US20050120006A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Systems and methods for enhancing web-based searching
Assignee: TrueLocal Inc
•
Filing: 2004-10-26
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2024-10-26
Abstract
Abstract A system for enhancing web-based searching is provided. Categorizing and clustering techniques are used to optimize searching. Businesses are classified using a control group of predetermined categories. The predetermined categories may be SIC codes or headings that are used to describe business activities. The website addresses for a business listed in the control group is determined, and the content of the business's website is extracted. The extracted content is associated with the predetermined category that the business is classified under. The extracted content is used to further enhance the overall classification scheme. The system may compare and match the extracted content with content of other business' websites, which are similarly categorized. If a relevant keyword match is identified in several of the websites, the keyword may be used to update the classification scheme. A new category or sub-category can be created based on this keyword. Furthermore, when a search is performed, the search results are organized by these categories, and using various processes, the most common results are kept and the less relevant results are discarded.
Inventors
- 👤 Timothy Nye
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:53
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/954; G06F16/30; G06F16/35; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; G06F16/9538; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 136
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
1 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching comprising: a persistent storage storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored according to a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; a data extraction tool that extracts website content for a plurality of the entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications; and a content analyzer analyzing the extracted content, where the analyzed content is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
1 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching comprising: a persistent storage storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored according to a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; a data extraction tool that extracts website content for a plurality of the entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications; and a content analyzer analyzing the extracted content, where the analyzed content is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
2 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein the predefined classifications are defined by an independent source, where the independent source is at least one of: yellow pages, standard industry classification scheme, or membership list.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
3 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein the predefined classifications are not computer generated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
4 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein storing data concerning entities according to a classification scheme further includes storing verified attributes about the entities including at least one of: business name, business address, business telephone number, or business website address.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
5 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein the entities correspond to businesses, corporations, agencies, or organizations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
6 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein each of the predefined classifications corresponds to a business descriptor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
7 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 further includes a search handler which identifies the website content and causes the data extraction tool to extract the identified website content.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
8 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 7 wherein the search handler identifies the website content through a search engine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
9 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 8 wherein the data extraction tool extracts the website content from indexed data provided by the search engine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
10 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 7 wherein the search handler identifies the website content through a website address of the entity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
11 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein the classification scheme is defined according to a hierarchy of relations, which is updated in response to: identifying matches in the extracted website content by grouping keywords or phrases identified in the extracted website content; and processing the matches identified.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
12 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 11 wherein processing matches identified further includes a process for eliminating irrelevant matches.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
13 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 11 wherein matches identified further includes a process for: ranking each of the matches identified; and processing the ranked matches to determine the highest ranking match.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
104 words
14 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 11 wherein processing matches identified further includes at least one of the following processes: determining whether any of the identified matches were extracted from two or more websites having one or more similar classifications; determining whether any of the keywords or phrases in the identified matches contain one or more keywords in the predetermined classification; computing the identified matches and determining whether any of the matches exceed a certain percentage of the computed total; or computing the identified matches and eliminating matches that are below a certain percentage of the computed total.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
15 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 13 wherein updating the classification scheme further includes using the highest ranking match to update the classification scheme.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
16 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 15 wherein the update to the classification scheme causes a sub-category of one of the predefined classifications to be created, where the sub-category is indicative of an association between the predefined category, the sub-category and the extracted content.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
17 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 further including a search process that locates websites of entities that have not been categorized in the classification scheme.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
18 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 17 wherein the data extraction tool extracts content from the websites that have not been categorized in the classification scheme.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
19 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 18 wherein the extracted content from the websites that have not been categorized in the classification scheme is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
20 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 further includes a search process to identify entities associated with one or more of the predetermined classifications, which do not have a website.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
53 words
