Search Engine Portal (e.g., Metasearch Engine) Patents (Class 707/707)
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Patent number: 8275760Abstract: A system for dynamic headline switching. The system includes a database, a display module, an interface module, and a search engine. The database contains entry data for accessing content such as stories, pictures, or videos. The display engine generates a display including a current headline. The interface module indexes through each headline, for example, at a predetermined time interval, to provide new and updated information to the user. The search engine queries the database and generates a list of entries allowing the user to access content related to the current headline.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2007Date of Patent: September 25, 2012Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventor: Yuan Lin Su
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Publication number: 20120239637Abstract: A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to examine and determine quality of objects cited by citations in a search result based on a citation graph that includes citing subjects, citations, and cited objects. First, influence scores of a plurality of subjects/sources that compose the citations of the objects in the search result are calculated. The quality of the objects cited by the subjects can then be determined by examining the influence scores for the subjects of the citations. Finally, the cited objects selected can be presented to a user or provided to a thirty party for further processing together with the relevant citations and citing subjects.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2011Publication date: September 20, 2012Inventors: Vipul Ved Prakash, Lun Ted Cui, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh, Thomas James Emerson
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Patent number: 8271483Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that detects sensitive content in a document. In doing so, the system receives a document, identifies a set of terms in the document that are candidate sensitive terms, and generates a combination of terms based on the identified terms that is associated with a semantic meaning. Next, the system performs searches through a corpus based on the combination of terms and determines hit counts returned for each term in the combination and for the combination. The system then determines whether the combination of terms is sensitive based on the hit count for the combination and the hit counts for the individual terms in the combination, and generates a result that indicates portions of the document which contain sensitive combinations.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2008Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventors: Jessica N. Staddon, Richard Chow, Valeria de Paiva, Philippe J. P. Golle, Ji Fang, Tracy Holloway King
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Patent number: 8271472Abstract: A portal having one or more associated data sources is defined, the portal including one or more portlets for displaying information associated with the one or more associated data sources. An index of the one or more associated data sources is generated. A search query is transmitted to a search engine. The index is searched for data associated with the search query. A result set is received based, at least in part, upon the index and the data associated with the search query.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2009Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Eric de Morentin Martinez, Mark Carl Hampton, Stefan Hepper
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Patent number: 8266130Abstract: A method and system providing optional use of human search guides to allow a user to select between a human guide assisted search and an automated search. The user is provided with an option of submitting a query requesting assistance of one or more human guides, initiating a search without requesting assistance from human guide(s) using automated results, or a combination of both.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2007Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.Inventors: Scott A. Jones, Thomas E. Cooper
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Systems and methods of displaying and re-using document chunks in a document development application
Patent number: 8266155Abstract: A method for searching and displaying documents at a computer includes: receiving one or more search keywords from a user of the computer, identifying a set of documents stored at a plurality of data sources, each document including one or more chunks that match at least one search keyword; and displaying in a search results window a set of search results in a text-based display format, each search result including at least one chunk retrieved from a respective document and the chunk includes at least one instance of a highlighted search keyword. In response to a user selection of a first search result in the search results window, the computer launches a first document preview window adjacent to the first search result and displays within the first document preview window a portion of a first document in a display format consistent with a document type of the first document.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2011Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Tigerlogic CorporationInventors: Jeffrey Matthew Dexter, Robert Smik, Danny Hyun, Srinivasa Raju Vegeraju, Ilesh Hasmukhlal Garish -
Patent number: 8265926Abstract: A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate compound text input. The device is able to assemble language objects in the memory to generate compound language solutions. The device is able to analyze the combinations of language objects in light of N-gram data stored on the device to avoid proposing low-probability compound language solutions.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Research In Motion LimitedInventors: Vadim Fux, Michael G. Elizarov
