System and method for providing contextual actions on a search results page

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for providing targeted applications within a search engine results page. The method and system includes receiving a search query from a user and interpreting the search query. The method and system then first maps the interpreted query to one or more action templates, wherein mapping the interpreted query to one or more action templates comprises selecting one or more actions associated with the interpreted query. The method and system then maps the selected one or more actions associated with the interpreted query to a plurality of applications and selecting one or more applications associated with the one or more actions. Finally, the method and system displays the one or more applications within a search results page.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method implemented on at least one computing device, each of which has at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for providing target applications within a search engine results page, the method comprising:
 receiving a search query from a user;   determining one or more user actions associated with the search query;   selecting a plurality of applications that allow the user to perform the one or more user actions;   organizing the plurality of applications in a hierarchical structure; and   presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a plurality of interpretations of the search query;   incorporating contextual information associated with the user to the plurality of interpretations; and   mapping the plurality of interpretations to the one or more user actions based on the contextual information associated with the user,   wherein contextual information associated with the user includes user profile, historical search queries, user search behavior, and user search trends.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein organizing the plurality of applications in a hierarchical structure further comprising:
 structuring the plurality of applications in a chain based on a perceived goal, wherein subsequent applications are chained based on user interactions with a first application and the perceived goal.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page further comprising:
 presenting the first application within the search result page; and   updating the search result page to include one or more subsequent chained applications upon detecting a user interaction with the first application.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the perceived goal is predetermined based on the plurality of interpretations of the search query and the contextual information associated with the user, and updated based on subsequent user interactions with the plurality of chained applications. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein organizing the plurality of applications in a hierarchical structure further comprising:
 classifying the plurality of applications into one or more priority levels based on a perceived goal; and   ranking the applications in each of the one or more priority levels based on one or more parameters,   wherein the perceived goal is predetermined based on the plurality of interpretations of the search query and the contextual information associated with the user, and updated based on subsequent user interactions with the plurality of classified applications.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page further comprising:
 presenting one or more applications in a highest priority level in a first space within the search result page; and   presenting one or more applications in subsequent priority levels in subsequent spaces within the search result page.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 updating the one or more applications presented in the first space and subsequence spaces based on the perceived goal.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more parameters for ranking are associated with contextual information associated with the user and parameters associated with the applications,
 wherein the parameters associated with the application includes relevance of applications to the search query, popularities of the applications, historic revenues of the applications, predetermined application qualities, authoritativeness, and other metadata parameters associated with the applications.   
     
     
         10 . A system for providing target applications within a search engine results page, the system comprising:
 at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to execute one or more computer program instructions for:   receiving a search query from a user;   determining one or more user actions associated with the search query;   selecting a plurality of applications that allow the user to perform the one or more user actions;   organizing the plurality of applications in a hierarchical structure; and   presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer program instruction for determining one or more user actions associated with the search query further comprising:
 generating a plurality of interpretations of the search query;   incorporating contextual information associated with the user to the plurality of interpretations; and   mapping the plurality of interpretations to the one or more user actions based on the contextual information associated with the user,   wherein contextual information associated with the user includes user profile, historical search queries, user search behavior, and user search trends.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer program instruction for organizing the plurality of applications in a hierarchical structure further comprising:
 structuring the plurality of applications in a chain based on a perceived goal, wherein subsequent applications are chained based on user interactions with a first application and the perceived goal.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the computer program instruction for presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page further comprising:
 presenting the first application within the search result page; and   updating the search result page to include one or more second chained applications upon detecting a user interaction with the first application.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the perceived goal is predetermined based on the plurality of interpretations of the search query and the contextual information associated with the user, and updated based on subsequent user interactions with the plurality of chained applications. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the computer program instruction for organizing the plurality of applications in a hierarchical structure further comprising:
 classifying the plurality of applications into one or more priority levels based on a perceived goal; and   ranking the applications in each of the one or more priority levels based on one or more parameters,   wherein the perceived goal is predetermined based on the plurality of interpretations of the search query and the contextual information associated with the user, and updated based on subsequent user interactions with the plurality of classified applications.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the computer program instruction for presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page further comprising:
 presenting one or more applications in a highest priority level in a first space within the search result page; and   presenting one or more applications in subsequent priority levels in subsequent spaces within the search result page.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the computer program instruction for presenting the plurality of applications in a hierarchical manner within a search result page further comprising:
 updating the one or more applications presented in the first space and subsequence spaces based on the perceived goal.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more parameters for ranking are associated with contextual information associated with the user and parameters associated with the applications,
 wherein the parameters associated with the application includes relevance of applications to the search query, popularities of the applications, historic revenues of the applications, predetermined application qualities, authoritativeness, and other metadata parameters associated with the applications.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium having information recorded thereon for providing target applications within a search engine results page, wherein the information, when read by a machine, causes the machine to execute one or more computer program instructions for:
 receiving a search query from a user;   determining one or more user actions associated with the search query based on contextual information associated with the user;   selecting a plurality of applications that allow the user to perform the one or more user actions;   structuring the plurality of applications in a chain based on a perceived goal, wherein subsequent applications are chained based on user interactions with a first application and the perceived goal;   presenting the first application within the search result page; and   updating the search result page to include one or more subsequent chained applications upon detecting a user interaction with the first application,   wherein the perceived goal is predetermined based on the plurality of interpretations of the search query and the contextual information associated with the user, and updated based on subsequent user interactions with the plurality of chained applications.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium having information recorded thereon for providing target applications within a search engine results page, wherein the information, when read by a machine, causes the machine to execute one or more computer program instructions for:
 receiving a search query from a user;   determining one or more user actions associated with the search query based on contextual information associated with the user;   selecting a plurality of applications that allow the user to perform the one or more user actions;   classifying the plurality of applications into one or more priority levels based on a perceived goal;   ranking the applications in each of the one or more priority levels based on one or more parameters; and   presenting one or more applications in a highest priority level in a first space within the search result page;   presenting one or more applications in subsequent priority levels in subsequent spaces within the search result page;   updating the one or more applications presented in the first space and subsequence spaces based on the perceived goal,   wherein the perceived goal is predetermined based on the plurality of interpretations of the search query and the contextual information associated with the user, and updated based on subsequent user interactions with the plurality of classified applications.