US6490577B1 — Search engine with user activity memory

Claim 1

Independent Claim 281 words

A search engine implemented on a distributed network comprising: a. a user interface or a graphics user interface; b. a packet processing module that converts each packet to at least one transaction and processes the transaction; c. a database including records, keywords, user activity data (UAD), and a UAD updating routine for updating UAD; d. a ranking protocol including record specific data (RSD) and UAD for ranking retrieved records from the records database; e. communication and I/O, where the ranking protocol comprises: r = ∑ i   α i  w i pi + ∑ i , i ′   β i , i ′ · ( w i · w i ′ ) + ∑ j   α j  w j pj + ∑ j , j ′   β j , j ′ · ( w j · w j ′ ) + ∑ i , j   γ i , j · ( w i · w j ) ( 1 ) where r is a ranking factor, α i is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w i which is a value of an i th record specific criterion, p i is a power factor of the i th record specific criterion and i is an integer ranging over the record specific criterion and α j is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w j which is a value a j th user activity criterion, p j is a power factor of the j th user activity criterion and j is an integer ranging over the user activity criterion.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 281 words

A search engine implemented on a distributed network comprising: a. a user interface or a graphics user interface; b. a packet processing module that converts each packet to at least one transaction and processes the transaction; c. a database including records, keywords, user activity data (UAD), and a UAD updating routine for updating UAD; d. a ranking protocol including record specific data (RSD) and UAD for ranking retrieved records from the records database; e. communication and I/O, where the ranking protocol comprises: r = ∑ i   α i  w i pi + ∑ i , i ′   β i , i ′ · ( w i · w i ′ ) + ∑ j   α j  w j pj + ∑ j , j ′   β j , j ′ · ( w j · w j ′ ) + ∑ i , j   γ i , j · ( w i · w j ) ( 1 ) where r is a ranking factor, α i is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w i which is a value of an i th record specific criterion, p i is a power factor of the i th record specific criterion and i is an integer ranging over the record specific criterion and α j is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w j which is a value a j th user activity criterion, p j is a power factor of the j th user activity criterion and j is an integer ranging over the user activity criterion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The search engine of claim 1 , wherein the database module further includes: records, keywords, and a UAD updating routine for updating UAD.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The search engine of claim 1 , wherein the database module further includes: at least one records database; a keywords database including user activity data (UAD); and a UAD updating routine for updating UAD.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

The engine of claims 1 , further comprising a query refinement module for identifying clustering of records based on UAD and RSD so that user queries can have improved relevance and context and artificial intelligence module for refining the ranking protocol, determining clustering, and UAD updating.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 255 words

A search engine component comprising: a. a packet processing module that converts each packet to at least one transaction and processes the transaction; b. a database including user activity data (UAD); and c. a ranking protocol including record specific data (RSD) and UAD for ranking retrieved records from the records database, where the ranking protocol comprises: r = ∑ i   α i  w i pi + ∑ i , i ′   β i , i ′ · ( w i · w i ′ ) + ∑ j   α j  w j pj + ∑ j , j ′   β j , j ′ · ( w j · w j ′ ) + ∑ i , j   γ i , j · ( w i · w j ) ( 1 ) where r is a ranking factor, α i is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w i which is a value of an i th record specific criterion, p i is a power factor of the i th record specific criterion and i is an integer ranging over the record specific criterion and α j is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w j which is a value a j th user activity criterion, p j is a power factor of the j th user activity criterion and j is an integer ranging over the user activity criterion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 255 words

A search engine component comprising: a. a packet processing module that converts each packet to at least one transaction and processes the transaction; b. a database including user activity data (UAD); and c. a ranking protocol including record specific data (RSD) and UAD for ranking retrieved records from the records database, where the ranking protocol comprises: r = ∑ i   α i  w i pi + ∑ i , i ′   β i , i ′ · ( w i · w i ′ ) + ∑ j   α j  w j pj + ∑ j , j ′   β j , j ′ · ( w j · w j ′ ) + ∑ i , j   γ i , j · ( w i · w j ) ( 1 ) where r is a ranking factor, α i is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w i which is a value of an i th record specific criterion, p i is a power factor of the i th record specific criterion and i is an integer ranging over the record specific criterion and α j is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w j which is a value a j th user activity criterion, p j is a power factor of the j th user activity criterion and j is an integer ranging over the user activity criterion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 22 words

The component of claim 5 , wherein the database module further includes: records, keywords, and a UAD updating routine for updating UAD.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

The component of claim 5 , wherein the database module further includes: at least one records database; a keywords database including user activity data (UAD); and a UAD updating routine for updating UAD.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 89 words

The component of claim 7 , wherein the transaction processing module for processing transactions includes: a new query processing routine for retrieving records satisfying the query and ranking the retrieved records according to the ranking protocol; a selected record processing routine including a first UAD activity value and a count incrementer, a record range processing routine including a second UAD activity value and the count incrementer for identifying retrieved records viewed by a user; a terminal activity processing routine including a third UAD activity value and the count incrementer.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 46 words

The component of claim 5 , further comprising a query refinement module for identifying clustering of records based on UAD and RSD so that user queries can have improved relevance and context and artificial intelligence module for refining the ranking protocol, determining clustering, and UAD updating.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 209 words

A ranking protocol implemented in a digital processing unit comprising: r = ∑ i   α i  w i pi + ∑ i , i ′   β i , i ′ · ( w i · w i ′ ) + ∑ j   α j  w j pj + ∑ j , j ′   β j , j ′ · ( w j · w j ′ ) + ∑ i , j   γ i , j · ( w i · w j ) ( 1 ) where r is a ranking factor, α i is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w i which is a value of an i th record specific criterion, p i is a power factor of the i th record specific criterion and i is an integer ranging over the record specific criterion and α j is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w j which is a value a j th user activity criterion, p j is a power factor of the j th user activity criterion and j is an integer ranging over the user activity criterion.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 209 words

A ranking protocol implemented in a digital processing unit comprising: r = ∑ i   α i  w i pi + ∑ i , i ′   β i , i ′ · ( w i · w i ′ ) + ∑ j   α j  w j pj + ∑ j , j ′   β j , j ′ · ( w j · w j ′ ) + ∑ i , j   γ i , j · ( w i · w j ) ( 1 ) where r is a ranking factor, α i is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w i which is a value of an i th record specific criterion, p i is a power factor of the i th record specific criterion and i is an integer ranging over the record specific criterion and α j is a weight factor representing an amount of weight to be given to w j which is a value a j th user activity criterion, p j is a power factor of the j th user activity criterion and j is an integer ranging over the user activity criterion.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-12-02	2006-06-03	2006-12-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-12-02	2010-06-03	2010-12-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-12-02	2014-06-03	2014-12-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Search engine with user activity memory

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