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Patent number: 8265925Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for textual exploration and discovery. More specifically, the method and system provide a text-driven and grammar based tool for textual exploration and textual navigation. The facilities for textual exploration and textual navigation are based on a system of index entries that are connected to the underlying text segments from which the index entries are derived. Text units with particular grammatical, semantic, and/or pragmatic features constitute bundles of sentences or text zones.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2002Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Texturgy ASInventor: Brit Helle Aarskog
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Patent number: 8260874Abstract: A system and method in accordance with the present disclosure provide collateral information to a user receiving primary information via a first user interface. The system and method receives a user request for the collateral information. A context is defined from the primary information. A user's probable collateral information needs are derived from the context. The system and method then map the needs to one or more information repositories, and query the information repositories and retrieve collateral information satisfying the needs. The collateral information is presented via at least one user interface, which may include the first user interface. The system and method provide user controls via the at least one user interface to facilitate exploration of the collateral information by the user.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2004Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Northwestern UniversityInventors: Kristian Hammond, Jerome Budzik, Lawrence Birnbaum, Kevin Livingston, Mark Dredze
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Patent number: 8260763Abstract: A method comprises using a processor to list candidate resources that may be matched with a plurality of service entities. The method also comprises eliminating at least one possible match between the candidate resources and the plurality of service entities. The method further comprises, for each of the plurality of service entities, rating the candidate resources. The method still further comprises ranking the plurality of service entities. The method still further comprises matching each of the plurality of service entities with at least one of the candidate resources.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2010Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Devlopment Company, L.P.Inventors: Farlon de Alencar Souto, Leonardo Fagundes Da Silva, Filipe Gomes Esperandio
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Patent number: 8255391Abstract: A system and method for determining a ranking function for a search engine. A training data processor receives training data, the training data including at least a first page, a first label, a second page and a second label. A feature extraction processor receives the first page, identifies first features in the first page and calculates first values relating to the first features. The feature extraction processor receives the second page and identifies second features and calculates second values relating to the second features. A machine learning processor receives the first features, the first values, the first label, the second features, the second values, and the second label. The machine learning processor generates a ranking function based on first features, the first values, the first label, the second features, the second values, and the second label.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Conductor, Inc.Inventor: Parashuram Kulkarni
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Patent number: 8255382Abstract: The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained mobile communications devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2008Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Boopsie, Inc.Inventors: G. Gregory Carpenter, Timothy L. Kay
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Patent number: 8250054Abstract: An Internet infrastructure that supports search operations that are restricted by user favorite lists, related user metadata, and user trends that are based on client-stored user favorite behavior. The Internet infrastructure contains a search engine server coupled to a plurality of web browsers resident on client devices that contain user/favorite lists and metadata. The search engine supports delivery of search result web links to the client device based upon a search string, favorite list, and related metadata. The search engine server gathers favorite lists and related metadata from the plurality of web browsers, anonymously and with user permission. The search engine server stores the gathered favorite lists and related metadata in a database that is associated with the search engine server, and delivers search results based upon the search string by putting restrictions on search results based upon stored data in the database.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Enpulz, L.L.C.Inventor: James D. Bennett
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Patent number: 8250051Abstract: Embodiments of systems, program products, and methods to enhance and more effectively manage media content are provided. An embodiment of a method, for example, can include analyzing a user assigned role to allow access to specific data in a database in response to the user assigned role, capturing and storing metadata from multiple sources accessible by a plurality of different types of users, and tracking access to and changes in data in a database in response to user database access to thereby form transaction activity trails describing access and changed data to enhance digital file management and allow a plurality of media content management services to be performed.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2005Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Assignee: Harris CorporationInventors: Taras Markian Bugir, Andrew McCulloch
