User entertainment and engagement enhancements to search system

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of actively engaging a user of a search system can include receiving from the user a search query for a search of a corpus of information and providing the user with search results for the search. The user can also be prompted to participate in a search-related activity wherein at least one aspect of the search-related activity is dependent on a context of the search. User input for performing the search-related activity can be accepted and an activity response can be provided to the user.

1 . A method of actively engaging a user of a search system, the method comprising: 
 receiving from the user a search query for a search of a corpus of information;    providing the user with search results for the search;    prompting the user to participate in a search-related activity wherein at least one aspect of the search-related activity is dependent on a context of the search;    accepting user input for performing the search-related activity; and    providing an activity response to the user.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the context of the search includes one or more of the search query, a user identifier of a searcher, contents of the search results, a search history for the user, advertisements used without search context elements, and a time of day of the search.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises an instant win game.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the instant win game comprises: 
 displaying an indication to the user as part of a display for the search results, the indication to inform the user of availability of a reward; and    responsive to the user selecting the indication, displaying a message to the user indicating the nature of the reward, wherein the nature of the prize is dependent on the context of the search.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises a riddle game.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the riddle game comprises: 
 displaying a question to the user, wherein the question is dependent on the context of the search;    accepting an answer from the user; and    responsive to the answer being correct, displaying a message to the user indicating a reward.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises a search query competition.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the search query competition comprises: 
 displaying a description of hard-to-find information, wherein the hard-to-find information is dependent on the context of the search;    accepting a search query from the user, the search query intended to locate the hard-to-find information; and    responsive to the search query being a first search query submitted to locate the hard-to-find information, displaying a message to the user indicating a reward.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises a link location game.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the link location game comprises: 
 displaying a link to a page containing a specially marked link, wherein the page containing the specially marked link is dependent on the context of the search;    accepting a search query from the user; and    responsive to the search query from the user being the specially marked link, displaying a message to the user indicating a reward.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises a guessing game.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the guessing game comprises: 
 accepting a guess search query from the user, the guess search query comprising an attempt to guess a predetermined search query; and    responsive to the search query from the user matching the predetermined search query, displaying a message to the user indicating a reward.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises a link collection competition.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the link collection competition comprises: 
 collecting a list of links from the user, wherein a topic for the list of links is dependent on the context of the search;    judging the list of links; and    awarding a reward to the user based on said judging.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises a chain-type riddle game.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the chain-type riddle game comprises: 
 displaying a first question to the user;    accepting a first answer from the user;    responsive to the first answer being correct, displaying a second question to the user, wherein an answer to the second question requires knowledge of the first answer.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the search-related activity comprises an elimination-type puzzle competition.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the elimination-type puzzle competition comprises: 
 displaying a first question to the user;    accepting a first answer from the user;    responsive to the first answer being correct, advancing the user to a second question; and    responsive to the first answer being incorrect, eliminating the user from further participation in the activity.