Abstract: A meaning of a term is determined using the contents of a corpus of books through use of metadata about the books within the corpus, terms in the same work which provide context, and so forth. Users may query to determine the meaning of a term. Users may also build vocabulary skills by testing as well. A changing meaning of a term over time may be determined and utilized as well. Searches are facilitated by the enhanced ability to determine meaning of the terms, particularly in context. Feedback from the searches may also be used to refine future searches.

Abstract: A mobile device (102) for browsing web pages is described. The mobile device (102) comprises a wireless transceiver (202), a processor (204) and a display (208). The wireless transceiver (202) is configured to receive (306) a web page from a remote server (104) via a wireless communication link (106, 108, 110). The processor (204) is configured to determine (308) whether a display parameter associated with the received web page exceeds a display threshold value. The display (208) is configured to display (310) the received web page in a first navigation mode if the display parameter does not exceed the display threshold value, and display (312) the received web page in a second navigation mode if the display parameter exceeds the display threshold value.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-storage media are provided for identifying low-match search queries and determining comparable item matches to suggest to the user in response to a low-match query. “Low-match queries” are queries for which an insufficient number of exact item matches are available. In embodiments, exact and/or comparable item matches may be determined via semantic analysis. Also provided are systems, methods and computer-storage media for informing the user, by way of a presented indicator, or the like, that a presented item was selected for presentation based upon a similarity metric rather than being determined an exact match for the input query.

Abstract: A system and method for information navigation and filtration is provided. One or more query terms are received from a user. A preliminary relevance of one or more objects associated with an enterprise system is determined based on the query terms. The preliminary relevance may be propagated between objects. At least one rating is assigned to the one or more objects based on the preliminary relevance. An overall relevance of the one or more objects is established based on the at least one rating. The one or more objects are ranked according to the overall relevance. Data is provided as search results comprised of the one or more objects according to the ranking to the user. The search results may then be filtered based on at least one selected, dynamically generated filter. The filtered search results may be dynamically generated and provided to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for interfacing with an end user to search, navigate, and combine large numbers of heterogeneous data sources with varying data characteristics. End user entered search terms are received and the end user is then presented a guided exploration including search results and search result details. The end user is also presented with a guided combination including search result combination options and combination details. Both the guided exploration and guided combination render all data from the heterogeneous data sources in a uniform data format and both can culminate in saving selected results.

Abstract: In general, one aspect described can be embodied in a method for providing input to a document ranking process for ranking a plurality of documents, the document ranking process taking as input a quality of result statistic for a query and an individual document. The method can include, for a first document identified as a search result of a query, receiving information regarding an anchor contained within the first document, where the anchor provides a link to a second document; deriving a quality of result statistic for the second document from at least a portion of first data associated with the first document and the query, the first data being indicative of user behavior relative to the first document as a search result for the query; and providing the first quality of result statistic as input to the document ranking process for the second document and the query.

Abstract: A method for determining a relatedness between a query video and a database video is provided. A processor extracts an audio stream from the query video to produce a query audio stream, extracts an audio stream from the database video to produce a database audio stream, produces a first-sized snippet from the query audio stream, and produces a first-sized snippet from the database audio stream. An estimation is made of a first most probable sequence of latent evidence probability vectors generating the first-sized audio snippet of the query audio stream. An estimation is made of a second most probable sequence of latent evidence probability vectors generating the first-sized audio snippet of the database audio stream. A similarity is measured between the first sequence and the second sequence producing a score of relatedness between the two snippets. Finally a relatedness is determined between the query video and a database video.

Abstract: A system and method of managing online social networking which includes identifying a plurality of users related to a primary user on a social networking tool using a computer. The method and system identifies a plurality of activities performed by the plurality of users on the social networking tool, and assigning a score to each of the activities. A threshold cumulative score for users to enter a group is defined. The system and method evaluates the activities of each of the users, and calculates a cumulative score for each of the users based on their respective activities, and evaluates the cumulative score of each of users in relation to the group. One or more of the plurality of users who meet the threshold cumulative score are assigned to the group. A status for each user in the group based on their cumulative score is determined.

