Search query processing to provide category-ranked presentation of search results

Abstract

A search engine system displays the results of a multiple-category search according to levels of relevance of the categories to a user's search query. A query server receives a search query from a user and identifies, within each of multiple item categories, a set of items that satisfy the query. The sets of items are used to generate, for each of the multiple categories, a score that reflects a level significance or relevance of the category to the search. The scores may be based, for example, on the number of hits within each category relative to the total number of items in that category, the popularity levels of items that satisfy the query, a personal profile of the user, or a combination thereof. The categories are then presented to the user, together with the most relevant items within each category, in the order of highest to lowest category relevance.

1 . A computer-implemented method for processing a search query specified by a user so as to personalize a presentation of search results, the method comprising: 
 identifying, within each of a plurality of categories, one or more items that are responsive to the search query (“responsive items”);    calculating a respective category score for each of the plurality of categories, said category score reflecting a predicted level of affinity the user has for the respective category as determined from a preexisting profile of the user, said category score further reflecting a degree to which the respective category is relevant to the search query; and    presenting the plurality of categories to the user, together with associated responsive items, in an order which depends upon the category scores;    whereby the order in which the categories are presented is personalized for the user.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preexisting profile reflects item purchases made by the user.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the category score for a given category depends upon item popularity scores of responsive items within the given category.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the category score for a given category is based further upon a number of responsive items falling within the given category relative to a total number of items falling within the given category.  
     
     
         5 . A web page generated according to the method of  claim 1  represented within a computer, said web page displaying responsive items arranged by category in said order.  
     
     
         6 . A server system that processes search queries according to the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         7 . A computer readable medium which stores a computer program that embodies the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search query specified by the user comprises a query term, and wherein calculating the category scores comprises taking into consideration item selections of prior users who have submitted search queries that included said query term.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predicted level of affinity the user has for the respective category is based, at least in part, on item selections of the user.  
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method of processing search queries, comprising: 
 receiving a search query submitted by a user, said search query comprising a query term;    identifying a plurality of item categories that each include one or more items that are responsive to the search query;    for each of the plurality of item categories, determining a respective category score that reflects a degree to which the respective item category is relevant to the search query, each category score being dependent upon prior item selection actions of users who have submitted a search query that includes said query term; and    selecting an order in which to present the plurality of item categories to the user in a response to the search query such that the order is dependent upon the categories.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising generating the category scores, at least in-part, by recording search query submissions and associated item selection actions of a plurality of users, and programmatically analyzing said search query submissions and associated item selection actions.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each category score is reflective of how frequently an item falling in the respective item category has been selected by a user who has submitted a search query containing said query term.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selecting an order in which to present the plurality of item categories further comprises taking into consideration category affinities of the user.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising, for at least a first item category of said plurality of item categories: 
 identifying items in said first item category that are responsive to the search query (“responsive items”);    determining item scores for particular responsive items, each item score being dependent upon item selection actions of users who have submitted a search query that includes said query term; and    using the item scores to select a display order in which to display the responsive items.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein each item score reflects how frequently the corresponding responsive item has been selected by a user who has submitted a search query that includes said query term.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising taking at least some of the item scores into consideration in generating the category score for the first item category.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising generating a search results page which lists the plurality of item categories in said order, and which lists, for each item category, one or more responsive items.  
     
     
         18 . A search results page generated according to the method of  claim 17  represented in computer storage.  
     
     
         19 . A computer readable medium which stores a computer program that embodies the method of  claim 10.