of the one or more search terms with the content of the citations, the selection scores for an object determined for each search query based on a subset of subjects citing the object, with the subjects in the subset being the subjects of previously selected subsets of citations to each object, a different selection score computed for the same object when a different search query is provided; and

selecting and ranking the objects based on the selection scores of the objects, a different ranking computed for a same set or overlapping sets of objects when the search query is different.