Abstract: A system for and a method of using user-entered information to return more meaningful information in response to Internet search queries are disclosed. A method in accordance with the disclosed subject matter comprises managing a database in response to multiple user inputs and displaying search results from the database in response to a search query. The search results include a results list and supplemental data related to the search query. Managing the database includes, among other things, re-ranking elements in the results list, storing information related to relevancies of elements in the results list, blocking a link in the results list, storing links to documents related to the search query, or any combination of these. The supplemental data include descriptions of or indices to one or more concepts related to the search query.

Abstract: Systems and methods for responding to a subscriber's text-based request for content items are presented. In response to a request from a subscriber, word pieces are generated from the text-based terms of the request. A request embedding vector of the word pieces is obtained from a trained machine learning model. Using the request embedding vector, a set of content items, from a corpus of content items, is identified. At least some content items of the set of content items are returned to the subscriber in response to the text-based request for content items.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for adding system-identified content to a user's content space based on information identified from the user's email account. In operation, after obtaining user authorization to access email items of an email account, the email items are iteratively processed. In processing each of the email items, one or more topics of a currently processed email item are identified. Based on the identified topics and user preferences, one or more content items may be identified for addition to the user's online content space. Additionally, the information identified from processing the one or more email items is used to update the user's preferences.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying content for an input query are presented. A mapping model is trained to map elements of an input query embedding vector for a received query into one or more elements of a destination embedding vector. In response to receiving an input query, an input query embedding vector is generated that projects into an input query embedding space. The input query embedding vector is processed by the mapping model to map the input query embedding vector into one or more elements of a destination embedding vector in a destination embedding space, resulting in a partial destination embedding vector. Items of a corpus of content are projected into the destination embedding space and the partial destination embedding vector is also projected into the destination embedding space. A similarity measure determines the most-similar items to the partial destination embedding vector and at least some of the most-similar items are returned in response to the input query.

Abstract: Systems and method for determining a topic cohesion measurement between a content item and a hyperlinked landing page are presented. In one embodiment, a plurality of content item signals is generated for the content item and a corresponding plurality of signals are generated for the hyperlinked landing page. An analysis of the corresponding signals is conducted to determine a measurement of topic cohesion, a topic cohesion score, between the content item and the hyperlinked landing page. A cohesion predictor model is trained to generate the predictive topic cohesion score between an input content item and a hyperlinked landing page. Upon a determination that the topic cohesion score is less than a predetermined threshold, remedial actions are taken regarding the hyperlink of the content item. Alternatively, positive actions may be carried out, including promoting the content item to others, associating advertisements with the content item, and the like.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for establishing and generating collections of sets that contain object identifiers based on user provided annotations for the object identifiers. A set may include one or more object identifiers and each object identifier may include one or more user provided annotations. Annotations from all object identifiers within a set are processed to form a set profile signature representative of the set. The set profile signatures are then compared between different sets to identify similar sets. Similar sets are included in a collection. Utilizing set profile signatures for a set formed based on user provided annotations provides useful relationships between sets that might otherwise not exist.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for enabling visual search for information. With each selection of an object included in an image, additional images that include visually similar objects are determined and presented to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for de-serializing one or more data elements of a serialized structured data record are presented. In response to a request to de-serialize one or more data elements of a serialized structured data record of a first type, the location of the serialized structured data record is determined within a data file containing a plurality of serialized structured data records. Locations of the data of the one or more data elements are determined and the data of the one or more data elements is retrieved. The data is de-serialized and stored in corresponding data elements in an instantiated structured data record of the first type. The one or more data elements that are de-serialized are fewer than all of the data elements of the serialized structured data record.

