Abstract: Various features are disclosed for storing and providing access to event data reflective of user-generated events, including events associated with search query submission of users. One such feature enables users to annotate search results, to later recall and view these annotations, and to publish the annotations to other users. Another feature involves recording event data reflective of search result viewing events of users, and using this event data to personalize search results pages for particular users.

Abstract: A facility for ranking in a result set is described. The facility establishes a system of ratings for combinations of a web page with the query term that reflect the level of relevance of the web page to the query term. In response to each of a number of content interactions performed by users, each with respect to a result corresponding to a web page included in a result set that was generated in response to a query comprising a set of one or more query terms, the facility adjusts a rating score for each combination of the web page and a query term among the set of query terms.

Abstract: A web site system includes an event history server system that persistently stores event data reflective of events that occur during browsing sessions of web site users, and makes such data available to other applications and services in real time. The server system may, for example, be used to record information about every mouse click of every recognized user, and may also be used to record other types of events such as impressions and mouse-over events. The event data of a particular user may be retrieved from the server system based on event type, event time of occurrence, and various other criteria. In one embodiment, the server system includes a cache layer that caches event data by session ID, and includes a persistent storage layer the persistently stores the event data by user ID. Also disclosed are various application features that may be implemented using the stored event data.

Abstract: An event history server system stores event data descriptive of user-specific events that occur in browsing sessions of users. A query interface of the event history server system enables applications to selectively retrieve the event data based on various event parameters such as event type, event time of occurrence, and user identifier. The applications may, for example, include one or more personalization applications that generate personalized content for users.

Abstract: Parallel generic and non-generic versions of a Web site allow a user of the site to either remain anonymous (if accessing the generic version) or allow user information to be collected (if accessing the non-generic version). In one exemplary embodiment, a Web site may provide a user an interface for entering and processing a search query. A search query processed by a generic version of the Web site includes a marker that informs a Web server supporting the generic Web site that the user wishes to remain anonymous. A parallel non-generic version of the Web site may also interface with the same Web server as interfaced by the generic Web site, but permit a data collecting scheme at the Web server to collect user-specific or user-identifiable information. Such user information, if collected, can be used by the Web server to enhance the user's experience with the Web site.

Abstract: Parallel generic and non-generic versions of a Web site allow a user of the site to either remain anonymous (if accessing the generic version) or allow user information to be collected (if accessing the non-generic version). In one exemplary embodiment, a Web site may provide a user an interface for entering and processing a search query. A search query processed by a generic version of the Web site includes a marker that informs a Web server supporting the generic Web site that the user wishes to remain anonymous. A parallel non-generic version of the Web site may also interface with the same Web server as interfaced by the generic Web site, but permit a data collecting scheme at the Web server to collect user-specific or user-identifiable information. Such user information, if collected, can be used by the Web server to enhance the user's experience with the Web site.

Abstract: An event history server system stores event data descriptive of user-specific events that occur in browsing sessions of users. A query interface of the event history server system enables applications to selectively retrieve the event data based on various event parameters such as event type, event time of occurrence, and user identifier. The applications may, for example, include one or more personalization applications that generate personalized content for users.

Abstract: A web site system includes an event history server system that persistently stores event data reflective of events that occur during browsing sessions of web site users, and makes such data available to other applications and services in real time. The server system may, for example, be used to record information about every mouse click of every recognized user, and may also be used to record other types of events such as impressions and mouse-over events. The event data of a particular user may be retrieved from the server system based on event type, event time of occurrence, and various other criteria. In one embodiment, the server system includes a cache layer that caches event data by session ID, and includes a persistent storage layer the persistently stores the event data by user ID. Also disclosed are various application features that may be implemented using the stored event data.

Abstract: A facility for ranking in a result set is described. The facility establishes a system of ratings for combinations of a web page with the query term that reflect the level of relevance of the web page to the query term. In response to each of a number of content interactions performed by users, each with respect to a result corresponding to a web page included in a result set that was generated in response to a query comprising a set of one or more query terms, the facility adjusts a rating score for each combination of the web page and a query term among the set of query terms.

Abstract: A search engine process predicts the correct spellings of search terms within multiple-term search queries. In one embodiment, when a user submits a multiple-term search query that includes a non-matching term and at least one matching term, a table is accessed to look up a set of terms that are “related” to the matching term or terms. A spelling comparison function is then used to determine whether any of these related terms is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement. A candidate replacement term may automatically be substituted for the non-matching term, or may be suggested to the user as a replacement. The invention also includes a process for identifying terms that are related to each other based on the relatively high frequencies with which they co-occur in search queries of users, database records, and/or specific database fields.

Abstract: A web site system includes an event history server system that persistently stores event data reflective of events that occur during browsing sessions of web site users, and makes such data available to other applications and services in real time. The server system may, for example, be used to record information about every mouse click of every recognized user, and may also be used to record other types of events such as impressions and mouse-over events. The event data of a particular user may be retrieved from the server system based on event type, event time of occurrence, and various other criteria. In one embodiment, the server system includes a cache layer that caches event data by session ID, and includes a persistent storage layer the persistently stores the event data by user ID. Also disclosed are various application features that may be implemented using the stored event data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automatically generating a list of recommended links for a user are disclosed. For a particular user, one or more criteria for use in generating a list of recommended links are identified or selected by the user. A list of one or more recommended links is then generated and provided to the user.

Abstract: The present invention provides a software facility for identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the facility receives a query specifying one or more query terms. In response, the facility generates a query result identifying a plurality of items that satisfy the query. The facility then produces a ranking value for at least a portion of the items identified in the query result by combining the relative frequencies with which users selected that item from the query results generated from queries specifying each of the terms specified by the query. The facility identifies as most relevant those items having the highest ranking values.

Abstract: A search engine system displays the results of a multiple-category search according to levels of relevance of the categories to a user's search query. A query server receives a search query from a user and identifies, within each of multiple item categories, a set of items that satisfy the query. The sets of items are used to generate, for each of the multiple categories, a score that reflects a level significance or relevance of the category to the search. The scores may be based, for example, on the number of hits within each category relative to the total number of items in that category, the popularity levels of items that satisfy the query, a personal profile of the user, or a combination thereof. The categories are then presented to the user, together with the most relevant items within each category, in the order of highest to lowest category relevance.

Abstract: A search engine process predicts the correct spellings of search terms within multiple-term search queries. In one embodiment, when a user submits a multiple-term search query that includes a non-matching term and at least one matching term, a table is accessed to look up a set of terms that are “related” to the matching term or terms. A spelling comparison function is then used to determine whether any of these related terms is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement. A candidate replacement term may automatically be substituted for the non-matching term, or may be suggested to the user as a replacement. The invention also includes a process for identifying terms that are related to each other based on the relatively high frequencies with which they co-occur within search queries of users, database records, and/or specific database fields.

Abstract: A web site system includes an event history server system that persistently stores event data reflective of events that occur during browsing sessions of web site users, and makes such data available to other applications and services in real time. The server system may, for example, be used to record information about every mouse click of every recognized user, and may also be used to record other types of events such as impressions and mouse-over events. The event data of a particular user may be retrieved from the server system based on event type, event time of occurrence, and various other criteria. In one embodiment, the server system includes a cache layer that caches event data by session ID, and includes a persistent storage layer the persistently stores the event data by user ID. Also disclosed are various application features that may be implemented using the stored event data.