Patents Assigned to Yahoo!
  • Triggering method for instant search
    Patent number: 9940372
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for automatically determining when to trigger instant search. In one technique, while a user is entering text to formulate a search query, and prior to receiving an indication that the user has completed formulation of the search query, a search assistant system determines the most popular queries that include the text the user has already entered. The search assistant system then determines whether to proactively provide, to the user, search results for the top-candidate of those completed queries. That determination may take into account factors such as whether the top-candidate qualifies as a dominant completed query, a richness metric determined for the search results for the particular completed query, and/or a satisfaction metric determined for the search results for the particular completed query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Shenhong Zhu, Kazuhiro Nakao, Zhongqiang Chen, Chun Ming Sze, Huming Wu, Farzin Maghoul
  • Image searching
    Patent number: 9940575
    Abstract: As provided herein, a domain model, corresponding to a domain of an image, may be merged with a pre-trained fundamental model to generate a trained fundamental model. The trained fundamental model may comprise a feature description of the image converted into a binary code. Responsive to a user submitting a search query, a coarse image search may be performed, using a search query binary code derived from the search query, to identify a candidate group, comprising one or more images, having binary codes corresponding to the search query binary code. A fine image search may be performed on the candidate group utilizing a search query feature description derived from the search query. The fine image search may be used to rank images within the candidate group based upon a similarity between the search query feature description and feature descriptions of the one or more images within the candidate group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: JenHao Hsiao
  • ONLINE RANKING OF QUERIES FOR SPONSORED SEARCH
    Publication number: 20180095967
    Abstract: A system and method for ranking query-advertisement combinations is disclosed. Embodiments use an online component to enhance and rank query ad combinations. The query ad combination is then reranked with a trained factorization machine. The subsequent list of ranked query-ad combinations is then output. The output may be to an auction for determine ad-query combinations having the greatest expected revenue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Nagaraj KOTA
  • Generating a live chat session in response to selection of a contextual shortcut
    Patent number: 9935793
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to identifying entities in content, highlighting the identified entities, and displaying an interactive chat session based on a selected entity. The interactive chat session and the content may be displayed in the same browser window. The interactive chat session may be overlaid on top of the content, inserted inline into the content, or otherwise embedded within the content. The content and the interactive chat session may both remain active in the browser window, enabling a user to conveniently read and chat about the content. The topic of the interactive chat session may be automatically selected from a hierarchical taxonomy of chat session topics, or the user may select the topic from one or more provided taxonomies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Vadim Von Brzeski, Reiner Kraft
  • INFERENCE DEVICE, INFERENCE METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM
    Publication number: 20180082195
    Abstract: An inference device disclosed herein includes an identifying unit, and an inferring unit. The identifying unit identifies a set of a predetermined phenomenon, an effect having a causal relation with the predetermined phenomenon, and a polarity of the effect, from concept information in which a phenomenon, an effect having a causal relation with the phenomenon, a polarity to be an indicator of advantages and disadvantages caused by the effect to a user. The inferring unit infers an effect caused when the predetermined phenomenon occurs, and advantages and disadvantages caused by the effect based on the set identified by the identifying unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ikuo KITAGISHI
  • ESTIMATION DEVICE, ESTIMATION METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM
    Publication number: 20180082186
    Abstract: According to one aspect of an embodiment an estimation device includes a collecting unit that collects pieces of operation information that indicate operational statuses of electric devices, provided in a predetermined facility, and terminal information that is acquired by a terminal device of a user in the predetermined facility. The estimation device includes an estimating unit that estimates an action of a user in the predetermined facility based on the pieces of operation information and the terminal information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ikuo KITAGISHI
  • SELLING ITEM TRANSACTION PROCESSING DEVICE, SELLING ITEM TRANSACTION PROCESSING METHOD AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM
    Publication number: 20180082323
