US 7831609 B1
A user interface aids in creation of customized pre-defined queries that can be used for identifying particular search results relevant to a topic. Provision can be made to allow express inclusion or exclusion of certain results. Metrics relating to how much the pre-defined query focuses the search can be provided. A pre-defined query can be referenced by a URL, which can be distributed or referenced in content available in any number of locations. When results of the pre-defined search change, a contact associated with the search query can be notified. When a URL is activated, a redirect to the search engine with the customized query can occur, and the contact associated with the query can be notified of the usage of the pre-defined query. Metrics concerning sources of query usage can be produced, based on data gathered while serving the pre-defined query requests.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising the acts of:
accepting one or more search terms, through an interface;
submitting, to an Internet search engine, a query defined from the accepted one or more search terms;
analyzing of the results received from the search engine to determine whether the results are acceptable;
responsive to determining that the results are acceptable, presenting the results, storing the query as a first pre-defined query, storing information describing the results determined to be acceptable, and producing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for referencing the first pre-defined query on the Internet;
responsive to determining that the results are not acceptable, based at least on determining that the number of results returned for the query is greater or less than a threshold number, presenting the results of the query on the interface, wherein each result presented is associated on the interface with an indication that the result is to be retained or to be removed, modifying the query by including at least one additional search term identified base on keywords associated with one or more of the results, and rerunning the search with the modified query, storing the modified query as a second pre-defined query, storing information describing the results returned for the modified query, and producing a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for referencing the second pre-defined query on the Internet;
periodically submitting the first pre-defined query or the second pre-defined query to the Internet search engine, receiving results, and comparing the results with the respective presented results, based on the respective stored information; and producing an alert responsive to the comparison indicating that the compared results are different, wherein the differences detected by the comparison comprise new results, results that now are absent, and differences in an ordering of results.
2. A method as recited in
This application claims priority from and incorporates U.S. provisional application No. 61/236,630, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING, FORMULATING, DISTRIBUTING AND MONITORING USAGE OF PREDEFINED INTERNET SEARCH QUERIES”, filed on Aug. 25, 2009, and from U.S. provisional application No. 61/348,558, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING, FORMULATING, DISTRIBUTING AND MONITORING USAGE OF PREDEFINED INTERNET SEARCH QUERIES”, filed on May 26, 2010, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety, for all purposes, herein.
Aspects disclosed herein relate to the information searching, and more particularly to systems and methods for enhancing internet searches.
2. Related Art
Internet users are increasingly finding navigating document collections to be difficult because of the increasing size of such collections. Likewise, companies, individuals and other organizations wishing to be found by Internet users face growing challenges with maintaining their online visibility. For example, it is estimated that the World Wide Web on the Internet includes more than 11 billion pages in the publicly indexable Web across more than 110 million web sites. Consequently, finding desired information in such a large collection, unless the identity, location, or characteristics of a specific document or search target are well known, can be much like looking for a needle in a haystack. The World Wide Web is a loosely interlinked collection of documents (mostly text and images) located on servers distributed over the Internet. Generally speaking, each document has an address, or Uniform Resource Locator (URL), in the exemplary form “http://www.server.net/directory/file.html”. In that notation, the “http:” specifies the protocol by which the document is to be delivered, in this case the “HyperText Transport Protocol.” The “www.server.net” specifies the name of a computer, or server, on which the document resides; “directory” refers to a directory or folder on the server in which the document resides; and “file.html” specifies the name of the file. URLs can be extremely long, complex strings of machine readable code.
Most documents on the Web are in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) format, which allows for formatting to be applied to the document, external content (such as images and other multimedia data types) to be introduced within the document, and “hotlinks” or “links” to other documents to be placed within the document, among other things. “Hotlinking” allows a user to navigate between documents on the Web simply by selecting an item of interest within a page. For example, a Web page about reprographic technology might have a hotlink to the Xerox corporate web site. By selecting the hotlink (often by clicking a marked word, image, or area with a pointing device, such as a mouse), the user's Web browser is instructed to follow the hotlink (usually via a URL, frequently invisible to the user, associated with the hotlink) and read a different document. A user cannot be expected to know or remember a URL for each and every document on the Internet, or even URLs for those documents in a smaller collection of preferred documents.
Accordingly, navigation assistance is not only helpful, but important for practical internet usage. Such navigation assistance is typically providing via an Internet based search engine, such as Google®, Microsoft's Bing®, Yahoo!® or the like. Accordingly, when an Internet user desires to find information about a company, individual or organization, the Internet user will frequently turn to a “search engine” to locate the information. A search engine serves as an index into the content stored on the Internet.
