Collaborative search results

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing alternative search results for a query. In one aspect, a method includes transmitting a set of one or more search results for a query to a client device for presentation to a user, where each search result refers to a respective resource, receiving from the client device an alternative search result submitted by the user for the query, associating the alternative search result with the query, and storing in a repository the query and the alternative search result, where the alternative search result is transmitted with the set of one or more search results for a new search of the query.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 transmitting a set of one or more search results for a query to a client device for presentation to a user, each search result referring to a respective resource;   receiving from the client device an alternative search result submitted by the user for the query;   associating the alternative search result with the query; and   storing in a repository the query and the alternative search result, where the alternative search result is transmitted with the set of one or more search results for a new search of the query.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting instructions and the alternative search result to the client device for presentation to the user, where the instructions include instructions for displaying the alternative search result in a more prominent position than the positions of the one or more search results in the set.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a new search of the query submitted by a different user, transmitting instructions and the alternative search result to a different client device for presentation to the different user, where the instructions include instructions for presenting the alternative search result and a user interface for editing or deleting the alternative search result.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving from the client device an identifier for the user;   associating the identifier for the user with the alternative search result; and   transmitting the identifier for the user with the alternative search result so as to indicate that the alternative search result was submitted by the user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , where the query comprises one or more terms, and the method further includes:
 transmitting to a client device the alternative search result in response to a search for a different query that includes at least one of the one or more terms.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , where
 a resource is one or more of a web page, an image, a document, a process, or multimedia content; and   each search result includes a title and a link to the respective resource.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 for each of a plurality of alternative search results associated with a particular query, tracking one or more of a number of times the alternative search result is presented to a user or a number of times the alternative search result is selected by a user; and   ranking the alternative search results in the plurality of alternative search results based on the tracked numbers.   
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a set of one or more search results for a query, each search result referring to a respective resource;   causing the display of the set of one or more search results for the query;   receiving from a user an alternative search result for the query; and   providing the alternative search result to a search engine, so that the alternative search result is available to users who submit new searches of the query.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 providing a user interface for receiving an alternative search result for the query.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , where the alternative search result includes a title and location for a resource. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 causing the display of the alternative search result and the set of one or more search results.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing a user interface for editing or deleting the displayed alternative search result.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing an identifier for the user to the search engine; and   causing the identifier of the user to be displayed in proximity to the alternative search result so as to indicate that the alternative search result was submitted by the user.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , where the alternative search result is displayed in a more prominent position than the positions of the one or more search results in the set. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product, encoded on a computer readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 transmitting a set of one or more search results for a query to a client device for presentation to a user, each search result referring to a respective resource;   receiving from the client device an alternative search result submitted by the user for the query;   associating the alternative search result with the query; and   storing in a repository the query and the alternative search result, where the alternative search result is transmitted with the set of one or more search results for a new search of the query.   
     
     
         16 . A computer program product, encoded on a computer readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a set of one or more search results for a query, each search result referring to a respective resource;   causing the display of the set of one or more search results for the query;   receiving from a user an alternative search result for the query; and   providing the alternative search result to a search engine, so that the alternative search result is available to users who submit new searches of the query.   
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a client device; and   one or more computers operable to interact with the client device and to:
 transmit a set of one or more search results for a query to the client device for presentation to a user, each search result referring to a respective resource; 
 receive from the client device an alternative search result submitted by the user for the query; 
 associate the alternative search result with the query; and 
 store in a repository the query and the alternative search result, where the alternative search result is transmitted with the set of one or more search results for a new search of the query. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more computers comprise a server operable to interact with the client device through a data communication network, and the client device is operable to interact with the server as a client. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the client device comprises a personal computer running a web browser or a mobile telephone running a WAP browser. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more computers comprises one personal computer, and the personal computer comprises the client device.