Mark A Cramer

US Patent:

8117197, Feb 14, 2012

Filed:

Jun 10, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/482389

Inventors:

Mark D. Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Surf Canyon, Inc. - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707731, 707722, 707999001, 706 12, 706 14

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the user interface of a search engine in order to effectively communicate the improved relevancy achieved through real-time implicit re-ranking of search results is described. Real-time implicit re-ranking occurs without delay after every user action as the search is being conducted, so finding methods of immediately altering the search page without disrupting the user experience is important. Graphical icons next to search results are employed to enable generating and removing re-ranked results, referred to as “recommended” search results. Clusters based on the real-time user model are also displayed to facilitate query reformulations. Sponsored links are selected using the real-time user model along with a combination of RPC and CTR information and are displayed in a manner similar to the organic results, or used to replace the initial sponsored links altogether.

US Patent:

8442973, May 14, 2013

Filed:

May 1, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/743076

Inventors:

Mark Cramer - San Francisco CA, US
ChengXiang Zhai - Champaign IL, US
Xuehua Shen - Urbana IL, US
Bin Tan - Champaign IL, US

Assignee:

Surf Canyon, Inc. - Oakland CA
The Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois - Urbana IL

International Classification:

G06F 7/00
G06F 17/00

US Classification:

707723, 707753

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for utilizing user behavior to immediately modify sets of search results so that the most relevant documents are moved to the top. In one embodiment of the invention, behavior data, which can come from virtually any activity, is used to infer the user's intent. The updated inferred implicit user model is then exploited immediately by re-ranking the set of matched documents to best reflect the information need of the user. The system updates the user model and immediately re-ranks documents at every opportunity in order to constantly provide the most optimal results. In another embodiment, the system determines, based on the similarity of results sets, if the current query belongs in the same information session as one or more previous queries. If so, the current query is expanded with additional keywords in order to improve the targeting of the results.

US Patent:

8543570, Sep 24, 2013

Filed:

Jan 20, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/355433

Inventors:

Mark D. Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Surf Canyon Incorporated - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707723, 707805, 705 1426, 705 1443

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the user interface of a search engine in order to effectively communicate the improved relevancy achieved through real-time implicit re-ranking of search results is described. Real-time implicit re-ranking occurs without delay after every user action as the search is being conducted, so finding methods of immediately altering the search page without disrupting the user experience is important. Graphical icons next to search results are employed to enable generating and removing re-ranked results, referred to as “recommended” search results. Clusters based on the real-time user model are also displayed to facilitate query reformulations. Sponsored links are selected using the real-time user model along with a combination of RPC and CTR information and are displayed in a manner similar to the organic results, or used to replace the initial sponsored links altogether.

US Patent:

20070260597, Nov 8, 2007

Filed:

Aug 25, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/510524

Inventors:

Mark Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 17/30

US Classification:

707 5

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically modifying search results “on the fly” based on the behavior of the user currently conducting a search. In one embodiment, data regarding user behavior is gathered from virtually any activity, including clicks on links, dwell times, downloads, transactions and cursor movements. Subordinate keywords are generated to reflect the intent of the user as inferred from the user's behavior. Subordinate keywords, as opposed to traditional primary keywords, are keywords that are identified as important to the search, but are not necessarily essential for a matched document. They are automatically generated by the system from a variety of places, such as documents clicked on by the user as well as documents that are skipped. The system uses the subordinate keywords to dynamically re-rank matched documents and advertisements to best reflect the inferred intent of the user in order to continuously provide the most relevant results.

US Patent:

20100106703, Apr 29, 2010

Filed:

Jan 4, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/652004

Inventors:

Mark Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06Q 30/00

US Classification:

707706, 707730, 705 1454, 707E17014, 707E17032

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically modifying search results “on the fly” based on the behavior of the user currently conducting a search. In one embodiment, data regarding user behavior is gathered from virtually any activity, including clicks on links, dwell times, downloads, transactions and cursor movements. Subordinate keywords are generated to reflect the intent of the user as inferred from the user's behavior. Subordinate keywords, as opposed to traditional primary keywords, are keywords that are identified as important to the search, but are not necessarily essential for a matched document. They are automatically generated by the system from a variety of places, such as documents clicked on by the user as well as documents that are skipped. The system uses the subordinate keywords to dynamically re-rank thatched documents and advertisements to best reflect the inferred intent of the user in order to continuously provide the most relevant results.

US Patent:

20120078710, Mar 29, 2012

Filed:

Dec 8, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/315199

Inventors:

Mark Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06Q 30/02
G06F 17/30

US Classification:

705 1443, 707E17108

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically modifying search results “on the fly” based on the behavior of the user currently conducting a search. In one embodiment, data regarding user behavior is gathered from virtually any activity, including clicks on links, dwell times, downloads, transactions and cursor movements. Subordinate keywords are generated to reflect the intent of the user as inferred from the user's behavior. Subordinate keywords, as opposed to traditional primary keywords, are keywords that are identified as important to the search, but are not necessarily essential for a matched document. They are automatically generated by the system from a variety of places, such as documents clicked on by the user as well as documents that are skipped. The system uses the subordinate keywords to dynamically re-rank matched documents and advertisements to best reflect the inferred intent of the user in order to continuously provide the most relevant results.

US Patent:

20140032311, Jan 30, 2014

Filed:

Sep 5, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/018791

Inventors:

Mark D. Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Surf Canyon Incorporated - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06Q 30/02

US Classification:

705 1445, 707731, 705 1454

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the user interface of a search engine in order to effectively communicate the improved relevancy achieved through real-time implicit re-ranking of search results is described. Real-time implicit re-ranking occurs without delay after every user action as the search is being conducted, so finding methods of immediately altering the search page without disrupting the user experience is important. Graphical icons next to search results are employed to enable generating and removing re-ranked results, referred to as “recommended” search results. Clusters based on the real-time user model are also displayed to facilitate query reformulations. Sponsored links are selected using the real-time user model along with a combination of RPC and CTR information and are displayed in a manner similar to the organic results, or used to replace the initial sponsored links altogether.

US Patent:

20170039285, Feb 9, 2017

Filed:

Jul 11, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/207277

Inventors:

- San Francisco CA, US
Mark D. Cramer - San Francisco CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
H04L 29/08
G06Q 30/02

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting the user interface of a search engine in order to effectively communicate the improved relevancy achieved through real-time implicit re-ranking of search results is described. Real-time implicit re-ranking occurs without delay after every user action as the search is being conducted, so finding methods of immediately altering the search page without disrupting the user experience is important. Graphical icons next to search results are employed to enable generating and removing re-ranked results, referred to as “recommended” search results. Clusters based on the real-time user model are also displayed to facilitate query reformulations. Sponsored links are selected using the real-time user model along with a combination of RPC and CTR information and are displayed in a manner similar to the organic results, or used to replace the initial sponsored links altogether.