Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for domain name system (DNS) pre-caching. A method for DNS pre-caching is provided. The method includes receiving uniform resource locator (URL) hostnames for DNS pre-fetch resolution prior to a user hostname request for any of the URL hostnames. The method also includes making a DNS lookup call for at least one of the URL hostnames that are not cached by a DNS cache prior to the user hostname request. The method further includes discarding at least one IP address provided by a DNS resolver for the URL hostnames, wherein a resolution result for at least one of the URL hostnames is cached in the DNS cache in preparation for the user hostname request. A system for DNS pre-caching is provided. The system includes a renderer, an asynchronous DNS pre-fetcher and a hostname table.

Abstract: Determining recommendation data is disclosed, including: extracting a first set of keywords from a set of user action logs that occurred prior to a predetermined time point; extracting a second set of keywords from a set of user action logs that occurred subsequent to the predetermined time point; merging at least a portion of the first set of keywords and at least a portion of the second set of keywords to obtain a third set of keywords; matching the third set of keywords to a database of data that can potentially be recommended to a user; and in the event that a piece of data is determined to match at least one keyword from the third set of keywords, determine that the piece of data is to be recommended to the user.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for clustering and presenting search suggestions. A segment of text is obtained via a search query section of a user interface, the segment of text being a portion of a search query. A set of suggestions is obtained, each suggestion in the set of suggestions being a suggested search query relating to the segment of text. Two or more groups of suggestions are generated, each of the two or more groups of suggestions including a different subset of the set of suggestions. The two or more groups of suggestions are provided such that each of the two or more groups of suggestions is displayed in a separate partition of a search assistance segment of the user interface.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods for contextual query revision are disclosed. A current search query is received during a search session. The current search query includes one or more current search tokens. Potentially inaccurate search tokens are identified from the one or more current search tokens. A possible replacement token is identified based upon the potentially inaccurate search token. A group of related tokens is identified from query logs, and a modified search query is generated if the replacement token is not included in the related tokens.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for provision of offline advertising services are described. In one embodiment, content data is stored in a local memory of a computing device prior to going offline. Once offline, the stored content is provided from the local memory, while the metrics regarding the provided content is collected and later transmitted to a remote server. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An interactive computer system and method collects, aggregates and distributes information derived from free-text responses to questions. The system and method collect free-text responses from a subject user and aggregates them with free-text responses from other users. The system and method then uses these free-text responses in learning methodologies (such as temporal spacing) and styles to facilitate long-term learning and knowledge retention.

Abstract: A system determines whether a received search query includes an entity name, determines whether to rewrite the received search query based on information relating to prior searches involving the entity name, and rewrites the received search query when it is determined that the received search query should be rewritten. The system further determines whether to provide a suggestion of rewriting the received search query, as a rewriting suggestion, based on information relating to prior searches involving the entity name when it is determined that the received search query should not be rewritten. The system also generates the rewriting suggestion when it is determined that the rewriting suggestion should be provided. The system performs a search based on one of the received search query and the rewritten search query to obtain search results, presents the search results, and presents the rewriting suggestion when it is determined that the rewriting suggestion should be provided.

Abstract: A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives a dataset that is stored in a computer-readable medium of a computing device, wherein the dataset includes a plurality of queries issued by users to a search engine and a plurality of search results selected by the users upon issuing the plurality of queries. A distribution determiner component determines click distributions over the search results selected by the users with respect to the plurality of queries. A labeler component labels at least two queries in the plurality of queries as being substantially similar to one another based at least in part upon the click distributions over the search results selected by the users with respect to the plurality of queries.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a unique and novel archiving system that includes two or more network storage systems, each network storage system including removable hard disk drives embedded in removable disk cartridges, referred to simply as removable disk drives. The removable disk drives allow for expandability and replacement such that the archiving system need not be duplicated to add new or more storage capacity. In embodiments, the archiving system accesses, writes, reads, or performs functions on data from one network storage system to another remote network storage system.

Abstract: In one general sense, information may be presented to a user by receiving one or more ambiguous characters that may be resolved to one of at least two disambiguated characters, exchanging at least one of the ambiguous characters with a host, receiving, from the host, results that reflect disambiguated terms related to the ambiguous characters exchanged with the host, rendering the results in a manner enabling the user to perceive which of the disambiguated terms will be used upon user selection of an aspect of the results, and enabling the user to select an aspect of the results to effect use of a corresponding one of the disambiguated terms.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments providing navigational aids within item search results. A pool of items is generated in a computing resource in response to a search query and a search context. At least one network page is encoded for rendering by a client. The at least one network page includes a ranked list of at least a portion of the items. The ranked list includes a navigational aid when a relevance score associated with the navigational aid meets a threshold. The relevance score is computed relative to respective relevance scores associated with items in the ranked list. The navigational aid has at least a same prominence within the ranked list as an item.

