Query disambiguation

Abstract

A search query is resolved prior to being submitted to one or more search engines. The query is resolved such that the query unambiguously corresponds to a category included in a query ontology that relates search queries to query categories. The query may be resolved by supplementing the query with additional information corresponding to the category. For example, the query may be formatted into a canonical form of the query for the category. Alternatively or additionally, the query may be supplemented with one or more keywords that are associated with the category and that represent words or phrases that appear in a high percentage of search results for queries from the category. Resolving the query yields search results that more closely reflect search results desired by a user submitting the query.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a search query;   generating search results for the search query;   generating a summary of each of a plurality of the search results for the search query;   assigning, by at least one processor, a score to each of the summaries of the search results based on visual characteristics of the summaries; and   ordering, within a graphical user interface, the summaries of the search results based on the assigned scores.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited by  claim 1 , wherein the summaries of the search results are truncated excerpts of the search results. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited by  claim 2 , wherein each summary comprises a title of the search result, a short description of the search result, a hyperlink to the search result, and a date on which the search result was created or modified. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited by  claim 3 , further comprising:
 determining whether terms of the search query are in the summary;   calculating the score assigned to each summary based whether the terms of the search query are in the summary.   
     
     
         5 . The method as recited by  claim 4 , further comprising scoring summaries with a first weight when the terms of the search query are in the title of the summary. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited by  claim 5 , further comprising scoring summaries with a second weight when the terms of the search query are a body of the summary. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited by  claim 6 , wherein a higher score is assigned to a summary when the terms of the search query are in the title of the summary than when the terms of the search query are in the description of the summary. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited by  claim 4 , further comprising scoring summaries based on a number of occurrences of the terms of the search query identified in the summary. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited by  claim 4 , further comprising scoring summaries based on a distance between the terms of the search query used in the summary. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited by  claim 4 , wherein the score is a composite of a plurality of weighted factors, and wherein the weighted factors include presence of the terms of the search query term in the summary, a location of the terms of the search query in the summary, and a date of the summary. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying a first summary and a second summary to which scores are assigned, wherein the first summary and the second summary have adjacent assigned scores;   determining a score differential between the first summary and the second summary; and   filtering out the second summary from the graphical user interface based on the score differential exceeding a threshold.   
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:
 receive a search query;   generate search results for the search query;   generate a summary of the search results for the search query;   assign a score to each of the summaries of the search results based on visual characteristics of the summaries; and   order, within a graphical user interface, the summaries of the search results based on the assigned scores.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium as recited by  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer system to:
 determine whether terms of the search query are in the summary;   calculate the score assigned to each summary based whether the terms of the search query are in the summary.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium as recited by  claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computer system to the score summaries with a first weight when the terms of the search query are in the title of the summary. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium as recited by  claim 14 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:
 identify a first summary and a second summary to which scores are assigned, wherein the first summary and the second summary have adjacent assigned scores rankings;   determine a score differential between the first summary and the second summary; and   filter out the second summary from the graphical user interface based on the score differential exceeding a threshold.   
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform steps comprising:
 receiving a search query; 
 generating search results for the search query; 
 generating a summary of each of a plurality of the search results for the search query; 
 assigning, by at least one processor, a score to each of the summaries of the search results based on visual characteristics of the summaries; and 
 ordering, within a graphical user interface, the summaries of the search results based on the assigned scores. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 identifying summaries having a score below a predetermined score; and   excluding the identified summaries having the score before the predetermined score from the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited by  claim 16 , further comprising:
 determining whether terms of the search query are in the summary;   calculating the score assigned to each summary based whether the terms of the search query are in the summary.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited by  claim 18 , further comprising scoring summaries based on a percentage terms of the search query determined to be in a given summary. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited by  claim 16 , further comprising:
 scoring summaries with a first weight when the terms of the search query are in the title of the summary; and   scoring summaries with a second weight when the terms of the search query are a body of the summary, wherein the first weight is greater than the second weight.