Re-ranking search results

• US 9,495,462 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Poznanski, Victor, Wang, Oivind, Holm, Fredrik, Bodd, Nicolai, Tankovich, Vladimir, Meyerzon, Dmitriy
• Primary Examiner(s): BURKE, JEFF A
• Application Number:
  US13/360,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Search results obtained from a ranking model are re-ranked based on user-configured ranking rules. For example, a user may desire to: place certain search results at a top/bottom of a ranking of search results; remove some search results; and/or adjust a ranking of some of the search results. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows a user to configure the ranking rules (e.g. enter key/value restrictions and to set a boost value) and to preview an application of one or more of the ranking rules. Query language operators that follow a standard operator syntax are created based on the inputs (e.g. a ranking query operator is created that may include multiple user supplied parameters). The user may also specify a portion of the results from which statistics (e.g. standard deviation, average score) are calculated. For example, a user may specify to calculate statistics for the top N number results.

Claims

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

receiving search results that are ranked; and

applying a ranking rule to the search results that re-ranks the search results, wherein the ranking rule is defined by user input and includes user-input specified parameters that influence how a result within the search results is re-ranked using statistical information calculated based on the search results, wherein the statistical information comprises at least one statistical value calculated based on rank values of a plurality of the search results, wherein the ranking rule includes a multiplier value that is multiplied against at least one of;

a maximum rank value of the rank values minus a minimum rank value of the rank values;

a rank value of the ranks values minus the minimum rank value of the rank values;

an average rank value of the rank values; and

a standard deviation of the rank values.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the ranking rule using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that displays options used for setting the user-input specified parameters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the GUI comprises a display of a pin option that ranks results that match a specified condition to a specified location within the displayed search results and a boost option that changes a ranking by one of:

increasing a ranking value and decreasing a ranking value.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the GUI comprises displaying a hide option that removes a portion of the search results from the display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking rule follows a standard query syntax.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the ranking rule is converted into nested ranking directives along with other ranking rules that are added to a query.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranking rule comprises a ranking equation, wherein the ranking equation is

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing statistics for a portion of the search results determined from a user-input defined value.

9. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions for re-ranking search results, comprising:

receiving search results that are ranked;

computing statistics based on rank values of a portion of the search results, wherein the portion comprises a plurality of the search results;

applying an expression that comprises nested ranking rules defined by a user-input to the search results that re-ranks the search results, wherein at least one of the nested ranking rules includes user-input specified parameters that influence how a result within the search results is re-ranked using the statistics and at least one of the nested ranking rules includes a multiplier value that is multiplied against at least one of;

a maximum rank value of the rank values minus a minimum rank value of the rank values;

a rank value of the rank values minus the minimum value of the rank values;

an average rank value of the rank values; and

a standard deviation of the rank values; and

after applying the expression to the search results, displaying the search results.

10. The computer storage medium of claim 9, further comprising defining the expression using a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that displays options used for setting the user-input specified parameters.

11. The computer storage medium of claim 10, wherein the GUI comprises a display of a pin option that ranks results that match a specified condition to a specified location within the displayed search results and a boost option that changes a ranking by one of:

increasing a ranking value and decreasing a ranking value.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein the GUI comprises displaying a match type section, a match value section, and a result action on match section.

13. The computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein when the match type section is set to a manual condition, the match value section receives a match rule that follows a standard query syntax.

14. The computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein one or more of the nested ranking rules is previewed.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein at least one of the nested ranking rules includes a multiplier value that is multiplied against one or more of:

a maximum rank value minus a minimum rank value;

a rank value minus the minimum value;

an average rank value; and

a standard deviation of the rank value.

16. A system for re-ranking search results, comprising:

a network connection that is coupled to tenants of the multi-tenant service;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and

a ranking manager operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to actions comprising;

receiving search results that are ranked;

computing statistics based on rank values of a portion of the search results, wherein the portion comprises a plurality of the search results;

applying a ranking rule defined by a user-input through a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to the search results that re-ranks the search results, wherein the ranking rule includes user-input specified parameters that influence how a result within the search results is re-ranked using the statistics and the ranking rule includes a multiplier value that is multiplied against at least one of;

a maximum rank value of the rank values minus a minimum rank value of the rank values;

a rank value of the ranks values minus the minimum rank value of the rank values;

an average rank value of the rank values; and

a standard deviation of the rank values; and

displaying the search results.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the GUI comprises a display of a pin option that ranks results that match a specified condition to a specified location within the displayed search results and a boost option that changes a ranking by one of:

increasing a ranking value and decreasing a ranking value.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the GUI comprises displaying a match type section, a match value section, and a result action on match section.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein when the match type section is set to a manual condition, the match value section receives a match rule that follows a standard query syntax.