Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Thomas Dale White

Kuldeep Karnawat

Mark B Mydland

Steven Fox

Thomas A Taylor

Susan Theresa Dumais

Christopher Clayton McConnell

Raman Chandrasekar

James Charles Finger, Ii

Ying Zhang

Scott A Thurlow

Ray Sun

Siddhartha Cingh Arora

Zhanliang Chen

Blake Edward Anderson

Igor Rondel

Tobin D Baker

Lu Wang

Takeshi Shimizu

Jennifer J Marsman

Paul M Malolepsy

Zhanliang (John) Chen

A method is provided for analyzing a plurality of search sessions to identify intent-based clusters therein. Each session comprises at least one received query from a user and a corresponding set of returned search results, and each set of search results includes or refers to at least one piece of content. Each cluster represents a group of similar search sessions that are perceived as representing a common purpose and that can be mapped to a common set of search results. In the method, for each search session, each received query thereof, the corresponding set of search results, and whether any particular piece of content of the search results was acceptable to the user as responsive to the corresponding search session are identified. Thereafter, search sessions are grouped into clusters.

Forming intent-based clusters and employing same by search

A method and system for federated searching that includes receiving a user query a first location, extracting terms from the user query, assigning the query a ranking based on the terms, sending the user query to a second location for resolution if the ranking of the query meets a predetermined threshold, and receiving a response from the second location. The user query is parsed, normalized and ranked to determine if terms in the user query are relevant to the search facility of the second location. In order to make that ranking determination, data representative of the goods or services provided by the second location is provided to the first location by the second location. A data structure is built to allow an original value provided by the second location and the slot wherein the original value is expected to be indexed by all possible values for the original value by determining substantially all possible values for the original value. Relevant synsets are determined for the data, wherein terms within the synsets are associated to a term that was provided by the second location, and wherein a class of the data is preserved.

System and method for federated searching

Systems and methods for measuring and improving search result relevance based on user satisfaction are disclosed. An event log is preferably scanned to determine the start and the end of a session. User behaviors within the session are preferably identified. User satisfaction is preferably estimated based on the user behaviors. User satisfaction is preferably a measure of the user's perception of the extent to which a result correlates to his intent based on his behaviors. User satisfaction is preferably estimated to be one of three satisfaction levels: satisfied, partially-satisfied, and dissatisfied. Symptoms, which are indications of a need for improvement within a search system, are preferably observed based on the user behaviors and the user satisfaction. Diagnostics, which are conditions that prevent a search system from performing optimally, are preferably derived based on the symptoms. A performance report for the search system based, at least in part, on the user satisfaction and the diagnostics may be generated. Such a report may be analyzed to determine methods for improving the relevance of results generated by the search system.

System and method for measuring and improving search result relevance based on user satisfaction

Context-based user feedback is gathered regarding searches performed on a search mechanism. The search mechanism is monitored for user behavior data regarding an interaction of a user with the search mechanism. The response data provided by the search mechanism is also monitored. Context data (describing the search) and user feedback data (the user's feedback on the search&#x2014;either explicit or implicit) are determined. This can be used, for example, to evaluate a search mechanism or to check a relevance model.

Search system using user behavior data

A system and methods are provided for runtime spelling analysis and correction in a computing system. Misspelled entries or input text is automatically corrected turning the misspelled entries or input text into valid entries or text. The words used for spell checking and correction may be collected through multiple channels or from multiple sources, including words commonly found on the Web, and in users' entries or input text, as well as words from a standard language lexicon, all of which may be in one or more languages. The word(s) are automatically corrected only when there is a very high confidence that the correction is desirable. In various embodiments, the system implements a plurality of mechanisms with which the user can override the correction if invoked.

System and methods for providing runtime spelling analysis and correction

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Carnation, WA, United States of America

Thomas Dale White