Extended Search Method for Personalized Long-Tail Queries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing personalized search methods struggle to effectively meet long-tail user requirements and are resource-intensive, particularly in scenarios like picture search where content description data is sparse, leading to limitations in search result diversity and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

An extended search method that establishes interest and extended term models based on user behavior logs, allowing for personalized search result extension by determining relevant search terms from interest and extended term models, thereby improving search result relevance and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If natural search results are rearranged based on user interest to improve personalization, then search result relevance to user interest is improved, but search result diversity and coverage of long-tail requirements deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch result relevanceVSAvoidsearch result diversity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments search results into two categories: natural search results (top-n) and extended search results (from long-tail). By dividing the search space and applying different processing methods to each segment, the system maintains relevance for popular queries while preserving diversity for long-tail requirements, resolving the contradiction between personalization and diversity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension to search by introducing extended search results from long-tail data that complement the traditional natural search results. This dimensional expansion allows the system to simultaneously satisfy both popular group requirements and individual long-tail needs, achieving both relevance and diversity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Speed

If only few front results are intercepted for rearrangement to ensure search response time, then search response speed is improved, but coverage of user requirements deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch response speedVSAvoiduser requirement coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-processes and stores long-tail search results in advance, organizing them into structured data that can be quickly retrieved during search operations. This preliminary preparation enables fast response times while maintaining comprehensive coverage of user requirements, as the extended results are ready for immediate delivery without real-time processing overhead

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If abundant data and expensive calculation storage costs are incurred to extract characteristics for personalized arrangement, then personalization accuracy is improved, but calculation and storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepersonalization accuracyVSAvoidcalculation and storage costs
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential characteristics needed for personalization from user behavior data, rather than processing all available data. By selectively extracting relevant features (such as user interests and preferences) and discarding redundant information, the system achieves accurate personalization with reduced calculation and storage costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses lightweight, simplified data structures and models for personalization that require minimal storage resources and computation power. Instead of maintaining complex, resource-intensive models, the system employs efficient algorithms that achieve acceptable personalization accuracy with significantly lower costs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Measurement precision

If manual or machine learning methods are used to establish subject model for user interest description, then interest similarity calculation quality is improved, but construction and update costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterest similarity calculation qualityVSAvoidmodel construction and update cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automated subject model construction and updating using machine learning algorithms that learn from user behavior data without requiring manual intervention. The model self-updates as new data becomes available, eliminating the need for expensive manual maintenance while maintaining high calculation quality through continuous learning from real user interactions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10552422B2Extended search method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.02.04 BAIDU ONLINE NETWORK TECH (BEIJIBG) CO LTD
  • US10552422B2 patent drawing
  • US10552422B2 patent drawing

AI summary

An extended search method and apparatus is provided. An interest term model of each user is established. An extended term model of each fourth search sequence is established. A corresponding extended search term is determined based on a current search sequence of a current user and based on an interest term model of the current user as well as an extended term model of the current search sequence; and a corresponding search result is provided for the current user based on the current search sequence and the extended search term. The present invention can implement simpler and more efficient personalized searches, and is advantageous in terms of meeting long-tail requirements of users (that is, adding personalized result recalling), reducing calculation and storage costs, universality, practicability, and the like.