“Google” (www.google.com) is an example of a search engine. It operates in a similar manner to traditional keyword-based search engines, in that a search begins by the user's entry of one or more search terms used in a pattern-matching analysis of documents on the Web. It differs from traditional keyword-based search engines in that search results are ranked based on a metric of page “importance,” which differs from the number of occurrences of the desired search terms (and simple variations upon that theme). Regardless of the proprietary nature of any given search engines' approach, Internet users searching for companies, individuals or organizations with similar characteristics (i.e. name, industry, etc.) often receive search results that are inaccurate, or relate to entities other than the intended search target. For example, a search for “John Smith”, with the intention of obtaining information about a particular person by that name, will return many results about different “John Smith's, such that the desired John Smith may not have any relevant results. In these instances, the Internet user may build more complex search queries to generate more relevant results, which is only possible if the Internet user possesses information that can be used as a basis for such queries.
It is understood and well documented that it is desirable for companies, individuals and organizations to appear early in search results for personal, financial and other reasons. Prominence in search results for a given term or terms in search engines is a form of third party validation, at least in that Internet users place a higher value on entries in top search results because of their perceived relevance, success, and size. Therefore, viewership of search results or click throughs for search results on subsequent results pages declines precipitously.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has emerged as a category of services available to operators of web sites. SEO provides for deliberately engineering prominent placement in search results by tailoring web sites to the algorithms employed by a given search engine. In addition to SEO, ‘paid search’ may be utilized to display an advertisement on the top pages of search results for a given search term(s). SEO, paid search and other optimization strategies are typically only engaged by organizations due to their complexity and cost. Individuals have fewer options to achieve optimal placement in search results.
Google Profiles is one example of a mechanism individuals can utilize to offer information specific to themselves. Google Profiles does not influence search results, however, and individuals with even slightly common names often find themselves in a long list with others, eliminating the value of the feature. SEO, paid search, Google Profiles, and other similar optimization strategies are reactive in that they only influence but do not control what is returned in search results. These strategies are necessary because the natural search behavior of Internet users favors implementation of less sophisticated search queries or the Internet user simply does not possess the information necessary to build a complex search query that will allow the return of appropriately focused results. When companies, individuals or organizations with similar characteristics engage like optimization strategies, however, the differentiation gained from them diminishes and the value declines for them and Internet users alike.
Aspects disclosed herein provide that an entity (e.g., companies, individuals or organizations) can create, in advance, a specific search query (a PreSearch Query) that yields search results that are accurate (or accurate within an acceptable range) (here, accurate can include that the results returned are relevant to the topic for which the entity has created the query, and that those relevant results are not obscured by irrelevant results. In one preferred aspect, the PreSearch Query can be embodied in a short, easy-to-remember URL, saved, distributed, placed on web pages, such as including social networking homepages, and monitored for changes in search results and usage.
Unlike reactive optimization strategies that seek to influence the way results are developed and displayed after a search is started by a user, a PreSearch Query is formed proactively, in that the search is done in advance, such as by a target of the search. An Internet user need only enter, or cause to be entered, the PreSearch Query into the search engine of their choice, which can be done by clicking on a URL containing the search query or a hotlink to it through a redirected, short URL. In the case of the latter, a redirected PreSearch Query can be monitored for usage, providing information concerning usage of the PreSearch Query (such as who is using the query, and when), both to the entity that created the query, and to the system causing the redirection.
Aspects according to this disclosure may be understood by reference to the following detailed description, which references the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 2—depicts an overview of method including a number of components that can be used in pre-search query definition and usage;
Search query provider 110 can be used by an entity (e.g., a person) to obtain a definition of a search query. A link or referenced to the query definition can be distributed to third parties, for use in obtaining information about a particular subject (e.g., the person who created the pre-defined query, an organization, object, place, concept, product, service, event, or the like). Because the query is defined prior to the time that it is used, typically by an entity other than an entity that is intended to use the query to obtain the information, such a search query is called a “pre-search query” herein.
In other words, the query is defined by a process performed prior to distribution of the query (or references to the query) for use in searching. Typically, the query is defined with a view to tailoring the results that are returned from the query to a desired subject, as will be described below. For example, the query can be formed during a process performed in a machine, which may interact with a person. In one example, the process can be performed to define a query that will return search results about a selected person, and in such a case, the person intended to be the subject of the query may perform the process. In another example, if the query is intended to be for a product, then a marketing employee of a company producing or selling the product may initiate or engage in the query formation process for that product. To be clear, a pre-search query is not confined to being used only for people. Therefore, creation of a pre-search query for a person, as in the principal examples herein is for ease and clarity of explanation, and not by way of limitation.