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Patent number: 8245259Abstract: The present invention utilizes an aggregator for searching, packaging and delivering content. The aggregator processes requests, searches, provides search results and acquires content. The aggregator, operating in a communications network, includes a request and results processing server, a search engine server coupled to the request and results processing server and a content acquisition server coupled to the request and results processing server. A request and results processing server receives a request for content, the search engine server searches for the content and the content acquisition program acquires content for delivery to the user. The request and results processing server includes a search request processor that receives information related to a user's search request and provides the information to a search results form builder that creates an electronic search request.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I, LLCInventors: John S. McCoskey, William D. Swart, Michael L. Asmussen
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Patent number: 8244521Abstract: String-oriented web queries are utilized as a tool to examine the fabric of how words, phrases and/or n-grams alternate in a language. This fabric is exploited in order to build up a matrix of semantically equivalent pieces of language. In one embodiment, the Distributional Hypothesis is utilized, along with strategies for confirming synonymy, to systematically build up a picture of what words/phrases can be legitimately substituted for one another.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2007Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventor: William Dolan
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Patent number: 8239366Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method of performing a search for content on the Internet, in which a user may speak a search query and speech recognition may be performed on the spoken query to generate a text search query to be provided to a plurality of search engines. This enables a user to speak the search query rather than having to type it, and also allows the user to provide the search query only once, rather than having to provide it separately to multiple different search engines.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.Inventors: Vladimir Sejnoha, William F. Ganong, III, Paul J. Vozila, Nathan M. Bodenstab, Yik-Cheung Tam
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Publication number: 20120191689Abstract: Process and system for metasearching on the Internet performed by a metasearch engine, comprising: receiving an HTTP request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries to at least one host that comprises a plurality of server devices that provide access to information to be searched, the HTTP request associated with a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered comprising at least one airline ticket and at least one other type of travel related item; sending the plurality of search queries to the at least one host; receiving search results from the at least one host; incorporating the received search results into a response; communicating the response from the metasearch engine to the client device; receiving another HTTP request from the client device for placing an order for at least one of the plurality of travel related items; processing the order.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2012Publication date: July 26, 2012Inventor: Harvey Lunenfeld
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Patent number: 8229911Abstract: An Internet infrastructure that supports searching of web links selects search results by processing browser activity information along with one or more of favorite lists, and related metadata, user profiles, and trends based on browser activity behavior and favorite behavior. The Internet infrastructure consists of a plurality of web browsers located on client devices. The web browsers are incorporated with a browser activity-monitoring module that tracks user's Internet usage, processes this information, and sends this information periodically or upon user request to the server to aid in improving search operation results. The search engine server is communicatively coupled to the plurality of web browsers and supports delivery of search results/web links to the client device based upon a search string, browser activity information, and possibly the favorite lists and related metadata.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Enpulz, LLCInventor: James D. Bennett
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Patent number: 8224713Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an information management application that provides users with the ability to create and customize matrix displays of information relating to a particular product or service for navigation by other users is provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2007Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Visible World, Inc.Inventor: Seth Haberman
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Patent number: 8214347Abstract: A method and apparatus for sub-topic identification from a search result that matches a query, said method including the steps of receiving a search result, extracting snippets from said search result that contain said query, truncating snippets on an instance of a boundary token, identifying phrases within said snippets that include the query, comparing all said phrases to determine optimal phrases, and presenting said optimal phrases. The apparatus for sub-topic identification from a search result that matches a query may include a dedicated server or a proxy for processing the search and sub-topic query.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2008Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Funnelback Pty Ltd.Inventor: Brett Charles Matson
