Patents by Inventor Sally K. Salas

Sally K. Salas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method for optimizing search result listings
    Patent number: 8341017
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer-accessible medium are provided for optimizing search result listings in a search engine user interface. The system and method provide an automated way of promoting and demoting the placement of a search result listing between more or less desirable locations, based on the listing's performance in a given placement. Promoting and demoting placements is based on a threshold performance for the listing against which the actual performance of a listing is measured. The threshold performance may be advantageously varied to accommodate different revenue and relevance goals for a particular search engine or portion of the search engine's market.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher D. Payne, Eric B. Watson, Sally K. Salas, Sreeram Krishnan
  • System and method for performing a search and a browse on a query
    Patent number: 7756864
    Abstract: A search and a browse on a single user query is performed. A refined query is selected from the results of the first user query. Thereafter, a list of concepts from a first directory associated with the refined query is obtained. The concepts are defined in a hierarchical relationship with concepts having broader scope being higher in the hierarchy and concepts having a narrower scope being lower in the hierarchy. Additionally, a list of web sites associated with the search concept is obtained from a second directory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Raman Chandrasekar, James Charles Finger, II, Sally K. Salas, Eric Benjamin Watson
  • System and method for performing a search and a browse on a query
    Patent number: 6978264
    Abstract: A search and a browse on a single user query is performed. A refined query is selected from the results of the first user query. Thereafter, a list of concepts from a first directory associated with the refined query is obtained. The concepts are defined in a hierarchical relationship with concepts having broader scope being higher in the hierarchy and concepts having a narrower scope being lower in the hierarchy. Additionally, a list of web sites associated with the search concept is obtained from a second directory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Raman Chandrasekar, James Charles Finger, II, Sally K. Salas, Eric Benjamin Watson
  • System and method for performing a search and a browse on a query
    Publication number: 20030126235
    Abstract: A search and a browse on a single user query is performed. A refined query is selected from the results of the first user query. Thereafter, a list of concepts from a first directory associated with the refined query is obtained. The concepts are defined in a hierarchical relationship with concepts having broader scope being higher in the hierarchy and concepts having a narrower scope being lower in the hierarchy. Additionally, a list of web sites associated with the search concept is obtained from a second directory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Raman Chandrasekar, James Charles Finger, Sally K. Salas, Eric Benjamin Watson