Patent Application
20080059455
The aspects disclosed herein relate to providing targeted search results based on at least one bias, such as a bias associated with one or more friends identified by a user.
A “user” disclosed herein may be construed broadly to include any entity initiating a search request (e.g., by submitting a query).
A “group” disclosed herein may include one or more users having a predetermined association, such that addressing to the group may effectively address all users associated with the group.
The term “friends” or “friends list” disclosed herein may be construed broadly to include one or more entities (e.g., a subset of a group) having a predetermined association based on one or more criteria. The criteria for forming a friends list may include, e.g., location, age, gender, hobbies, demographics, organizations/affiliations (e.g., clubs, sports teams, etc.), colleagues, family relations, personal relations, pets, etc.
The term “search” disclosed herein may include a process of submitting a query into a search database. The query may be tokenized. The query may be entered manually, verbally, and/or activated through other means.
A “search database” disclosed herein may include a database configured to store information that may be used to resolve a search query. The database may contain static (e.g., web information) and/or dynamic data (e.g., location, weather, mood, etc.).
A “friends search engine (FSE)” disclosed herein may include a search engine configured to use information derived from a friends list to bias (or refine), filter, and/or rank the search results, so as to provide more targeted/refined information to users, as examples described below further illustrate.
A “friends database (FDB)” disclosed herein may include a database storing friends lists associated with various users, which may be configured to be part of and/or work in conjunction with an FSE. A friends database may be generated and/or based on the information provided by a service provider, a communication network, or the like. A friends database may reside in a storage medium (e.g., a server), and may also be cached onto a user device (e.g., a client/personal computer, an access terminal, etc.).
In the described aspects, a user may further provide inputs into a friends database, or may provide feedback associated with the search results to a friends database. Such information may be used to assist/bias future searches initiated by users associated with the friends database.
An access terminal (AT) disclosed herein may refer to various types of devices, including (but not limited to) a wireless phone, a cellular phone, a laptop computer, a multimedia wireless device, a wireless communication personal computer (PC) card, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an external or internal modem, etc. An access terminal may be any data device that communicates through a wireless channel and/or through a wired channel (e.g., by way of fiber optic or coaxial cables). An access terminal may have various names, such as access unit, access node, subscriber unit, mobile station, mobile device, mobile unit, mobile phone, mobile, remote station, remote terminal, remote unit, user device, user equipment, handheld device, etc. Different access terminals may be incorporated into a system. Access terminals s may be mobile or stationary, and may be dispersed throughout a communication system. An access terminal may communicate with an access network (AN) on a forward link (FL) and/or a reverse link (RL) at a given moment.
Referring to
Access terminal 102 is employed by a user, who can manipulate access terminal 102 to input a query to which the user desires an answer. System 100 includes a search initiator component 104 operable to receive the query. In one optional aspect, search initiator component 104 may further obtain enhancement data to add to the query. For example, enhancement data may include, but is not limited to, data such as location-related data corresponding to the access terminal 102, user profile data, access terminal configuration data, any data relating to the access terminal 102, any data relating to the user of the access terminal, any data relating to the environment associated with the access terminal, or any combination thereof. System 100 may allow for the addition of the enhancement data to provide a context to the query, and to further allow the search results to be customized to the respective user.
Optionally, system 100 may include a bias identification component 108 operable to identify a particular bias for use with the query, or to input bias data into system 100. For example, bias identification component 108 may receive from the user an indication of a friend, or a friends list or group, to be used in performing searches to generate biased search results. In another example, bias identification component 108 may receive inputs including, but not limited to, user preferences, transactions, feedback or opinions, or combinations thereof, for input into a database for use in biasing search results, either for the user or for another user who has identified the user as a friend or as part of a group or friends list.
Subsequently, search initiator component 104 may forward the query, and optionally the enhancement data, to a search engine component 108 for processing. For example, search engine component 108 is operable to search one or more computer systems, such as the World Wide Web, to gather information related to the query, and optionally further considering the enhancement data. The gathered information may be referred to as a search result. For example, the search result includes, but is not limited to, data as well as interactive links to the source of the data within the respective computer system.
Once a search result has been obtained, system 100 includes one or more components operable to modify or bias the search result according to bias data from one or more friends or groups as identified by bias identification component 106. For example, one or more friends, groups, or friends lists, each having corresponding bias data, may be stored in a friends bias component 110. Friends bias component 110 may include a memory, storage, or any combination thereof, for retaining the bias data. As noted above, the bias data may include any data associated with the respective friend that can be used to reformulate or filter the search result. For example, bias data may include, but is not limited to, data such as an opinion responsive to a polling question, transactional data gathered from a transaction such as a purchase made by the friend, friend profile data including demographic and/or psychographic data, and location-related data. In one aspect, a bias manager component 112 may be operable to establish one or more groups or friends lists for the user on friends bias component 110, including the identification of one or more friends and their corresponding bias data. For example, in a data collection mode, bias manager component 112 may be operable to gather the bias data from each friend established in friends bias component 110, and to manage the list of friends for each of a plurality of users of system 100. It should be noted that bias manager component 112, although illustrated as an independent component in the depicted aspect, may be included as a part of friends bias component 110.
In a bias applying mode, system 100 is operable to consider the bias data corresponding to a friend or a friends lists or a group comprising a plurality of friends, as identified by bias identification component 106, according to one or more predetermined algorithms, routines or logic to generate a friends biased search result. Optionally, in the bias applying mode, system 100 may further consider the enhancement data in combination with the bias data in order to determine the friends biased search result. In one aspect, search engine component 108 is operable to gather the respective bias data and generate the biased search result. In another aspect, friends bias component 110 is operable to generate the biased search result. In still another aspect, bias manager component 112 is operable to generate the biased search result.
In any case, the biased search result responsive to the query of the user is obtained on access terminal 102. A search result review component 114 is operable to receive or access the biased search result, and output the biased search result for presentation to the user. Further, for example in a case where the biased search result comprises one or more links to information, such as web pages on the World Wide Web, search result review component 114 may be further operable to receive user inputs to further interact with search engine component 108 to gather desired information corresponding to a selected link. In another aspect, search result review component 114 may additionally interact with search initiator component 104, bias identification component 106, or a combination thereof, to reformulate the query or input a new query, or change the indicated friends bias, based on the biased search result, for submission to search engine component 108.
Therefore, responsive to a search engine query, system 100 allows for obtaining friends biased search results likely to have a higher degree of relevance to a user compared to generic search results returned by other search engines.
It should be noted that one or more of the components of
Referring to
Access terminal 200 includes processor component 202 for carrying out processing functions associated with one or more of components and functions described herein. Processor component 202 can include a single or multiple set of processors or multi-core processors. Moreover, processing component 210 can be implemented as an integrated processing system and/or a distributed processing system.
Access terminal 200 further includes a memory 204, such as for storing local versions of applications being executed by processor component 202. Memory 204 can include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or a combination thereof.
Further, access terminal 200 includes a communications component 206 that provides for establishing and maintaining communications with one or more parties utilizing hardware, software, and services as described herein. Communications component 206 may carry communications between components on access terminal 200, as well as between access terminal 200 and external devices, such as devices located across a communications network and/or devices serially or locally connected to access terminal 200. For example, but not limited hereto, communications component 206 is operable to provide an interface between search initiator component 104 and search engine component 108, between bias identification component 106 and friends bias component 110 and/or bias manager component 112, and between search result review component 114 and search engine component 108.
Additionally, access terminal 200 may further include a data store 206, which can be any suitable combination of hardware and/or software, that provides for mass storage of information, databases, and programs employed in connection with aspects described herein.
Access terminal 200 may additionally include a user interface component 210 operable to receive inputs from a user of access terminal 200, and to generate outputs for presentation to the user. User interface component 210 may include one or more input devices, including but not limited to a keyboard, a number pad, a mouse, a touch-sensitive display, a navigation key, a function key, a microphone, a voice recognition component, any other mechanism capable of receiving an input from a user, or any combination thereof. Further, user interface component 210 may include one or more output devices, including but not limited to a display, a speaker, a haptic feedback mechanism, a printer, any other mechanism capable of presenting an output to a user, or any combination thereof.
Additionally, in the illustrated aspect, access terminal 200 may include search initiator component 104, bias identification component 106 and search result review component 114, as discussed above. In the depicted aspect, search engine component 108, friends bias component 110 and bias manager component 112 may be located on one or more other devices, for instance on one or more network servers. It should be noted, however, that all or some portion of one or any combination of search engine component 108, friends bias component 110 and bias manager component 112 may be located locally on access terminal 200, for example, to assist in generating biased search results when access terminal 200 is not in communication with a communications network.
