Brian Lange Acton

US Patent:

7130819, Oct 31, 2006

Filed:

Sep 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/675234

Inventors:

Xuejun Wang - San Jose CA, US
Brian Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Venkat Panchapakesan - Newark CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

705 26

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. The present invention exploits the fact that users' choices on each given search term tend to converge to several products from several merchants, and all of the results are very relevant to the search term. In one embodiment, these results are used to decide the order of merchants for each search term. By learning the users' choices, especially from purchasing and/or clicking information, highly relevant and most popular products can be assigned a higher score or rank over text relevant only products.

US Patent:

7359898, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Feb 26, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/789839

Inventors:

Brian Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Brian Stolte - San Francisco CA, US
Rob Solomon - Menlo Park CA, US
Jeff Weiner - Palo Alto CA, US
Catherine Cadogan - Santa Clara CA, US
Matt Heist - San Carlos CA, US
Manish Baldua - San Jose CA, US
Charles Arendt - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06F 15/16

US Classification:

707 5, 707 3, 707 4, 707100, 713400

Abstract:

Techniques for selecting a scoring mechanism from a plurality scoring mechanisms for processing queries are provided. The techniques comprise the steps of, for each scoring mechanism of multiple scoring mechanisms, determining, based on a query, multiple parameter values for the scoring mechanism, generating a score based on the multiple parameter values determined for the scoring mechanism, and selecting which scoring mechanism to use to process the query based on the score generated for each scoring system.

US Patent:

7519581, Apr 14, 2009

Filed:

May 2, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/119637

Inventors:

Xuejun Wang - San Jose CA, US
Brian Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Manish R. Baldua - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06F 7/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707 3, 707 10, 709203

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. More specifically, the present invention provides a determination whether a search term belongs to a particular category. Namely, properly associating a search term with the correct category will greatly enhance the generation of search results with higher relevancy.

US Patent:

7672877, Mar 2, 2010

Filed:

Feb 26, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/789837

Inventors:

Brian Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Brian Stolte - San Francisco CA, US
Rob Solomon - Menlo Park CA, US
Jeff Weiner - Palo Alto CA, US
Catherine Cadogan - Santa Clara CA, US
Matt Heist - San Carlos CA, US
Manish Baldua - San Jose CA, US
Charles Arendt - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 27, 705 1, 705 26

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for associating data with product abstractions is provided. Steps are provided for associating a particular product with a product category, based on a first data set, wherein the first data set includes data that corresponds to an offer to sell the particular product by a particular party and matching the first data set with a product abstraction associated with the product category to which the particular product corresponds.

US Patent:

7840442, Nov 23, 2010

Filed:

Sep 20, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/524747

Inventors:

Xuejun Wang - San Jose CA, US
Brian L. Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Venkat Panchapakesan - Newark CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06Q 30/00
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 26, 705 27

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. The present invention exploits the fact that users' choices on each given search term tend to converge to several products from several merchants, and all of the results are very relevant to the search term. In one embodiment, these results are used to decide the order of merchants for each search term. By learning the users' choices, especially from purchasing and/or clicking information, highly relevant and most popular products can be assigned a higher score or rank over text relevant only products.

US Patent:

7844589, Nov 30, 2010

Filed:

Dec 1, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/725197

Inventors:

Xuejun Wang - San Jose CA, US
Brian Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Venkat Panchapakesan - Newark CA, US

Assignee:

Yahoo! Inc. - Sunnyvale CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06F 7/00

US Classification:

707706, 707723, 707748, 707767

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. More specifically, the present invention provides a listing of narrowing or related search terms based upon the search term submitted by the user. The present invention effectively guides users to narrow their search by guiding users to select or click on highly related search terms. In one embodiment, the listing of the highly related search terms is generated in accordance with sales and/or click information, e. g. , via scoring of search terms that is premised on sales and/or click information.

US Patent:

20110179005, Jul 21, 2011

Filed:

Nov 8, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/941181

Inventors:

Xuejun Wang - San Jose CA, US
Brian Acton - Saratoga CA, US
Venkat Panchapakesan - Newark CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06F 7/00

US Classification:

707706, 707E17108

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for generating search results with higher relevancy. More specifically, the present invention provides a listing of narrowing or related search terms based upon the search term submitted by the user. The present invention effectively guides users to narrow their search by guiding users to select or click on highly related search terms. In one embodiment, the listing of the highly related search terms is generated in accordance with sales and/or click information, e.g., via scoring of search terms that is premised on sales and/or click information.

US Patent:

20120294352, Nov 22, 2012

Filed:

Jul 26, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/559558

Inventors:

Jan Koum - Santa Clara CA, US
Brian Acton - Santa Clara CA, US

International Classification:

H04N 7/26

US Classification:

37524001, 375E07198

Abstract:

Aspects of the present invention include method and systems or processing multimedia data exchanged between mobile devices. Initially, a transmitting mobile device attempts to send multimedia data formatted in a primary format even though a receiving mobile device cannot process the data. The multimedia data in the primary format is then uploaded to a multimedia communication server where the multimedia data can be transcoded on demand into a secondary format that the receiving mobile device can indeed process. To track the multimedia data, the transmitting mobile device receives a multimedia identifier associated with the multimedia data uploaded to the multimedia communication server. Instead of sending the multimedia data, the transmitting mobile device forwards the multimedia identifier to the receiving mobile device allowing the receiving mobile device to demand transcoding the multimedia data into a secondary format on the server that the receiving mobile device is capable of receiving and processing.