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Patent number: 8214345Abstract: The Facet Navigator permits users to set custom constraints for searching databases by facet, displays facets representing fields in a database, and provides a manipulator for each facet. The manipulator may be a slider bar, or a drop-down menu, or some other interactive device known to persons skilled in the art. When a user sets constraints for a facet with the manipulator, the Facet Navigator searches the database based on the constraints and displays a list of items in the database that satisfy the constraints. The Facet Navigator displays a preview of interim results whenever a cursor is moved over an active region of the manipulator, where the preview includes details of database items meeting a search criteria based on the location of the cursor on the manipulator.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2006Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Robert J. Torres, Douglas S. Brown, Alexander W. Holt, Michael E. Moran, James R. Rudd
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Patent number: 8214357Abstract: There is disclosed a computer-implemented method operable on a mobile communication device for linking words to advertising resource links. In an embodiment, the method comprises: scanning a list or a body of text in order to identify a tagged keyword; linking at least one corresponding advertising resource link to each identified tagged keyword; and visually distinguishing a tagged keyword upon the at least one advertising resource link becoming accessible to the mobile communication device. In another embodiment, the method further comprises providing as an advertising resource link one or more of an advertising website, an email address, an SMS text address, a telephone number, or a purchase option screen corresponding to the identified tagged keyword.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Research in Motion LimitedInventor: Sherryl Lee Lorraine Scott
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Patent number: 8214342Abstract: A method to identify a supplier of good or services over the Internet by providing a home page with at least one link to a directory Web site for a class of goods or services. The directory Web site includes a directory Web site domain that at least partially describes a class of goods or services. The directory Web site also contains at least one supplier link to a corresponding supplier Web site and a rollover window. The home page and the directory Web site are configured to allow a user to access the home page; select a directory Web site based at least in part on the directory Web site domain name; activate the link to the selected directory Web site; and select and activate the supplier link for a supplier of goods or services.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2001Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Inventor: Michael Meiresonne
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Patent number: 8209317Abstract: Methods and systems for reconstructing a full query based on a partial query are disclosed. Existing interfaces for search engines may be rigid and require users to submit full queries to perform searched. The methods and systems described herein may solve these problems by allowing a flexible way for users to submit a partial query and reconstruct a full query based on the partial query. A search may then be performed using the reconstructed query.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2011Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.Inventor: Deepa Joshi
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Patent number: 8204872Abstract: A method for instantly expanding a keyterm is provided. According to the query term, a data search process is performed by several search engines. Several document snippets related to the query term are obtained from the search engines. A related term table containing several keyterms corresponding to each snippet is built up by analyzing each of the document snippet. According to a position relationship between the each keyterm and the query term in each snippet, a correlation calculation is performed for giving each keyterm a correlation value. A semantic merging process is performed to merge the correlation values of the keyterms with the same semantic meaning to be a correlation indicator. Some of the keyterms are determined to form a keyterm set of the query term.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2009Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Institute for Information IndustryInventors: Chang-Tai Hsieh, Chuo-Yen Lin, Chia-Yuan Yang, Shih-Chun Chou
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Patent number: 8200651Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for facilitating computer-assisted user comprehension of digitally encoded texts. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user is provided with the ability to perform multiple searches with different dictionaries or search engines, according to the user's needs. The user has the option of marking the words (or sentences) with several different symbols or colors or text highlighting and associating each of these marking to a specific dictionary or search engine. Searches of each of the selected text portions is performed within the associated dictionary databases, and the user is provided with the results of the searches for facilitating comprehension of the text.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2009Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Cristina Bonanni, Paola Carlesimo, Alessandra Rotunno
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SEARCHING SYSTEM HAVING A SERVER WHICH AUTOMATICALLY GENERATES SEARCH DATA SETS FOR SHARED SEARCHING
Publication number: 20120143843Abstract: A system has a primary server storing search data sets (“staks”) and a linked social network server.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2012Publication date: June 7, 2012Inventors: Barry Smyth, Muarice Coyle, Peter Briggs -
Patent number: 8195716Abstract: When an additional search key of an input unit is operated by the user, if a current display on a display screen of a display unit is a list display of respective example sentences, a user input for refining example sentences is received, and example sentences are refined in accordance therewith. When the additional search key is operated by the user, if the current display is a display of explanatory information on the vocabulary entry, the display screen of the display unit is split into two, and a search of the explanatory information is carried out on one split screen.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Casio Computer Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takatoshi Abe