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 method and apparatus for use in servicing a search request where the search request comprises a plurality of parts (such as characters) and establishing a list of tokens where the tokens correspond to elements of objects and have a numerical value. For each part of the search request a subset of the list is determined, said subset identifying a set of objects which may satisfy the search query. The subsets may be identified iteratively. Token encoding is used to encode tokens based on a content of said elements and, in this case, the same token encoding is used to encode the parts of the search request. The token encoding may comprise differential encoding. In certain embodiments, resource requirements necessary to complete the search request are determined based on the identified subsets.

Abstract: A printing system includes a storage unit (HD) adapted to store a print logs relating to each of a plurality of print data having been printed, the print log including relevant information relating to the print data; a reception unit adapted to receive relevant information relating to print data to be printed; a search unit adapted to search a print log including the relevant information received by the reception unit from the print logs stored in the storage unit; and a display unit adapted to display information indicating a print apparatus that has printed print data corresponding to the print log found by the search unit, which is extracted from the relevant information included in the print log found by the search unit.

Abstract: Displaying potential search-engine queries in a portion (e.g., a portion allocated for a web advertisement or within an inline frame) of a web page along with the content of the web page is described herein. The potential search-engine queries are determine by first analyzing either the underlying content of the web page (or other web pages) or searching various historic user metrics. Once determined, the potential search-engine queries are displayed within the portion of the web page along with the content of the web page. When a user selects one of the displayed potential search-engine queries, a query is sent to a search engine requesting web content relevant to the selected potential search-engine query.

Abstract: A tag database storing tags indexing captured object can be searched efficiently. In one embodiment, such a search begins by receiving a query for one or more objects captured by a capture system, and determining whether a query time range exceeds a time range of a set of fast tables. In one embodiment, the invention further includes searching the set of fast tables if the query time range does not exceed the time range of the fast tables, the set of fast tables containing tags having meta-data related to captured objects. In one embodiment, the invention further includes searching a set of hourly tables if the query time range does exceed the time range of the fast tables. In one embodiment, the present invention further includes searching a set of daily tables if the query time range also exceeds the time range of the hourly tables.

Abstract: A system receives a search query, determines whether the received search query includes an entity name, and determines whether the entity name is associated with a common word or phrase. When the entity name is associated with a common word or phrase, the system generates a link to a rewritten query, performs a search based on the received search query to obtain first search results, and provides the first search results and the link to the rewritten query. When the entity name is not associated with a common word or phrase, the system rewrites the received search query to include a restrict identifier associated with the entity name, generates a link to the received search query, performs a search based on the rewritten search query to obtain second search results, and provides the second search results and the link to the received search query.

Abstract: Among other disclosures, a method may include identifying one or more of personal or public data that is related to a party in a message. The message delivered by a communication system where the personal or public data is unrelated to and otherwise inaccessible to the communication system. The method may include displaying the personal or public data upon a predetermined trigger.

Abstract: A system and method for representing, storing and retrieving real-world knowledge on a computer or network of computers is disclosed. Knowledge is broken down into permanent atomic “facts” which can be stored in a standard relational database and processed very efficiently. It also provides for the efficient querying of a knowledge base, efficient inference of new knowledge and translation into and out of natural language. Queries can also be processed with full natural language explanations of where the answers came from. The method can also be used in a distributed fashion enabling the system to be a large network of computers and the technology can be integrated into a web browser adding to the browser's functionality.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems to determine a niche market of items or services, the first phase of which identifies a gap between demand and supply for a set of items. Session logs may be evaluated to compare transactions involving a specific item to those of a larger group of items. The resultant information identifies areas of high demand, but with low availability. The niche market information may be provided as direct merchandising items for sellers. In one example, the method generates niche market item web pages in specific categories. Additional methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A system determines whether a received search query includes an entity name, determines whether to rewrite the received search query based on information relating to prior searches involving the entity name, and rewrites the received search query when it is determined that the received search query should be rewritten. The system further determines whether to provide a suggestion of rewriting the received search query, as a rewriting suggestion, based on information relating to prior searches involving the entity name when it is determined that the received search query should not be rewritten. The system also generates the rewriting suggestion when it is determined that the rewriting suggestion should be provided. The system performs a search based on one of the received search query and the rewritten search query to obtain search results, presents the search results, and presents the rewriting suggestion when it is determined that the rewriting suggestion should be provided.

