Abstract: A service system provides users with access to online services. As part of providing the services to users, the service system stores data for users in a data storage system. When the service system receives a request from an administrator of the system for user data stored in the data storage system, the service system identifies the data requested by the administrator. The service system also determines policies that apply to the data. The determined policies indicate transformations that are to be performed on the data to protect the privacy of the users. The service system transforms the user data as indicated by the policies and provides the transformed user data to the administrator.

Abstract: A service system provides users with access to online services. As part of providing the services to users, the service system stores data for users in a data storage system. When the service system receives a request from an administrator of the system for user data stored in the data storage system, the service system identifies the data requested by the administrator. The service system also determines policies that apply to the data. The determined policies indicate transformations that are to be performed on the data to protect the privacy of the users. The service system transforms the user data as indicated by the policies and provides the transformed user data to the administrator.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for allowing transactions in instruments relating to term-based concepts in a networked computer system. Concepts may be defined as a set of terms, such as words or phrases, that relate to a theme. The terms are useable in computerized searches. The set of terms may be determined manually, using a computer algorithm, or both. Concepts are valued, such as by a measure of advertising value. Instruments include concept futures as well as bets. Concept-based instruments can be used, for example, as hedging tools, speculating tools, market forecasting tools, or data generating tools.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for automatically displaying a search-refinement user interface based on structure identified in search results in response to unstructured search queries. A list of search results obtained by a search engine is analyzed to determined whether a structure threshold is satisfied. If the threshold is met, then search-refinement options are displayed on a common display with the search results to allow the user to filter the search results according to the structure identified in the results. The user interface can receive filter and sort requests from the user to further refine the search results based on overlapping schema attributes or other shared-structure elements identified in the search results.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for automatically presenting search results from user-created search verticals or search macros in response to general web-search queries. A general web-search query is received and a set of user-created search verticals is initially identified using keywords contained in the query. A subset of target user-created search verticals is identified using factors such as whether the user has installed a tab for a particular vertical in a customized user interface, whether the search query has been used in a particular search vertical with a high frequency, and an overall or query-specific customer satisfaction rating for a particular search vertical. The search results can be presented as inline answers or inline suggestions on a common display with general search results obtained for the general search query.

Abstract: Computerized methods and systems for generating a URL-addressable Web page utilizing user-defined search parameters are provided. User-defined search parameters are packaged together as a search macro and assigned a URL. When a user accesses the Web page associated with the assigned URL, s/he is permitted to specify a search query and any search results returned in response thereto will be tailored in accordance with the user-defined search parameters, even though such search parameters are not input as part of the search query. The present invention further provides users with the opportunity to readily share packaged search parameters with other users by simply communicating the URL assigned to a particular search macro.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for automatically displaying a search-refinement user interface based on structure identified in search results in response to unstructured search queries. A list of search results obtained by a search engine is analyzed to determined whether a structure threshold is satisfied. If the threshold is met, then search-refinement options are displayed on a common display with the search results to allow the user to filter the search results according to the structure identified in the results. The user interface can receive filter and sort requests from the user to further refine the search results based on overlapping schema attributes or other shared-structure elements identified in the search results.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for automatically presenting search results from user-created search verticals or search macros in response to general web-search queries. A general web-search query is received and a set of user-created search verticals is initially identified using keywords contained in the query. A subset of target user-created search verticals is identified using factors such as whether the user has installed a tab for a particular vertical in a customized user interface, whether the search query has been used in a particular search vertical with a high frequency, and an overall or query-specific customer satisfaction rating for a particular search vertical. The search results can be presented as inline answers or inline suggestions on a common display with general search results obtained for the general search query.

Abstract: In one implementation a method for disambiguation of search phrases is provided, which may include identifying interpretation clusters using bidded search terms of content providers and influencing a position of a search result in a search results list based on the interpretation clusters. In one implementation a method is provided for interpretation clustering, which may include identifying terms and associated content providers and calculating a matrix from the identified terms and associated content providers. Similarity scores between content providers based on the matrix are calculated and interpretation clusters are assigned using the similarity scores. Bidded search terms and/or searcher clickthrough terms may be used. In one implementation, a method is provided for increasing the relevance of search results, which may include receiving a search query and identifying the search query as ambiguous.

Abstract: Method for partitioning a database containing a plurality of documents into desired and undesired type documents, the plurality of documents containing text and/or links to and from other documents in the database, including: providing a source document of the desired type, the source document including a collection of seed documents linked to more similar documents of the desired type than to dissimilar documents of the undesired type; providing a sink document for providing access to the database, the sink document being generic and representative of the database; identifying a cut-set of links which is the smallest set of links such that removing them from the database completely disconnects the source document and its linked documents from the sink document and its linked documents into first and second subsets of documents, respectively; and defining the first subset of documents as desired type documents and the remaining documents as undesired type documents.