A link server 119 is provided to accept requests for a resource identified by a link (e.g., a link 121 made available on a web resource 120), which can be selected or otherwise activated by a browser 125, which is accessing web resource 120. An analytics engine 114 communicated with link server 119, and operates to obtain and analyze information available from such linking activities. In a particular example, a pre-search query can be referenced by link 121, such that when link 121 is activated (e.g., by clicking on a visual depiction of the link, in a page served by web resource 120 to browser 125), information about browser 125, and a device on which it is running can be obtained.
As will be described further below, various constituent elements of search query provider 110 communicate with each other, in order to perform query definition steps delineated in the examples that follow. For example, account creation server 118 can store profile information in profile storage (profiles 117). Also, account creation server 118 can update link information on link server 119 (e.g., to publish a new link that can be used or otherwise distributed). Similarly, account creation server 118 may communicate with search engine interface 115 for providing trial queries to be submitted to search engine 130, and to receive results returned responsive to those queries.
Browsers 125 and 126 may be implemented using Internet browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari or browsers provided on mobile phones, smart phones, PDAs, or other Internet-connected appliances.
Automated or shared login services, such as those provided by Facebook®, OpenID, Google®, or Yahoo! Inc.® can be used in the method depicted in
Now turning to
As depicted in
The information queried, as explained in
Multiple search engines can be selected, and preferably a pre-search query can be determined for each (may be the same query, if, for example, the results returned for the query are acceptable for all selected search engines). The search engine selection preferably is made from a group consisting of the leading Internet search engines, including: Google, Bing, Ask, Yahoo! and the like. This group may differ by country, such that a user can have a query formed for different search engines for use in different countries. The user also can be informed that although one search engine may be initially selected, additional queries can be created later for other search engines.
The method depicted in
The results are analyzed (414), and in a decision point (412), it is determined whether the results are acceptable or not. If the results are unacceptable, then the trial query is modified (408). Subsequently, the modified trial query can be (re)submitted (406) to the search engine again. The modifying (408) itself can include one or more iterations, represented by feedback loop 410. As explained below, these iterations can include querying and receiving input from a person about the search results, such as a selection of one or more preferred results, or results to be excluded. If the results are acceptable, then the method of
If upon returning to determination 502, if the number of results continues to be greater than the threshold, then a still further element of information can be added. These information elements (or terms) can be obtained during information gathering (204). If no further information elements are available for use, then the method can instead proceed with the remainder of the method depicted in
If the number of results is not greater than the threshold, then the results are presented (504) on an interface (e.g., provided for display in a browser, such as in UI 127 implemented using browser 126). Feedback on the results can be queried (506). In one example, UI 127 is provisioned for querying feedback as depicted in
The usage of buttons 1310 and 1315 for querying which results should be kept and which should be removed is one example of querying for feedback (506). In additional to querying about the handling of specific results, information already gathered (e.g., in 204) can be displayed, such as along a right-hand portion of the interface. For example, a name field 1340, an employer field 1335, an additional keywords field 1345, and an excluded word field 1350 can be provided on the interface. Name field 1340 can include sub-fields for a first name, last name, and maiden name. The name(s) currently provided can be displayed, while boxes descriptively labeled for categories of not-yet-provided information can be displayed. These fields depict an example of querying (508) for further information. In one operating example, after a user reviews the search results, the user may detect one or more concepts in common for results that the user would like to retain or to remove. The user can then enter information related to those concepts in the fields depicted (where information related to results to be results would be entered into the excluded word field 1350).
Other example user interfaces can implement a ranking system, in which the user or the system can rank desirability of retaining or excluding certain results. Such ranking information also can provide an input into the selection of tags or concepts for results to be retained or excluded. For example, a concept related to a highly desirable search result, even if it also appears in a result to be removed, preferably would not be selected (or suggested as a selection) as a concept to exclude from the search.
A further example of feedback (506) that can be queried from the user, and provided through an interface, such as that depicted in
Upon receiving feedback (506) and/or further information (508), the trial query can be revised (510) and the method can return to submitting (406) the query to the search engine again.
Other aspects of the user interface example of
Such display (607) can help a user to identify one or more additional elements of information that can be submitted through UI 127 (as described with respect to
Query modification (608) can use concepts identified, or other input to determine an exclusionary term to remove or avoid a concept presently appearing in the search results (610). Additionally, or in substitution, further terms can be added to emphasize a particular concept or result over others (611).
