Abstract: A method for identifying multi-media assets from a multi-media collection, and the method implemented at least in part by a data processing system and comprising the steps of: receiving a search query, the search query, or a derivative thereof, including a possessive phrase, wherein the possessive phrase includes a possessor and a possession category; identifying a denoted object referred to by the possessive phrase using a predefined relationship database that establishes social relationships between objects; identifying one or more additional possessors of the denoted object using the predefined relationship database; generating one or more additional possessive phrases for the denoted objects relating the identified additional possessors to the denoted object; and identifying one or more multi-media assets from the multi-media collection containing the denoted object responsive to the one or more additional possessive phrases.

Abstract: A Sales-Chip Relevance Alert extends the capability of the regenerating search engine by allowing users to become informed about relevant information that has changed to a second query or search request that is run after a first query or search request. The user can narrowly and specifically describe with a high degree of precision what is relevant and meaningful to the user and how the user is notified. The Alert provides a timely notice to the user about the relevant information change through user-defined means and user defined messages.

Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for revising a first set of search results related to high-resolution satellite imagery. One embodiment of the method includes receiving a query that seeks high-resolution, remotely sensed images of geographic areas that have changed consistent with a given change signature; returning indications of the geographic areas; and presenting a first set of images that corresponds to the indications; presenting a set of feedback of options in connection with each of the set of images, wherein the feedback options include one or more of a more-like-this option and a less-like-this option; such that a second set of images can be identified based on receiving input by way of the feedback options.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for facilitating the formulation of queries by providing quick-picks to the user based, at least in part, on the context in which the query is being formulated. Quick-picks are items that, when selected, add search criteria items to a query that is being formed. The quick picks that are presented to the user are selected based on the context in which the search is being performed. For example, a user may be presented with (a) a search box for entering keywords for a search, and (b) selectable words extracted from or otherwise related to the content currently being displayed on the device that is being used to formulate the search query. When the user selects one of the selectable words, the selected word is inserted into the search box, thereby obviating the need to separately enter each character of the word.

Abstract: In a search support device, a first search unit searches a storage medium for at least one first string that includes a search string. A second search unit searches the storage medium for at least one second string that includes a corrected string corrected from the search string. A first choice, which is set to specify a specific first string from among the at least one first string to narrow search result, is displayed on a display unit in a first mode. A second choice, which is set to specify a specific second string from among the at least one second string to narrow the search result, is displayed on the display unit in a second mode different from the first mode.

Abstract: A community custom search or community search macro is created whereby users access a custom search or search macro from their computing devices. The users can execute the custom search or search macro to return search results. The users can edit the custom search or search macro to modify its contents even though another may be the author or owner of the custom search or search macro. The users can access the modified custom search or modified search macro, or access a prior version of the modified custom search or modified search macro. The custom search or search macro resides on one or more computing devices accessible by the user through the Internet.

Abstract: A stream of data can be estimated by a model to produce an estimated equation. The estimated equation can be used to calibrate a response to a SQL type join query.

Abstract: Methods and computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that facilitate refining query results using visual cues are provided. Query results are determined in response to an indication of a user query. One or more groups of query results are generated from the query results based on categories of query results that share similar features. Visual cues are associated with each of the query result groups. Visual cues, in association with query result groups, are presented to a user. Query results associated with a selected visual cue may be presented to a user. A refined user query may be generated based on a selected visual cue.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for posting questions from search queries. In some implementations, a method includes identifying a plurality of different questions previously searched. The previously-searched questions each include a word indicating a question. The previously-searched questions are filtered to remove one or more specified words included with the question word. At least a subset of the plurality of previously-searched questions that can be used to generate a canonical form after removing the one or more specified words are determined. The subset of previously-searched questions are ranked based, at least in part, on a frequency of submission of each previously-submitted search query in the subset. A particular one of the previously-submitted search queries in the subset is identified as representative of the subset of previously-submitted search queries based on the ranking.

Abstract: A user correlation system uses aggregated data and matching/comparison in order to assign an association score that determines likelihood that unique identifiers are associated with the same user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for intelligent default selection of characters to be entered via an on-screen keyboard. Based on one to several criteria, a character most likely to be selected for entry via the on-screen keyboard during a search request is determined and a selector is positioned at that particular character. If that character is indeed the character the user wishes to enter, the user does not have to execute any navigation steps to enter the character, but can—with a single actuation—enter that character. In many instances, the user will only have to enter the selection without first having to navigate to the selection. As a result, the number of times buttons need to be actuated by the user to enter a character string can be significantly reduced.

Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for searching multiple search services in parallel and utilizing multiple search providers in a computer system. Multiple search providers are installed onto a browser application of a user computer system. Upon receipt of a user search query and a user designated search provider, an instant answer is automatically displayed without any user interaction. Other aggregated results are displayed together in a combined window pane. One section displays results of any recent searches that match the search query entry. Another section displays search suggestions provided by the designated search provider. Another section displays results of any previously visited sites in which results of the previously visited site match the search entry. Additional searches of different designated search providers can also be made. These multiple searches of multiple search providers are conducted from the same browser window as the initial search.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for coordinating web-based content between networked computing devices is disclosed. The method includes associating an identifier with a first remote device without connecting the identifier to a registered user account, receiving from the first remote device a request to modify a web page, receiving a log-in from a registered user and associating the log-in with the first remote device after receiving the request to modify a first personalized web page, and associating the request to modify a web page with a first personalized home page associated with the registered user, and modifying the first personalized home page.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture and systems for searching collections of data using context sensitive expanded term searching using dynamic term expansion are provided. The collection of data may be a relational database, text document, or any other type of searchable collection of data. In either case, a query including a search condition based on a specified search term may be modified to include additional conditions based on a set of expanded (e.g., conceptually-related) search terms dynamically linked with the query. For some embodiments, a user may be given the ability to choose whether the set of expanded search terms are dynamically linked with the query or not.

Abstract: An information retrieval system uses phrases to index, retrieve, organize and describe documents, analyzing documents and storing the results of the analysis as phrase data. Phrases are identified that predict the presence of other phrases in documents. Documents are the indexed according to their included phrases. Related phrases and phrase extensions are also identified. Changes to existing phrase data about a document collection submitted by a user is captured and analyzed, and the existing phrase data is updated to reflect the additional knowledge gained through the analysis.

Abstract: Methods for using task-related information to enhance digital searching are provided. A task-oriented user activity system maintains task-related information about resources accessed by a user and current user task. This task-related information is used to include task-related metadata in search engine index, e.g., by storing the metadata in the index or by storing it in resources which are subsequently indexed. Task-related information can also be used to enhance search results by filtering and ranking results to increase relevance with respect to a user's current task and/or to enhance search queries to include task-related search criteria.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically refining and navigating between alternative search query elements are disclosed. The method and system are applicable to searching an information system such as the Internet, an intranet, or any database, lexicon, or collection of documents, disk drive, images or video or audio content. A user enters their search query into a search query receiver. As the user enters their search query, they see, in real-time in a dynamically-generated object, such as a drop-down menu, iFrame, or browser window, possible matches to their search query string, and more specifically, the user receives within the dynamic object alternative semantically- and lexically-related search elements that relate to the search query string and from which the user can either make a selection to further refine their search query, or the user can proceed to view search results based on the selected query element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for updating a search results page in response to user interaction with a map resource. The method of the present invention comprises receiving a first search results page in response to a search query comprising at least a first map resource. The method monitors a change in position of a map resource in response to a user interaction and calculates a location corresponding to a map position. The method then re-executes at least one search query based upon said calculated location and displays a second search results page comprising a plurality of updated search results.

Abstract: An EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) participant registry system provides a database connected to a computer network which permits access to an authoritative repository of records relating to the EDI communication. Participant may subscribe to publish their EDI related information's to existing or potential trading partners. The system provides participant with an interface so that each participant can subscribe and maintain is information as well as build is own trading partner list using other participant records. As all participant are responsible to maintain there information on the system, the trading partner list provides continuously valid data to facilitate business-to-business EDI communication.

Abstract: A paleogeographic search system is provided for locating geoscience data relevant to a geographic search aperture. The paleogeographic search system comprises a geodatabase, an interface, a paleogeographic reconstruction engine, and a host processor. The paleogeographic engine is configured to transform the geographic search aperture according to tectonic plate movements to a transformed search aperture that the geographic search aperture occupied in a geological age of interest. The host processor is configured to apply a paleoaugmented geographic search aperture to a geodatabase for additional oil exploration data relevant to the geographic search aperture today.

Abstract: A method of and system for searching for data, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a query from a user; ii) analysing the content of the user query received in step i); iii) presenting one or more selection options to the user based on the results of the analysis performed in step ii); iv) receiving the one or more selections from the user; v) augmenting the query in accordance with the selections received in step iv); vi) searching a data index for terms that match with the augmented query; and vii) returning to the user one or more search results which match the terms of the augmented query.