Abstract: A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and computer-implemented method for providing scheduling suggestions to a user. A collection of intention objects is accessed. Each of the intention objects is a data structure comprising a plurality of activity attributes of an intention of a user to undertake an activity. Calendar data from a calendar of the user is accessed and an available time slot on the calendar is determined. In response to determining the available time slot, a suggested intention object is selected from the collection of intention objects based on a plurality of activity attributes of the suggested intention object. A scheduling suggestion is then presented to the user. The scheduling suggestion may include a suggestion to schedule an activity associated with the suggested intention object in the available time slot.

Abstract: A request can be received and a request reading level representation for the request can be inferred. In response to the request, the request reading level representation can be compared with one or more reading difficulty level representations for one or more response items. Also in response to the request, one or more indications of results of comparing the request reading level representation with one or more reading difficulty level representations for the one or more response items can be returned. The indication(s) may include a ranking of the response items. The ranking can be based at least in part on a request reading level representation for the query and reading difficulty level representations for the response items. The response item(s) may also be returned.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing search result page previews. In one aspect, a method includes receiving data that specify a set of search results responsive to a search query. Query-relevant content is selected to be included in a page preview for at least one of the search results. In turn, data that cause presentation of the page preview are provided. The data provided can cause presentation of the query-relevant content at an initial zoom level and at a higher zoom level, where the initial zoom level is a zoom level at which both the query-relevant content and other content from the resource are presented. The page preview can include a page tear that defines multiple portions of the page preview for a resource.

Abstract: A fact repository supports searches of facts relevant to search queries comprising keywords and phrases. A service engine retrieves the objects that are associated with facts relevant to a query. The query language described is designed for use with such a repository of facts and searches both the attributes of facts and the values of the attributes.

Abstract: For each web page visited, a path is determined through a hierarchy of categories. The hierarchy of categories has levels from a most abstract level to a most concrete level. For each microblog entry of a microblog, a path is determined through the hierarchy of categories. Each microblog entry for which the path is similar to the path for at least one web page is determined as a selected microblog entry.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for augmenting a social snippet with an augmentation tagline. For example, a search user may submit a search query through a search interface (e.g., “algebra help” search query). An entity associated with the search query may be identified (e.g., a math professor). A set of taglines associated with the entity may be retrieved (e.g., descriptive information about the math professor extracted from social networks, documents, websites, etc.). A social snippet for the entity may be augmented with an augmentation tagline selected from the set of taglines or generated based upon information relating to the entity. The augmented social snippet may be displayed through the search interface, and the augmentation tagline may indicate a relevance of the entity to the search user (e.g., an indication that the math professor teaches algebra at a university attended by the search user).

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing an ordered list of search results in response to a query. Consistent with certain embodiments, computer-implemented systems and methods may identify content items corresponding to a query. First relevance scores may be determined for the identified content items based on their relevance to the query. Second relevance scores may be determined by modifying at least one of the first relevance scores using a boost value. The boost value may be set to a default boost value when the query does not include an override boost value. The boost value may be set to the override boost value, when the query includes an override boost value. An ordered list of the identified content items may be generated based on the second relevance scores. The ordered list may be displayed on a display device.

Abstract: Ordering search results may include obtaining an exposed log file from a log system, computing a Bayesian posterior probability for relevancy between the log file and a search request, computing an expected value of the relevancy between the log file and the search request based on the Bayesian posterior probability, storing the search request and an identifier of the log file as a key and the expected value of the relevancy between the log file and the search request as a value into a search data structure, in response to receiving a search request submitted by a user, finding expected values of relevancy between the submitted search request and log files that are relevant to the submitted search request from the search data structure, and ordering the found log files in a descending order of the expected values.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein generally relate to increasing user productivity in reviewing query results by visually depicting the presence/absence of a set of query terms in a set of paragraphs across a set of documents.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for assigning user interface widgets to page slots associated with a page pipeline. In response to a request to generate a content page, content placement requests are then received from user interface widgets. The page slots are associated with a placement value indicating a value of the page slot relative to other page slots in the page template and can be weighted based upon their location in a page pipeline. The highest ranked user interface widgets according to an effectiveness metric or placement score are scheduled for placement in the content page.

Abstract: A computer receives a data set and determines the data type of the column data within. The computer identifies a second data set with columns of the same data type. The computer compares the contents of the columns and the formatting of the contents to determine a score representative of the relevancy of the data sets to one another. Responsive to the score exceeding a threshold, the computer suggests the second data set to a user.

