US6012053A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer system with user-controlled relevance ranking of search results
Assignee: RPX Corp
•
Filing: 1997-06-23
•
Granted: 2000-01-04
•
Expires: 2017-06-23
Abstract
Abstract A computer system for performing searches on a collection of information includes a mechanism through which results from a search query are ranked according to user specified relevance factors to allow the user to control how the search results are presented. The relevance factors are applied to the results achieved for each query. That is, each item returned by the search has a set of attributes. Each of these attributes is assigned a weight according to the specified relevance factors. These weights are combined to provide a score for the item. Search results are provided to the user, ordered according to scores. The application of the relevance factors does not alter the query performed on the collection of information.
Inventors
- 👤 Sangam Pant
- 👤 David L. Andre
- 👤 Gray Watson
- 👤 Richard M. Green
- 👤 Michael J. Schiegg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/338; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99936; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961; Y10S715/965; Y10S715/966; Y10S715/968
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A computer system for providing user-controllable relevance ranking of search results from a query on a collection of items of information, comprising: a relevance determination module having a first input for receiving a set of search results of a current search from a query indicating items in the collection matching the query, a second input for receiving relevance factors input by a user through a graphical user interface, and a third input for receiving information about the items in the set of search results of the current search to which relevance factors are applied to determine a score for each of the items, and an output for providing an indication of the score indicative of relevance for each of the items in the set of search results; and a sorting module which receives the score associated with each item and an indication of the set of search results, and an output providing the user an indication of the items in the set of search results in an order ranked according to the relevance score of each item.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
A computer system for providing user-controllable relevance ranking of search results from a query on a collection of items of information, comprising: a relevance determination module having a first input for receiving a set of search results of a current search from a query indicating items in the collection matching the query, a second input for receiving relevance factors input by a user through a graphical user interface, and a third input for receiving information about the items in the set of search results of the current search to which relevance factors are applied to determine a score for each of the items, and an output for providing an indication of the score indicative of relevance for each of the items in the set of search results; and a sorting module which receives the score associated with each item and an indication of the set of search results, and an output providing the user an indication of the items in the set of search results in an order ranked according to the relevance score of each item.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
123 words
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the query includes a search term and the relevance factors include at least one of a group of relevance factors including: (a) location of the search term in an item in the collection of items; (b) location of the search term in a field of the item; (c) position of the search term in the item; (d) frequency of occurrence of the search term in the item; (e) frequency of occurrence of the search term in all items of the collection of items; (f) length of a term of an item that is a stem of the search term; (g) location of the item within a directory of files; and (h) recency of the item.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the query includes at least two search terms and the relevance factors include at least one of a group of relevance factors including: (a) number of search terms found in a item; (b) ordering of search terms in the item; and (c) pairwise distance between the search terms in the item.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
The computer system according to claim 2, comprising a graphical user interface for collecting relevance factor information from a user to produce the indication, wherein the graphical user interface includes a sliding scale corresponding to each relevance factor that is adjusted by the user to assign a weight to the corresponding relevance factor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the relevance determination module does not alter the query performed on the collection of information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer system according to claim 1, wherein each relevance factor is assigned a base value that is specified by the user, wherein the base value corresponds to a weight of the corresponding relevance factor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
161 words
A computer-implemented method for providing user-controllable relevance ranking of search results of a current search from a query on a collection of items of information, comprising steps of: receiving relevance factors input by a user through a graphical user interface; receiving one or more search terms from a user; performing the query using the one or more search terms and producing a set of search results of the current search; indicating, in the search results, items in the collection matching the query; receiving information about the items in the set of search results of the current search to which the relevance factors are applied to determine a score for each of the items; providing an indication of the score indicative of relevance for each of the items in the set of search results; and providing to the user an indication of the items in the set of search results in an order ranked according to the relevance score of each item.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
161 words
A computer-implemented method for providing user-controllable relevance ranking of search results of a current search from a query on a collection of items of information, comprising steps of: receiving relevance factors input by a user through a graphical user interface; receiving one or more search terms from a user; performing the query using the one or more search terms and producing a set of search results of the current search; indicating, in the search results, items in the collection matching the query; receiving information about the items in the set of search results of the current search to which the relevance factors are applied to determine a score for each of the items; providing an indication of the score indicative of relevance for each of the items in the set of search results; and providing to the user an indication of the items in the set of search results in an order ranked according to the relevance score of each item.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the step of providing an indication of score includes a step of totaling individual scores of relevance factors.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
121 words
The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, comprising a step of totaling scores of relevance factors including at least one of a group of relevance factors including: (a) location of the search term in an item in the collection of items; (b) location of the search term in a field of the item; (c) position of the search term in the item; (d) frequency of occurrence of the search term in the item; (e) frequency of occurrence of the search term in all items of the collection of items; (f) length of a term of an item that is a stem of the search term; (g) location of the item within a directory of files; and (h) recency of the item.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, comprising a step of totaling individual scores of relevance factors including at least one of a group of relevance factors including: (a) number of search terms found in a item; (b) ordering of search terms in the item; and (c) pairwise distance between the search terms in the item.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, comprising a step of collecting relevance factor information from a user to produce the indication of the score, wherein the graphical user interface includes a sliding scale corresponding to each relevance factor that is adjusted by the user to assign a weight to the corresponding relevance factor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer system according to claim 7, including a step of assigning a base value, specified by the user, to each relevance factor, wherein the base value corresponds to a weight of the corresponding relevance factor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5321833A
Cited
US5544049A
Cited
US5696962A
Cited
US5500920A
Cited
US5644686A
Cited
US5675819A
Cited
US5754938A
Cited
US5577241A
Cited
US5819004A
Cited
US5832496A
Cited
US5890152A
Cited
US5899999A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-03 | 2003-07-05 | 2004-01-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-03 | 2007-07-05 | 2008-01-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-03 | 2011-07-05 | 2012-01-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |