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US6853993B2
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System and methods for predicting correct spellings of terms in multiple-term search queries
Assignee: A9 com Inc
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Filing: 2002-04-01
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Granted: 2005-02-08
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Expires: 2022-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A search engine process predicts the correct spellings of search terms within multiple-term search queries. In one embodiment, when a user submits a multiple-term search query that includes a non-matching term and at least one matching term, a table is accessed to look up a set of terms that are “related” to the matching term or terms. A spelling comparison function is then used to determine whether any of these related terms is sufficiently similar in spelling to the non-matching term to be deemed a candidate correctly-spelled replacement. A candidate replacement term may automatically be substituted for the non-matching term, or may be suggested to the user as a replacement. The invention also includes a process for identifying terms that are related to each other based on the relatively high frequencies with which they co-occur within search queries of users, database records, and/or specific database fields.
Inventors
- 👤 Ruben Ernesto Ortega
- 👤 Dwayne Edward Bowman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/20; G06F40/205; G06F40/226; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/332; G06F16/3322; G06F16/3331; G06F16/3332; G06F16/3338; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; G06F16/9532; G06F40/232; G06F40/274; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99936; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of predicting a correct spelling of a potentially-misspelled search term within a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying at least one matching search term of the multiple-term search query, said matching search term being different from the potentially-misspelled search term; identifying at least one additional term that, based on an analysis of search query submissions of users, has occurred in combination with the matching search term relatively frequently; and comparing a spelling of the additional term to a spelling of the potentially-misspelled search term.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of predicting a correct spelling of a potentially-misspelled search term within a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying at least one matching search term of the multiple-term search query, said matching search term being different from the potentially-misspelled search term; identifying at least one additional term that, based on an analysis of search query submissions of users, has occurred in combination with the matching search term relatively frequently; and comparing a spelling of the additional term to a spelling of the potentially-misspelled search term.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying at least one additional term comprises taking into consideration a search field in which the potentially-misspelled search term was entered.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying at least one additional term further comprises taking into consideration a search field in which the matching search term was entered.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically replacing the potentially-misspelled term with the additional term if the additional is similar in spelling to the potentially-misspelled term to within a defined threshold.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing said analysis of search query submissions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein performing the analysis comprises according a greater weight to a search query submission that, based on an action performed by a user with respect to a search result item, is deemed to have produced a successful result.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein said action is a purchase of a search result item.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of correcting spelling errors in search queries, the method comprising: receiving a multiple-term search query from a user; identifying a non-matching search term within the multiple-term term search query; identifying a matching search term within the multiple-term term search query; and selecting a replacement term that is a candidate correctly-spelled replacement for the non-matching search term, wherein the candidate correctly-spelled replacement term is selected based at least in part upon an identity of the matching search term.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
79 words
A method of correcting spelling errors in search queries, the method comprising: receiving a multiple-term search query from a user; identifying a non-matching search term within the multiple-term term search query; identifying a matching search term within the multiple-term term search query; and selecting a replacement term that is a candidate correctly-spelled replacement for the non-matching search term, wherein the candidate correctly-spelled replacement term is selected based at least in part upon an identity of the matching search term.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as is claim 8 , wherein selecting the candidate correctly-spelled replacement term comprises selecting a term that, based on an analysis of search query submissions of users, has appeared in combination with the matching search term relatively frequently.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as is claim 8 , wherein selecting the candidate correctly-spelled replacement term comprises selecting a replacement term that, based on an analysis of a database to which the multiple-term search query is directed, has appeared in combination with the matching search term within the database relatively frequently.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of predicting a correct spelling of a non-matching search term within a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of matching search terms within the multiple-term search query, each matching search term being different from the non-matching search term; for each matching search term, looking up a corresponding set of related terms, to thereby obtain multiple sets of related terms; combining the multiple sets of related terms to form a related terms set; and comparing spellings of individual terms in the related terms set to a spelling of the non-matching term.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
95 words
A method of predicting a correct spelling of a non-matching search term within a multiple-term search query, the method comprising: identifying a plurality of matching search terms within the multiple-term search query, each matching search term being different from the non-matching search term; for each matching search term, looking up a corresponding set of related terms, to thereby obtain multiple sets of related terms; combining the multiple sets of related terms to form a related terms set; and comparing spellings of individual terms in the related terms set to a spelling of the non-matching term.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein looking up a corresponding set of related terms comprises identifying related terms that, based on an analysis of search query submissions of users, has occurred in combination with a matching search term relatively frequently.
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