Abstract: In general, one aspect of the subject matter described can be embodied in a method that includes, for a first document that is included in first search results responsive to a first user-submitted query, selecting a plurality of previously submitted queries for which the first document was a responsive search result. The method can further include determining whether second documents that are relevant to the previously submitted query have at least a threshold level of diversity in comparison to the first search results, wherein second documents are determined to be relevant to the previously submitted query based on data that is indicative of user behavior. The method can additionally include identifying one or more queries from the selected previously submitted queries to provide as first suggested queries, and providing the one or more identified queries as first suggested queries with the first search results for the first user-submitted query.

Abstract: Given a set of training documents relevant to a litigation hold, properties common to the documents relevant to the case and not common or missing in the non-relevant documents can be identified and used to generate a litigation hold query to be suggested to a user. After receiving a training set of documents, one or more common properties between the relevant training documents are identified. Based on the common properties, a suggested litigation hold query can be generated to return documents in a larger set that are representative of the relevant documents in the training set. Additionally, a query can be generated by iteratively improving a base query to return documents sharing characteristics of a training set of documents. Suggested queries may evolve as the training set evolves.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for providing query suggestions, particularly midstring query completions for an original query being edited or hovered over. An original query is received from a client. One or more segments in the original query are identified including an anchor segment and zero or more remaining segments. The anchor segment is identified based on cursor placement within the original query. Then one or more sibling segments associated with the anchor segment are identified. The sibling segments are identified by the server system to be semantically distinct from anchor segment. Then one or more query refinement candidates are identified. A respective query refinement candidate includes a sibling segment in place of the anchor segment and includes the remaining segments, if any, of the original query. Then information including one or more of the query refinement candidates is sent to the client for presentation.

Abstract: A system for implementing a method that provides information to a user in response to a received user query. A natural language analysis generates substrings relevant to the user query. An ontology analysis outputs: terms of an ontology matching the relevant generated substrings; and relationships between the terms. A query analysis analyzes the user query regarding the outputted terms and relationships, including ascertaining whether the user query is more suitable for service than for an information search. If it is so ascertained, then service actions for the user to perform are identified to the user. If it is not so ascertained, then: the user query is refined based on the outputted terms and relationships; a search query is generated based on the refined user query, a search is initiated based on the search query, and results of the search are provided to the user.

Abstract: Method, system, and programs for context-based query suggestion are disclosed. A user input is received first. The user input is associated with a request for query suggestion and a page identifier for identifying a page on which a user is browsing. A plurality of page aboutnesses of the page are then fetched from a database based on the received page identifier. A plurality of query suggestions are determined based on the fetched plurality of page aboutnesses. The determined plurality of query suggestions are provided to the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and programming for providing search previews is disclosed. At least one input is received. At least one query suggestion is generated based on the at least one input. The at least one query suggestion is displayed in a first display area. At least one web page preview is generated based on the at least one input. The at least one web page preview is displayed in a second display area. Each web page preview is viewable and actionable.

Abstract: Method, system, and programs for intent-based search assistance are disclosed. Intent information associated with a query entered by a user is first collected. The intent information includes one or more intents. The collected intent information is then associated with annotation information to generate annotated intent information for the query. In response to the user entering the query, a query suggestion is determined from a plurality of query suggestions. Content is then provided to the user at real-time based on the determined query suggestion and the annotated intent information for the query.

Abstract: Method, system, and programs for intent-based search suggestion are disclosed. A query suggestion is determined from a plurality of query suggestions in response to a user entering a query. Annotated intent information associated with the determined query suggestion is then fetched. The annotated intent information includes one or more intents with annotation information. The determined query suggestion is presented with one or more labels to the user. Each label indicates one of the one or more intents. The one or more labels are ranked based on their corresponding intents.

Abstract: A method and system for recommending relevant and personalized content retrieving keywords to users of a text messaging service (TMS) based content platform. Embodiments of the invention provide a discovery mechanism for introducing registered keywords identifying published information in the TMS based content platform that may be of interest to the user. In particular, the solution is hybrid in nature combining various sources of recommendations (e.g., based on past usage patterns, emerging trends, expert suggestions, etc.) to select recommended keywords. Based on this keyword discovery/recommendation mechanism, users with a basic phone and without smartphone data plans can discover contents through a TMS based content platform.

