IP Library Granted Patent US 10,430,831
Granted Patent B2
US 10,430,831 · App. 15/247,311 · Granted Oct 1, 2019

Prioritizing companies for people search

Inventor: Krishnaram Kenthapadi (Sunnyvale, CA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G06Q30/0255G06F16/24578G06F16/9535G06Q50/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,430,831
App. No.
15/247,311
Granted
Oct 1, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A search engine optimization system is provided with an on-line social network system. The on-line social network system includes or is in communication with a search engine optimization (SEO) system that is configured to prioritize company keywords (potential search terms) that represent respective people search results pages (PSERPs). The value of a company keyword is expressed as a priority score assigned to that company keyword. The SEO system generates priority scores for different company keywords, using a probabilistic model that takes into account a value expressing how likely the company keyword is to be included in a search query as a search term and/or a value expressing how likely is a search that includes the company keyword as a search term is to produce relevant results, as well as other signals that are indicative of the relative importance of a company represented by the company keyword.

Claims (36)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a people search results page (PSERP), the PRERP comprising references to one or more member profiles representing respective members in an on-line social network system;

using at least one processor, identifying a company keyword as representing the PSERP, the company keyword associated with a company identification representing a company profile maintained in the on-line social networking system;

determining importance score for the company keyword utilizing data reflecting how frequently people-related search requests include the company keyword and also reflecting a number of member profiles in the on-line social network system that follow the company profile;

generating a priority score for the company keyword, utilizing the importance score; and

generating a web page including a reference to the PSERP based on the priority score for the company keyword.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the importance score is generated using a number of employees at an organization identified by the company identification.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the importance score reflects a financial value associated with an organization identified by the company identification.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the financial value represents market capitalization for the organization identified by the company identification.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the financial value represents market capitalization per employee of the organization identified by the company identification.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the web page is a people directory page provided by the on-line social network system, the method comprising causing presentation of the people directory page on a display device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference to the PSERP is the company keyword.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the importance score for the company keyword comprises determining the importance score for a pair comprising the company keyword and a location keyword representing a geographic location.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the priority score for the keyword comprises using, in addition to the importance score, a relevance score generated for the company keyword, the relevance score expressing how likely a search request that includes the company keyword is to produce a relevant result that originates from the on-line social network system, the search request directed to a third party search engine, the third party search engine and the on-line social network system provided by different entities.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the importance score comprises utilizing one or more strength signals, the strength signals represent the number of member profiles in the on-line social network system that include an identification of an organization represented by the company keyword.

11. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a people search results page (PSERP) generator, implemented using at least one processor, to:

generate a people search results page (PSERP), the PRERP comprising references to one or more member profiles representing respective members in an on-line social network system, and

identify a company keyword as representing the PSERP, the company keyword associated with a company identification representing a company profile maintained in the on-line social networking system;

an importance score generator, implemented using at least one processor, to determine importance score for the company keyword utilizing data reflecting how frequently people-related search requests include the company keyword and also reflecting a number of member profiles in the on-line social network system that follow the company profile;

a priority score generator, implemented using at least one processor, to generate a priority score for the company keyword, utilizing the importance score; and

a web page generator, implemented using at least one processor, to generate a web page including a reference to the PSERP based on the priority score for the company keyword.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the importance score is generated using a number of employees at an organization identified by the company identification.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the importance score reflects a financial value associated with an organization identified by the company identification.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the financial value represents market capitalization for the organization identified by the company identification.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the financial value represents market capitalization per employee of the organization identified by the company identification.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the web page is a people directory page provided by the on-line social network system, the system comprising a presentation module, implemented using at least one processor, to cause presentation of the people directory page on a display device.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the reference to the PSERP is the company keyword.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the importance score generator is to determine the importance score for a pair comprising the company keyword and a location keyword representing a geographic location.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the priority score generator is to use, in addition to the importance score, a relevance score generated for the company keyword, the relevance score expressing how likely a search request that includes the company keyword is to produce a relevant result that originates from the on-line social network system, the search request directed to a third party search engine, the third party search engine and the on-line social network system provided by different entities.

20. A machine-readable non-transitory storage medium having instruction data executable by a machine to cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating a people search results page (PSERP), the PRERP comprising references to one or more member profiles representing respective members in an on-line social network system;

identifying a company keyword as representing the PSERP, the company keyword associated with a company identification representing a company profile maintained in the on-line social networking system;

determining importance score for the company keyword utilizing data reflecting how frequently people-related search requests include the company keyword and also reflecting a number of member profiles in the on-line social network system that follow the company profile;

generating a priority score for the company keyword, utilizing the importance score; and

generating a web page including a reference to the PSERP based on the priority score for the company keyword.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2017
From: LINKEDIN CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 044746/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 25, 2016
From: KENTHAPADI, KRISHNARAM
To: LINKEDIN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039542/0634 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180060908A1 · Mar 1, 2018