Identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries

A method in a computer system for ranking items in a search result, the method comprising:

• for each of a multiplicity of search terms, compiling data indicating the extent to which users have selected each of a multiplicity of items when returned in search results produced from queries containing the search term;
• receiving a query and a search result, the received query containing a term among the multiplicity of terms, the received search result identifying a plurality of items among the multiplicity of items that satisfy the received query;
• and
• using the compiled data to rank at least a portion of the items identified in the received search result in accordance with the extent to which users have selected each of the plurality of items identified in the received search result when returned in search results produced from queries containing the search term contained in the received query.

A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to rank items in a search result by:

• for each of a multiplicity of search terms, compiling data indicating the extent to which users have selected each of a multiplicity of items when returned in search results produced from queries containing the search term;
• receiving a query and a search result, the received query containing a term among the multiplicity of terms, the received search result identifying a plurality of items among the multiplicity of items that satisfy the received query;
• and
• using the compiled data to rank at least a portion of the items identified in the received search result in accordance with the extent to which users have selected each of the plurality of items identified in the received search result when returned in search results produced from queries containing the search term contained in the received query.

A method in a computer system for ranking items in a search result, the method comprising:

• receiving a query specifying one or more terms;
• generating a query result identifying a plurality of items satisfying the query;
• and
• for a plurality of items identified in the query result, combining ratings of frequencies with which users selected the item in earlier queries specifying one or more terms of the query to producing a ranking value for the item.

A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to rank items in a search result by:

• receiving a query specifying one or more terms;
• generating a query result identifying a plurality of items satisfying the query;
• and
• for each item identified in the query result, combining the relative frequencies with which users selected the item in earlier queries specifying each of the terms of the query to producing a ranking value for the item.

A method in a computer system for identifying significant items satisfying a query, the method comprising:

• receiving a query specifying a plurality of terms;
• for each term specified by the query, identifying a predetermined number of items that users have selected most frequently in earlier queries specifying the term;
• for each unique item identified in the identifying step, producing a ranking value for the item by combining one or more indications of the relative frequencies with which users have selected the item in earlier queries specifying one of the terms specified by the received query;
• and
• selecting as the significant items a predetermined number of items having the largest ranking values.

A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to identify the most significant items satisfying a query by:

• receiving a query specifying one or more terms;
• for each term specified by the query, identifying a predetermined number of items having the largest relative frequencies with which users selected the items in earlier queries specifying the term;
• for each unique item identified in the identifying step, combining the relative frequencies for the item to produce a ranking value for the item;
• and
• selecting as the most significant items a predetermined number of items having the largest ranking values.

A computer system for ranking items in a search result, comprising:

• a query memory that stores information about previously submitted queries and items selected from the query results of previously submitted queries;
• a query receiver that receives queries each specifying one or more terms;
• a query server that generating a query result for each query received by the query receiver that identifies a plurality of items satisfying the query;
• and
• an item ranking subsystem that, for each query result generated by the query server, for at least a portion of the items identified in the query result, combines from the contents of the query memory the relative frequencies with which users selected the item in earlier queries specifying each of the terms of the query to producing a ranking value for the item.

A method in a computer system for compiling statistics usable to rank items in a distinguished query result produced for a distinguished query, the method comprising:

• receiving a rating set of queries, each query in the rating set specifying one or more terms;
• for each query in the rating set,
• generating a query result identifying one or more items satisfying the query;
• allowing a user to select one or more of the items identified in the query result;
• and
• for items selected from the query result, for terms specified by the query, adjusting a rating score corresponding to the combination of the selected item and the term specified by the query, the rating score indicating the relative frequency with which users have selected the selected item when the selected item has been identified in search results generated from queries containing the search term specified by the query, to produce rating scores usable to rank items in a distinguished query result produced for a distinguished query.

A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to compile statistics usable to rank items in a distinguished query result produced for a distinguished query by:

• receiving a rating set of queries, each query in the rating set specifying one or more terms;
• for each query in the rating set,
• generating a query result identifying one or more items satisfying the query;
• allowing a user to select one or more of the items identified in the query result;
• and
• for each item selected from the query result, for each term specified by the query, increasing a rating score corresponding to the combination of the selected item and the term specified by the query, the rating score indicating the relative frequency with which users have selected the selected item when the selected item has been identified in search results generated from queries containing the search term specified by the query, to produce a body of rating scores usable to rank items in a distinguished query result produced for a distinguished query.

A method in a computer system for handling a query, comprising:

• receiving a query containing one or more terms;
• processing the query to produce a result set of items that satisfy the query;
• where the result set contains no items, identifying one or more items that, though they do not satisfy the received query, have been selected by users relatively frequently when presented in response to queries containing at least some of the same terms as the received query;
• and
• displaying the identified items,
• such that items are displayed even though the result set contains no items.