Abstract: Described herein are various technologies pertaining to provision of query suggestions to a user independent of a query log. Key phrases are automatically identified in documents of a document corpus, and a forward index and inverted index are generated. The forward index indexes key phrases by documents, and the inverted index indexes documents by key phrases. A query is received from a user, and documents relevant to the query are retrieved. Key phrases in the retrieved documents are identified via the forward index, and a subset of the key phrases are selected as query suggestions by determining coverage of the key phrases as identified in the inverted index.

Abstract: In various example embodiments, systems and methods to mine product recommendations from query reformulation is provided. In example embodiments, a search query is mapped to a particular product. Transition data for the particular product is accessed. The transition data includes values reflecting a number of search transitions between the particular product and other products in session sets of previous queries. One or more recommendations based on the transition data is determined and provided to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for providing temporal search suggestions in real-time. The method includes obtaining real-time data from one or more websites. The method also includes processing the real-time data to detect one or more trending topics associated with the real-time data, and to extract a plurality of events from the real-time data. Further, the method includes storing the plurality of events along with associated timestamps. Moreover, the method includes providing one or more temporal search suggestions based on the trending topics and the plurality of events, the one or more temporal search suggestions being responsive to a search query of a user. The system includes an electronic device, a communication interface, a memory, and a processor. The processor further includes a real-time data unit, a trending topic detector, an event extractor unit, and a search suggest unit.

Abstract: Methods, systems, an apparatus, and computer program products, for pre-caching query suggestions. In one aspect, a method includes receiving from a client device a request for a search resource; providing to the client device in response to the request the search resource, the search resource including: first instructions that cause the client device to generate a search interface that includes a first query input field; initial query suggestions; second instructions that cause the client device to: store the initial query suggestions in a suggestion store on the client device; compare query characters input in the first query input field to the query suggestions stored in the suggestion store; select query suggestions that match the query characters input in the first query input field based on the comparison; and display the selected query suggestions as query suggestions for the query characters input into the first query input field.

Abstract: User locality information can be used to improve various aspects of search results pages. Queries can be suggested based on the user location while excluding common query suggestions that involve an unrelated geographic entity. Deeplinks can also be modified to include location based suggestions. Additionally, results for specialized searches such as travel searches can be improved by employing user locality information.

Abstract: Methods for classifying computer objects. The methods may comprise receiving a tag for a first computer object. The tag may comprise at least two nested categories describing the first computer object. The methods may also comprise updating a hierarchy of categories for computer objects to include the at least two nested categories describing the computer object. In addition, the methods may comprise displaying a graphical representation of the hierarchy of categories, and displaying an indication of computer objects having tags comprising a first category when an indication of the first category is received.

Abstract: A method of selecting and presenting content on a first system based on user preferences learned on a second system is provided. The method includes receiving a user's input for identifying items of the second content system and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of items of the second content system and receiving the user's selection actions thereof. The method includes analyzing the selected items to learn the user's content preferences for the content of the second content system and determining a relationship between the content of the first and second content systems to determine preferences relevant to items of the first content system. The method includes, in response subsequent user input for items of the first content system, selecting and ordering a collection of items of the first content system based on the user's learned content preferences determined to be relevant to the items of the first content system.

Abstract: Aspects directed to phrase generation are provided. A method is provided that includes identifying a plurality of phrase candidates from a plurality of text string entries in a corpus. For each phrase candidate: identifying a plurality of left contexts and a plurality of right contexts for the phrase candidate, each left context of the plurality of left contexts being a nearest unique feature to the right of the phrase candidate in a text string entry and each right context of the plurality of right contexts being the nearest unique feature to the right of the phrase candidate, and calculating a left context vector including a score for each left context feature and a right context vector including a score for each right context feature of the phrase candidate. A similarity is determined between pairs of phrase candidates using the respective left and right context vectors for each phrase candidate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of presenting a search suggestion to a user. The method includes receiving a portion of a search query from the user. Responsive to receiving the portion of the search query, presenting to the user one or more search suggestions and at least one social comment icon corresponding to at least one of the one or more search suggestions. The method also includes selecting the at least one social comment icon to view comments from and websites recommended by at least one friend of the user, the comments and websites pertaining to the corresponding at least one of the one or more search suggestions Also disclosed are computer program products.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method executable by a server system to establish suggested queries is provided. The method comprises: receiving an initial query; evaluating a user click log for at least one query that is similar to the initial query based on a document click count of results generated from the at least one query; and generating at least one suggested query based on the at least one query that is similar to the initial query.