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Patent number: 8195630Abstract: What is provided is a spatially-enabled content management system in which unstructured information is data mined for location or spatial references, with the search query including not only the spatial reference that has been provided by the data mining but also other search query terms, thus to provide an analyst with rapid geo-searching for unstructured information management.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: BAE Systems Information Solutions Inc.Inventors: John R. Ellis, Michael T. Hornbeek, Mark Meadows
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Patent number: 8195636Abstract: A technique for determining an amount of storage space that would be recovered in a storage system by deleting a list of logical containers of data is provided. In one embodiment, data blocks referenced by the list of files are first identified. The data blocks (e.g., deduplicated data blocks) may be referenced by two or more files. A number of references made by the identified list of files to each data block is compared against a number of references made by all files stored in a dataset of the storage system. A total amount of storage space is then calculated based on a sum of storage spaces utilized by each data block for which the two reference numbers match. This total amount of storage space is the storage space that would be reclaimed through deletion of the identified list of files.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: NetApp, Inc.Inventors: Roger Stager, Pawan Saxena
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Patent number: 8195633Abstract: Enabling network-accessible applications to be integrated into content aggregation frameworks (such as portals) and to become dynamically interactive through proxying components (such as proxying portlets), thereby providing run-time cooperation and data sharing.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2008Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Amber Roy-Chowdhury, Srikanth Thirumalai
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Patent number: 8190593Abstract: Requests for resources can be throttled based on relative allocations, whereby the actual usage of a client or sub-client over time can be monitored in order to make intelligent throttling decisions. A centralized throttling service can maintain throttling information according to a hierarchical allocation tree, and can determine whether to throttle a request based at least in part whether any tokens, or available resource units, are available for a class or node of the tree corresponding to the request. In some cases, an empty token bucket for a node can borrow tokens from a parent node, in order to allow a user to exceed an allocation when the capacity of the system allows for such usage. When a user has been exceeding an allocation or otherwise inappropriately taxing various resources, the system can prevent that user from borrowing tokens for at least a specified period of time.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2010Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: A9.com, Inc.Inventor: Peter J. Dean
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Publication number: 20120124025Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for sending the content about which information is desired to be obtained to a number as a short message (SMS) and sending the web address (URL) of the result page of a certain search engine defined on the system to the user via WAPpush or short message.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2010Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: TURKCELL ILETISIM HIZMETLERI ANONIM SIRKETIInventors: Ozan Saglam, Ozlem Sancar
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Patent number: 8180758Abstract: A predicate logic corpus can be generated from any number of data sources or data stores. The creation of a predicate logic corpus for information such as metadata allows ascendancy, descendancy, relationship, hierarchical, contextual, and knowledge information to be stored for predicate logic facts generated from information in the data sources. The predicate logic corpus allows for queries to be executed against corpus logic facts in the corpus and in results sets of the corpus, allowing for iterative and complex natural language queries to be submitted and executed without a substantial drain on resources.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2008Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Del J. Cornali
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Patent number: 8180789Abstract: Techniques are presented for query generation, population, and management. Queries are generically defined with metadata. The metadata identifies specific queries and specific parameters associated with a given query. When a query instance is desired, parameter values are dynamically acquired and used to populate portions of the metadata associated with a desired query. The query instance may then be executed as desired.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Teradata US, Inc.Inventors: Brian Wasserman, George Hood, Gordon Brooks, Linette Draper, Thomas Ryan
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Patent number: 8180757Abstract: A method and computer program product for leveraging the creation context of a tag includes creating one or more tags, each of the one or more tags associated with a respective piece of content. A creation context is associated with each of the one or more tags. The one or more tags are searched based upon, at least in part, the creation context.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2007Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Scott H. Prager, Martin T. Moore, Miguel A. Estrada, Christoph Josef Luecking