Abstract: Answers are provided to users in response to queries as a supplement to any responsive documents. Query formats for entity and attribute combinations are identified. The query formats can be substituted with entity and attribute combinations that have a corresponding attribute value to form a list of answered queries. The attribute value corresponding to an answered query can be provided when a query is received that matches an answered query.

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: A system and method for generating query refinement suggestions may include collecting refinement data for at least one received source query. The collected refinement data is then clustered to form at least one cluster. At least one potential refinement query suggestion is identified from the refinement data within the at least one cluster.

Abstract: A system and methods for unit of measurement conversion and search query expansion are described. The search query expansion may include identifying an initial unit of measurement associated with a property and an initial numeric value for the initial unit of measurement within a search query, automatically forming an expanded search query by expanding the search query to include at least one related unit of measurement associated with the property, and sending the expanded search query to a search engine to search a database. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: Search results and associated search-result details are provided in response to user queries. Embodiments include identifying a number of search-result details for different indexed search results, identifying one or more detail-attributes for each search-result detail, and identifying one or more user-attributes for a particular user. These search results, associated search-result details, and associated detail-attributes may be stored in a database. Upon receiving a search query from the user, search results may be generated. Search-result details specific to each search result and specific to the end-user may also be generated by identifying the detail-attributes associated with each search-result detail and the user-attributes associated with the end-user. These search results may then be presented to the end-user. Upon receiving an indication of interest in a particular search result, the search result details may then be presented to the end user.

Abstract: A method for generating search collection of query is disclosed, which can provide a search result list displayed by an optimized method of automatically generating a specific collection by each query, the method comprising obtaining a first query and search results selected by a user from a search result list generated in response to the first query; classifying the search results into one or more groups; and generating a search collection for the first query by each group.

Abstract: Techniques for defocusing queries over big datasets and dynamic datasets are provided to broaden search results and incorporate all potentially relevant data and avoid overly narrowing queries. An analytic component can receive queries directed at one region of a dataset and analyze the queries to generate inferences about the queries. The queries can then be defocused by a defocusing component and incorporate a larger dataset than originally searched to broaden the queries. The larger dataset can incorporate all, or a part of the original dataset and can also be disparate from the original dataset. Clusters of queries can also be merged and unified to deal with ‘local minima’ issues and broaden the understanding of the dataset. In other embodiments, dynamic data can be monitored and changes tracked, to ensure that all portions of the dataset are being searched by the queries.

Abstract: An information retrieval system and method, and more particularly, a query and document topic category transition analysis system and method in which a query topic category of a query input from a user as an information retrieval keyword and a document topic category of a document which a user regards as relevant and selects from information retrieval results are classified to analyze transition between the query topic category and the document topic category, and a query expansion-based information retrieval system and method using query and document topic category transition analysis in which a query input from a user is expanded using a topic category transition analysis result, and corresponding information or documents are retrieved using the expanded query are provided.

Abstract: A system receives a search query, determines whether the received search query includes an entity name, and determines whether the entity name is associated with a common word or phrase. When the entity name is associated with a common word or phrase, the system generates a link to a rewritten query, performs a search based on the received search query to obtain first search results, and provides the first search results and the link to the rewritten query. When the entity name is not associated with a common word or phrase, the system rewrites the received search query to include a restrict identifier associated with the entity name, generates a link to the received search query, performs a search based on the rewritten search query to obtain second search results, and provides the second search results and the link to the received search query.

Abstract: Techniques for extending the functionality of a search field within a web browser to include a user-selectable accelerator option to invoke a find in page feature of the web browser are provided. A search query option for the find in page functionality of the browser may be displayed in association with the search field of the web browser. The search query option may include a user-selectable graphical component enabling the user to invoke find in page based on a search term entered into the search field of the browser. The user may select the graphical component to initiate a search for the term within a web page that is either displayed or will be displayed to the user via the web browser. The displayed web page may include a visual indication of each occurrence of the search term within the web page.

