Semantic table of contents for search results

One or more computer-readable media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method comprising:

• receiving a search query;
• determining an ontology mapping exists for the search query;
• if an ontology mapping exists for the search query, retrieving (308) a first set of topics based on the ontology mapping and adding the first set of topics to a list of topics;
• performing a search using the search query to obtain a plurality of search results, each search result corresponding with a document snippet;
• receiving at least a portion of the document snippets as a document set for further analysis;
• comparing each document snippet in the document set to an ontology of topics;
• for each document snippet in which positive topic identification is determined, assigning the document snippet to a corresponding topic and removing the document snippet from the document set;
• adding at least one topic identified from the ontology of topics to the list of topics;
• comparing each document snippet remaining in the document set to an ontology of partial topics;
• for each document snippet in which positive partial topic identification is determined, assigning the document snippet to a corresponding partial topic and removing the document snippet from the document set;
• naming at least one partial topic having one or more assigned document snippets;
• adding at least one named partial topic to the list of topics;
• computing independent key-phrases from document snippets remaining in the document set, wherein computing the independent key-phrases from document snippets remaining in the document set comprises:
• generating candidate key-phrases from the document snippets remaining the document set, evaluating candidate key-phrases for independence, merging mutually dependent candidate key-phrases, and identifying a most frequent candidate key-phrase for each group of merged mutually dependent key-phrases;
• assigning documents to independent key-phrases;
• identifying at least one key-phrase topic;
• adding the at least one key-phrase topic to the list of topics;
• ranking topics within the list of topics;
• selecting topics based on ranking;
• generating a table of contents using the selected topics;
• and
• providing a search results page in response to the search query, the search results page including the table of contents and a search results area for presenting search results.

A method for identifying topics from a set of search results for generating a table of contents for the search results, the method comprising:

• receiving a search query;
• performing a search using the search query;
• receiving a plurality of document snippets from the search;
• generating candidate key-phrases from at least a portion of the document snippets;
• evaluating candidate key-phrases for independence;
• merging mutually dependent candidate key-phrases;
• identifying a most frequent candidate key-phrase for each group of mutually dependent key-phrases to generate a plurality of independent key-phrases;
• assigning one or more document snippets to each independent key-phrases;
• and
• selecting key-phrase topics based on assignment of document snippets to independent key-phrases.