Patents Assigned to Lycos, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9015176
    Abstract: Keyword expansion is used to expand a particular keyword into multiple related keyword candidates using a collection of data that relates to search queries performed using one or more search engines. The data identifies search terms from associated search queries. A particular keyword is identified and one or more candidate keywords related to the particular keyword are identified based on the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: William Cava
  • Patent number: 8266162
    Abstract: Keyword expansion is used to expand a particular keyword into multiple related keyword candidates using a collection of data that relates to search queries performed using one or more search engines. The data identifies search terms from associated search queries. A particular keyword is identified and one or more candidate keywords related to the particular keyword are identified based on the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: William Cava
  • Patent number: 8171009
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for performing a trusted search is described. A credibility score is assigned to a Web site based on whether the Web site meets at least a portion of trust criteria. The Web site is stored in an index of trusted Web sites if the credibility score assigned to the Web site is within a predefined range of credibility scores. The Web site is displayed on a machine if the Web site is determined to contain information that is relevant to a search query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Soroca
  • Patent number: 8082587
    Abstract: A method for detecting undesirable content in a computer directory having a digital file includes performing a size check on the digital file, the size check returning a first passing condition or a first failing condition, if the size check returns the first passing condition, the method further includes performing one or more behavioral indicator checks on the digital file, and determining whether the digital file contains undesirable content based on the one or more behavioral indicator checks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Kai Bolay, Derek Bruneau, Shane Dupree, Benjamin Joseph, Gregory Kindel, Edward Schwab, Chandra Yadav, Jeffrey Trout
  • Patent number: 8082516
    Abstract: Generating a preview panel includes generating an auxiliary display in response to an action performed in a primary display, where the primary display is for presenting one or more entries that correspond to results of a Web-based search, receiving data identifying an entry from the primary display, and generating, for presentation in the auxiliary display, information corresponding to the entry from the primary display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Julio Vaca, Adam Soroca
  • Patent number: 8046375
    Abstract: A user query has values for attributes that specify features of a desired item is received and processed in a computer system in a network. A database is searched for an item having attribute values that satisfy at least a subset of the values for attributes from the user query. Once an item is found in the database, a location where the item will be supplied along with a set of suppliers for the item in proximity to the location is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven Quince
  • Patent number: 7962463
    Abstract: Keyword candidates are identified by in response to receiving an identification of a web page. Content of the web page is analyzed to identify terms from the web page. An automated keyword expansion is performed using the identified terms to produce a set of candidate keywords. Keyword suggestions are generated for the web page using the set of candidate keywords, and one or more of the keyword suggestions are used in a paid listing campaign. A performance of a paid listing campaign is compared with a performance threshold. An automated keyword expansion is performed using one or more keywords from the set of keywords to produce a set of alternative keywords in response to the comparison. One or more alternative keywords are selected from the set of alternative keywords for use in the paid listing campaign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: William Cava
  • Patent number: 7716340
    Abstract: A method for restricting access of a client to a web site hosted at first and second servers is described. A first tally that includes identification information of the client and a first number of access requests sent from the client to the first server is received. A second tally that includes the identification information of the client and a second number of access requests sent from the client to the second server is received. The first and second tallies are collated to determine a total number of access requests made by the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Modrall
  • Patent number: 7664770
    Abstract: An article of manufacture and method includes displaying content associated with a universal resource locator (URL) on a graphical user interface (GUI), receiving a first search parameter for a first search engine, displaying a first search result in a first pane of the GUI, the first search result associated with a first search parameter, determining a second search parameter associated with a URL from the first search parameter for a second search engine, displaying a second search result in a second pane of the GUI, the second search result associated with a second search parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Lincoln Jackson, Thomas Wilde
  • Publication number: 20090327287
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for performing a trusted search is described. A credibility score is assigned to a Web site based on whether the Web site meets at least a portion of trust criteria. The Web site is stored in an index of trusted Web sites if the credibility score assigned to the Web site is within a predefined range of credibility scores. The Web site is displayed on a machine if the Web site is determined to contain information that is relevant to a search query.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: LYCOS, INC.