Abstract: A system includes reception of a partial query, determination of one or more previously-selected query phrases based on the partial query, determination, for each of the one or more previously-selected query phrases, of a dataset of a data source, determination, for each dataset determined for each of the one or more previously-selected query phrases, of a plurality of columns, and presentation, for each of the one or more previously-selected query phrases, of the previously-selected query phrase, the dataset determined for the previously-selected query phrase, and the columns determined for the dataset.

Abstract: A question conversion engine converts terms and phrases used in a user's question into terms and phrases that are more likely to produce information containing the search terms. The question conversion engine parses a user's question to associate each term in the user's question with a part of speech and to eliminate extraneous terms in the user's question. A term/phrase replacement map is used to replace terms and/or phrases in the user's question with replaced terms and phrases that are more likely to produce relevant information. The question conversion engine matches the user's question to a declarative expression thereby altering the semantics of the question into an expression that is more likely to produce optimum search results.

Abstract: A computer implemented method classifies a user interaction on a network. User interaction data relating to a user interaction on a network is accessed. The user interaction data comprises an aggregate measure data or a unique feature data. The user interaction data is processed to generate a score for the user interaction and determines a classification of the user interaction based on the score.

Abstract: A multi-stage query processing system and method enables multi-stage query scoring, including “snippet” generation, through incremental document reconstruction facilitated by a multi-tiered mapping scheme. At one or more stages of a multi-stage query processing system a set of relevancy scores are used to select a subset of documents for presentation as an ordered list to a user. The set of relevancy scores can be derived in part from one or more sets of relevancy scores determined in prior stages of the multi-stage query processing system. In some embodiments, the multi-stage query processing system is capable of executing one or more passes on a user query, and using information from each pass to expand the user query for use in a subsequent pass to improve the relevancy of documents in the ordered list.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for presenting search query suggestions. In an aspect, content of a resource that is determined to be responsive to a search query is received, and a candidate set of search query suggestions for the search query is suggested based, in part, on search history data associated with the search query. A final set of search query suggestions based on the search history data and the content of the resource and provided for display on a client device.

Abstract: A service-oriented system architecture includes a computer-implemented search method and computer-implemented agent system for enabling efficient information searches on, for example, on XML databases, relational databases, and files located on intranets, the Internet, or other computer network systems. Referred to as the Knowledge Sifter architecture, the architecture may comprise, in one embodiment, a community of cooperating agents. The system architecture may be employed using a variety of methodologies, such as a case-based framework, collaborative filtering, or hybrid filtering. The case-based framework may be configured to recommend query specifications and refinements based on previously-stored user-query cases. Collaborative filtering involves the architecture recommending a set of unseen items that are preferred by other users to the active user. Hybrid filtering combines collaborative filtering and content-based filtering.

Abstract: Standard word lists that are often used for such operations as predictive text, spell checking, and word completion are based on general linguistic data that might not accurately reflect actual text usage patterns of particular users. Systems and methods of building and using a custom word list for use in text operations on an electronic device are provided. A collection of text items associated with a user of the electronic device is scanned to identify words in the text items. A weighting is then assigned to each identified word, and the words and corresponding weightings are stored.

Abstract: A word is split into one or more first substrings. A morpheme is applied to the one or more first substrings to create one or more second substrings. The one or more first and second substrings are selected as one or more splittings, and a score is generated for each of the one or more splittings. One of the one or more splittings with a score higher than the other one or more splittings is selected as a keyword.

Abstract: Systems and methods that improve search rankings for a search query by using data associated with queries related to the search query are described. In one aspect, a search query is received, a related query related to the search query is determined, an article (such as a web page) associated with the search query is determined, and a ranking score for the article based at least in part on data associated with the related query is determined. Several algorithms and types of data associated with related queries useful in carrying out such systems and methods are described.

Abstract: A system receives a voice search query from a user, derives recognition hypotheses from the voice search query, and determines scores associated with the recognition hypotheses, the scores being based on a comparison of the recognition hypotheses to previously received search queries. The system discards at least one of the recognition hypotheses that is associated with a first score that is less than a threshold value, and constructs a first query using at least one non-discarded recognition hypothesis, where the at least one first non-discarded recognition hypothesis is associated with a second score that at least meets the threshold value. The system forwards the first query to a search system, receives first results associated with the first query, and provides the first results to the user.

