The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 03, 2026
Filed:
Oct. 28, 2021
Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc, Redmond, WA (US);
Zicheng Huang, Bothell, WA (US);
Mridu Baldevraj Narang, Redmond, WA (US);
Ling Li, Bellevue, WA (US);
Guihong Cao, Sammamish, WA (US);
MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method for determining whether to dynamically suppress a candidate query answer designated for inclusion in search results includes instantiating a plurality of filtering rules for assessing suppression of a candidate query answer. The filtering rules include one or both of a pattern rule and a site rule. The method further comprises receiving a query, and, after receiving the query, retrieving one or more candidate query answers previously associated with the query. The method further comprises, for each candidate query answer, dynamically suppressing the candidate query answer from a curated position having enhanced prominence within search results relative to a plurality of other result entries, if either or both of a pattern rule and a site rule match the query. The method further includes returning search results including up to one candidate query answer in the curated position, responsive to a candidate query answer not being dynamically suppressed.