Topical Mapping

Abstract

Internet search results may be reduced according to a synonym of terms. An Internet search engine generates search results associated with a search term. Some of the search results, though, may have a synonymous relationship with one or more terms. The Internet search engine may thus reduce the search results according to the synonymous relationship.

1 . A method performed by an Internet search engine, comprising:
 generating, by a server, search results determined by the Internet search engine, the search results associated with a search term submitted by a device;   determining, by the server, a synonym of terms described by the search results;   reducing, by the server, the search results according to the synonym of terms; and   sending, by the server, reduced search results to the device submitting the search term, the reduced search results having the search results reduced according to the synonym of terms.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a listing of topics associated with the search results. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a listing of topics associated with the reduced search results. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a topical map associated with the search results. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a topical map associated with the reduced search results. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a query specifying the search term. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising extracting metadata associated with the search results. 
     
     
         8 . An Internet search engine, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory device, the memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed causing the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:   determining metadata associated with search results determined by the Internet search engine, the search results associated with a search term submitted by a device;   determining a synonym of terms described by the metadata associated with the search results;   reducing the search results according to the synonym of terms described by the metadata; and   sending reduced search results to the device submitting the search term, the reduced search results having the search results reduced according to the synonym of terms.   
     
     
         9 . The Internet search engine of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a listing of topics associated with the search results. 
     
     
         10 . The Internet search engine of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a listing of topics associated with the reduced search results. 
     
     
         11 . The Internet search engine of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a topical map associated with the search results. 
     
     
         12 . The Internet search engine of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a topical map associated with the reduced search results. 
     
     
         13 . The Internet search engine of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a query specifying the search term. 
     
     
         14 . The Internet search engine of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise extracting metadata associated with the search results. 
     
     
         15 . A memory device storing instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations associated with an Internet search engine, the operations comprising:
 determining metadata associated with search results determined by the Internet search engine, the search results associated with a search term submitted by a device;   determining a synonym of terms described by the metadata associated with the search results;   reducing the search results according to the synonym of terms described by the metadata; and   sending reduced search results to the device submitting the search term, the reduced search results having the search results reduced according to the synonym of terms.   
     
     
         16 . The memory device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a listing of topics associated with the search results. 
     
     
         17 . The memory device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a listing of topics associated with the reduced search results. 
     
     
         18 . The memory device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a topical map associated with the search results. 
     
     
         19 . The memory device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a topical map associated with the reduced search results. 
     
     
         20 . The memory device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a query specifying the search term.