Patents by Inventor Tie-Yan Liu
Tie-Yan Liu has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8645288Abstract: Some implementations provide techniques for selecting web pages for inclusion in an index. For example, some implementations apply regularization to select a subset of the crawled web pages for indexing based on link relationships between the crawled web pages, features extracted from the crawled web pages, and user behavior information determined for at least some of the crawled web pages. Further, in some implementations, the user behavior information may be used to sort a training set of crawled web pages into a plurality of labeled groups. The labeled groups may be represented in a directed graph that indicates relative priorities for being selected for indexing.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2010Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Taifeng Wang, Bin Gao, Tie-Yan Liu
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Patent number: 8612453Abstract: A method and system for generating a search result for a query of hierarchically organized documents based on retrieval of subtrees that are key resources for topic distillation is provided. The retrieval system may identify documents relevant to a query using conventional searching techniques. The retrieval system then calculates a subtree feature for subtrees that have an identified document as their root. After the retrieval system calculates the subtree feature for the subtrees, the retrieval system may generate a subtree relevance score for each subtree based on its subtree feature. The retrieval system may then order the identified documents based on their corresponding subtree relevances.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2009Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Tie-Yan Liu, Tao Qin, Wei-Ying Ma
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Publication number: 20130246167Abstract: According to a cost-per-action advertising model, advertisers submit ads with cost-per-action bids. Ad auctions are conducted and winning ads are returned with contextually relevant search results. Each time a winning ad is selected by a user, resulting in the user being redirected to a website associated with the advertiser, a selected impression and a price is recorded for the winning ad. Periodically, an advertiser submits a report indicating a number of actions attributed to the ads that have occurred through the advertiser website. The advertiser is then charged a fee for each reported action based on the recorded prices for the winning ads and based on the number of selected impressions recorded for the winning ads.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2012Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Tao Qin, Tie-Yan Liu, Wenkui Ding, Wei-Ying Ma, Hsiao-Wuen Hon
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Publication number: 20130226693Abstract: Functionality is described herein for allocating group-buying deals in a group-buying service. In certain implementations, the functionality operates by receiving deal information from deal-providing entities (such as merchants). The deal information describes plural deals. The functionality then assigns a number of impressions to each deal so as to maximize revenue provided to an entity which administers the group-buying service. This yields allocation information. The functionality then presents deals to users in accordance with the allocation information. For example, if the allocated number of impressions for a certain deal is x, then the functionality will provide x opportunities for users to select this deal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2012Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Tao Qin, Tie-Yan Liu, Wei-Ying Ma
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Publication number: 20130211905Abstract: The probability that a user clicks on an online advertisement may be dependent on an attractiveness of the online advertisement. In determining such click probability, an advertisement attractiveness model for estimating an attractiveness of an online advertisement to users may be developed. A click behavior model is then created by combining the advertisement attractiveness model with a relevance model. The relevance model may be used for estimating relevance between the online advertisement and a search query. The click behavior model may be applied to features extracted from the online advertisement to calculate a click probability for the online advertisement.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2012Publication date: August 15, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Tao Qin, Tie-Yan Liu, Sungchul Kim
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Publication number: 20130197993Abstract: In a system that supports paid advertisements, as advertisements are awarded ad spots based on contextual relevance to search queries, periodic performance indicators are recorded. The periodic performance indicators represent ad performance during a specific time period. Over time, the periodic performance indicators are aggregated to form historical behavior indicators. A graphical model of advertiser behavior is formulated based on the periodic performance indicators and the historical behavior indicators. The graphical model may then be used to forecast future bid values based on previous advertiser behavior.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2012Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bin Gao, Tie-Yan Liu
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Patent number: 8484193Abstract: A method and system is provided for calculating importance of documents based on transition probabilities from a source document to a target document based on looking ahead to information content of target documents of the source document. A look-ahead importance system generates transition probabilities of transitioning between any pair of source and target documents based on analysis of links to target documents of the source document. The system may calculate the transition probabilities based on the number of links on documents a look-ahead distance away. The system then solves for the stationary probabilities of the transition probabilities. The stationary probabilities represent the importance of the documents.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2009Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: Tie-Yan Liu
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Publication number: 20130173398Abstract: Implementations for providing menu-based advertising are disclosed. A search engine front-end determines non-search engine information pages that are relevant to the user input based on user input entered into a search query field on a search page. A suggestion menu is caused to be displayed on a search page. The suggestion menu includes interactive elements that are interactive to cause a client device to retrieve the non-search engine information pages associated with the interactive elements. The interactive elements may be advertisements, and the suggestion menu may also be used to display search query suggestions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2011Publication date: July 4, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Taifeng Wang, Tie-Yan Liu
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Patent number: 8478748Abstract: The present invention provides methods for improving a ranking model. In one embodiment, a method includes the step of obtaining queries, documents, and document labels. The process then initializes active sets using the document labels, wherein two active sets are established for each query, a perfect active set and an imperfect active set. Then, the process optimizes an empirical loss function by the use of the first and second active set, whereby parameters of the ranking model are modified in accordance to the empirical loss function. The method then updates the active sets with additional ranking data, wherein the updates are configured to work in conjunction with the optimized loss function and modified ranking model. The recalculated active sets provide an indication for ranking the documents in a way that is more consistent with the document metadata.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Jun Xu, Tie-Yan Liu, Hang Li
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Publication number: 20130097027Abstract: A task guidance tool that displays instructional steps and associated advertisements may facilitate the accomplishment of a task by users who are otherwise unfamiliar with the task. The task guidance tool may be developed from input data mined from various sources. The task guidance tool may display a series of step pages in which each step page include instructions for accomplishing a corresponding step of the task. Further, one or more step pages of the task guidance tool may be provided with selected advertisements that are displayed with the step instructions.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 13, 2011Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Taifeng Wang, Tie-Yan Liu, Bin Gao, Tao Qin