    Abstract: A selling item transaction processing device disclosed herein includes a setting reception unit, a transaction price changing unit, a purchase reception unit, and a processing unit. The setting reception unit receives setting of a transaction price of a selling item. The transaction price changing unit gradually lowers the transaction price. The purchase reception unit receives a purchase request on the selling item at the transaction price. The processing unit performs processing in response to the purchase request. The transaction price changing unit dynamically changes a mode of lowering the transaction price.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shin TSURUTA
  • GENERATION APPARATUS, GENERATION METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM
    Publication number: 20180082196
    Abstract: According to one aspect of an embodiment a generation apparatus includes a selection unit that selects a model to be used for generating a response based on one of conditions input from a user among from a plurality of models for generating responses to inquiries, the models being for generating the responses corresponding to the conditions that are different from one another. The generation apparatus includes a generation unit that generates the response to an inquiry from the user by using the model selected by the selection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ikuo KITAGISHI, Akishi TSUMORI, Tooru UENAGA, Akiomi NISHIDA, Takao KOMIYA
  • Delivery device and delivery method
    Patent number: 9924203
    Abstract: A delivery device according to the present disclosure includes a receiving unit and a delivering unit. The receiving unit receives a user attribute of a user using a space in which an output device is installed for each user. The delivering unit delivers content corresponding to the user to the output device for each user based on the user attribute received through the receiving unit. Thus, the delivery device the present disclosure can effectively use an output device installed for each user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Sotaro Igarashi
  • Search system, search method, terminal apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium
    Patent number: 9922121
    Abstract: A search system includes a terminal apparatus and a server apparatus. The server apparatus includes a response unit configured to respond image information about a web page of a search result corresponding to the search query for a web search transmitted by the terminal apparatus to the terminal apparatus. The terminal apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive the image information about the web page of the search result from the server apparatus, and a display control unit configured to display the image information received by the receiving unit on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taketo Sano, Hiroyuki Soya
  • Automated presentation of information using infographics
    Patent number: 9922096
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a web browser-based scheme for combining structured data, infographic definitions, and visual styling information to render infographics and aggregate collections of infographics, referred to herein as “Vizumes” and “Personas.” In exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, a relational database and/or a file system stores user data, infographic definitions, templates and palettes; combines these elements to produce individual infographic representations or a collection of infographic/visualizations (Vizumes) on a single canvas; allows users to choose different infographic visualizations of the same underlying data; and allows users to change the layout, font style, and color palette to instantly produce different visual presentations from the same data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Silverstein, D. Eli Tucker, Jeff Cutler-Stamm
  • System and method for mobile device location tracking with a communication event trigger in a wireless network
    Patent number: 9924309
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for location tracking. In one embodiment, an apparatus receives a message sent to a user of a mobile device in a wireless network, and a processor determines at least one location parameter. Data is extracted from the message, and initiation of a computing function (e.g., transmission of a communication to the mobile device) is triggered by a match between the location and the data from the message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Sol Lipman, David Robinson, Jeffrey Bonforte, Victor Chen
  • Auction apparatus and auction method
    Patent number: 9916600
    Abstract: An auction apparatus according to the application includes a plan receiving unit and a providing unit. The plan receiving unit gradually receives plan information indicating a plan of content from a content creator who creates the content a plurality of times. The providing unit additionally presents the plan information which is gradually received by the plan receiving unit and provides an auction service in which a bid target is a right to display an advertisement in an advertising space set to the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Takata, Nobuyuki Akashi, Akira Tajima, Koji Tsukamoto, Nari Woo, Akihiro Tanabe, Shinichiro Sega, Rin Katou
  • Personalization of news articles based on news sources
    Patent number: 9916364
    Abstract: News search and browse experience is personalized based on user preferences. User attributes like a geographic location are obtained and news sources preferred by other users with attributes similar to those of a requesting user are identified. News sources that are popular across different user groups are eliminated and relevant news items from the remaining news sources are retrieved and presented to the requesting user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Srinivas Vadrevu, Su-Lin Wu, Ben Shahshahani
