Analyzing a query log for use in managing category-specific electronic content

1. A method for providing category-specific electronic content, the method comprising:

receiving a request for electronic content submitted by a user, the request comprising a search query;

determining a time at which the request for electronic content was submitted;

determining a time period based on the time at which the request for electronic content was submitted;

accessing information that reflects one or more categories that correspond to previously received search queries submitted to one or more search engines at a time corresponding to the determined time period, the accessed information being generated based on an analysis of a query log of the previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines at the time corresponding to the determined time period,

wherein the query log is maintained at a search interface distinct from the one or more search engines;

determining an attribute of the user;

identifying a first set of queries from a plurality of queries that are previously submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period by users having an attribute that matches the determined attribute;

selecting a category that corresponds to at least one of the queries included in the first set;

identifying a second set of queries from the first set, the second set corresponding to the selected category;

determining a probability that a query from the first set is included in the second set;

identifying, based on the accessed information and the probability, at least one category of the one or more categories, the at least one category corresponding to a typical request representative of requests previously submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute; and

providing, to the user, electronic content that is representative of the at least one category,

wherein the one or more categories are arranged in a graphic tree in which each child category is more specific than its associated parent category.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises performing a search process based on the search query included in the request and the at least one category.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

receiving the request for electronic content comprises receiving a request for an advertisement; and

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises selecting an advertisement that is representative of the at least one category.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

handling the request for electronic content based on at least one category that corresponds to the previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period, and based on at least one category that corresponds to the previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines by the users.

5. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein identifying the at least one category comprises identifying at least one category that corresponds to previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content.

6. A nontransitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program product, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for electronic content submitted by a user, the request comprising a search query;

determining a time at which the request for electronic content was submitted;

determining a time period associated with the request for electronic content based on the time at which the request for electronic content was submitted;

accessing information that reflects one or more categories that correspond to previously received search queries submitted to one or more search engines at a time corresponding to the determined time period, the accessed information being generated based on an analysis of a query log of the previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines at the time corresponding to the determined time period,

wherein the query log is maintained at a search interface distinct from the one or more search engines;

determining an attribute of the user;

identifying a first set of queries from a plurality of queries that are previously submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period by users having an attribute that matches the determined attribute;

selecting a category that corresponds to at least one of the queries included in the first set;

identifying a second set of queries from the first set, the second set corresponding to the selected category;

determining a probability that a query from the first set is included in the second set;

identifying, based on the accessed information and the probability, at least one category of the one or more categories, the at least one category corresponding to a typical request representative of requests previously submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute; and

providing, to the user, electronic content that is representative of the at least one category,

wherein the one or more categories are arranged in a graphic tree in which each child category is more specific than its associated parent category.

7. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein:

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises performing a search process based on the search query included in the request and the at least one category.

8. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein:

receiving the request for electronic content comprises receiving a request for an advertisement; and

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises selecting an advertisement that is representative of the at least one category.

9. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

handling the request for electronic content based on at least one category that corresponds to the previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines at a time corresponding to the determined time period, and based on at least one category that corresponds to the previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines by the users.

10. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 ,

wherein identifying the at least one category comprises identifying at least one category that corresponds to previously received search queries submitted to the one or more search engines during the determined time period by the users.

11. A method for providing category-specific electronic content, the method comprising:

receiving a request for electronic content submitted by a user, the request comprising a search query;

determining a time period based on a time the request was submitted by the user;

determining an attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content;

identifying a first set of queries from a plurality of queries that are previously submitted to a search engine during the determined time period by users having an attribute that matches the determined attribute;

selecting a category that corresponds to at least one of the queries included in the first set;

identifying a second set of queries from the first set, the second set corresponding to the selected category;

determining a probability that a query from the first set is included in the second set;

accessing information that reflects one or more categories that correspond to previously received search queries submitted to the search engine by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user, the accessed information being generated based on an analysis of a query log of the previously received search queries submitted to the search engine by the users;

based on the accessed information and the probability, identifying at least one category that corresponds to a typical search query representative of the search queries previously submitted to the search engine during the determined time period by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request; and

providing, to the user, electronic content that is representative of the at least one category,

wherein the one or more categories are arranged in a graphic tree in which each child category is more specific than its associated parent category.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises performing a search process based on the search query included in the request and the at least one category.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

receiving the request for electronic content comprises receiving a request for an advertisement; and

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises selecting an advertisement that is representative of the at least one category.

14. The method of claim 11 ,

wherein identifying the at least one category comprises identifying at least one category that corresponds to the previously received search queries submitted to the search engine by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content at a time corresponding to the determined time period.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining the attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content comprises determining a gender of the user.

16. A nontransitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program product, the computer program product comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for electronic content submitted by a user, the request comprising a search query;

determining a time period based on a time the request was submitted by the user;

determining an attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content;

identifying a first set of queries from a plurality of queries that are previously submitted to a search engine during the determined time period by users having an attribute that matches the determined attribute;

selecting a category that corresponds to at least one of the queries included in the first set;

identifying a second set of queries from the first set, the second set corresponding to the selected category;

determining a probability that a query from the first set is included in the second set;

accessing information that reflects one or more categories that correspond to previously received search queries submitted to the search engine by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content, the accessed information being generated based on an analysis of a query log of the previously received search queries submitted to the search engine by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content;

based on the accessed information and the probability, identifying at least one category that is representative of the previously received search queries submitted to the search engine during the determined time period by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content; and

providing, to the user, electronic content that is representative of the at least one category,

wherein the one or more categories are arranged in a graphic tree in which each child category is more specific than its associated parent category.

17. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises performing a search process based on the search query and the at least one category.

18. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:

receiving the request for electronic content comprises receiving a request for an advertisement; and

providing the electronic content that is representative of the at least one category comprises selecting an advertisement that is representative of the at least one category.

19. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 ,

wherein identifying the at least one category comprises identifying at least one category that corresponds to the previously received search queries submitted to the search engine by the users having the attribute that matches the determined attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content at a time corresponding to the determined time period.

20. The nontransitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein determining the attribute of the user that submitted the request for electronic content comprises determining a gender of the user.