# US 9,436,946 B2 · Selecting content based on entities present in search results

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- Number: US 9,436,946 B2
- Document ID: US9436946B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/955,280
- Filed: 2013-07-31
- Published: 2015-02-05
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-07-31
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Google Inc.
- Inventors: Alexander Collins; Andrew T. Wansley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436946B2

## CPC

- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06F 16/9535: Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
- G06Q 30/0256: {User search}
- 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
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for providing content to a user. A method includes: receiving a query; receiving query results based on the query; determining for each of a predetermined number of top results entities associated therewith; using the determined entities to either augment or filter the query producing an enhanced query; and using the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation to a user along with the query results.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving a query submitted from a user device;
receiving a set of query results identified using the query;
prior to presentation of the set of query results:
evaluating, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept;
creating an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query;
using the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and
incorporating the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein determining one or more sponsored content items includes determining one or more advertisements that are targeted to the entity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the query results are of the form of suggestions that are made responsive to the query being entered and prior to the submission of the query to a search service and wherein the one or more sponsored content items include sponsored content items for presentation along with a resource associated with a selected suggestion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the query is an implicit query and results in presentation of query results to the user without the user explicitly providing the query.

### Claim 6

A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage device and comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
receive a query submitted from a user device;
receive a set of query results identified using the query;
prior to presentation of the set of query results:
evaluate, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept;
create an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query;
use the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and
incorporate the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The product of claim 6 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.

### Claim 8

A system comprising:
a query enhancer;
a content selector; and
wherein the query enhancer is configured to:
receive a query submitted from a user device;
receive a set of query results identified using the query;
prior to presentation of the set of query results:
evaluate, by one or more processors, the set of query results to identify an entity that appears in a highest number of query results in the set of query results, wherein an entity is named and represents a person, place, thing or concept; and
create an enhanced query that includes a reference to the identified entity, and omits at least one term from the query; and
wherein the content selector is configured to:
use the enhanced query to identify one or more sponsored content items for presentation with the set of query results; and
incorporate the one or more sponsored content items into a search results page that presents the set of query results.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8 wherein receiving the query includes receiving an explicit query from a user or an implicit query generated by a content delivery system.