    Inventor: Adam Soroca
  • Patent number: 7620627
    Abstract: Generating keywords for use in searching content includes receiving a keyword, obtaining categories that corresponds to the keyword from a catalog file, receiving a selection corresponding to at least one of the categories, and generating keywords associated with the selection. The catalog file includes mappings of keywords to categories, and obtaining categories that correspond to the keyword includes retrieving mapped categories from the catalog file that correspond to the keyword.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: William Cava
  • Patent number: 7606809
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for performing a trusted search is described. A credibility score is assigned to a Web site based on whether the Web site meets at least a portion of trust criteria. The Web site is stored in an index of trusted Web sites if the credibility score assigned to the Web site is within a predefined range of credibility scores. The Web site is displayed on a machine if the Web site is determined to contain information that is relevant to a search query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Adam Soroca
  • Patent number: 7548913
    Abstract: A method of generating a report from multiple sources includes obtaining a topic based on input queries relating to the topic, obtaining information about the topic from the multiple sources, where the information includes excerpts from the multiple sources that meet one or more criteria, and generating the report using the excerpts. Generating the report includes obtaining subtopics for the excerpts, organizing the excerpts based on the subtopics, and editing text in the excerpts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher A. Ekberg, Brian Ulicny, Gray Watson, Steven Quince, Alden Dorosario, Vladimir Zelevinsky, Stavros Michael MacRakis
  • Patent number: 7406508
    Abstract: A system in which a user accessing a web environment can request advertising information without leaving the currently displayed web page. A server is communicatively coupled to a client device, such as a personal computer, and is configured to communicate content to the client device for display to the user. The content includes media, such as a web-based interactive game, an advertisement and an input area for requesting advertising information. One or more software modules executing in an operating environment provided by the server are configured to receive input from the client device when a user interacts with the media, such as taking a turn in the interactive game. The software modules communicate advertising information to the user, such as sending an email message, based on the received input, thereby allowing the user to request advertising information without interrupting his or her interaction with the currently displayed media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Herrmann, Jason Yanowitz
  • Patent number: 7389307
    Abstract: A method including enumerating plausible queries of a target database using query generation rules, and generating associated teasers for each of the enumerated queries using query matching rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew R. Golding
  • Patent number: 7299270
    Abstract: An inferred relation weighting process for determining the strength of an inferred relation between a first and a second Internet object which are not directly linked includes a first link weighting process for determining the strength of at least a first link between the first non-directly linked Internet object and a common object. A second link weighting process determines the strength of at least a second link between the second non-directly linked Internet object and the common object. An inferred relation weight calculation process calculates the strength of the inferred relation based on the strength of the at least a first link and the at least a second link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkateswarlu Kolluri, Shan Balasubramaniam, John Guidi, Alden Dorosario, Andrei Kotlov
  • Patent number: 7228493
    Abstract: A method includes scanning content of a web page in which a web component is to be inserted, inferring a profile from the scanned content and serving the web component in the web page according to the profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald M. Kosak, Michael J. Witbrock
  • Patent number: 7224297
    Abstract: Data is compressed, which includes first through sixth patterns having respective first through sixth values, where the first pattern precedes the second pattern in the data, the third pattern precedes the fourth pattern in the data, and the fifth pattern precedes the sixth pattern in the data. Compression includes outputting a first code and the second value if the second value exceeds the first value by more than a predetermined amount, outputting a second code and a difference between the third and fourth values if the fourth value does not exceed the third value by more than the predetermined amount, and outputting the fifth value and the sixth value if the sixth value exceeds the fifth value by a predefined number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Trout
  • Patent number: 6944609
    Abstract: A method for producing a results list for a search query includes producing a first results list of entries from a search algorithm, the first results list corresponding to a term in the search query, the first results list being ordered according to relevance rankings, modifying a feature of the first results lists by an editor, the modification being made according to an editorial rule, determining a reliability score for the editor, the reliability score being based upon the modification made the editor, combining the modification made by the editor in a combined search index, the combined modification being included in the combined search index according to the determined reliability of the editor, and using the combined search index to produce a second results list which corresponds to the term in the search query, the second results list being ordered according to relevance rankings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Witbrock
  • Patent number: 6775664
    Abstract: A search engine system is provided for a portal site on the internet. The search engine system employs a regular search engine to make one-shot or demand searches for information entities which provide at least threshold matches to user queries. The search engine system also employs a collaborative/content-based filter to make continuing searches for information entities which match existing wire queries and are ranked and stored over time in user-accessible, system wires corresponding to the respective queries. A user feedback system provides collaborative feedback data for integration with content profile data in the operation of the collaborative/content-based filter. A query processor determines whether a demand search or a wire search is made for an input query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Lycos, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew K. Lang, Donald M. Kosak