Techniques For Searching Using Market-Adjusted Statistics

1 . A method comprising:

receiving a search query from a computing device;

searching an application data store using the search query, the application data store including application data for a plurality of software applications available from a software-application marketplace configured to distribute the plurality of software applications to the computing device, the application data including a set of application statistics for each of the plurality of software applications, each set of application statistics including statistical data points over time, and the application data further including a set of market-wide statistics that is an aggregate of the sets of application statistics over time;

generating a list of software applications identified during the search of the application data store; and

for each software application in the list, generating a result score for the software application based on a set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application, the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application being the set of application statistics associated with the software application adjusted by the set of market-wide statistics, and the result score indicating a rank of each software application among the software applications in the list.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the list of software applications to the computing device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each set of application statistics includes statistical data points indicating a number of downloads over time.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the set of market-wide statistics indicates an aggregate of the number of downloads over time for the plurality of software applications.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each of the statistical data points indicates a download rate.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each set of application statistics includes statistical data points indicating at least one of a number of ratings and a number of reviews.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating each set of application statistics based on numbers reported by the software-application marketplace.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the set of market-wide statistics.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application includes a plurality of market-adjusted data points over time, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a market-adjusted data point from the set of market-adjusted statistics; and

generating the result score based on the selected market-adjusted data point.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein selecting the market-adjusted data point from the set of market-adjusted statistics comprises selecting the market-adjusted data point based on the amount of time the software application associated with the set of market-adjusted statistics has been available from the software-application marketplace.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application includes a plurality of market-adjusted data points over time, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting a plurality of market-adjusted data points from the set of market-adjusted statistics; and

generating the result score based on the selected market-adjusted data points.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating a result score for the software application based on a set of market-adjusted statistics comprises:

determining at least one of a first derivative and a second derivative of the set of market-adjusted statistics; and

generating the result score based on the at least one of the first derivative and the second derivative of the set of market-adjusted statistics.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application is the set of application statistics associated with the software application divided by the set of market-wide statistics.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each software application of the plurality of software applications is associated with one of N different application categories, the application data store including N sets of market-wide statistics, each of which is associated with a different application category, and wherein the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application is the set of application statistics associated with the software application adjusted by the set of market-wide statistics associated with the application category of the software application.

15 . A system comprising:

an application data store that includes application data for a plurality of software applications available from a software-application marketplace configured to distribute the plurality of software applications to a remote computing device, the application data including a set of application statistics for each of the plurality of software applications, each set of application statistics including statistical data points over time, and the application data further including a set of market-wide statistics that is an aggregate of the sets of application statistics over time; and

one or more computing devices configured to:

receive a search query from the remote computing device;

search the application data store using the search query;

generate a list of software applications identified during the search of the application data store; and

for each software application in the list, generate a result score for the software application based on a set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application, the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the software application being the set of application statistics associated with the software application adjusted by the set of market-wide statistics, and the result score indicating a rank of each software application among the software applications in the list.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein each set of application statistics includes statistical data points indicating a number of downloads over time.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the set of market-wide statistics indicates an aggregate of the number of downloads over time for the plurality of software applications.

18 . A method comprising:

receiving a search query from a computing device;

search a digital-goods data store using the search query, the digital-goods data store including digital-goods data for a plurality of digital goods available from a digital-goods marketplace configured to distribute the plurality of digital goods to the computing device, the digital-goods data including a set of digital-good statistics for each of the plurality of digital goods, each set of digital-good statistics including statistical data points over time, and wherein the digital-goods data includes a set of market-wide statistics that is an aggregate of the sets of digital-good statistics over time;

generating a list of digital goods identified during the search of the digital-goods data store; and

for each digital good in the list, generating a result score for the digital good based on a set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the digital good, the set of market-adjusted statistics associated with the digital good being the set of digital-good statistics associated with the digital good adjusted by the set of market-wide statistics, and the result score indicating a rank of each digital good among the digital goods in the list.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of digital goods includes at least one of a digital music file, a digital movie, and a digital book.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each set of digital-good statistics includes statistical data points indicating a number of downloads over time.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the set of market-wide statistics indicates an aggregate of the number of downloads over time for the plurality of digital goods.