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Publication number: 20120117051Abstract: Search queries containing multiple modes of query input are used to identify responsive results. The search queries can be composed of combinations of keyword or text input, image input, video input, audio input, or other modes of input. The multiple modes of query input can be present in an initial search request, or an initial request containing a single type of query input can be supplemented with a second type of input. In addition to providing responsive results, in some embodiments additional query refinements or suggestions can be made based on the content of the query or the initially responsive results.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: JIYANG LIU, JIAN SUN, HEUNG-YEUNG SHUM, XIAOSONG YANG, YU-TING KUO, LEI ZHANG, YI LI, QIFA KE, CE LIU
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Patent number: 8176044Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for ranking documents according to relevancy scoring. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for receiving, from a database over a network, a document resulting from a search on a database, the document containing terms that match the search criteria. The method may calculate a standard deviation of a probability distribution function representing a distribution of the terms in the document that match the search criteria. The method may further determine relative distances between the terms in the document that match the search criteria according to the standard deviation. The method may further calculate a proximity boost value using the relative distances, and apply the proximity boost value to a base relevancy score of the document to determine a relevancy ranking. The document may then be ranked according to the relevancy ranking.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: LexisNexisInventors: Narasimha Edala, Donald Loritz
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Patent number: 8176032Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to automatically publish data items associated with a news event. In one example embodiment, a method comprises monitoring search queries associated with a search query category, detecting a change in a search request frequency associated with the search query category with respect to a baseline frequency, determining an event associated with the search query category, identifying one or more data items associated with the event, and generating a visual representation of a relationship between the one or more data items and the event. The search query category may be associated with at least one search term a baseline frequency.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: eBay Inc.Inventors: Dan Shen, Xiaodi Zhang, Qiang Wang, Helen Hang Ye, Jin Yu Lou
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Patent number: 8176030Abstract: A system and method for providing full-text search integration in XQuery is presented. A built-in search function defined in an XQuery language is implemented, and a full-text search is initiated. The search function includes one or more search terms and a relation logic. Variants for each search term in the search function are identified. Posting lists are obtained for one or more of the variants. Each posting list includes values offset from elements containing the search term associated with the variant to which the posting list corresponds. The relation logic is applied to the offset values of the posting lists. Those elements with offset values that satisfy the relation logic are selected. The elements that satisfy the relation logic are provided as results of the full-text search.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center IncorporatedInventor: Robert D. Cheslow
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Publication number: 20120109926Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for scoping the context used to access a database partition. Embodiments of the invention enable data isolation using partitions in multi-tenant databases, while relieving client applications from dealing with the partitions. For example, a computer system that includes a distributed database system comprising a plurality of database partitions in a federation receives a context to use when performing database access operations within the distributed database system. The context identifies specified relevant portion of the federation. The computer system also receives a database access operation that is associated with the context. The computer system modifies the semantics of the database access operation in accordance with the associated context, to direct application of the database access operation to the specified relevant portion of the federation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2011Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: Microsoft CoroprationInventors: Lev Novik, Jason D. Clark, Marc T. Friedman, Andrew Kimball, Cihangir Biyikoglu, Joachim Hammer, Tobias Joakim Bertil Ternström, Ajay Kalhan
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Patent number: 8171487Abstract: A method for processing work items of a workflow system is done in the following manner. Information identifying work items from a server responsible for handling work items is retrieved based at least on a set of configuration rules. The information is stored in a cache. In response to a work item request form an application, matching work items are searched for in the cache, and a piece of information identifying the requested work item is delivered to the application in response to finding at least one work item matching the work item request from the application. Statistics on work item requests are maintained, and the set of configuration rules are modified according to the statistics.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Rainer Buesing, Christoph Peinert, Malte Randt, Mathias Seifert
