US 2009/0157653 A1 · Methods for enhancing digital search results based on task-oriented user activity

Abstract

Methods for using task-related information to enhance digital searching are provided. A task-oriented user activity system maintains task-related information about resources accessed by a user and current user task. This task-related information is used to enhance search results by filtering and ranking results to increase relevance with respect to a user's current task. The task-related information can also be used to include task-related metadata in search engine index, e.g., by storing the metadata in the index or by storing it in resources which are subsequently indexed. Task-related information can also be used to enhance search results by enhancing search queries to include task-related search criteria.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method for digital search with task-enhanced search results, the method comprising:

generating a search query based on interaction with a user;
sending the search query to a search engine;
receiving initial search results from the search engine;
using a task-oriented user activity system to predict a current task being performed by a user;
computing task-related information from the predicted current task and from past event records and associated task identifiers stored in a task-oriented user activity system database;
filtering and ranking the initial search results based on the computed task-related metadata to produce enhanced search results;
and
presenting the enhanced search results to the user.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods for enhancing digital search results based on task-oriented user activity

Life of this patent

Methods for enhancing digital search results based on task-oriented user activity

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16