Abstract: Described is a system and method for enabling dynamic selection of a search input. For example, rather than having a static search input box, the search input may be dynamically positioned such that it encompasses a portion of displayed information. An image segment that includes a representation of the encompassed portion of the displayed information is generated and processed to determine an object represented in the portion of the displayed information. Additional images with visually similar representations of objects are then determined and presented to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for adding system-identified content to a user's content space based on information identified from the user's email account. In operation, after obtaining user authorization to access email items of an email account, the email items are iteratively processed. In processing each of the email items, one or more topics of a currently processed email item are identified. Based on the identified topics and user preferences, one or more content items may be identified for addition to the user's online content space. Additionally, the information identified from processing the one or more email items is used to update the user's preferences.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying content for an input query are presented. A mapping model is trained to map elements of an input query embedding vector for a received query into one or more elements of a destination embedding vector. In response to receiving an input query, an input query embedding vector is generated that projects into an input query embedding space. The input query embedding vector is processed by the mapping model to map the input query embedding vector into one or more elements of a destination embedding vector in a destination embedding space, resulting in a partial destination embedding vector. Items of a corpus of content are projected into the destination embedding space and the partial destination embedding vector is also projected into the destination embedding space. A similarity measure determines the most-similar items to the partial destination embedding vector and at least some of the most-similar items are returned in response to the input query.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for matching user provided images that include representations of items with sellers of those items. A management service, as described herein, may provide a web site where users can post images, view images, share images, correspond with other users, etc. The management service may identify items represented in the images and determine one or more sellers that offer those items for sale. When another user requests to view the user provided image, the image, seller information identifying the seller determined to sell the item represented in the image, and/or a purchase control that may be selected by a user to initiate a purchase with the seller is presented.

Abstract: Systems and methods for responding to a subscriber's text-based request for content items are presented. In response to a request from a subscriber, word pieces are generated from the text-based terms of the request. A request embedding vector of the word pieces is obtained from a trained machine learning model. Using the request embedding vector, a set of content items, from a corpus of content items, is identified. At least some content items of the set of content items are returned to the subscriber in response to the text-based request for content items.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predictively identifying content sources as likely activity subscribers to an online service is presented. In view of a corpus of activity data describing activity of users of an online service, an analysis of this corpus of activity data is carried out to identify one or more content sources that are not activity subscribers but whose content is posted on the online service. A machine learning model is employed to predictively identify at least some content sources that are not activity subscribers of the online service that could likely become activity subscribers. A first content source of the one or more content sources is identified as a likely potential activity subscriber according to the trained machine learning model and the first content source is notified with information for becoming an activity subscriber.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for analyzing, by a server computer, closed captioning text associated with a media program being experienced by a user having a client device. The server computer obtains, based on the analyzing, a subject matter of a portion of the media program from the closed captioning text. The server computer constructs a query associated with the determined subject matter and submits the query to a computer network as a search query. The server computer receives, in response to the submitting of the query, content relating to the subject matter and measures an elapsed time period between the receiving of the content and the obtaining of the subject matter. If the elapsed time period is less than a predetermined period of time, the server computer communicates, to the client device, information related to the content.

Abstract: Described are systems and methods for determining a diversity function in connection with potential advertisements in determining one or more advertisements to present to a user. This can facilitate presenting diverse advertisements to users. The diversity function can yield a diversity penalty for each potential advertisement to be able to determine a rank order of the potential advertisements. The diversity function can include a repetition score and a multiplier for each potential advertisement.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods that facilitate purchase of objects from merchants. For example, a user may browse a website available from an object management service and identify objects that they desire to purchase. Rather than having to locate the seller of those objects to make a purchase, the implementations described herein facilitate a connection between the user and the merchant so that the merchant's sales are increased and the user is provided an efficient and safe shopping experience.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for carrying out a task to an expanded group of users on behalf of a third party. In operation, an online service receives task information corresponding to a task from a third party. Additionally, the online service receives a seed group of users from the third party. The online service determines an intersection between the seed group of users and the online service's corpus of users. This intersection of users is then used to identify an expanded set of users of the online service's corpus of users. The online service then carries out the task on behalf of the third party, targeting the expanded set of users.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems and methods for matching user provided images that include representations of items with sellers of those items. A management service, as described herein, may provide a web site where users can post images, view images, share images, correspond with other users, etc. The management service may identify items represented in the images and determine one or more sellers that offer those items for sale. When another user requests to view the user provided image, the image, seller information identifying the seller determined to sell the item represented in the image, and/or a purchase control that may be selected by a user to initiate a purchase with the seller is presented.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for efficient and effective computation of LSH hashing functions for use in various environments, including nearest-neighbor search. A corpus of items is maintained, with each item of the corpus being associated with information identifying one of a plurality of LSH partitions to which the item has been mapped or hashed. In response to an input item, the input item is projected one or more times into an orthoplex inscribed within a multi-dimensional space. For each mapping, a determination is made as to the nearest vertex of the orthoplex to the projected input item, and the LSH partitions associated with the nearest vertex are aggregated and associated with the input item as the input item's LSH partition.