In one optional aspect, access terminal 200 may additionally include an enhancement data component 212 operable to gather or generate or manage, or any combination thereof, the enhancement data that may be used to supplement the query submitted by the user to search engine component 108. For example, the enhancement data may include, but is not limited to, data such as location-related data corresponding to the access terminal, user profile data, access terminal hardware configuration data, access terminal software configuration data, access terminal firmware configuration data, any other data relating to the access terminal, any other data relating to the user of the access terminal, any other data relating to the environment associated with the access terminal, or any combination thereof. Such data may be obtained from components operating on access terminal, such as subsystems associated with processor component 202 or other components or applications executed by processor component 202 or in communication with access terminal 200. For example, enhancement data component 212 may include data from a position/location system, including an independent geographic positioning system such as GPS, a communications network-based positioning system, or some combination of both. Further, enhancement data component 212 may include user profile information that includes demographic data or psychographic data, or some combination thereof, of the user that may be gathered based on polling questions or based on monitoring user activity with respect to the utilization of components on access terminal 200 or based on monitoring interactions between access terminal 200 and external devices. Further, enhancement data component 212 may be operable to interface with search initiator component 104 in order to supplement the query with corresponding enhancement data to provide context for the query. Additionally, enhancement data component 212 may be further operable to interface with any other components of system 100 to facilitate the functionality described herein.
Additionally, access terminal 200 may execute any one of search initiator component 104, bias identification component 106, search result review component 114 and enhancement data component 212 via processor component 202, store corresponding data and information in one or both of memory 204 and data store 208, transfer corresponding messages and data locally or externally via communications component 206, and receive corresponding inputs and generate corresponding outputs via user interface 210.
Referring to
Network device 300 includes a processor component 302 for carrying out processing functions associated with one or more of components and functions described herein. Processor component 302 can include a single or multiple set of processors or multi-core processors. Moreover, processor component 302 can be implemented as an integrated processing system and/or a distributed processing system.
Network device 300 further includes a memory 304, such as for storing local versions of applications being executed by processor component 302. Memory 304 can include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or a combination thereof.
Further, network device 300 includes a communications component 306 that provides for establishing and maintaining communications with one or more parties utilizing hardware, software, and services as described herein. Communications component 306 may carry communications between components on network device 300, as well as between network device 300 and external devices, such as access terminal 200, and including devices located across a communications network and/or devices serially or locally connected to network device 300. For example, but not limited hereto, communications component 306 is operable to provide an interface between search engine component 108 and search initiator component 104, between friends bias component 110 and/or bias manager component 112 and bias identification component 106, and between search engine component 108 and search result review component 114.
Additionally, network device 300 may further include a data store 306, which can be any suitable combination of hardware and/or software, that provides for mass storage of information, databases, and programs employed in connection with aspects described herein.
Network device 300 may additionally include a user interface component 310 operable to receive inputs from a user of network device 300, and to generate outputs for presentation to the user. User interface component 310 may include one or more input devices, including but not limited to a keyboard, a number pad, a mouse, a touch-sensitive display, a navigation key, a function key, a microphone, a voice recognition component, any other mechanism capable of receiving an input from a user, or any combination thereof. Further, user interface component 310 may include one or more output devices, including but not limited to a display, a speaker, a haptic feedback mechanism, a printer, any other mechanism capable of presenting an output to a user, or any combination thereof.
Additionally, in the illustrated aspect, network device 300 may include search engine component 108, friends bias component 110 and bias manager component 112, as discussed above. In the depicted aspect, search initiator component 104, bias identification component 106 and search result review component 114 may be located on one or more other devices, for instance on one or more access terminals 200 (
In some optional aspects, network device 300 may additionally include enhancement data component 212, as described in detail above. In these optional aspects, enhancement data component 212 may be operable to gather or generate or manage, or any combination thereof, the enhancement data that may be used to supplement the query submitted by the user to search engine component 108. For instance, due to limited memory or processing resources, enhancement data component 212 may be resident on network device 300, which is likely to have more available resources than a resourced constrained access terminal such as a wireless device.
Additionally, network device 300 may execute any one of search engine component 108, friends bias component 110, bias manager component 112 and enhancement data component 212 via processor component 302, store corresponding data and information in one or both of memory 304 and data store 308, transfer corresponding messages and data locally or externally via communications component 306, and receive corresponding inputs and generate corresponding outputs via user interface 310.
Referring to
The method further includes receiving query data from the user (Block 404). For example, the user may input a search query into an application or service running on a device, which is operable to perform search engine functionality or interface with a search engine. A part of receiving the query data may include receiving an identification of a search engine to be used, and/or an identification of a computer system to be searched with respect to the query.
In an optional aspect, the method may further include adding enhancement data to the query. For example, the enhancement data may be added as indicated by a user, or the method may have a predetermined setting that allows for enhancement data to be added. For instance, the method may include receiving a query relating to a given product or service, and the method may include adding a geographic location of the device to the query in order to provide a context to the query. Further, for example, the method includes the addition of other types of enhancement data, such as data relating to the device, data relating to the user of the device, and combinations thereof.