Abstract: Methods of providing services using a web marketing platform are described. The web marketing platform acts as a proxy associated with a host company and can intercept traffic passing to and from the host company. In an embodiment, an interface is provided which enables clients to easily request services. One example service is the provision of targeted content to users within web pages from sites hosted by the host company and in such an example, the actual content can be analyzed in real time to provide improved targeting based on the content, user behavior or any other criteria.

Abstract: A method of searching data on a computer system includes accepting a search query, searching multiple applications on the computer system for data related to the search query wherein the data can be in a variety of formats and displaying search results wherein the search results comprise data related to the search query.

Abstract: A method and device for storing and accessing retail contacts. The retail contact data includes retail contact information detailing a plurality of retail contacts, keywords, and a plurality of associations linking each retail contacts to at least one of the keywords. User input of a keyword results in display of the associated retail contacts. Selection of a retail contact from the display may result in initiation of a session such as a voice call or website access.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling information providers using a computer network such as the Internet to influence a position for a search listing within a search result list generated by an Internet search engine. The system and method of the present invention provides a database having accounts for the network information providers. Each account contains at least one search listing having at least three components: a description, a search term comprising one or more keywords, and a bid amount. The network information provider may add, delete, or modify a search listing after logging into his or her account via an authentication process. The network information provider influences the position for a search listing through a continuous online competitive bidding process. The bidding process occurs when the network information provider enters a new bid amount, which is preferably a money amount, for a search listing.

Abstract: A computer implemented method and system that generates a video playlist having recommended videos based on a user query object is disclosed. A user query object is used to search for a number of web pages. Summaries are generated for the returned web page search results. Valuable terms and phrases from those summaries may be extracted and used to search video storage sites based on the original user query. Playable videos returned from the video storage sites may be compared to the user query or to the extracted terms and phrases in order to rank the videos, and the most relevant videos may be returned. Those videos may be displayed to the user as a playlist in an Internet browser having an embedded video player.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus are described herein that includes identifying a partial query entered into a search field. A query completion template is then provided for display for a category of information associated with one or more terms within the partial query, the query completion template including an interactive field that is user editable. User interaction with the interactive field is the identified. Display of the query completion template is then updated to include the results of the user interaction within the interactive of the query completion template. User selection of the updated query completion template is then identified, and in response the updated display of the query completion template is transmitted as a search query.

Abstract: Systems and methods display input suggestions on web pages having an input field for receiving a specific type of user input. A module stored on a user device is remote from a database containing the input suggestions. The module detects the presence of any input fields of a specific type in a web page. For each detected input field of the specific type, the module generates a combo box that is displayed so as to cover and visually replace the input field. The combo boxes display input suggestions contained in the database. The database can be updated to add or remove input suggestions for particular websites determined to be valid or invalid at those websites. Analysis of the validity of the input suggestions can be based on page analyses sent from the module and performed before and after any submission of an input suggestion.

Abstract: To suggest new connections to a user of a social networking system, the system generates a set of candidate users to whom the user has not already formed a connection. The system determines the likelihood that the user will connect to each candidate user if suggested to do so, and it also computes the value to the social networking system if the user does connect to the candidate user. Then, the system computes an expected value score for each candidate user based on the corresponding likelihood and the value. The candidate users are ranked and the suggestions are provided to the user based on the candidate users' expected value scores. The social networking system can suggest other actions to a user in addition to forming a new connection with other users.

Abstract: Systems and methods for provider ranking. Provider ranking systems can identify relevant providers for requests received from users for a product or service offering, and can rank the providers based upon performance ratings associated with the providers. The provider ranking system can submit the request to providers on behalf of the user based upon the ranking.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing a search are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for optimizing search on a Web site comprises: retrieving first search results corresponding to a first search request from a remote data store, causing the first search results to be stored in a local data store, receiving an indication that a portion of the second search results that are to be returned in response to a second search request overlaps with the first search results, causing an overlapped portion of the second search results to be retrieved from the local data store, and retrieving a remaining portion of the second search results from the remote data store. The local data store comprises a database associated with a browser, a trusted frame associated with the Web site, or a trusted script associated with the site and configured to determine the overlap of the first and second search results.

