Interleaving Search Results via Quality Score Blending

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Solution Overview

Problem

Search services face challenges in presenting diverse and relevant search results across different resource types, as they often require explicit user selection for news results and lack efficient integration of news results with generic web page search results.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that involve using distinct search engines for generic web pages and news resources, blending their results based on quality scores, and inserting news results strategically among generic web page results to enhance diversity and relevance without requiring explicit user selection for news.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If news search results are presented separately from generic web page search results, then the format and presentation can be optimized for each resource type, but the user must explicitly select news resources and the integration efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepresentation optimizationVSAvoiduser selection requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines news search results and generic web page search results into a single unified presentation format. The system determines whether to present news results based on the user's search request and the characteristics of the news results themselves, rather than requiring explicit user selection. This merging approach maintains format optimization while eliminating the need for separate user actions to access news resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If news search results are integrated with generic web page search results, then the diversity and relevance of results are enhanced, but the complexity of result processing and presentation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresult diversityVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by determining news result presentation on a case-by-case basis. The system evaluates each news result's characteristics and the user's specific search request to decide whether to present news results, rather than applying a uniform rule to all search queries. This selective approach enhances result diversity while managing processing complexity through targeted rather than universal integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If multiple search engines are used for different resource types, then the search coverage and relevance are improved, but the time and resources required to process and blend results increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesearch coverageVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs preliminary action by pre-determining the conditions under which news search results should be presented. The system establishes criteria based on user search requests and news result characteristics before actually presenting results, allowing for efficient filtering and selection. This preliminary determination reduces the time and resources needed for real-time processing by pre-establishing decision rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9002817B2Interleaving search results
Publication Date: 2015.04.07 GOOGLE LLC
  • US9002817B2 patent drawing
  • US9002817B2 patent drawing
  • US9002817B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for interleaving search results. A method includes presenting multiple first search results received from a first search engine. The first search results satisfy a search query directed to the first search engine and are presented in an order. A second search result from a second search engine is inserted at a position between two otherwise adjacent first search results. The second search result is received from a second search engine in response to the search query.