US6014665A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for organizing information
Assignee: IAC Search and Media Inc
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Filing: 1997-10-29
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Granted: 2000-01-11
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Expires: 2017-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A method of organizing information in which the search activity of users is monitored and such activity is used to suggest additional key terms for addition to a search query. The invention operates by assigning scores to key term groupings in an index. As users enter search queries of two or more key terms, the scores are altered. The scores are then used in subsequent searches to suggest other key terms which can be added to the search query to narrow the search. As millions of people use the Internet and type in millions of search queries, the invention learns which key terms should be suggested for addition to a search query through an evolutionary process.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary Culliss
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/338; G06F16/332; G06F16/3322; G06F16/3331; G06F16/334; G06F16/3349; G06F16/335; G06F16/337; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index, the index being able to store key terms and associate each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further being able to associate a key term matching score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a first user, with key terms of the first search query dcefining at least one key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query; storing the at least one key term grouping within the index; and storing a key term matching score with the at least one key term grouping; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) accepting a second search query containing at least a first key term from a second user; (e) suggesting at least a second key term to the second user from one of the key term groupings defined by the first user that contains the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
231 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index, the index being able to store key terms and associate each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further being able to associate a key term matching score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a first user, with key terms of the first search query dcefining at least one key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query; storing the at least one key term grouping within the index; and storing a key term matching score with the at least one key term grouping; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) accepting a second search query containing at least a first key term from a second user; (e) suggesting at least a second key term to the second user from one of the key term groupings defined by the first user that contains the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
120 words
The method for organizing information of claim 1, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; and further wherein step (e) comprises: (e2a) comparing the key term matching scores with their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings; (e2b) suggesting at least a second key term to the second user from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method for organizing information of claim 2, wherein step (e2a) comprises: (e3a) dividing the key term matching scores by their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method for organizing information of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises: (b2) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a first user, with key terms of the first search query defining at least one key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query, storing the at least one key term grouping within the index, storing a key term matching score with the at least one key term grouping, and searching for articles related to the first search query.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method for organizing information of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of: (f) allowing the second user to select the second key term; (g) adding the second key term to the second search query to define a third search query; (h) searching for articles related to the third search query.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a first user, with key terms of the first search query defining at least one key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query; storing the at least one key term grouping within the index; and storing a key term matching score with the at least one key term grouping; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) accepting a second search query containing a first key term from a second user; (e) suggesting at least a second key term to the second user from one of the key term groupings defined by the first user that contains the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
222 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a first user, with key terms of the first search query defining at least one key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query; storing the at least one key term grouping within the index; and storing a key term matching score with the at least one key term grouping; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) accepting a second search query containing a first key term from a second user; (e) suggesting at least a second key term to the second user from one of the key term groupings defined by the first user that contains the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
110 words
The method for organizing information of claim 6, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; and further wherein step (c) comprises: (c1) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; and altering the index such that the key term matching total scores for the key term groupings that contain at least one of the key terms of the first search query are altered relative to other key term matching total scores.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
119 words
The method for organizing information of claim 6, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; and further wherein step (e) comprises: (e1a) comparing the key term matching scores with their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings; (e1b) suggesting at least a second key term to the user from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method for organizing information of claim 8, wherein step (e1a) comprises: (e2a) dividing the key term matching scores by their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the key term groupings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method for organizing information of claim 6, wherein step (d) comprises: (d2) accepting a second search query containing a first key term from a second user, and searching for articles related to the second search query.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method for organizing information of claim 6, and further comprising the steps of: (f) allowing the second user to select the second key term; (g) adding the second key term to the second search query to define a third search query; (h) searching for articles related to the third search query.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
195 words