Abstract: A method for optimizing directory performance includes receiving a directory service operation. Attempting to respond to the operation using an alternate evaluator. Responding to the operation using a back-end evaluator when the alternate evaluator is not able to respond to the operation.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for automatically estimating the confidence of a detected LAT to provide a more accurate overall score for an obtained candidate answer. A confidence “score” or value of each detected LAT is obtained, and the system and method performs combining the confidence score with a degree of match between a LAT and an AnswerType of the candidate answer to provide improved overall score for the candidate answer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a search string is received from a user and the search type of the search is determined from the search string. Based on the search type, an order of repositories to search is determined and each repository is searched. The search results from each repository are displayed for the user in separate panels for each repository and the panels are ordered based on search type and the search results within each panel are ordered using that respective repository's relevancy.

Abstract: A method and system for searching key words are provided. The method includes: acquire key words typed in the search box, and based on the key words, a search request is sent; associated words which are found based on the search request as well as a summary of the results relevant to the associated words are sent back; the associated words and the summary of the results relevant to the associated words are displayed respectively in the list corresponding to the search box stated previously.

Abstract: Content is received from a first user. Then, in response to the receiving, logical relationship information describing logical relationships among a plurality of users is accessed and potential membership of the first user in a first group of users is determined based on the logical relationship information, by selecting the first group from a plurality of possible groups, the selecting being based on scores generated, for each of the plurality of possible groups, by a candidate scorer module. Then, in response to a determination that the first group has a score from the candidate scorer module that does not meet a preset threshold, a new group is created comprising users that are located proximate to each other. The content received from the first user is forwarded to other users of either the first group or the new group, based on the threshold determination.

Abstract: Determining a video audience is disclosed, including: identifying a set of videos based at least in part on a received criterion; querying a video database to retrieve engagements associated with each of at least a subset of the set of videos; identifying a set of audience members associated with the engagements associated with each of the at least subset of the set of videos; and querying a user database to gather events associated with each of at least a subset of the set of audience members.

Abstract: Techniques are provided through which query associations are made between initial queries and corresponding query modifications to the initial queries previously made. Each query modification is made with respect to a searchable source. Based on these query associations, modified queries are generated on a per-source basis. Query associations may be stored on a per user or per community basis, where a community can include many users. Frequently used query modifications may be stored as templates.

Abstract: A system and method for method for performing a web search by a search engine for content including: providing a first search results page to a user in response to a search query; providing an interface for submission of an input action representing a search command, wherein the interface is associated with the search results page; receiving the input action; reformulating the search query to incorporate the search command represented by the input action; and providing a second search results page to the user in response to the reformulated search query.

Abstract: In one example, a first group of users is selected among a plurality of possible groups based on a score generated for the first group, the score indicating appropriateness of the first group for the first user, the first group of users having a plurality of users. A first user is then added to the first group of users. Then, affinity levels between the first user and other users in the first group of users are measured, the affinity levels indicating how strong logical relationships are between the first user and the other users in the first group of users. The first user is then removed from the first group of users in response to a determination that the affinity level between the first user and the other users in the first group of users has dropped below a preset threshold over time.

Abstract: Provided are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for determining locations of interest to a user. User activity over a period of time is obtained and used to determine geographic entities (e.g., locations) of interest. The user activity is aggregated by geographic entity and a relevancy score is calculated for each geographic entity. The geographic entity having the highest score is stored as a location of interest in a location profile for the user. Multiple geographic entities having the highest specified number of relevancy scores may also be stored.

Abstract: A method for generating a website includes obtaining a seed input associated with an entity. The seed input may include one or more keywords, such as a business name. Obtaining the seed input may include receiving the seed input from the user, or the seed input may be obtained without input from the user. The method further includes retrieving, using at least one of the seed input and the identification of the entity, content relevant to the entity from one or more data stores. The method may include generating an online store from product information within the retrieved content. The method may include identifying data elements from the retrieved content to be included in business documents, and generating the business documents.

Abstract: A usage information storage section is configured to store usage information. An item information storage section is configured to store attribute correspondence information. A relevant attribute selection section is configured to calculate an attribute relevant degree based on the usage information and the attribute correspondence information, select a relevant attribute for each item identifier based on the calculated attribute relevant degree, and create relevant attribute information in which each item identifier and the selected relevant attribute are associated with each other.

