Search Query Expansion via Unit Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The eBay online marketplace's search functionality often returns limited results due to specific or narrow search queries, excluding goods that may be of interest to buyers, as it fails to account for variations in unit of measurement, leading to incomplete search results.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for unit of measurement conversion and search query expansion, which identifies an initial unit of measurement in a search query, automatically forms an expanded search query by including related units of measurement, and sends this expanded query to a search engine to broaden the search results.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the search query uses specific or narrow search criteria, then the precision of search results is improved, but the quantity of search results decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary unit of measurement conversion before executing the search query. It identifies units of measurement in the search criteria, converts them to alternative units, and prepares expanded search queries in advance, so that when the search is executed, multiple unit variations are already ready to be applied, thus increasing result quantity without sacrificing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of unit of measurement by converting the original units (e.g., inches, pounds) into alternative units (e.g., centimeters, kilograms) and incorporates these converted units into expanded search queries. This parameter transformation allows the search to capture items listed in different measurement systems, thereby increasing the quantity of relevant results while maintaining search precision
2Adaptability or versatility
If the search query includes multiple unit conversions, then the versatility of search results is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary module that handles unit of measurement conversion. This intermediary component identifies units in search criteria, performs conversions using a unit database, and generates expanded queries with converted units. By isolating the conversion logic in a dedicated intermediary module, the system achieves high search versatility across multiple unit systems while managing complexity through modular design rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire search system
Solution Approach 2:
The unit conversion module is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple types of units (length, weight, volume, etc.) and multiple conversion directions. This multi-functional component can serve various search scenarios without requiring separate conversion mechanisms for each unit type, thereby achieving high search versatility while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through code reusability and standardized conversion processes
Data Source
AI summary
A system and methods for unit of measurement conversion and search query expansion are described. The search query expansion may include identifying an initial unit of measurement associated with a property and an initial numeric value for the initial unit of measurement within a search query, automatically forming an expanded search query by expanding the search query to include at least one related unit of measurement associated with the property, and sending the expanded search query to a search engine to search a database. Other embodiments are described and claimed.