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Methods and systems for improving user search experience with a search engine by providing a way for associated users to create and share personalized lists of local search results and/or advertisements through endorsements of such local search results and/or ads. Local search endorsements can be used to personalize the search engine's ranking of local search results by offering a way for users to re-rank the results for themselves and for those who trust them.

Inventors: Thomas Christopher Korte, Sumit Agarwal, Celia Saino
Current U.S. Classification: 1/1; 707/999.003; 707/E17.109

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Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US7571050Mar 27, 2006Aug 4, 2009Microsoft CorporationTransit-coordinated local search
US7624102Jan 28, 2005Nov 24, 2009Microsoft CorporationSystem and method for grouping by attribute
US7797635Apr 26, 2010Sep 14, 2010Electronic search interface technology
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US7890530Feb 5, 2008Feb 15, 2011International Business Machines CorporationMethod and system for controlling access to data via a data-centric security model
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US8086605Jun 28, 2006Dec 27, 2011Yahoo! Inc.Search engine with augmented relevance ranking by community participation
US8117196Sep 1, 2006Feb 14, 2012ChaCha Search, Inc.Search tool providing optional use of human search guides
US8180766Sep 22, 2008May 15, 2012Microsoft CorporationBayesian video search reranking
US8200246Jun 12, 2009Jun 12, 2012Microsoft CorporationData synchronization for devices supporting direction-based services

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving endorsement information of endorsed local articles or ads;

receiving a local search query; and

providing a search result set relevant to the local search query, wherein the search result set includes at least one endorsed article identifier for one of the endorsed local articles or ads.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving endorsement information of endorsed local articles or ads comprises:

receiving profiles of users in a member network, wherein the profiles include the endorsement information of the endorsed local articles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving endorsement information of endorsed local articles or ads comprises:

receiving profiles of users in a member network, wherein the profiles include the endorsement information of the endorsed ads.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the local search query comprises:

receiving a query for a product or service; and

determining a desired geographical location of the queried product or service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the endorsement information comprises:

a category classifying local search queries;

an article identifier for a first local article or first ad in the category; and

an endorsement associated with the article identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the endorsed local article comprises an endorsed product or service in a particular geographical location.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the received local search query is classified in the category in the endorsement information, and the at least one endorsed article identifier in the search result set comprises the article identifier in the endorsement information.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the endorsement associated with the article identifier comprises one or more of: a binary endorsement of the first local article, a rating of the first local article, and a comment about the first local article.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the endorsement associated with the article identifier comprises one or more of: a binary endorsement of the first ad, a rating of the first ad, and a comment about the first ad.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the local search query is received from a first user outside of the member network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one endorsed local article or ad is endorsed by a second user in the member network associated with the first user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second user is associated with the first user based on the second user's profile containing information relevant to the local search query received from the first user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second user is provided a financial incentive to endorse the one endorsed local article or ad.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the search query is received from a first user in the member network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one endorsed local article or ad is endorsed by a second user in the member network associated with the first user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second user is associated with the first user based on the first user's profile indicating that the second user is associated with the first user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second user is associated with the first user based on the second user's profile containing information relevant to the local search query received from the first user.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second user is provided a financial incentive to endorse the one endorsed local article or ad.

19. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving endorsement information of endorsed local articles or ads;

program code for receiving a local search query; and

program code for providing a search result set relevant to the local search query, wherein the search result set includes at least one endorsed article identifier for one of the endorsed local articles or ads.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program code for receiving endorsement information of endorsed local articles or ads comprises:

program code for receiving profiles of users in a member network, wherein the profiles include endorsement information of the endorsed local articles.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program code for receiving endorsement information of endorsed local articles or ads comprises:

program code for receiving profiles of users in a member network, wherein the profiles include endorsement information of the endorsed ads.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the program code for receiving the local search query comprises:

program code for receiving a query for a product or service; and

program code for determining a desired geographical location of the queried product or service.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the endorsement information comprises:

a category classifying local search queries;

an article identifier for a first local article or first ad in the category; and

an endorsement associated with the article identifier.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the endorsed local article comprises an endorsed product or service in a particular geographical location.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the received local search query is classified in the category in the endorsement information, and the at least one endorsed article identifier in the search result set comprises the article identifier in the endorsement information.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the endorsement associated with the article identifier comprises one or more of: a binary endorsement of the first local article, a rating of the first local article, and a comment about the first local article.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the endorsement associated with the article identifier comprises one or more of: a binary endorsement of the first ad, a rating of the first ad, and a comment about the first ad.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the local search query is received from a first user outside of the member network

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the one endorsed local article or ad is endorsed by a second user in the member network associated with the first user.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the second user is associated with the first user based on the second user's profile containing information relevant to the local search query received from the first user.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the second user is provided a financial incentive to endorse the one endorsed local article or ad.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the search query is received from a first user in the member network.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the one endorsed local article or ad is endorsed by a second user in the member network associated with the first user.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the second user is associated with the first user based on the first user's profile indicating that the second user is associated with the first user.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the second user is associated with the first user based on the second user's profile containing information relevant to the local search query received from the first user.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein the second user is provided a financial incentive to endorse the one endorsed local article or ad.

37. A method comprising:

receiving a first user profile in a member network created by a first user;

receiving a first local search query submitted by the first user;

returning from a search engine to the first user a local search result set relevant to the first local search query, the local search result set includes one or more links for endorsing local articles identified in the search result set;

receiving from the first user a first endorsement for one of the local articles identified in the local search result set;
storing the first endorsement for the local article in a member network database;
receiving a second user profile in the member network created by a second user;
receiving a second local search query submitted by the second user that is substantially identical or relevant to the first local search query;
returning from the search engine a second local search result set relevant to the second local search query;
returning from the member network database a third local search result set relevant to the second search query; and
merging the second local search result set with the third local search result set to provide the second user with a final local search result set identifying the first endorsement for the second local search query.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the first user a second endorsement for an ad;

storing the second endorsement for the ad in the member network database; and

the merging comprises merging the second local search result set with the third local search result set to provide the second user with a final local search result set identifying the first and second endorsements for the second local search query.

Drawings