Abstract: The present invention is a real-time intelligent find-assistant that suggests useful search terms to a buyer shopping an electronic catalog, as they progress in their online journey to find a particular item for potential purchase. In contrast to current approaches, the present invention uses an adaptive algorithm to extract and rank-order possible search terms from candidate vendor catalog pages, based upon a measure of relevance, or utility, derived from the proximity of possible non-generic terms in the vendor catalog to the terms already selected by the user in their current search. Also in contrast to current approaches, the invention captures and stores buyers' entire history of choices over time (even years), and uses this knowledge to make increasingly useful suggestions to a buyer as to what item descriptions to look for, as they progress through their search, thus allowing an organization to leverage expert purchasing behaviors for use by novice buyers.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product is disclosed for intelligent data mining. The method comprises receiving an event from an application, assigning property weights to properties of the event, and building a query from these properties based on the property weights. The method further comprises assigning search engine weights to a group of search engines, selecting at least some of the search engines based on the search engine weights, and sending the built query to the selected search engines. Results from the selected search engines are stored in a knowledge repository and used to adjust the property weights and the search engine weights. The invention may be used to provide an analysis with information about a problem, and to manage a solutions database which can be used for problem determination. The invention provides a low cost solution for collecting relevant information from online sources.

Abstract: At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a method to identify top hits in search result based on learned user preferences. In one embodiment, a user search query for records is received from a user. The user search query may contain an alphanumerical string. Records in a multifunctional device are searched to find those that match the alphanumerical string. Based on records previously selected by the user, records in the search result are ranked to identify one or more top hits for the user.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for a distributed associative memory base. Such methods may include providing a distributed memory base that includes a network of networks of associative memory networks. The memory base may include a network of associative memory networks, a respective associative memory network comprising associations among a respective observer entity and a plurality of observed entities that are observed by the respective observer entity. Ones of the associative memory networks are physically and/or logically independent from other ones of the associative memory networks. Methods include imagining associations from the associative memory base using a plurality of streaming queues that correspond to ones of a plurality of rows of ones of the associative memory networks.

Abstract: Providing answers to questions based on any corpus of data implements a method that generates a number of candidate passages from the corpus that answer an input query, and finds the correct resulting answer by collecting supporting evidence from the multiple passages. By analyzing all retrieved passages and that passage's metadata in parallel, an output plurality of data structures is generated including candidate answers based upon the analyzing. Then, supporting passage retrieval operations are performed upon the set of candidate answers, and for each candidate answer, the data corpus is traversed to find those passages having candidate answer in addition to query terms. All candidate answers are automatically scored by a plurality of scoring modules, each producing a module score. The modules scores are processed to determine one or more query answers; and, a query response is generated based on the one or more query answers.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for personalized term importance evaluation in natural language queries are disclosed. The personalized term importance evaluation utilizes a personalized profile tree constructed using search history associated with a user. The personalized profile tree is a hierarchy of nodes representing categories of information that the user has previously searched or selected from search results. When a search query is received from the user, each term and phrase in the search query is compared against the nodes in the personalized profile tree, and an importance score is given to the search term or phrase based on the depth of a matching node in the tree, and a child count for the matching node. An alternative query can be generated from a subset of the search terms that have respective importance scores exceeding a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, processes and interfaces for enhancing or modifying the output of search results are provided. For example, an interface may allow a user to indicate a particular search result returned for a search as being undesirable. In one embodiment, such an indication may cause a removal (e.g., by a search engine or by a third party software application with access to a listing of search results returned by the search engine) of the search result from the listing of the search results as well as review of the remainder of the search results to determine which additional search results should also be removed (e.g., additional search results may be determined, on behalf of the user, to be undesirable for the same reason as the search result(s) indicated by the user).

Abstract: Provided are techniques for providing recommendations to improve a query. A query with query keywords and selected categories is received. In response to determining that the selected categories are ranked high with reference to query relevance indicator values for each of the selected categories, a query relevance indicator of the query is calculated with each subcategory using keyword relevance indicators, each subcategory is ranked based on the query relevance indicators, and the ranked subcategories are provided for use in selecting new categories to be submitted with the query.

Abstract: A query prefix is received from a user device. A user identifier is determined based on the user device. A user category is determined based on the user identifier. A node representing the query prefix is located in a query graph. Descendent nodes of the located node that represent queries are located. Each node has one or more user category specific frequency measures and each user category specific frequency measure is associated with a user category. The queries represented by the located nodes are ranked based on the associated user category specific frequency measure associated with the identified user category. The ranked queries are sent to the user device.