Abstract: Tools and techniques are described for selecting member sets for generating asymmetric queries. User interfaces provided by this description may include representations of different dimensions that include respective members. These dimensions define hierarchical data structures against which queries are run to generate requested reports. The user interfaces may include representations of members associated with different dimensions, with members from different dimensions arranged in selected orders. The user interfaces may also provide selection tools that activate symmetrical or asymmetrical rendering modes for constructing the query. In the symmetrical rendering mode, the query cross-joins all of the members selected from one dimension with all of the members selected from the other dimension.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for obtaining a main configuration file from a client electronic device upon the client electronic device being coupled to at least a portion of a media distribution system. The main configuration file defines one or more enhanced functionalities of the client electronic device. The client electronic device is coupled to the at least a portion of the media distribution system using a binary transfer protocol configured to transfer media data from the at least a portion of a media distribution system to a client electronic device.

Abstract: A system is provided for locating data in a distributed data environment, in which at least two users share a common data requirement. The environment comprises a plurality of network-connected data terminals. The system comprises at least one of the network-connected data terminals, which includes means for each of the at least two users to submit a data locating query, means for each of the at least two users to receive a query result, means for each of the at least two users to input respective relevance feedback data in response to the received query result, means for combining the respective relevance feedback data in real time, and means for processing data locating queries with the combined respective relevance feedback data. A method is also provided for locating data in the distributed data environment.

Abstract: A multi-modal search system (and corresponding methodology) that employs wildcards is provided. Wildcards can be employed in the search query either initiated by the user or inferred by the system. These wildcards can represent uncertainty conveyed by a user in a multi-modal search query input. In examples, the words “something” or “whatchamacallit” can be used to convey uncertainty and partial knowledge about portions of the query and to dynamically trigger wildcard generation.

Abstract: A search operation can implement a two step approach to provide geographically restricted and verified information to a user. First, high relevance search results are obtained by searching only in a specifically defined region. Second, the quality of the search results can be improved by performing contact address correlation. If the search server finds a reliable reference address in the search results these search results can be presented to the user after removing-search results not correlating well with legitimate and registered addresses. Therefore, the region-restricted presents only presents legitimate web pages or search results to a user. Thus, the region-restricted search operation improves quality and may minimize search time and reduce a huge volume of non-valued Internet traffic, which is likely to impair the overall performance and experience on the Internet.

Abstract: Articles of manufacture and systems for searching collections of data using context sensitive expanded term searching are provided. The collection of data may be a relational database, text document, or any other type of searchable collection of data. In either case, a query including a search condition based on a specified search term may be modified to include additional conditions based on a set of expanded (e.g., conceptually-related) search terms. For some embodiments, a user may be given the ability to control the level of expansion and the context in which the terms may be expanded.

Abstract: A system and method for providing search query refinements are presented. A stored query and a stored document are associated as a logical pairing. A weight is assigned to the logical pairing. The search query is issued and a set of search documents is produced. At least one search document is matched to at least one stored document. The stored query and the assigned weight associated with the matching at least one stored document are retrieved. At least one cluster is formed based on the stored query and the assigned weight associated with the matching at least one stored document. The stored query associated with the matching at least one stored document are scored for the at least one cluster relative to at least one other cluster. At least one such scored search query is suggested as a set of query refinements.

Abstract: A computer system, computer media, and computer-implemented method for generating product suggestions and providing product information are provided. The computer system includes a relevance engine, a product database, and a graphical user interface to respond to user queries and to provide product details associated with one or more products included in the user queries. The relevance engine determines which products are similar to products included in the user queries. The graphical user interface displays product suggestions that refine the user queries without executing the query on the product database, where a subset of the product suggestions are linked to product details pages. User selection of any of the product suggestions within the subset directs the user to a product details page for a specific product and bypasses a listing of results having many products that match the refined user queries.

Abstract: A device retrieves information associated with personal inventory from a personal inventory database, and provides for display of an input personal inventory option, a search personal inventory option, and a search loaned personal inventory option based on the retrieved personal inventory information. The device further receives selection of one of the input personal inventory option, the search personal inventory option, or the search loaned personal inventory option, and receives information associated with a new personal inventory item when the input personal inventory option is selected. The device also provides for display of search personal inventory information when the search personal inventory option is selection, and provides for display of search loaned personal inventory information when the search loaned personal inventory option is selected.