The method for organizing information of claim 6, wherein step (b) comprises: (b1) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a first user; searching for articles related to the first search query; displaying at least a portion of the articles to the first user; and allowing the first user to select one of the articles, with key terms of the first search query defining at least one key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query; storing the at least one key term grouping within the index scores only after the first user has selected one of the articles; and storing a key term matching score with the at least one key term grouping scores only after the first user has selected one of the articles; and further wherein step (c) comprises: (c2) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores only after the first user has selected one of the articles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
110 words
The method for organizing information of claim 12, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; and further wherein step (c) comprises: (c1) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; and altering the index such that the key term matching total scores for the key term groupings that contain at least one of the key terms of the first search query are altered relative to other key term matching total scores.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
101 words
The method for organizing information of claim 6, wherein the index associates an operator with each key term grouping; and further wherein step (b) comprises: (b2) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms and an operator from a first user; and further wherein step (c) comprises: (c3) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that is associated with the operator of the first search query and that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) accepting a first search query from a first user containing at least first and second key terms; (b) recording an association between the first and second key terms of the first search query as a result of the first user entering the first and second key terms together in the first search query; (c) accepting a second search query from a second user containing at least a third key term, the second user being different from the first user; (d) suggesting to the second user the second key term for combination with the second search query when the third key term is related to the first key term of the first search query.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
120 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) accepting a first search query from a first user containing at least first and second key terms; (b) recording an association between the first and second key terms of the first search query as a result of the first user entering the first and second key terms together in the first search query; (c) accepting a second search query from a second user containing at least a third key term, the second user being different from the first user; (d) suggesting to the second user the second key term for combination with the second search query when the third key term is related to the first key term of the first search query.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method for organizing information of claim 15, and further comprising the steps of: (e) allowing the second user to select the second key term; (f) adding the second key term to the second search query to define a third search query; (g) searching for articles related to the third search query.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
114 words
The method for organizing information of claim 15, wherein step(a) comprises: (a1) accepting a first search query from a first user containing at least first and second key terms; searching for articles related to the first search query; displaying at least a portion of the articles to the first user; and allowing the first user to select one of the articles; and further wherein step (b) comprises: (b1) recording an association between the first and second key terms of the first search query as a result of the first user entering the first and second key terms together in the first search query only after the first user has selected one of the articles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
117 words
The method for organizing information of claim 15, wherein step (a) comprises: (a2) accepting a first search query containing at least first and second key terms and an operator; and further wherein step (b) comprises: (b2) recording an association between the first and second key terms and the operator of the first search query as a result of the first user entering the first and second key terms together in the first search query; and further wherein step (d) comprises: (d1) suggesting to the second user the second key term and the operator for combination with the second search query when the third key term is related to the first key term of the first search query.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
320 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing first and second key terms from a user; (c) determining a first suggested key term from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term; (d) determining a second suggested key term from one of the key term groupings containing the second key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the second key term; (e) associating the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the first suggested key term and the first key term of the search query with the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the first suggested key term and the second key term of the search query to define a first search query matching score for the key term grouping containing the first suggested key term; (f) associating the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the second suggested key term and the second key term of the search query with the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the second suggested key term and the first key term of the search query to define a second search query matching score for the key term grouping containing the second suggested key term; (g) suggesting one of the suggested key terms to the user for combination with the first search query in accordance with the superiority of their respective search query matching scores.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
320 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing first and second key terms from a user; (c) determining a first suggested key term from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term; (d) determining a second suggested key term from one of the key term groupings containing the second key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching scores of the key term groupings that contain the second key term; (e) associating the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the first suggested key term and the first key term of the search query with the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the first suggested key term and the second key term of the search query to define a first search query matching score for the key term grouping containing the first suggested key term; (f) associating the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the second suggested key term and the second key term of the search query with the key term matching score for the key term grouping containing both the second suggested key term and the first key term of the search query to define a second search query matching score for the key term grouping containing the second suggested key term; (g) suggesting one of the suggested key terms to the user for combination with the first search query in accordance with the superiority of their respective search query matching scores.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least a first key term from a user; (c) comparing the key term matching scores with their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings; (d) suggesting at least a second key term to the user from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least a first key term from a user; (c) comparing the key term matching scores with their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings; (d) suggesting at least a second key term to the user from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method for organizing information of claim 20, wherein step (c) comprises: (c1) dividing the key term matching scores by their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the first key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