21 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 20 wherein the process to identify entities associated with one or more of the predetermined classifications, which do not have a website, further includes logic to assign each of the entities identified to new categories created in the updated classification scheme.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
22 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 further includes defining the classification scheme according to a hierarchy of relations, where the predefined categories are stored according to a plurality of relations corresponding to geographical locations.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
23 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 22 wherein the classification scheme further includes logic that processes queries to identify entities that are geographically located within a certain distance from a particular location.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
24 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein the updated classification scheme is used to process queries for entities.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
25 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 24 wherein the query includes attributes matching one or more categories in the updated classification scheme, where one or more entities is responsive to the query.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
26 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 wherein the categories in the updated classification are used to cluster search result hits.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
60 words
27 . An information gathering system for optimizing searching as in claim 1 further including: a search handler being responsive to a user search query; and a clustering engine, in communication with the search handler, processing search result hits resulting from the query, where the clustering engine clusters the search result hits based on categories defined in the classification scheme.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
68 words
28 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored based on a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; extracting website content for a plurality of the entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications; and analyzing the extracted content, where the analyzed content is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
68 words
28 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored based on a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; extracting website content for a plurality of the entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications; and analyzing the extracted content, where the analyzed content is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
29 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 wherein the predefined classifications are defined by an independent source, which is at least one of the following independent sources: yellow pages, standard industry classification scheme, or membership list.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
30 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 wherein the predefined classifications are not computer generated.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
3 words
31 . (canceled).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
3 words
31 . (canceled).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
3 words
32 . (canceled).
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
3 words
32 . (canceled).
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
3 words
33 . (canceled).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
3 words
33 . (canceled).
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
68 words
34 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 wherein the classification scheme is defined according to a hierarchy of relations, which is updated in response to: storing the extracted website content according to a hierarchy of relations defined in the classification scheme; identifying matches in the extracted website content by grouping keywords or phrases identified in the extracted website content; and processing the matches identified.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
3 words
35 . (canceled).
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
3 words
35 . (canceled).
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
3 words
36 . (canceled).
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
3 words
36 . (canceled).
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
99 words
37 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 wherein processing matches identified further includes at least one of: determining whether any of the identified matches were extracted from two or more websites having one or more similar classifications; determining whether any of the keywords or phrases in the identified matches contain one or more keywords in the predetermined classification; computing the identified matches and determining whether any of the matches exceed a certain percentage of the computed total; or computing the identified matches and eliminating matches that are below a certain percentage of the computed total.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
28 words
38 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 37 wherein updating the classification scheme further includes using the highest ranking match to update the classification scheme.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
48 words
39 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 wherein the update to the classification scheme causes a sub-category of one of the predefined classifications to be created, where the sub-category is indicative of an association between the predefined category, the sub-category and the extracted content.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
3 words
40 . (canceled).
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
3 words
40 . (canceled).
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
3 words
41 . (canceled).
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
3 words
41 . (canceled).
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
3 words
42 . (canceled).
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
3 words
42 . (canceled).
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
30 words
43 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 further includes identifying entities associated with one or more of the predetermined classifications, which do not have a website.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
45 words
44 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 43 wherein identifying entities associated with one or more of the predetermined classifications, which do not have a website, further assigning each of the entities identified to new categories created in the updated classification scheme.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
39 words
45 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 further includes defining the classification scheme according to a hierarchy of relation, where the predefined categories are stored according to a plurality of relations corresponding to geographical locations.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
34 words
46 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 45 wherein the classification scheme further includes processing queries to identify entities that are geographically located within a certain distance from a particular location.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
3 words
47 . (canceled).
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
3 words
47 . (canceled).
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
3 words
48 . (canceled).
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
3 words
48 . (canceled).
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
3 words
49 . (canceled).
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
3 words
49 . (canceled).
