# US 8,751,473 B2 · Auto-refinement of search results based on monitored search activities of users

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- Number: US 8,751,473 B2
- Document ID: US8751473B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/272,507
- Filed: 2011-10-13
- Published: 2012-02-09
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2005-06-16
- Assignees: Gere Dev. Applications, LLC
- Applicants: Richard Kazimierz Zwicky; Todd William Hooge; Matthew Dunn
- Inventors: Richard Kazimierz Zwicky; Todd William Hooge; Matthew Dunn
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751473B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/9538: Presentation of query results
- G06F 16/9535: Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A tracking system passively tracks and records searches conducted by actual search engine users. The recorded data for each search event preferably includes the search query submitted, the search engine used, the search result item (e.g., web page) selected, the position (e.g., page number) of this item, and the user's IP address. The collected data is aggregated and analyzed to generate data regarding the search queries used to locate and access particular destinations (e.g., web pages and sites). This data may be used for various purposes, such as (1) to generate reports showing, e.g., how users reach a particular destination from different search engines and geographic locations, (2) to select content to display on a destination page, such that the content is relevant to search queries commonly used to locate that page, and (3) to update the database of one search engine to reflect searches conducted on other search engines.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining search activity data relating to searches over a plurality of index-type search engines resulting in a particular location being accessed, wherein the searches comprise a submission of a search query to one of the plurality of index-type search engines, a return of search results associated with the search query, and a selection of a search result associated with the particular location, and wherein the search activity data comprises at least a plurality of different search queries submitted to the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein each of the plurality of index-type search engines comprises a proprietary index for generating search results;
analyzing the search activity data to generate statistical data regarding the plurality of different search queries, the statistical data encompassing search activities over the plurality of index-type search engines; and
updating, based on the statistical data, a search result ranking process of a particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein the statistical data is based on search activity data of searches conducted via at least one other index-type search engine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the particular location is one of the group consisting of a webpage and a particular file.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the statistical data includes data regarding at least one position at which the particular location appeared in at least one search results listing.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the search activity data comprises:
normalizing the search activity data for variations in traffic among the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein normalizing the search activity data comprises:
unequally weighting the search activity data.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein unequally weighting the search activity data comprises:
giving substantially zero weight to search activity data corresponding to the particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 7

A computer-readable device having instructions embodied thereon, the instructions comprising:
instructions to obtain search activity data relating to searches over a plurality of index-type search engines resulting in a particular location being accessed, wherein the searches comprise a submission of a search query to one of the plurality of index-type search engines, a return of search results associated with the search query, and a selection of a search result associated with the particular location, and wherein the search activity data comprises at least a plurality of different search queries submitted to the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein each of the plurality of index-type search engines comprises a proprietary index for generating search results;
instructions to analyze the search activity data to generate statistical data regarding the plurality of different search queries, the statistical data encompassing search activities over the plurality of index-type search engines; and
instructions to update, based on the statistical data, a search result ranking process of a particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein the statistical data is based on search activity data of searches conducted via at least one other index-type search engine.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The computer-readable device of claim 7, wherein the particular location is one of the group consisting of a webpage and a particular file.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The computer-readable device of claim 7, wherein the statistical data includes data regarding at least one position at which the particular location appeared in at least one search results listing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The computer-readable device of claim 7, wherein the instructions to analyze the search activity data comprise:
instructions to normalize the search activity data for variations in traffic among plurality of the index-type search engines.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer-readable device of claim 10, wherein the instructions to normalize the search activity data comprise:
instructions to unequally weight the search activity data.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer-readable device of claim 11, wherein the instructions to unequally weight the search activity data comprise:
instructions to give substantially zero weight to search activity data corresponding to the particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 13

A computing device comprising:
one or more memories having stored thereon activity data relating to searches over a plurality of index-type search engines resulting in a particular location being accessed, wherein the searches comprise a submission of a search query to one of the plurality of index-type search engines, a return of search results associated with the search query, and a selection of a search result associated with the particular location, and wherein the search activity data comprises at least a plurality of different search queries submitted to the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein each of the plurality of index-type search engines comprises a proprietary index for generating search results; and
an analyzer configured to:
analyze the search activity data to generate statistical data regarding the plurality of different search queries, the statistical data encompassing search activities over the plurality of index-type search engines, and
update, based on the statistical data, a search result ranking process of a particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein the statistical data is based on search activity data of searches conducted via at least one other index-type search engine.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the analyzer is further configured to normalize the search activity data for variations in traffic among the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The computing device of claim 14, wherein the analyzer is further configured to unequally weight the search activity data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computing device of claim 15, wherein the analyzer is further configured to give substantially zero weight to search activity data corresponding to the particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 17

A computing system comprising:
means for obtaining, by the computing system, search activity data relating to searches over a plurality of index-type search engines resulting in a particular location being accessed, wherein the searches comprise a submission of a search query to one of the plurality of index-type search engines, a return of search results associated with the search query, and a selection of a search result associated with the particular location, and wherein the search activity data comprises at least a plurality of different search queries submitted to the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein each of the plurality of index-type search engines comprises a proprietary index for generating search results;
means for analyzing, by the computing system, the search activity data to generate statistical data regarding the plurality of different search queries, the statistical data encompassing search activities over the plurality of index-type search engines; and
means for updating, by the computing system and based on the statistical data, a search result ranking process of a particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines, wherein the statistical data is based on search activity data of searches conducted via at least one other index-type search engine.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The computing system of claim 17, wherein the means for analyzing the search activity data comprises:
means for normalizing the search activity data for variations in traffic among the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The computing system of claim 18, wherein the means for normalizing the search activity data comprises:
means for unequally weighting the search activity data.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The computing system of claim 19, wherein the means for unequally weighting the search activity data comprises:
means for giving substantially zero weight to search activity data corresponding to the particular one of the plurality of index-type search engines.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the statistical data comprises a number of times that each of the plurality of different search queries was submitted.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the statistical data comprises a resulting position of the particular location in the search results for a plurality of the searches.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the statistical data comprises geographical locations from which the plurality of different search queries were submitted to the plurality of index-type search engines.