US 2007/0185861 A1 · METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHAINING SEARCH RESULTS

Abstract

Methods and apparatus assessing, ranking, organizing, and presenting search results associated with a user's current work context are disclosed. The system disclosed assesses, ranks, organizes and presents search results against a user's current work context by comparing statistical and heuristic models of the search results to a statistical and heuristic model of the user's current work context. In this manner, search results are assessed, ranked, organized, and/or presented with the benefit of attributes of the user's current work context that are predictive of relevance, such as words in a user's document (e.g., web page or word processing document) that may not have been included in the search query. In addition, search results from multiple search engines are combined into an organization scheme that best reflects the user's current task. As a result, lists of search results from different search engines can be more usefully presented to the user.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of displaying search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a user context, the user context including data indicative of text being accessed by a user and data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks, the first query being different than the user context;
receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;
determining a second query from the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;
and
generating a display indicative of the second plurality of search results.

3 more elements

A method of displaying ranked search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a first aspect of a user context, the first aspect including data indicative of text being accessed by a user, the first query being different than the user context;
receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;
determining a second query from the first aspect of the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;
comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of a second aspect of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results, the second aspect of the user context including data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks;
and
generating a display indicative of a ranked list of search results based on at least a portion of the plurality of scores.

4 more elements

A method of organizing search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a first aspect of a user context, the first aspect including data indicative of text being accessed by a user, the first query being different than the user context;
receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;
determining a second query from the first aspect of the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;
comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of a second aspect of the user context to determine a plurality of organization schemes, the plurality of organization schemes grouping at least a portion of the first plurality of search results into at least two genres, the second aspect of the user context including data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks;
and
generating a display indicative of an organized list of search results based on the plurality of organization schemes.

4 more elements

A method of displaying ranked search results, the method comprising:

determining a first query based on a first aspect of a user context, the first aspect including data indicative of text being accessed by a user, the first query being different than the user context;
receiving a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;
determining a second query from the first aspect of the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
receiving a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;
comparing data indicative of the second plurality of search results to data indicative of a second aspect of the user context to determine a plurality of scores associated with the second plurality of search results, the second aspect of the user context including data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks;
and
filtering at least one of the plurality of search results from being displayed to the user based on at least a portion of the plurality of scores.

4 more elements

An apparatus for displaying search results, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;
a memory device operatively coupled to the processor;
a user input device operatively coupled to the processor;
a network device operatively coupled to the processor;
and
a display device operatively coupled to the processor;
wherein the memory device stores a software program to cause the processor to:
determine a first query based on a user context, the user context including data indicative of text being accessed by a user via the user input device and data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks, the first query being different than the user context;
receive a first plurality of search results from a first search engine via the network device, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;
determine a second query from the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
receive a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine via the network device, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;
and
generate a display via the display device indicative of the second plurality of search results.

10 more elements

A computer readable medium storing a software program to cause a computing device to:

determine a first query based on a user context, the user context including data indicative of text being accessed by a user and data indicative of at least one task in which the user is engaged out of a plurality of possible user tasks, the first query being different than the user context;
receive a first plurality of search results from a first search engine, the first plurality of search results being based on the first query;
determine a second query from the user context and at least a portion of the first plurality of search results, the second query being different than the user context;
receive a second plurality of search results from a second different search engine, the second plurality of search results being based on the second query;
and
generate a display indicative of the second plurality of search results.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods and apparatus for chaining search results

Life of this patent

Methods and apparatus for chaining search results

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20