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
42 words
50 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 28 further including: responding to a user search query; and processing search result hits resulting from the query by clustering the search result hits based on categories defined in the classification scheme.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
48 words
51 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 50 wherein processing search result hits resulting from the query by clustering the search result hits based on categories defined in the classification scheme further includes assigning a search result hit to a category in the classification scheme.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
69 words
52 . A system for optimizing searching comprising: means for storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored according to a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; means for extracting website content for a plurality of the entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications; and means for analyzing the extracted content, where the analyzed content is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
69 words
52 . A system for optimizing searching comprising: means for storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored according to a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; means for extracting website content for a plurality of the entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications; and means for analyzing the extracted content, where the analyzed content is used to update the classification scheme.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
119 words
53 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored according to a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; storing website content for a plurality of the classified entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications, where the website content is stored according to the classification scheme; processing at least a portion of the website content to update the classification scheme; searching for unclassified entities using at least a portion of the website content; classifying the unclassified entities according to the classification scheme by identifying relationships between the unclassified entities and the classified entities; and using the classification scheme, clustering search results.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
119 words
53 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: storing data concerning entities, where each entity is stored according to a classification scheme that includes one or more predefined classifications; storing website content for a plurality of the classified entities associated with at least one of the predefined classifications, where the website content is stored according to the classification scheme; processing at least a portion of the website content to update the classification scheme; searching for unclassified entities using at least a portion of the website content; classifying the unclassified entities according to the classification scheme by identifying relationships between the unclassified entities and the classified entities; and using the classification scheme, clustering search results.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
40 words
54 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 53 wherein the predefined classifications are defined by an independent source, which is at least one of the following independent sources: yellow pages, standard industry classification scheme, or membership list.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
3 words
55 . (canceled).
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
3 words
55 . (canceled).
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
3 words
56 . (canceled).
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
3 words
56 . (canceled).
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
68 words
57 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 53 wherein the classification scheme is defined according to a hierarchy of relations, which is updated in response to: storing the extracted website content according to a hierarchy of relations defined in the classification scheme; identifying matches in the extracted website content by grouping keywords or phrases identified in the extracted website content; and processing the matches identified.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
3 words
58 . (canceled).
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
3 words
58 . (canceled).
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
100 words
59 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 57 wherein processing matches identified further includes at least one of: determining whether any of the identified matches were extracted from two or more websites associated with one or more similar classifications; determining whether any of the keywords or phrases in the identified matches contain one or more keywords in the predetermined classification; computing the identified matches and determining whether any of the matches exceed a certain percentage of the computed total; or computing the identified matches and eliminating matches that are below a certain percentage of the computed total.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
28 words
60 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 53 wherein updating the classification scheme further includes using a highest ranking match to update the classification scheme.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
48 words
61 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 60 wherein the update to the classification scheme causes a sub-category of one of the predefined classifications to be created, where the sub-category is indicative of an association between the predefined category, the sub-category and the extracted content.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
3 words
62 . (canceled).
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
3 words
62 . (canceled).
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
3 words
63 . (canceled).
Claim 83
Dependent Claim
3 words
63 . (canceled).
Claim 84
Dependent Claim
3 words
64 . (canceled).
Claim 85
Dependent Claim
3 words
64 . (canceled).
Claim 86
Dependent Claim
3 words
65 . (canceled).
Claim 87
Dependent Claim
3 words
65 . (canceled).
Claim 88
Dependent Claim
3 words
66 . (canceled).
Claim 89
Dependent Claim
3 words
66 . (canceled).
Claim 90
Dependent Claim
3 words
67 . (canceled).
Claim 91
Dependent Claim
3 words
67 . (canceled).
Claim 92
Dependent Claim
3 words
68 . (canceled).
Claim 93
Dependent Claim
3 words
68 . (canceled).
Claim 94
Dependent Claim
3 words
69 . (canceled).
Claim 95
Dependent Claim
3 words
69 . (canceled).
Claim 96
Dependent Claim
62 words
70 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: obtaining information about the entities that are included in a control group, where the control group includes categorized entities; searching for unclassified entities using the information about the entities in the control group; and classifying the unclassified entities based on the information about the entities in the control group.
Claim 97
Dependent Claim
62 words
70 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: obtaining information about the entities that are included in a control group, where the control group includes categorized entities; searching for unclassified entities using the information about the entities in the control group; and classifying the unclassified entities based on the information about the entities in the control group.
Claim 98
Dependent Claim
37 words
71 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 70 wherein the control group includes categorized entities provided by an independent source being at least one of: yellow pages, standard industry classification scheme, or membership list.
