Search Engine

Patent No. US11106744 (titled "Search Engine") was filed by Search And Share Technologies Llc on Jan 14, 2019.

’744 is related to the field of internet search engines and, more specifically, to methods for indexing and ranking web content based on user input. Traditional search engines rely on web crawlers and algorithms to discover, index, and rank content, which may not accurately reflect user interest. This patent addresses the problem of improving search result relevance by incorporating direct user feedback.

The underlying idea behind ’744 is to create a search engine that leverages human-powered indexing and ranking . Instead of relying solely on automated web crawling and algorithmic analysis, the invention allows users to directly contribute to the indexing process by identifying web content and providing associated metadata, such as ratings, comments, and keywords. This user-generated information is then used to influence the ranking of search results.

The claims of ’744 focus on a server computer receiving an identification of web content from a user's client computer, where the identification is transmitted via a user interface separate from the main browser window. The server then indexes this web content and, in response to a search query from another user, transmits search results that include the first user's identified content, positioned according to user-provided data.

In practice, this system involves a browser plug-in module that allows users to easily submit web content they are currently viewing to the search engine's index. The plug-in provides a user interface where users can rate, comment on, and tag the content. This user-generated data is then stored on the server and used to rank the content in search results. The more users recommend a particular web page, the higher it will appear in search results for relevant queries.

This approach differentiates itself from traditional search engines by incorporating real-time human input into the ranking process. Instead of relying solely on link analysis and algorithmic calculations, the search results are directly influenced by user ratings, comments, and other forms of user-generated content. This allows for a more social and dynamic search experience , where the relevance of search results is constantly updated based on the collective intelligence of the user community. This also provides a mechanism to cut down on spam and improve search accuracy.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2010s when ’744 was filed, web search was typically implemented using web crawlers to discover and index content. At a time when systems commonly relied on complex algorithms to sort indexed content, hardware or software constraints made it non-trivial to accurately reflect the interest of users on the web.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner allowed the claims because the claimed invention is patentably distinct from the prior art of record. The prior art does not explicitly disclose or render obvious the claimed invention as a whole, as recited in the amended independent claims. The examiner conducted an updated search of prior art and determined that the prior art does not fairly teach or suggest the subject matter as described by the combination of elements presented in each of the independent claims. The dependent claims are also distinct from the prior art for the same reasons.

Claims

This patent contains 20 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 10, and 19. The independent claims are generally directed to methods, computing devices, and storage mediums for receiving identifications of web content from users, indexing the web content, and providing search results that incorporate this user-identified content. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the specifics of the independent claims, adding details such as receiving ratings or comments, ranking content, and specifying the nature of user content.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
First web content (Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 19)	“In one aspect, a server computer receives, from a first client computer operated by a first user, an identification of first web content displayed by a web browser of the first client computer in a main browser window. The server computer then indexes the first web content. In response to receiving a search query from a web browser of a second client computer operated by a second user, the server computer transmits search results to the web browser of the second client computer. The search results include the first web content identified by the first user in a position relative to identifications of other web content received from other users.”	Web content that is identified by a first user and subsequently indexed and used in search results.
Main browser window (Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 19)	“In one aspect, a server computer receives, from a first client computer operated by a first user, an identification of first web content displayed by a web browser of the first client computer in a main browser window. The identification of the first web content is transmitted by the first user to the server computer via a user interface separate from the main browser window.”	A primary window of a web browser in which web content is displayed.
Search results comprising (Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 19)	“In response to receiving a search query from a web browser of a second client computer operated by a second user, the server computer transmits search results to the web browser of the second client computer. The search results include the first web content identified by the first user in a position relative to identifications of other web content received from other users.”	The search results include the first web content identified by the first user in a position relative to identifications of other web content received from other users.
User content created (Claim 19)	“In one embodiment, the receiving of the identification of first web content includes receiving, by the server computer, a rating (e.g., a score or an indication of like, dislike, or neutral) associated with the first web content from the first user. In one embodiment, the receiving of the identification of first web content further includes receiving ratings associated with the other web content from the other users. In one embodiment, the server computer ranks the first web content from the rating in relation to the ratings of the other web content received from the other users. In one embodiment, the indexing of the first web content includes receiving keywords for the first web content. In one embodiment, the receiving of the identification of the first web content further includes receiving, by the server computer from the first client computer, a comment on the first web content.”	Content generated by a user of the web browser.
User interface separate (Claim 1, Claim 10)	“In one aspect, a server computer receives, from a first client computer operated by a first user, an identification of first web content displayed by a web browser of the first client computer in a main browser window. The identification of the first web content is transmitted by the first user to the server computer via a user interface separate from the main browser window.”	A user interface that is distinct and not part of the main browser window, used for transmitting the identification of web content.

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US11106744

SEARCH AND SHARE TECHNOLOGIES LLC

Application Number: US16247361
Filing Date: Jan 14, 2019
Status: Granted
Expiry Date: Sep 9, 2032
External Links: Slate, USPTO, Google Patents

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