Abstract: Increasing diversity of search results is described. In one embodiment, a computing device obtains initial search results based on a search query. From among non-indexed attributes of the initial search results, an attribute is selected by which to diversify the initial search results. A latent group of search results is determined from among the initial search results based on the attribute, and a relevance score of at least one search result in the latent group of search results is changed. Further, results are provided in response to the search query. In one embodiment, the results include at least a portion of the initial search results and at least a portion of the latent group of search results based on the changed relevance score of the search results in the latent group.

Abstract: System, method and computer program that encompasses one or more client devices cooperating with a program host's on-line data processing center to generate media playlists. Data is transmitted from a program participant's client device to the processing center and is representative of media inventory in a media library on the client device and includes identification data of contained individual media items. Data is further received from a plurality of program participants representative of each respective program participant's media inventory, regardless of the source of the members of the inventory. Co-occurrence of pairs of individual media items in different program participants' media libraries is determined and a similarity rating is assigned between the pairs of individual media items based on the determined incidence of co-occurrence in the different program participants' media libraries. From this, a media playlist is generated.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a meaning of a document to match the document to content are described. In one aspect, a source article is accessed, a plurality of regions in the source article are identified, at least one local concept associated with each region is determined, the local concepts of each region are analyzed to identify any unrelated regions, the local concepts associated with any unrelated regions are eliminated to determine relevant concepts, the relevant concepts are analyzed to determine a source meaning for the source article, and the source meaning is matched with an item meaning associated with an item from a set of items.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for providing entities. For a keyword, historical data is used to generate a list of entities, wherein a recommendation score is associated with each of the entities. The entities are ranked based on the recommendation score associated with each of the entities. A drop point that is associated with an entity whose recommendation score is low is determined. One or more additional entities are identified for at least one of the entities having a high recommendation score in the list. The one or more additional entities are inserted above the drop point in the list. The list is stored with the keyword.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for ranking documents with social tags. A number ranking feature containing a number of times a document was tagged is received. A textual property ranking feature containing a union of each social tag associated with the document is also received. The number ranking feature is transformed into a static input value. Further, the textual property ranking feature is transformed into a dynamic input value. A document rank for the document is determined by inputting the static input value and/or the dynamic input value into a ranking function.

Abstract: The relevance of entities to search queries is determined using a triangulation approach. The triangulation approach determines the relevance of entities to documents and the relevance of documents to a search query. The relevance of each entity to the search query is then determined as a function of the relevance of the entities to the documents and the relevance of the documents to the search query. The entity/query relevance determination may be employed when returning a search result experience in response to search queries.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to personalized low latency communications. A method may include receiving a description of content of a message, receiving recipient data corresponding to at least two possible recipients within a population of possible recipients, and selecting a relevant subpopulation of the population. The selecting may include, for each of the at least two possible recipients, ranking a strength of an indirect relationship between the description and the recipient data. The indirect relationship may be based on the description, the recipient data and at least one additional data source. The selecting may also include, for each of the at least two possible recipients, adding a possible recipient to the relevant subpopulation based on the ranking of the indirect relationship associated with the possible recipient. The method may further include initiating a two-way communication channel between a sender of the message and the relevant subpopulation.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for intelligent grouping and presentation of search results. In embodiments, the present technology groups results into relevant categories, and presents the categorized results on a single screen or small set of screens. The most relevant results for each category may be displayed in graphical tiles that a user may select to view more details on the search results. Alternatively, a user may select, or pivot on, a category heading to get more results for a given category.

Abstract: A method and system for improving relevance of web content. The method includes receiving a search query from a user. The method also includes processing the search query by generating a list of web content results based on the search query. The search query is also processed by determining a plurality of click counts for the list of web content results. Each click count of the plurality of click counts is generated by one or more contacts in a social network of the user. The search query is further processed by mapping each click count to a corresponding web content result in the list of web content results. The method further includes displaying the list of web content results along with the plurality of click counts. Each click count of the plurality of click counts is displayed with the corresponding web content result in the list of web content results.