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Patent number: 8165989Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for accessing data stored in multiple data sources. Such methods employ an automated software agent to maintain a collection of data sources available for querying. The data sources may all reside within a single local network or may be distributed throughout multiple locations. Generally, the automated software agent searches a given domain for additional data sources according to a defined set of selection criteria. After discovering an additional data source, the automated software agent configures a query application to reflect the availability the additional data source. Further, the automated software agent may periodically evaluate the collection of data sources against the selection criteria and remove those that are either no longer available or no longer satisfy the selection criteria.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Richard D. Dettinger, Daniel P. Kolz, Richard J. Stevens, Jeffrey W. Tenner
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Publication number: 20120095984Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, apparatus and products, including a method that includes receiving, by at least one processor-based device, a search query provided via an interface, and submitting the search query to at least one of a plurality of search engines, each having a dedicated search engine interface, the dedicated search engine interface of the at least one of the plurality of search engines being hidden from view by the interface. The method also includes selecting a subset of search results returned by the at least one of the plurality of search engines, and determining a set of possible query variations based on the selected subset of search results, the set of possible query variations being used to determine one or more refined queries for resubmission to the at least one of the plurality of search engines.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2010Publication date: April 19, 2012Inventors: Peter Michael Wren-Hilton, Olena Medelyan, Nicholas Allan Waterhouse
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Patent number: 8161026Abstract: A method, computer program product and apparatus are provided for capturing inexact date information. In particular, a sophisticated date entry mechanism is provided that is capable of receiving, as input, date information associated with not only exact dates, but also “fuzzy” (i.e., partial or approximate) dates including, for example, “August of 2006,” or “about the first of June in the year 1996.” This date information may be input via any combination of a mouse, a keyboard, a microphone, or other input element, and in a plurality of different formats, including, for example, a plain language description of the exact or fuzzy date, and/or a relative description of the date. Once the date information has been received, the date entry mechanism is capable of determining in which format the date information was provided, and determining a date corresponding with the date information based on this format.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2007Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: McKesson Information Solutions Holdings LimitedInventors: Mimi Amabile, Jeannine Aloe Strope, Larry Constantine
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Publication number: 20120089589Abstract: The web portal's contents management becomes complex and sometime tedious job. There are needs for an efficient and cost effective way to manage large volumes of the web contents for web portals. The posting and withdrawing operation of the present invention has provided a means for making the tasks of updating and managing web portal's contents become much easy and efficient due to the principle of the parallelism can be deployed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2011Publication date: April 12, 2012Applicant: STT WebOS, Inc.Inventor: Sheng Tai (Ted) TSAO
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Patent number: 8156099Abstract: A search query may be interpreted as a number of possible interpretations, and each interpretation may be explored before the results of the search are sent to a user. In one embodiment, a device may split the search query into partitions. Each of the partitions may be submitted, as a search query, to search repositories. Confidence scores based on the results returned from the repositories may be used to determine a measure of confidence of the repository in the search query interpretation.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2011Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: James Norris, Gregory John Donaker, Nina Weiyu Kang
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Patent number: 8156096Abstract: A supplier identification and locator system in that allows a user to identify a supplier of goods or services over the Internet; the system includes at least one directory Web site having a domain name that is at least partially descriptive of a class of goods or services. The directory Web site has a plurality of links that access suppliers' Web sites; a supplier descriptive portion located substantially adjacent to the link; a descriptive title portion substantially corresponding to the class of goods or services described in the domain name; a rollover window that displays information about at least one supplier; and an input receiving area where a user inputs data and ranked search results are displayed.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Inventor: Michael Meiresonne
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Patent number: 8156101Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for integrating an enterprise's structured and unstructured data to provide users and enterprise applications with efficient and intelligent access to that data. Queries can be directed toward both an enterprise's structured and unstructured data using standardized database query formats such as SQL commands. A coprocessor can be used to hardware-accelerate data processing tasks (such as full-text searching) on unstructured data as necessary to handle a query. Furthermore, traditional relational database techniques can be used to access structured data stored by a relational database to determine which portions of the enterprise's unstructured data should be delivered to the coprocessor for hardware-accelerated data processing.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2009Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Exegy IncorporatedInventors: Ronald S. Indeck, David Mark Indeck