Abstract: A search term suggestion engine of a computing device receives characters of user data as the characters are input. The user data is at least part of a search term to be provided to one of multiple applications to search for the search term. An indication of multiple suggestion sources is received from the one application, and one or more suggested search terms are obtained, from the multiple suggestion sources, based on the received characters. One or more suggested search terms can also be obtained from the multiple suggestion sources based on one or more linguistic alternatives for the received characters. The one or more suggested search terms are combined into a combined set of suggested search terms, and the combined set of suggested search terms is returned to a search user interface for presentation to the user.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method is described for identifying candidate query refinements for a given query from past queries submitted by one or more users. The method includes generating from the candidate query refinements, term occurrence scores for terms in the candidate query refinements indicating frequency of the terms within the candidate query refinements. The method further includes calculating query refinement scores for the candidate query refinements of the given query using the term occurrence scores. The method further includes storing data associating the query refinement scores with the candidate query refinements for use in selecting from among the candidate query refinements for the given query.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and computer-readable storage media for generating and presenting multi-domain recommendations to a user viewing a Web page are provided. A topic-of-interest is identified on the Web page being viewed by the user. The topic-of-interest is mapped to an entity ID in a multi-domain recommendation data structure. The multi-domain recommendation data structure is used to identify entities, uniform resource locators, and search queries mapped to the entity ID. Multi-domain recommendations are generated using the entities, uniform resource locators, and search queries; the multi-domain recommendations are presented on the Web page being viewed by the user.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide a Web browser that employs a relevancy algorithm to make an educated guess as to the likelihood of a user's intended destination when the user begins to enter text into a browser's address bar. In one or more embodiments, the relevancy algorithm employs various parameters and assigns weights to the parameters to arrive at a collection of suggestions to provide to the user. By using various rules, associated weightings, and the relevancy algorithm, relevant suggestions can be provided to a user to facilitate their navigation activities.

Abstract: Methods, computer systems, and computer-readable storage media for generating and presenting multi-domain recommendations to a user viewing a Web page are provided. A topic-of-interest is identified on the Web page being viewed by the user. The topic-of-interest is mapped to an entity ID in a multi-domain recommendation data structure. The multi-domain recommendation data structure is used to identify entities, uniform resource locators, and search queries mapped to the entity ID. Multi-domain recommendations are generated using the entities, uniform resource locators, and search queries; the multi-domain recommendations are presented on the Web page being viewed by the user.

Abstract: A system level search user interface that includes both a data entry portion and an application identification portion is displayed. User data input as a search term is displayed in the data entry portion, and identifiers of each of one or more applications of multiple applications on the computing device that can be searched using the search term are displayed in the application identification portion. The search term is provided to one application of the multiple applications for that one application to generate and display search results based on the search term while the display of at least the data entry portion of the system level search user interface is maintained.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method and system that receives a seed term, obtains a corpus of candidate terms, where each candidate term comprises the seed term or variants of the seed term, obtains network traffic information associated with each candidate term in the corpus of candidate terms, and compiles a set of domain names based on the network traffic information. Each domain name in the set comprises one of the corpus of candidate terms.

Abstract: Delivering a search result is disclosed. A query is received. A term in the query that is a first portion of an abbreviation pair is identified. A second portion of the abbreviation pair is determined. A search result for the query is determined based at least in part on the second portion of the abbreviation pair and the search result is returned.

Abstract: System and method for implementing a floating index navigation tool are described. In one embodiment, the method includes, in response to a user's updating a search term, building first and second search queries; issuing the first and second search queries to at least one database comprising a searchable index of content; and responsive to receipt of search results from the first and second search queries, displaying the first query search results in a first manner and displaying the second query search results in a second manner different than the first manner.