Abstract: A dispatching system adjusts resources to meet real-time changes in demand. When a customer requests service, a work assignment is generated and sent to an employee. When a customer cancels the requested service, a cancellation code is sent to the employee. The cancellation code informs the employee that the work assignment has been canceled.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products, including computer programs encoded on a computer readable storage medium, for providing content to a user based on the mode of the user. A method includes: providing a data structure that includes query logs; processing query logs to determine candidate queries that satisfy a criteria, the processing including determining a location of interest, if any, for each query log entry and where the criteria requires an entry to have been submitted from a location that is different from a location of interest associated with the entry; evaluating the candidate queries to determine targeting information for the location of interest; receiving a request for content from a user that is proximate to the location of interest or has expressed an interest in the location of interest; and providing content to the user based at least in part on the targeting information.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a service description most closely matching a service name provided by a user. It is determined that the service name provided by the user is not an exact match to a service name in a service registry that comprises service names and associated service descriptions. A ranked service name is generated and includes at least one alternative service name and a respective rank of each alternative service name. The respective rank indicates how closely the alternative service name associated with the respective rank resembles the service name provided by the user. It is ascertained that a service description associated with a service name in the service registry that either matches the highest ranked alternative service name in the service name list or matches the next highest ranked alternative service name in the service name list. The ascertained service description is communicated to the user.

Abstract: A fast browsing architecture for exploring hierarchical lists of entities through a search user interface. A graphical UI operates to handle the hierarchical lists and sub-lists in different ways for different scenarios such as a hierarchical level is zero (only one list of entities associated with a query and the list cannot be further drilled down), a second scenario where the hierarchical level is one (a list of entities associated with the query and these entities can be further drilled down to a number of sub-lists) and the sub-lists cannot be further drilled down, and a third scenario where the hierarchical level is more than one (a list of entities associated with the query and these entities can be further drilled down to a number of sub-lists), sub-lists can be further drilled down to a number of lists, until there is no more drill down lists to be found.

Abstract: Disclosed are a search method, a search device and a storage medium. The method comprises obtaining all relevant documents of information to be sought; calculating a relevancy between each relevant document and the information to be sought based on a word matching algorithm and a semantics matching algorithm; performing sequencing processing on all the relevant documents according to the relevancy obtained through calculation, and displaying a sequencing result. Further disclosed is a search device. The present invention comprehensively considers matching between words, and matching of the semantics relationship between words, obtains an accurate relevancy calculation result, provides an ideal search result to a user, and improves satisfaction of the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for information repository workflows enables the transfer of information between healthcare sites and medical research facilities. Large quantities of medical information may be directly transferred to an information repository or indirectly transferred to the repository through the use of pointers. The information is cleansed and normalized prior to storage in a production database within the repository. The cleansing process is conducted while ensuring integrity of the production database is maintained and while continuing to receive additional information transfers. Errors encountered during processing are logged and reported.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for using relevance indications provided by a user in performing a search. Search results corresponding to a search query are provided to a user of a client computing device. The user provides a relevance indication corresponding to relevance of at least one of the search results. A subsequent search is performed which takes the relevance indication into account.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an easy-to-use interface for verifying semantic tags in a steering application in order to generate a natural language grammar. The method includes obtaining user responses to open-ended steering questions, automatically grouping the user responses into groups based on their semantic meaning, and automatically assigning preliminary semantic tags to each of the groups. The user interface enables the user to validate the content of the groups to ensure that all responses within a group have the same semantic meaning and to add or edit semantic tags associated with the groups. The system and method may be applied to interactive voice response (IVR) systems, as well as customer service systems that can communicate with a user via a text or written interface.

Abstract: An annotation suggestion platform may comprise a client and a server, where the client captures a media object and sends the captured object to the server, and the server provides a list of suggested annotations for a user to associate with the captured media object. The user may then select which of the suggested metadata is to be associated or stored with the captured media. In this way, a user may more easily associate metadata with a media object, facilitating the media object's search and retrieval. The server may also provide web page links related to the captured media object. A user interface for the annotation suggestion platform is also described herein, as are optimizations including indexing and tag propagation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing, ordering and presenting item listings are described. In one example embodiment, a search query is processed to identify item listings satisfying the search query. Then, for each item listing that satisfies the search query, a ranking score is derived and assigned to the item listing. The ranking score is based in part on a relevance score, a listing quality score and a business rules score (or, adjustment factor). Finally, the item listings are ordered, based on their corresponding ranking score, and presented in order in a search results page.