In some examples, after determining concept words for one or more of inclusion and exclusion, the user can cause the query as revised to be resubmitted (612), such as by selecting refine search link 1530. In other examples, after determining such concept words, query revision and submission can occur automatically, such that the user does not need to explicitly indicate that the query should be resubmitted. In still other examples, the concepts are not displayed to the user, and one or more iterations query revision can occur automatically.
In most cases contemplated, after submission (612), results responsive to that query are received (614). A verification procedure can be implemented, in which the results returned by the revised query are compared with the feedback previously received. By particular example, a determination (616) whether results identified for exclusion are absent from the returned results. If any of such results remain in the results returned, then an option to exclude a top level domain (TLD) for each such result can be presented (624). If the TLD exclusion option is selected, then the query can again be submitted (612). If the TLD exclusion option is not selected, then analysis (604) can be repeated. If the results to be excluded are now absent, then a determination (622) is made as to whether more results remain to be displayed if the results are paged, such that more results were returned, but not yet displayed, then another page of results can be presented (601) and the steps described above can be repeated for those results.
The above process thus discloses an approach to reviewing pages of results, soliciting feedback on the results, where one example of the feedback can include identifications of particular results to retain, results to exclude, or both. A further aspect disclosed with respect to
Ultimately, by manual changes, automated changes, or a combination thereof, a query is finalized. Query finalization (802) can be determined by a user indicating satisfaction or by virtue of determining that a goal of automated analysis was achieved. An opportunity to obtain queries for other search engines can be provided (804/806), and if the results match those indicated as final for the first query (810), then queries for those search engines also can be finalized (814), such that results presentation and revision process does not need to be conducted for each additional search engine. If results do not match, then a query revision process can occur according to any one or more of the examples disclosed above.
In the above description, analysis and concept identification for inclusion or exclusion can use information available from each search engine. For example, common elements from all accepted and/or rejected entries can be identified. These common elements can be added to the query as the appropriate Boolean statements (or in whatever form the search query must take as dictated by each specific target search engine). By further example, if the search engine produces results based on weighted search terms, the highest ranked desirable entries will also be analyzed for common elements and added to the search query as required by the search engine to indicate a higher level of importance.
In sum, aspects that can be implemented in these examples include that a short, custom, URL (preferably a permanent short URL) is selected or otherwise determined to reference a particular query determined by a user. The user can distribute that URL to third parties or otherwise provide the URL through electronic means, such as on web pages, through SMS and so on. Thus, the user maintains an association with the URL referencing the query he created. Requests made for the resource referenced by the URL (i.e., the query definition) can be redirected to the search engine, so that live results are obtained from the search engine. Information about the sources of such requests, and other statistics can be maintained and obtained concerning such requests. Alerts can be sent to the user associated with the URL when a request is made for it. Such alerts can be sent via email, SMS, or posted to feeds such as Twitter®, Facebook® Wall, LinkedIn® status updates, as examples.
In further summary, URLs can be created for each of a number of search engines, so that different characteristics, capabilities, and algorithms for each search engine can be used or accounted for in determining a query definition that returns desired results. A default search engine can be selected by the user; a search engine can sponsor the default query position.
An example of a user interface element that can be used to describe changes in search results returned for a particular query is depicted in
A floating window 2120 can be provide that allows a user to indicate whether the results returned are acceptable, and provides interface elements that allow acceptance of the results, which can cause the baseline set of search results to be updated, or if the search is to be edited, then the edit your search button can be selected, and can take the user to an entry point in redefining the pre-defined query. Ultimately, the output of the pre-search query definition process would produce another set of search results, which can be used as the baseline results (2102), for further comparisons in the future.
It is to be understood that the concept of new results or results that are not included can depend on a number of results returned by a given search engine, or under a given definition of a query. For example, if fewer search results are returned, then more results will be excluded. Similarly, even though a search result may have been returned as the 80th entry, in a search that returns 100 results, only until that result is within the first 64 results, would it be considered present, and then it would be considered a new result.
The information depicted in the user interface examples of
Of course, a complete and literal storing of the results need not be conducted. For example, hashes can be created and stored. The content of the results may be stored uncompressed as presented, compressed in derivative form, or in some combination of these. The search can be rerun or results compared on a prescribed time interval or responsive to the occurrence of defined actions. The content of the results may be stored on a network accessible resource, or on an electronic device of the user, in some other location, or in some combination of these.
And whenever a discrepancy between the approved search results and the current search results is discovered, the user will be contacted (912). In the event of a change, users may receive an email or other notification indicating that the search results from their finalized query have changed. Preferably, which result or results have changed, are new, or are now absent are identified to the owner/user who created the query. The method detects login by the user (906), and the query results, or changes thereto can be presented (910) to the user (user can login, even if results have not changed). The method can then go to 602 of
For example, when notifying the user (at 912), the user may be given information detailing specific changes in the results (e.g., the e-mail may identify new results, changed results, and absent results that used to appear). The email or other notification may provide a form or a link to a form allowing feedback on the changed results, and the feedback can be feed into the processes disclosed for updating the query to reflect the results desired by the user once again (to the extent possible or practical).