Abstract: A favorite item set making section makes a favorite item set. A first rate calculating section calculates, with respect to a first set of items, a first rate of the number of items satisfying recommended item conditions to the number of all items. A user characteristic value calculating section calculates a user characteristic value by using the first rate. An item selecting section selects, from items in the favorite item set, a plurality of items including items satisfying the recommended item conditions to make a result item set. When the user characteristic value satisfies prescribed conditions, the rate of the number of items in the result item set which satisfy the recommended item conditions to the number of all items in the result item set is greater than the first rate and smaller than 1 except for a case where the first rate is 1.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that utilize a genetic algorithm to search for an index configuration for a collection of data such as, e.g., a database. Genetic algorithms can include stochastic search heuristics that mimic processes of natural evolution including inheritance, mutation, crossover, and selection. A population of chromosomes representing candidate index configurations can evolve to increase or optimize the fitness of the population and to identify the best (e.g., most fit) index configuration. Fitness of a chromosome may be measured based at least in part on the cost of computer resources used for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) statements in the indexed database.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for facilitating searching of digital media assets are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user can be assisted in entering search strings for searching a media repository (e.g., online media store) having a plurality of digital media assets that are available, e.g., available for purchase. When the user enters a search character, a list of possible complete search strings corresponding to digital media assets available in the media repository can be obtained over a network and presented to the user. The list of possible search strings can be filtered based on whether a client device supports a media type associated with a word or based on a location of the client device.

Abstract: Enabling intelligent navigation is described, including: performing analysis of historical user activity data with respect to a query term to generate reference data associated with the query term; selecting a navigation recommendation model for the query term based at least in part on the reference data; using the reference data and the selected navigation recommendation model to determine a set of recommendation data associated with the query term, wherein the set of recommendation data includes at least a portion of a category system to be displayed in response to a subsequently received query including the query term.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for federating tags across multiple web-based systems in order to provide an improved tag management system which allows users of a community to upload their contributions to the content of the content server systems, including uploading their tags. The method includes: storing tags in a central database, wherein the central database accesses the resources and the tags of the multiple systems; retrieving all tags from the central database; displaying the tags to a user; receiving a search request by the user, wherein the user search comprises selection of specific tags or specification of tag search criteria; generating a tag cloud containing references to tag-associated resources which result from the search, wherein the resources may reside in any one of the systems; and displaying the resources.

Abstract: A search engine for generating an improved search query, the engine comprising: input means for receiving a search request, the search request comprising N search terms; processing means arranged to formulate a search query from the received search request; output means arranged to output the search query wherein the processing means is arranged to formulate the search query by generating a plurality of search strings, each search string comprising a different combination of a subset of the N search terms.

Abstract: An information retrieval system uses phrases to index, retrieve, organize and describe documents. 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. Phrases in a query are identified and used to retrieve and rank documents. Phrases are also used to cluster documents in the search results, create document descriptions, and eliminate duplicate documents from the search results, and from the index.

Abstract: A categorization service is described that automatically categorizes items of interest to a user. The user may possess an item that they wish to offer for sale using the network-based service. The user may prepare an electronic description of the item and submit this item information to a categorization service for categorization. Upon receipt, the categorization service may compare the item information to item category descriptions representing item categories of the network-based server in order to determine category recommendations for the item of interest. The recommended categories are returned to the user to enable the user to assign a category, selected from the category recommendations, to the item of interest.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving from a user, by a search system, a search query comprising terms. Using at least one association graph comprising terms, the search system generates a suggested replacement query by designating one or more of the terms of the search query as anchor terms, and the remaining terms of the search query as non-anchor terms, and replacing one or more of the non-anchor terms of the search query with one or more suggested replacement terms, to generate the suggested replacement query that includes the one or more anchor terms and the one or more suggested replacement terms. The suggested replacement query is presented to the user. Responsively to a selection of the suggested replacement query by the user, the search query received from the user is replaced with the suggested replacement query, and search results are generated responsively to the suggested replacement query and presented.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing task-oriented query-completion suggestions are provided. A portion of a search query is received, for instance, via a query-input region or search box presented in association with a general web search domain. As the portion of the search query is received, it is determined that the received search query portion is suggestive of a task-oriented user intent. Also determined are query-completion suggestions that are associated with the task-oriented user intent of which the search query portion is suggestive. The determined query-completion suggestions are then provided to the user. As query-completion suggestions are surfaced with input of short character sequences that are associated with task-oriented user intents, users can quickly be provided the relevant, rich content for completing their intended tasks.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus which includes a first reception module configured to acquire first information of a character string selected through an input module from character strings displayed on a display module, a candidate creation module configured to create a plurality of character strings relevant to the selected character string as candidates based on the first information and to display the candidates on the display module, a second reception module configured to acquire second information of a character string determined through the input module from the candidates, and a retrieval module. The retrieval module is configured to receive the second information from the second reception module, perform information retrieval based on the second information, and display a result of the information retrieval on the display module.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that may be utilized to determine one or more suggestions of entities relating to a user query.