Utilizing keystroke logging to determine items for presentation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are provided for utilizing keystroke logging information to determine items (e.g., search results and/or advertisements) for presentation in response to an input search query. The utilized keystroke logging information is captured contemporaneously with input of the submitted query terms/content of the search query. That is, the utilized keystroke logging information is captured during a single search query input session measured, for instance, between execution of a first search query and execution of a second search query, or between engagement with a search query input region and execution of a search query. In this way, information that may be gleaned about a user's intent based upon query reformulations (e.g., query term deletions, additions, spelling corrections, and the like) and/or actions taken with respect to query formation (e.g., pasting actions) may be utilized to provide relevant items in response to the search query.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . One or more computer-readable storage hardware device storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to utilize keystroke logging to determine items for presentation, the instructions configured to:
 receive a search query including submitted content and keystroke logging information, the keystroke logging information being captured between execution of a first query and execution of a second query; and   determine at least one item for presentation in response to the search query based, at least in part, on the keystroke logging information, the at least one item comprising a search result, the determining comprising:
 ranking a plurality of potential search results in response to the search query based, at least in part, on the keystroke logging information; and 
 determining the at least one item for presentation based on the ranking. 
   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 1 , wherein the keystroke logging information is not discernable from the submitted content. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 2 , wherein the keystroke logging information includes at least one indication of a query processing operation. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 2 , wherein the keystroke logging information includes a source indicator associated with at least a portion of the search query. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the keystroke logging information is discernable from the submitted content. 
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 5 , wherein the keystroke logging information comprises formatting data associated with the search query. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one item further comprises an advertisement. 
     
     
         8 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further configured to transmit the at least one item for presentation on a search engine results page. 
     
     
         9 . The one or more computer-readable storage hardware device of  claim 1 , wherein the keystroke logging information is not discernable from the search query. 
     
     
         10 . A method being performed by one or more computing devices including at least one processor, the method for utilizing keystroke logging to determine items for presentation, the method comprising:
 receiving a search query including submitted content and keystroke logging information, the keystroke logging information being captured between execution of a first query and execution of a second query;   receiving keystroke logging information associated with the search query, the keystroke logging information being captured between engagement with a search query input region and execution of a search query; and   determining at least one of a search result and an advertisement for presentation in response to the received search query, the at least one of the search result and the advertisement being determined, at least in part, based upon the keystroke logging information.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the keystroke logging information is not discernable from the search query. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the keystroke logging information includes at least one indication of a query processing operation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the keystroke logging information includes a source indicator associated with at least a portion of the search query. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the keystroke logging information is discernable from the search query. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the keystroke logging information comprises formatting data associated with the search query. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein determining at least one of a search result and an advertisement for presentation in response to the received search query comprises determining at least one search result; and
 wherein determining the at least one search result comprises ranking the at least one search result among a plurality of other search results based, at least in part, on the keystroke logging information.   
     
     
         17 . A system for utilizing keystroke logging to determine items for presentation, the system comprising:
 a search engine having one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media; and   a data store coupled with the search engine, wherein the search engine:
 receives an input search query including submitted content and keystroke logging information, the keystroke logging information being captured between execution of a first query and execution of a second query; 
 determines a plurality of potential search results based, at least in part, on the keystroke logging information; 
 ranks at least a portion of the determined plurality of potential search results based, at least in part, on the keystroke logging information; and 
 transmits at least a portion of the ranked plurality of potential search results for presentation in response to the received search query. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the search engine further determines at least one advertisement for presentation with the ranked plurality of potential search results, the at least one advertisement being determined based, at least in part, on the keystroke logging information. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the keystroke logging information is not discernable from the submitted content. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the keystroke logging information is discernable from the submitted content.