Abstract: Architecture that provides the capability to identify which parts (terms and phrases) of a voice query have been covered by predefined phrase templates, and then to concatenate matching phrase templates into a new paraphrased query. A match-drop-continue algorithm is disclosed that progressively masks out the portions (phrases, terms) of the query matched to the phrase templates. Ultimately, the matched phrase templates are accumulated and organized together dynamically into a rephrased version of the original voice query. A user interface is provided that allows the user to confirm/summarize the multiple concepts in a progressive manner.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and utilizing content is described. Content is generated which includes a query and a response to the query. A primary query may be used to generate a plurality of variant queries which may be matched to a request. A content owner or curator may review a query, a response, and/or alternate queries, and may provide access to media which may be used to generate queries and responses.

Abstract: A user submits an unstructured query that is analyzed to determine a mapping from attributes to attribute values. One or more matching items from a structured data set are determined based on the attribute values of attributes associated with the items. The matching items are displayed. One or more refinement attributes are displayed, each with one or more attribute values. The attribute values in the refinements that correspond to the attribute values of the query are shown as selected. If the user selects any of the refinement attributes, the query is revised to incorporate the attribute values of the selected refinements. New matching items are determined using the revised structured query. The revised structured query and the new matching items are displayed. This process can be iterated, by modification of the query or the refinements. The matching items, the selected refinement attribute values and the query are synchronized.

Abstract: A method of selecting and presenting content based on inferred user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms and receiving search inputs from an input device and presenting a corresponding subset of content items. The method includes receiving selection actions of content items and analyzing the descriptive terms associated with the selected content items to learn a composite set of preferred descriptive terms of the plurality of users of the input device. The method includes inferring preferences of individual users from the composite set of preferred descriptive terms by decomposing the composite set of preferred descriptive terms into individual sets of preferred descriptive terms. The decomposition act utilizes prespecified statistical models of preferences.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for performing named entity recognition. A set of candidates and corresponding contexts are obtained, each of the set of candidates being a potential seed example of an entity. The contexts of at least a portion of the set of candidates are compared with contexts of a set of seed examples of the entity such that a subset of the set of candidates are added to the set of the seed examples. A set of rules are created from the set of seed examples obtained in the comparing step. A final set of seed examples of the entity is generated by executing the set of rules against the set of candidates.

Abstract: Generally described, embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to sort and/or filter information contained in a summary table based on related information that may not be included in the summary table. According to one aspect, a computer-readable medium having computer executable components for filtering or sorting information displayed in a summary table is provided. Included in the computer executable medium is a category receipt and identification component configured to receive selections of categories and identify related categories contained in a dataset represented by the summary table. Also included in the computer-readable medium is a filtering component and a sorting component, each configured to control the structure and criteria upon which information contained in a category displayed in the data summary table may be filtered or sorted.

Abstract: The APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AN ACTIVITY TRACKING AND PROPERTY TRANSACTION FACILITATING HUB USER INTERFACE (“HUB”) facilitates the generation, evaluation, and recording of information and activities related to property transactions and associated communications. In one implementation, the HUB may allow for highly customizable mapping of spatiotemporal information in an integrated customer relationship management and real estate listing system; optimized scheduling of activities and/or appointments; efficient access to and economical display of contact information; dynamic sorting and filtering of searchable data; and/or the like.

Abstract: A system and method for guiding a user in building a query are disclosed. The method includes providing an interaction space in which a user formulates a query using a plurality of query building blocks selected from a predefined set of query building blocks. The user's formulation of the query is guided. Guiding selection of at least a next building block is provided by at least one of a content-based mechanism which limits the selection of the next building block to those which will yield at least one result from an indexed collection of documents, a structure-based selection mechanism which limits the selection of the next building block to those which meet a predefined grammar, and a usage-based selection mechanism which proposes a next building block based on patterns of building blocks used in building prior queries. Each of these guidance mechanisms may be provided with the result that the next block proposed is informed by each of the mechanisms.

Abstract: A system, method, and medium are provided for providing a personalized answer to a user-defined search query by utilizing the user's search history. A search session is instantiated, and search queries, search results, user selections of search results, and other information is recorded. A search query is received and analyzed to determine whether the query reflects user intent to re-find a search result that the user previously was presented in response to a previously issued search query. Search results pages provided to the user in response to queries include a personalized history answer that represents a previously viewed search result that the user may be attempting to re-find.

