IP Library Granted Patent US 8,266,162
Granted Patent B2
US 8,266,162 · App. 11/371,211 · Granted Sep 11, 2012

Automatic identification of related search keywords

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,266,162
App. No.
11/371,211
Granted
Sep 11, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Keyword expansion is used to expand a particular keyword into multiple related keyword candidates using a collection of data that relates to search queries performed using one or more search engines. The data identifies search terms from associated search queries. A particular keyword is identified and one or more candidate keywords related to the particular keyword are identified based on the data.

Claims (38)

1. A method comprising:

collecting, using a computer, data indicative of search terms associated with one or more search queries;

identifying, in the search terms, a particular keyword;

identifying, using the computer, remaining search terms as candidate keywords related to the particular keyword; and

generating a confidence score for a candidate keyword, the confidence score comprising a ratio of (i) a number of times the candidate keyword and the particular keyword appeared in a same search query of the one or more search queries, to (ii) a number of times the candidate keyword appeared in the one or more search queries.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the one or more search queries based on the one or more search queries being received from a particular location.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying the one or more search queries is further based on the one or more search queries being performed within a predetermined time.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the particular location based on an originating address associated with the one or more search queries.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the particular location based on data stored on a device from which at least one of the one or more search queries originates.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the search terms comprise elements that are related to each other.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the particular keyword comprises at least one of (i) identifying one or more stems of at least one of the search terms, or (ii) identifying a misspelling of at least one of the search terms.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing, from the one or more search queries, data for patterns of similar search tendencies.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rating the candidate keywords based on confidence scores.

10. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

one or more machine-readable storage devices for storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

collecting data indicative of search terms associated with one or more search queries;

identifying, in the search terms, a particular keyword;

identifying remaining search terms as candidate keywords related to the particular keyword; and

generating a confidence score for a candidate keyword, the confidence score comprising a ratio of (i) a number of times the candidate keyword and the particular keyword appeared in a same search query of the one or more search queries, to (ii) a number of times the candidate keyword appeared in the one or more search queries.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the candidate keyword comprises a first candidate keyword, and wherein the operations further comprise:

collecting information relating to usage trends among the search terms; and

using the information relating to the usage trends in identifying at least one of the search terms as a second candidate keyword.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:

assigning a weighting to the candidate keyword based on a ratio of a cost for using the candidate keyword in a pay-per-click advertising arrangement to a frequency-of-use metric.

13. One or more machine-readable storage devices for storing instructions that are executable by one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

collecting data indicative of search terms associated with one or more search queries;

identifying, in the search terms, a particular keyword;

identifying remaining search terms as candidate keywords related to the particular keyword; and

generating a confidence score for a candidate keyword, the confidence score comprising a ratio of (i) a number of times the candidate keyword and the particular keyword appeared in a same search query of the one or more search queries, to (ii) a number of times the candidate keyword appeared in the one or more search queries.

14. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying the one or more search queries based on the one or more search queries being received from a particular location.

15. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 14 , wherein identifying the one or more search queries is further based on the one or more search queries being performed within a predetermined time.

16. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the particular location based on an originating address associated with the one or more search queries.

17. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining the particular location based on data stored on a device from which at least one of the one or more search queries originates.

18. The one or more machine-readable storage devices of claim 13 , wherein the search terms comprise elements that are related to each other.

Assignments (8)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 6, 2024
From: RPX CORPORATION; RPX CLEARINGHOUSE LLC
To: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 068328/0674 →
RELEASE OF LIEN ON PATENTS Recorded Aug 5, 2024
From: BARINGS FINANCE LLC
To: RPX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068328/0278 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
To: RPX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054486/0422 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 23, 2020
From: RPX CLEARINGHOUSE LLC; RPX CORPORATION
To: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054244/0566 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 23, 2020
From: RPX CLEARINGHOUSE LLC; RPX CORPORATION
To: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054198/0029 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2018
From: RPX CORPORATION
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC
Reel/Frame 046486/0433 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2018
From: LYCOS, INC.
To: RPX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 045759/0496 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 5, 2006
From: CAVA, WILLIAM
To: LYCOS, INC.
Reel/Frame 017878/0988 →