Techniques for including collection items in search results
AssigneeYahoo! Inc.
InventorJoshua E. Schachter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques are provided for including collection items in the ranked set of search results that are returned to a user in response to a search query. Collection scoring techniques are also provided for generating relevance scores for collection items in a different manner than relevance scores are generated for base items that are not collections. The collection scoring techniques may be applied to non-base collection items, base collection items, or both. Items that match the search query, including base items and collection items, are ranked in a unified ranking based on their respective relevance scores, thereby allowing searches to readily determine the relevance ranking of matching collection items relative to matching base items.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- storing, in an index associated with a system, a first index entry associated with a first collection item;
- storing, within the system, data that indicates that a plurality of items indexed by the system are collection items, wherein the plurality of items include the first collection item;
- in response to receiving a search query, identifying a set of matching items, wherein the set of matching items includes one or more base items and the first collection item, wherein identifying the set of matching items includes matching the search query to the first index entry;
- and
- responding to said search query by generating search results based at least in part on the set of matching items, wherein the search results comprise:
- a) at least one of the one or more base items;
- and
- b) the first collection item;
- wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.
A computer-readable volatile or non-volatile storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:
- storing, in an index associated with a system, a first index entry associated with a first collection item;
- storing, within the system, data that indicates that a plurality of items indexed by the system are collection items, wherein the plurality of items include the first collection item;
- in response to receiving a search query, identifying a set of matching items, wherein the set of matching items includes one or more base items and the first collection item, wherein identifying the set of matching items includes matching the search query to the first index entry;
- and
- responding to said search query by generating search results based at least in part on the set of matching items, wherein the search results comprise:
- a) at least one of the one or more base items;
- and
- b) the first collection item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.