Predicting intent of a search for a particular context

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10909124-B2
Application number	US-201715598580-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2017
Priority date	May 18, 2017
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A computing system is described that determines, based on user-initiated actions performed by a group of computing devices, an intent of a search using a particular search query received from a computing device. The computing system adjusts, based on the intent, at least a particular portion of search results obtained from the search using the search query by emphasizing information that satisfies the intent. The computing system sends, to the computing device, an indication of the adjusted search results.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing system, a search query from a computing device of a user, the search query including one or more terms;
obtaining, by the computing system, contextual information associated with the computing device of the user, wherein:
the contextual information is in addition to the one or more terms of the search query,
the contextual information comprises environmental information associated with the computing device, and
the environmental information associated with the computing device indicates characteristics of a physical environment of the computing device;

selecting, by the computing system, a subset of the obtained contextual information that indicates a particular current context associated with the computing device, wherein at least the subset of the obtained contextual information comprises a subset of the environmental information and excludes information from a search history of the user;
determining, by the computing system, an intent of the search query received from the computing device of the user, wherein the intent is a predicted intent that is specific to the search query given the particular current context associated with the computing device, and wherein determining the intent of the search query comprises:
processing the subset of the contextual information that is in addition to the one or more terms of the search query, using a machine learning model that is based on past user-initiated actions performed by a group of computing devices of respective users, to determine the intent, wherein the respective users are in addition to the user of the computing device;

receiving, by the computing system, search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query; and
subsequent to receiving the search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query and prior to sending, to the computing device of the user, any indication of the search results:
adjusting, by the computing system, based on the determined intent of the search query, at least a particular portion of the search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query, wherein adjusting at least the particular portion of the search results comprises promoting at least the particular portion of the search results that satisfy the determined intent of the search query; and
sending, by the computing system, to the computing device of the user, an indication of the adjusted search results.

2. A computing system comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory comprising instructions that when executed, cause the at least one processor of the computing system to:
receive a search query from a computing device of a user, the search query including one or more terms;
obtain contextual information associated with the computing device of the user, wherein:
the contextual information is in addition to the one or more terms of the search query,
the contextual information comprises environmental information associated with the computing device, and
the environmental information associated with the computing device indicates characteristics of a physical environment of the computing device;

select a subset of the obtained contextual information that indicates a particular current context associated with the computing device, wherein at least the subset of the obtained contextual information comprises a subset of the environmental information and excludes information from a search history of the user;
determine an intent of the search query received from the computing device of the user, wherein the intent is a predicted intent that is specific to the search query given the particular current context associated with the computing device, and wherein in determining the intent of the search query, the instructions cause the at least one processor of the computing system to:
process the subset of the contextual information that is in addition to the one or more terms of the search query, using a rule that is based on past user-initiated actions performed by a group of computing devices of respective users, to determine the intent, wherein the respective users are in addition to the user of the computing device;

receive search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query; and
subsequent to receiving the search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query and prior to sending, to the computing device of the user, any indication of the search results:
adjust, based on the determined intent of the search query, at least a particular portion of the search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query, wherein in adjusting at least the particular portion of the search results, the instructions cause the at least one processor of the computing system to promote at least the particular portion of the search results that satisfy the determined intent of the search query; and
send, by the computing system, to the computing device of the user, an indication of the adjusted search results.

3. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, configure one or more processors of a computing system to:
receive a search query from a computing device of a user, the search query including one or more terms;
obtain contextual information associated with the computing device of the user, wherein:
the contextual information is relevant to one or more of the terms of the search query,
the contextual information is in addition to the one or more terms of the search query,
the contextual information comprises environmental information associated with the computing device, and
the environmental information associated with the computing device indicates characteristics of a physical environment of the computing device;

select a subset of the obtained contextual information that indicates a particular current context associated with the computing device, wherein at least the subset of the obtained contextual information comprises a subset of the environmental information and excludes information from a search history of the user;
determine an intent of the search query received from the computing device of the user, wherein the intent is a predicted intent that is specific to the search query given the particular current context associated with the computing device, and wherein in determining the intent of the search query, the instructions cause one or more of the processors of the computing system to:
process the subset of the contextual information that is in addition to the one or more terms of the search query, using a machine learning model that is based on past user-initiated actions performed by a group of computing devices of respective users, to determine the intent, wherein the respective users are in addition to the user of the computing device;

receive search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query; and
subsequent to receiving the search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query and prior to sending, to the computing device of the user, any indication of the search results:
adjust, based on the determined intent of the search query, at least a particular portion of the search results obtained responsive to the one or more terms of the search query, wherein in adjusting at least the particular portion of the search results, the instructions cause the at least one processor of the computing system to promote at least the particular portion of the search results that satisfy the determined intent of the search query; and
send, by the computing system, to the computing device of the user, an indication of the adjusted search results.

4. The method of

Assignees

• Google Inc
• Google Llc

Inventors

• Lim Yew Jin
• Linn Joseph
• Liang Yuling
• Steinebach Carsten
• Lu Wei Lwun
• Kim Dong Hyun
• Kunz James
• Koepnick Lauren
• Yang Min

Classifications

• G06F16/335 Primary

  Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles (filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536) · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title

• G06F16/24578 Primary

  using ranking · CPC title

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title

• G06N5/04

  Inference or reasoning models · CPC title