Persistent Cluster ID Assignment for Search Result Organization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing search engine clustering technologies only maintain clusters for a short period, typically when documents are 'fresh', failing to provide long-term organization and retrieval of similar content events across different timelines.

Innovation Solution

Assigning persistent identification numbers to clusters and subdividing them by publication date, allowing for the continued clustering and separation of similar content events beyond their initial 'fresh' lifespan, enabling the delivery of clustered search results for recent and non-recent events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If clusters are maintained only during the 'fresh' lifespan of documents, then storage and processing resources are conserved, but long-term organization and retrieval of similar content events across different timelines is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecluster maintenance durationVSAvoidlong-term organization capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cluster maintenance function by creating separate data structures: a temporary cluster store for fresh documents and a persistent cluster store for long-term retention. This segmentation allows the system to maintain clusters indefinitely without overwhelming temporary memory resources, resolving the contradiction between extended duration and information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by assigning persistent cluster identifiers and storing cluster metadata in advance, before the fresh document lifespan expires. This preliminary organization enables seamless transition from temporary to long-term storage, ensuring continuous accessibility without information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If all similar documents are clustered together regardless of time, then comprehensive organization is achieved, but separation of similar events across different timelines becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation organizationVSAvoidtemporal context
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments clusters by introducing a temporal dimension through date-based subdivision. Each main cluster is divided into sub-clusters organized by publication date or time period. This segmentation maintains comprehensive organization while preserving temporal context, allowing users to navigate both broad categories and specific time periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a temporal dimension to the clustering structure by organizing documents not only by content similarity but also by publication date. This multi-dimensional organization enables simultaneous achievement of comprehensive grouping and temporal separation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and loss of temporal information.

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

Data Source

PatentUS9842158B2Clustering web pages on a search engine results page
Publication Date: 2017.12.12 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • US9842158B2 patent drawing
  • US9842158B2 patent drawing
  • US9842158B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, systems, and media are provided for delivering clustered search results for recent and non-recent events by maintaining the identification (ID) numbers of the respective clustered documents beyond the “fresh” life span of the clustered documents. When clusters are formed according to similar content, an ID number and associated attributes are assigned to each of the clusters. This provides a mechanism to track and retrieve the respective clusters for subsequent delivery of search results. The respective ID numbers of the clusters are maintained, even after the documents are no longer considered “fresh.” These similar-content clusters are further subdivided according to publication date. This provides individual subdivided clusters for similar content events that occurred at different time spans, which are delivered along with individual non-clustered search results in a SERP.