  • Method and apparatus for automatically summarizing the contents of electronic documents
    Patent number: 9916309
    Abstract: One embodiment of a method for summarizing an electronic document includes splitting the electronic document into a plurality of terms, wherein each of the plurality of terms is associated with a respective length, a respective informativeness score, and a respective coherence score, automatically selecting a subset of the plurality of terms, such that an aggregate informativeness score of the subset is maximized while an aggregate length of the subset is less than or equal to a maximum length, and arranging the subset as a summary of the electronic document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Inderjeet Mani, Eugenio Ciurana, Nicholas D'Aloisio-Montilla, Bart K. Swanson
  • Automatic video segment selection method and apparatus
    Patent number: 9911223
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving interactions with and between computers in content generating, searching, hosting and/or providing systems supported by or configured with personal computing devices, servers and/or platforms. The systems interact to identify and retrieve data within or across platforms, which can be used to improve the quality of data used in processing interactions between or among processors in such systems. The disclosed systems and methods provide systems and methods for automatically extracting and creating an animated Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) file from a media file. The disclosed systems and methods identify a number of GIF candidates from a video file, and based on analysis of each candidate's attributes, features and/or qualities, at least one GIF candidate is automatically selected for rendering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Yale Song, Michael Gygli, Liangliang Cao
  • System and method for identifying a link and generating a link identifier for the link on a webpage
    Patent number: 9912766
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for matching clicks of links on a webpage with page views by a user. The method may comprise identifying a link on a webpage requested by a client device, generating a link identifier for the link and attaching the link identifier to the link. Upon receiving a request for data associated with the link, the link identifier is stored in a log file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Sunil Nagaraj, Nanda Kumar Jayakumar, Kian-Tat Lim, George Goldenberg, Adam Rosen, Joonsuk Bae
  • Smart exploration methods for mitigating item cold-start problem in collaborative filtering recommendation systems
    Patent number: 9910898
    Abstract: Systems and methods for building a latent item vector and item bias for a new item in a collaborative filtering system are disclosed. The method includes dividing incoming users into intervals with each interval having a learning phase and a selection phase. The learning phase scores each incoming user according to a best estimate latent vector and bias and saves the highest score. In the selection each incoming user is scored and a user exceeding the highest score is selected. The best estimate latent vector and bias is then updated based on the user's vector and bias, and the user's interaction with the item. The updated best estimate latent vector is then used in further intervals for learning and selecting users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Oren Shlomo Somekh, Michal Aharon, Shahar Golan, Noa Avigdor-Elgrabli, Dana Drachsler Cohen
  • Continuing an application session on a different device
    Patent number: 9912758
    Abstract: The present teaching relates to continuing a user session of an application from one device to another device. Information related to a first user session of a first application installed on a first device is received. The first user session information may indicate content and content presentation provided via the first application. A request, based on a pre-defined URL, for the first session information is received from a second device. Responsive to the request, the information related to the first user session is provided to the second device so that a second user session of a second application at the second device provides the same content in the same presentation as in the first user session. The first and second user sessions both may be associated with a same specific user identity, and the first and second applications have at least one common function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: YAHOO HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Ric Allinson
  • BUILDING PROFILES FOR CLUSTERS WITH SMART UNION OF INDIVIDUAL PROFILES
    Publication number: 20180060411
    Abstract: A system for generating a cluster profile is provided. The system may include a server and a database. The server may be configured to receive event information from a plurality of consumer devices. The database may store a plurality of member profiles. The server may be configured to retrieve the member profiles from the database and may determine a subset of member profiles to associate with a cluster; the server may calculate an intersection of the facts from the subset of member profiles and may generate a cluster profile based on the intersection of the facts from the subset of member profiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: Yahoo Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaylan Kanuri, Wendell Baker, Alvaro Mendez, Gergely Timar