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Publication number: 20130097011Abstract: An advertisement perception predictor may forecast the effectiveness of an online advertisement in a web page by predicting whether the online advertisement may be perceived by a consumer. The advertisement perception predictor may use a perception model that is trained for determining perception probability values of online advertisements. The perception model may be applied to an online advertisement to determine a perception probability value for the online advertisement. The perception probability value may indicate the likelihood that a consumer is likely to view the online advertisement.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2011Publication date: April 18, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Taifeng Wang, Tie-Yan Liu, Bin Gao, Tao Qin
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Patent number: 8423547Abstract: Efficient search query clustering using tripartite graphs may enable a search engine developer to model information needs of users while expending less computing resources. The efficient clustering of search queries may involve multiple computing devices receiving a subgraph of a multi-partite graph that encompasses search queries, as well as receiving a global center vector table that includes cluster center entries for query clusters. At each computing device, the received global center vector table may be filtered to eliminate one or more cluster center entries that are irrelevant to the search queries. Subsequently, the search queries may be clustered into the query clusters by at least using the filtered global center vector table at each of the computing devices. In some instances, one or more comparisons between search queries and the cluster center entries in the global center vector table during the clustering may be eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2011Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Tie-Yan Liu, Taifeng Wang
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Publication number: 20130091013Abstract: Techniques for providing targeted social advertisements in a social network are described. A targeted social advertisement application detects a commercial intent of a user and retrieves input from friends in the social network. In an implementation, a user interface includes a pane to display a comment with the commercial intent submitted by the user in the social network, the commercial intent being detected for a potential product. The user interface also includes a voting pane to display a plurality of candidate products targeted towards the commercial intent of the user for the potential product. One or more command buttons are on the voting pane to prompt voting as recommendations for the plurality of candidate products from friends of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2011Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Taifeng Wang, Tie-Yan Liu
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Publication number: 20130085867Abstract: A computing device is described herein that is configured to select a subset of keywords from a plurality of keywords based at least on measures of competition associated with the keywords and to suggest the selected subset for bidding. The plurality of keywords is relevant to at least one advertising target. The computing device calculates a measure of competition for a respective keyword based on a number of bidders for the respective keyword and on a number of available advertisement slots in search results provided responsive to queries for the respective keyword.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2011Publication date: April 4, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Bin Gao, Tie-Yan Liu
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Patent number: 8368698Abstract: Method for creating a graph representing web browsing behavior, including receiving web browsing behavior data from one or more web browsers; adding a node on the graph for each web page listed in the web browsing behavior data; adding a first link connecting two or more nodes on the graph, wherein the first link representing a hyperlink for accessing a webpage; calculating an amount of time in which each web page is being accessed; determining a number of units of time in the calculated amount of time; adding one or more virtual nodes to the graph based on the number of units of time; and adding a second link connecting two or more virtual nodes on the graph, wherein the second link representing a virtual hyperlink for accessing a webpage.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2008Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bin Gao, Tie-Yan Liu, Hang Li, Yuting Liu
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Publication number: 20120271821Abstract: The relevance of an object, such as a document resulting from a query, may be determined automatically. A graphical model-based technique is applied to determine the relevance of the object. The graphical model may represent relationships between actual and observed labels for the object, based on features of the object. The graphical model may take into account an assumption of noisy training data by modeling the noise.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2011Publication date: October 25, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Tao Qin, Tie-Yan Liu, Xiubo Geng
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Publication number: 20120259850Abstract: Efficient search query clustering using tripartite graphs may enable a search engine developer to model information needs of users while expending less computing resources. The efficient clustering of search queries may involve multiple computing devices receiving a subgraph of a multi-partite graph that encompasses search queries, as well as receiving a global center vector table that includes cluster center entries for query clusters. At each computing device, the received global center vector table may be filtered to eliminate one or more cluster center entries that are irrelevant to the search queries. Subsequently, the search queries may be clustered into the query clusters by at least using the filtered global center vector table at each of the computing devices. In some instances, one or more comparisons between search queries and the cluster center entries in the global center vector table during the clustering may be eliminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2011Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Tie-Yan Liu, Taifeng Wang
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Publication number: 20120259831Abstract: Techniques for determining user information needs and selecting data based on user information needs are described herein. The present disclosure describes extracting topics of interests to users from multiple sources including search log data and social network website, and assigns a budget to each topic to stipulate the quota of data to be selected for each topic. The present disclosure also describes calculating similarities between gathered data and the topics, and selecting top related data with each topic subject to limit of the budget. A search engine may use the techniques described here to select data for its index.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2011Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Taifeng Wang, Tie-Yan Liu, Xiaodong Fan
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Publication number: 20120253945Abstract: Some implementations provide techniques for estimating impression numbers. For example, a log of advertisement bidding data may be used to generate and train an impression estimation model. In some implementations, an impression estimation component may use a boost regression technique to determine a predicted impression value range based on a proposed bid received from an advertiser. For example, the predicted impression value range may be determined based on a predicted estimation error. Additionally, in some instances, the predicted impression value range may be evaluated using one or more evaluation metrics.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bin Gao, Tie-Yan Liu, Tao Qin, Zeyong Xu, Jianhua Hu, Wei-Ying Ma
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Publication number: 20120253930Abstract: This application describes a system and method for estimating user intent towards categories of content. The estimation of user intent may be based at least in part on a score for prior user actions and a decay function that is applied to that score to provide an estimate of current user intent. The estimate represents current user intent for time periods in which user actions towards a category of content are negligible or non-existent.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Bin Gao, Tie-Yan Liu, Jun Yan, Ning Liu, Dou Shen, Ying Li