Method and apparatus for performing a search

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. More specifically, the present invention provides a listing of narrowing or related search terms based upon the search term submitted by the user. The present invention effectively guides users to narrow their search by guiding users to select or click on highly related search terms. In one embodiment, the listing of the highly related search terms is generated in accordance with sales and/or click information, e.g., via scoring of search terms that is premised on sales and/or click information.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a server computer, a plurality of related search terms relevant to a search term;   receiving, by the server computer, the search term in a search request from a user computing device, the search term is one of the plurality of search terms;   generating, by the server computer using the search term, search results in response to receiving the search term from a user;   making a determination, by the server computer searching at least an artist dictionary, whether the search term's plurality of related search terms are products relevant to the search term; and   generating, by the at least one server computer, a user interface page for the user, the user interface page comprising a search results presentation area presenting the search results generated using the search term, and a related search terms presentation area presenting the search term's plurality of related search terms, the generating comprising identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms as products relevant to the search term based on the determination, each related search term presented in the related search terms presentation area is selectable by the user to request that a second search be conducted using related search term.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , the identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising:
 determining the search term's plurality of related search terms using user search result selections for the search term.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , the identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising:
 determining the search term's plurality of related search terms using sales information related to the search term.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , the identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising:
 determining the search term's plurality of related search terms using user search result selections for the search term and sales information related to the search term.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , the making a determination further comprising searching a plurality of databases comprising the artist database and a brand database. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , the search term is a brand from the brand database, and the search term's plurality of related search terms relevant to the search term are identified as products of the brand. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , the search term is an artist from the artist database, and the search term's plurality of related search terms relevant to the search term are identified as products of the artist. 
     
     
         58 . A system comprising:
 a server computer comprising a processor and a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the stored program logic comprising:
 identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying a plurality of related search terms relevant to a search term; 
 receiving logic executed by the processor for receiving the search term in a search request from a user computing device, the search term is one of the plurality of search terms; 
 generating logic executed by the processor for generating, using the search term, search results in response to receiving the search term from a user; 
 making logic executed by the processor for making a determination, by searching at least an artist dictionary, whether the search term's plurality of related search terms are products relevant to the search term; and 
 generating logic executed by the processor for generating a user interface page for the user, the user interface page comprising a search results presentation area presenting the search results generated using the search term, and a related search terms presentation area presenting the search term's plurality of related search terms, the generating comprising identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms as products relevant to the search term based on the determination, each related search term presented in the related search terms presentation area is selectable by the user to request that a second search be conducted using related search term. 
   
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , the identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising:
 determining logic executed by the processor for determining the search term's plurality of related search terms using user search result selections for the search term.   
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 58 , the identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising:
 determining logic executed by the processor for determining the search term's plurality of related search terms using sales information related to the search term.   
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 58 , the identifying logic executed by the processor for identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising:
 determining logic executed by the processor for determining the search term's plurality of related search terms using user search result selections for the search term and sales information related to the search term.   
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 58 , the making logic executed by the processor for making a determination further comprising searching logic executed by the processor for searching a plurality of databases comprising the artist database and a brand database. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 62 , the search term is a brand from the brand database, and the search term's plurality of related search terms relevant to the search term are identified as products of the brand. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 58 , the search term is an artist from the artist database, and the search term's plurality of related search terms relevant to the search term are identified as products of the artist. 
     
     
         65 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer-readable instructions that when executed cause a processor to:
 identify a plurality of related search terms relevant to a search term;   receive the search term in a search request from a user computing device, the search term is one of the plurality of search terms;   generate, using the search term, search results in response to receiving the search term from a user;   make a determination, by searching at least an artist dictionary, whether the search term's plurality of related search terms are products relevant to the search term; and   generate a user interface page for the user, the user interface page comprising a search results presentation area presenting the search results generated using the search term, and a related search terms presentation area presenting the search term's plurality of related search terms, the generating comprising identifying the search term's plurality of related search terms as products relevant to the search term based on the determination, each related search term presented in the related search terms presentation area is selectable by the user to request that a second search be conducted using related search term.   
     
     
         66 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 65 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to the identify the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 determine the search term's plurality of related search terms using user search result selections for the search term.   
     
     
         67 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 65 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to the identify the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 determine the search term's plurality of related search terms using sales information related to the search term.   
     
     
         68 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 65 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to the identify the search term's plurality of related search terms further comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to:
 determine the search term's plurality of related search terms using user search result selections for the search term and sales information related to the search term.   
     
     
         69 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 65 , the instructions that when executed cause the processor to make a determination further comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to search a plurality of databases comprising the artist database and a brand database. 
     
     
         70 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 69 , the search term is a brand from the brand database, and the search term's plurality of related search terms relevant to the search term are identified as products of the brand. 
     
     
         71 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 65 , the search term is an artist from the artist database, and the search term's plurality of related search terms relevant to the search term are identified as products of the artist.