300 words
The method for organizing information of claim 20, wherein step (b) comprises: (b1) accepting a first search query containing first and second key terms from a user; wherein step (d) comprises: (d1a) determining a first suggested key term from one of the key term groupings containing the first key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the first key term; (d1b) determining a second suggested key term from one of the key term groupings containing the second key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the second key term; (d1c) associating the key term matching probability score for the key term grouping containing both the first suggested key term and the first key term of the search query with the key term matching probability score for the key term grouping containing both the first suggested key term and the second key term of the search query to define a first search query matching probability score for the key term grouping containing the first suggested key term; (d1d) associating the key term matching probability score for the key term grouping containing both the second suggested key term and the second key term of the search query with the key term matching probability score for the key term grouping containing both the second suggested key term and the first key term of the search query to define a second search query matching probability score for the key term grouping containing the second suggested key term; (d1e) suggesting one of the suggested key terms to the user for combination with the first search query in accordance with the superiority of their respective search query matching probability scores.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a user; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) altering the index such that the key term matching total scores for the key term groupings that contain at least one of the key terms of the first search query are altered relative to other key term matching total scores.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a user; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) altering the index such that the key term matching total scores for the key term groupings that contain at least one of the key terms of the first search query are altered relative to other key term matching total scores.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
218 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a user; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) accepting a second search query containing a second key term from a user; (e) comparing the key term matching scores with their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the second key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings; (f) suggesting at least a third key term to the user from one of the key term groupings containing the second key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the second key term.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
218 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a user; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores; (d) accepting a second search query containing a second key term from a user; (e) comparing the key term matching scores with their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the second key term to create a key term matching probability score for the respective key term groupings; (f) suggesting at least a third key term to the user from one of the key term groupings containing the second key term in accordance with the superiority of the key term matching probability scores of the key term groupings that contain the second key term.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method for organizing information of claim 24, wherein step (e) comprises: (e1) dividing the key term matching scores by their respective key term matching total scores for at least some of the key term groupings containing the second key term to create a key term matching probability score for the key term groupings.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
196 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a user; searching for articles related to the first search query; displaying at least a portion of the articles to the user; and allowing the user to select one of the articles; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores only after the user has selected one of the articles; (d) altering the index such that the key term matching total scores for the key term groupings that contain at least one of the key terms of the first search query are altered relative to other key term matching total scores.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
196 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index further associates a key term matching total score with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms from a user; searching for articles related to the first search query; displaying at least a portion of the articles to the user; and allowing the user to select one of the articles; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores only after the user has selected one of the articles; (d) altering the index such that the key term matching total scores for the key term groupings that contain at least one of the key terms of the first search query are altered relative to other key term matching total scores.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index associates an operator with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms and an operator from a user; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that is associated with the operator of the search query and that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
124 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) providing an index of key terms, the index associating each key term with at least one other key term to form key term groupings, the index further associating a key term matching score with each key term grouping, wherein the index associates an operator with each key term grouping; (b) accepting a first search query containing at least two key terms and an operator from a user; (c) altering the index such that the key term matching score for the key term grouping that is associated with the operator of the search query and that contains at least two of the key terms of the first search query is altered relative to other key term matching scores.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) accepting a first search query containing at least first and second key terms and an operator; (b) recording an association between the first and second key terms and the operator of the first search query; (c) accepting a second search query containing at least a third key term; (d) suggesting the second key term and the operator for combination with the second search query when the third key term is related to the first key term of the first search query.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
88 words
A method for organizing information comprising: (a) accepting a first search query containing at least first and second key terms and an operator; (b) recording an association between the first and second key terms and the operator of the first search query; (c) accepting a second search query containing at least a third key term; (d) suggesting the second key term and the operator for combination with the second search query when the third key term is related to the first key term of the first search query.
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