Abstract: System and methods for dynamically generating taxonomies of keywords and/or descriptors are provided. In one example, a navigation system for accessing a corpus of information provides for dynamic taxonomy generation expanding upon a topic entered by a user in a user interface. The navigation system generates, dynamically, at least one term associated with the received topic from at least one sense or meaning retrieved from a semantic network. The navigation system is further configured to present to the user the at least one term as a selectable refinement in response to receiving the topic entered by the user in the user interface. The system can also be configured to retrieve terms and/or senses from the semantic network and evaluate any retrieved terms for their informativeness. The system can further cache any information generated during taxonomy creation and update the corpus to reflect useful refinements.

Abstract: In most of the Internet search operations, unwanted search results can be eliminated to reduce the high volume of the Internet traffic, and make the search operation highly efficient, according to the present invention. The present invention proposes a two step approach. The first step is to achieve the high relevance of the search results by search region restricted search operation. The second step, further adds high degree of relevance to the search results by the contact address correlation with a reliable reference address or the legitimate contact address eliminating the spurious and unwanted sites from the search result list. The region restricted search does searching in a selected geographical region. Thus the region restricted search operation minimizes the search time and huge volume of Internet traffic, which is likely to impair the overall Internet performance.

Abstract: A graphical query and data mining interface provides visual feedback to a user during the construction of a query that helps the user determine the quality of the query as the query is being built. The graphical query and data mining interface determines relationships in the database from a database relationship document, such as an XML document. These relationships may be between columns, including columns in different tables. The relationship of columns in the database is then graphically displayed to a user. When the user selects a column in the database, a filtered display mechanism displays only those columns or records that satisfy the portion of the query already constructed. In this manner dynamic information is provided to the user as the user builds the query that indicates to the user the quality of the query.

Abstract: Our invention describes a method and a system for matching securely an unknown audio recording with known audio recordings. A plurality of known audio recordings, each known audio recording associated with an index to information uniquely identifying the known audio recording is stored on a server. An unknown audio recording cross-correlated securely with each of the plurality of known audio recordings to determine a best matching known audio recording, in which the unknown audio recording and the plurality of known audio recordings are encrypted with a public key. A best matching known audio recording is determined securely according to the cross-correlation. Next, the index of the best matching known audio recording is determined securely. Finally, the information associated with the index of the best matching known audio recording is provided securely to a user of the unknown recording.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for acquiring ontological knowledge using query logs. In one embodiment, query logs are first utilized as a basis for identifying important contexts associated with terms belonging to a semantic category. Then, those contexts are as a basis for identifying new terms belonging to the same category or, in another embodiment, as a basis for removing extraneous or obsolete terms identified as being in the same category.

Abstract: Systems and methods that for searching and displaying ontology-based data structures so that the essential and relevant qualities of searched subject matters may be categorized by subject indices.

Abstract: A method for non-text-based identification of a selected item of stored music. The first broad portion of the method focuses on building a music identification database. That process requires capturing a tag of the selected musical item, and processing the tag to develop reference key to the same. Then the tag is stored, together with the reference key and an association to the stored music. The database is built by collecting a multiplicity of tags. The second broad portion of the method is retrieving a desired item of stored music from the database. That process calls for capturing a query tag from a user, and processing the query tag to develop a query key to the same. The query tag is compared to reference keys stored in the database to identify the desired item of stored music.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for applying query-level and parameter-level display profiles to abstract queries are provided. Display profiles allow users to utilize existing abstract queries for purposes of data analysis. In one embodiment, display profiles are used to change the scope of an existing abstract query or incorporate existing data processing functions into the abstract query.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for providing a plurality of facets in response to a search query. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises receiving a search query from a user and retrieving a search result set. The method then identifies an optimum number of facets and selects a plurality of facets with a maximum incremental value. Finally, the method provides the search result set and the selected facets to a user.

Abstract: A method for managing the exchange of information is provided, wherein the method includes receiving at least one information location identifier, wherein the at least one information location identifier may be associated with at least one information portal and associating with at least one network browser. The method further includes generating an information location identifier template responsive to the at least one information portal and communicating with the at least one information portal to identify resultant information.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for searching information based on user's intention and a method for providing information. The method for searching information provides an editor meeting searcher's intention detected using analysis results for keywords and searches contents having metadata associated with metadata input through the editor. As a result, a search may be formed by detecting searcher's intention from information input by a searcher, inducing a detailed metadata input based on the detected intention, and using the input metadata.