By further example, users can be directed to log into the site via a link included in an SMS, email, posting to a social networking communication stream, such as Facebook, Twitter, or another communication mechanism that can be selected by the user, or any combination thereof. Also as the user is logged in, the user can be given access to information, such as a summary about access to his search query since a prior login or during a defined period of time. Such information also can be included in the notification.
In sum, each time a user logs into the system, the user preferably is enabled to re-run the query definition methodologies to change any or all of their queries. The user may also be able to view all of their searches and the URLs for each search engine. The user may also be able to redownload standard button graphics (via HTML) so they may post on any site that resolves to their URL(s). Additionally, an interface where the user can view a “dashboard” (graphs, maps and other visual tools) depicting quantity, time, location and/or other relevant and available information of when the URL was used can be provided.
A further element that can be provide in a method according to
The separate identification of these components does not imply that the components are implemented separately. Also, the usage of certain programming techniques and paradigms are by way of example, rather than limitation, and a person of ordinary skill in the art can provide equivalent approaches in providing embodiments according to these disclosures.
Although illustrated embodiments of the present invention has been described, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Code, or script, for a button that can be included on a web site also can be provided to the user (1008). The URL can be published (1010) to partnering web sites or properties.
For example, a user can provide login information to social networking sites, and the URL can be inserted into the properties of the user at those sites (see links 1810 in
To the extent that the results returned for the current query differ from the baseline set of search results, it can be determined that the search results returned responsive to the current query better reflect the intentions of the user defining the query than the baseline search results. A numerical value for the degree of improvement in the search results returned can be determined (2016), and the display depicted in
Various approaches to determining a degree of improvement (which can be expressed as a numerical value) can be provided. For example, a number of search results that are different can be counted, and a percentage of results that are different of a total number of all the results returned can be used as numerical value (1905). Weightings attributed to particular search results also can be provided. For example, a particular search result may be identified by a user as being desirable or undesirable, and the presence or absence of that particular search result can weight the numerical value 1905 more heavily than a search result not considered either desired or undesired. Still further, an ordering of results can be considered in determining the numerical score, and such an implementation can provide a higher score of the search results returned from the present query include desired results more prominently than undesired results. A similar approach can be applied to keywords or themes identified in search results identified as being desired or undesired. As would be understood, the approach described here need not give any kind of numerical certainty, but rather is for giving an easily digestible heuristic feedback mechanism to allows a user to see that continued work on query refinement is either yielding better results or not. In that context, a variety of other implementations and approaches, and other data that can be gathered about the search results returned can be used in providing the score. Still further, other approaches for providing this feedback can be provided, and by further example, an increasingly definite or darker depiction of a person (1910) can be used to show increased improvement in search results. Such a display can be provided in conjunction with a numerical score, as depicted in
Example computer system 1100 may include a host Central Processing Unit (CPU) (1102), which may be implemented as a semiconductor containing one or more distinct microprocessor units, commonly called “cores”, to indicate distinctness, but yet integration on a common substrate. Modern processors typically comprise multiple cores, such as 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 or more cores. Host CPU 1102 also can be implemented with a plurality of physically separate microprocessor units, disposed in separate sockets. Host CPU 1102 communicates with a chipset 1104, which typically includes memory bus logic, and other interfaces to other functionality, such as an expansion bus for supporting I/O, such as network traffic to and from network interface(s) 1114, mass storage 1118 (e.g., hard drives), as well as peripherals, such as those that can be provided for a user interface (1116). Example of such peripherals include a keyboard, serial I/O, a mouse, voice recognition inputs, touch screen inputs, and so on.
Chipset 1104 also may support connection of a display 1110, and therefore may include graphics logic for rendering content to be displayed. Such graphics logic may use main memory 1108 as video memory, or a separate video memory may be provided. Where system 1100 is used for implementing end-user computers, a display is more likely to be included. Frequently, if system 1100 is functioning as a server, a display would not be provided.
Of course, the example system 1100 is provided by way of example and not limitation as to what kinds of devices may be used in implementing aspects disclosed herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art may adapt the disclosures presented herein for use with a variety of devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers, laptops, and so on, which may be implemented using components that are more or less integrated than those depicted herein, and which may include more functionality or fewer functions than what is depicted in this example.
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