Claim 99
Dependent Claim
21 words
72 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 70 wherein the entities correspond to businesses, corporations, agencies, or organizations.
Claim 100
Dependent Claim
37 words
73 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 70 wherein the control group includes verified attributes about the entities including at least one of: business name, business address, business telephone number, or business website address.
Claim 101
Dependent Claim
38 words
74 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 70 wherein obtaining information about entities that are included in a control group further includes extracting website content associated with a plurality of entities in the control group.
Claim 102
Dependent Claim
56 words
75 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 74 wherein the categorized entities in the control group are stored according to a hierarchy of relations, which is updated in response to: identifying matches in the extracted website content by grouping keywords or phrases identified in the extracted website content; and processing the matches identified.
Claim 103
Dependent Claim
3 words
76 . (canceled).
Claim 104
Dependent Claim
3 words
76 . (canceled).
Claim 105
Dependent Claim
3 words
77 . (canceled).
Claim 106
Dependent Claim
3 words
77 . (canceled).
Claim 107
Dependent Claim
58 words
78 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 70 wherein classifying the website based on the information about the entities in the control group further includes: extracting content from a website of an unclassified entity; and comparing the unclassified website content with website content of the categorized entities to determine the classification of the unclassified entity.
Claim 108
Dependent Claim
22 words
79 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 78 wherein the unclassified website content is used to update the hierarchy.
Claim 109
Dependent Claim
22 words
80 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 78 further includes defining relationships in the hierarchy according to geographical location.
Claim 110
Dependent Claim
28 words
81 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 78 further includes using the hierarchy to cluster search result hits in response to a user search query.
Claim 111
Dependent Claim
72 words
82 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: storing information about the entities that are included in a control group, where the control group includes categorized entities stored according to a classification scheme; responding to a search request by processing search results responsive to the request; and clustering the search results according to the classification scheme by comparing information about the control group with the search results.
Claim 112
Dependent Claim
72 words
82 . A method of optimizing searching in a data processing system comprising: storing information about the entities that are included in a control group, where the control group includes categorized entities stored according to a classification scheme; responding to a search request by processing search results responsive to the request; and clustering the search results according to the classification scheme by comparing information about the control group with the search results.
Claim 113
Dependent Claim
3 words
83 . (canceled).
Claim 114
Dependent Claim
3 words
83 . (canceled).
Claim 115
Dependent Claim
3 words
84 . (canceled).
Claim 116
Dependent Claim
3 words
84 . (canceled).
Claim 117
Dependent Claim
3 words
85 . (canceled).
Claim 118
Dependent Claim
3 words
85 . (canceled).
Claim 119
Dependent Claim
3 words
86 . (canceled).
Claim 120
Dependent Claim
3 words
86 . (canceled).
Claim 121
Dependent Claim
3 words
87 . (canceled).
Claim 122
Dependent Claim
3 words
87 . (canceled).
Claim 123
Dependent Claim
3 words
88 . (canceled).
Claim 124
Dependent Claim
3 words
88 . (canceled).
Claim 125
Dependent Claim
3 words
89 . (canceled).
Claim 126
Dependent Claim
3 words
89 . (canceled).
Claim 127
Dependent Claim
3 words
90 . (canceled).
Claim 128
Dependent Claim
3 words
90 . (canceled).
Claim 129
Dependent Claim
3 words
91 . (canceled).
Claim 130
Dependent Claim
3 words
91 . (canceled).
Claim 131
Dependent Claim
3 words
92 . (canceled).
Claim 132
Dependent Claim
3 words
92 . (canceled).
Claim 133
Dependent Claim
3 words
93 . (canceled).
Claim 134
Dependent Claim
3 words
93 . (canceled).
Claim 135
Dependent Claim
58 words
94 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 82 wherein clustering the search results according to the classification scheme further includes: identifying matches in website content associated with the search results and website content associated with the entities in the control group; and ranking the matches associated with each category of entities in the control group.
Claim 136
Dependent Claim
38 words
95 . A method of optimizing searching as in claim 94 further includes: determining a category in the classification scheme having a highest ranking match; and assigning a search result to the category having the highest ranking match.
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