The method further includes transmitting the query, and optionally any supplemental enhancement data, for use in performing a search of information relating to the query on one or more computer systems (Block 408). For example, the method may include transmitting the query to one or more search engines each operable to gather query-related data from one or more computer systems. Such a search engine may be resident on the device receiving the query, or on an external device such as a server communicating across a communications network. Further, the search engine in receipt of the query may include, or may be in communication with friends bias data for use in modifying search results to generate friends biased search results. The respective friends bias data utilized corresponds to data associated with the identified friends (Block 402).
The method additionally includes receiving a friends biased search result in response to the query (Block 410). As noted above, in one example, this action includes receiving the friends biased search result from another device across a communications network, such as a network server. In another example, a non-biased search result may be received on the query-transmitting device, and another component on the device may have access to either a resident or a remote database of friends bias data corresponding to the identified friends (Block 402), and may further generate the friends biased search result. For example, the friends biased search result includes modifications to the non-biased search result based on the bias data of the identified friends. The modifications, for example, may be made according to a predetermined algorithm, routine, heuristic, neural network, or any other one or combination of decision-making mechanisms. Further, the modifications may involve including, excluding, reordering, or a combination thereof, of the original information in the search result according to the friends bias data, thereby resulting in the friends biased search result. Additionally, it should be noted that the friends biased search results may be stored in a memory or data store.
Further, the method includes outputting the friends biased search results for presentation to the user (Block 412). For example, the method may include displaying or printing out the biased search results in a manner to be viewed by the user. Also, the method may include audibly reciting the biased search results, or any other method of conveying the biased search results in a manner that can be understood by the user. Additionally, for example, this aspect of the method may further include outputting the search results in an interactive manner that allows the user to gather additional information corresponding to an item within the biased search result, such as clicking on a link to a web page, or that allows the user to modify any aspect of the original query to further refine the query.
In an optional aspect, the method may further include the collection of feedback from the user with respect to the query, or with respect to bias data for use in the operation of the system. In particular, the method may include receiving and presenting to the user a request for feedback or bias data (Block 414). As noted, the feedback may be based on the actions taken by the user after receiving the biased search results. For example, if a user decides to purchase a good or service based on the biased search result, the system may prompt the user to provide feedback relating to the purchased good or service. In another aspect, this request may relate to the collection of bias data of the respective user for use in the system to help produce biased search results for queries on which the user has been identified as a friend. As such, this request may be a polling question to establish a user opinion, may be triggered by actions of the user such as related to a commercial transaction, etc.
Further, this optional aspect includes receiving feedback data or bias data in response to the request (Block 416). For example, such data may be proactively entered by the user, or may be passively tracked by a component of the device of the user.
Additionally, this optional aspect further includes transmitting the feedback data or bias data for use in the friends bias search result system (Block 418). For example, the method may include transmitting the feedback data or bias data to another computer device across a network, such as a network server, or to a local component operable to manage biasing activities.
Thus, the above-described method allows for the identification of friends for use in modifying search results to obtain friends biased search results, and for the collection of feedback data or bias data for use in the method.
Referring to
The method further includes determining search results in response to the query (Block 504). For example, determining search results includes identifying matches between data in the query and data associated with information in one or more computer systems. For instance, a web search engine may determine search results comprising data associated with and links to web pages on the World Wide Web.
Additionally, the method includes determining friends corresponding to the query or to the user submitting the query (Block 506). For example, as noted above, the query may include an identifier that indicates predetermined friends for use in modifying search results. For instance, the system may include a list of friends, and the determination may include the identification of one or a group of friends from a friends list. In other aspects, for example, the determining of friends may be based on identifying a system setting that identifies friends for a given user or device. Still other aspects include separate communications received from the user that define friends for use in determining the result of the query.
The method further includes biasing the search results according to bias data of the identified friends (Block 508). For example, the biasing includes modifying information within the search results to include, exclude, or include and exclude, portions of the information depending on the friends bias data. For instance, the inclusion of information may involve generating biased search results having items that match with, correspond to, or correlate with the bias data. For instance, a predetermined algorithm, heuristic, neural network, artificial intelligence, or any combination thereof, may be used to perform the matching and organize the results, which may include reordering items within the search result or which may involve only including matching information. On the other hand, for instance, the exclusion of information may operate to remove matching/corresponding/correlating information from the search results, or to move the matching information to a lower priority than the non-matching information, in order to generate the biased search result.
The method may further include transmitting the friends biased search results for presentation to the user (Block 510). For example, the transmitting may include forwarding the biased search results across a communications network to a device of the user initiating the query. In another example, the transmitting may involve forwarding the bias search results locally on a single device to another device component operable to save and/or output the biased search results.
In additional optional aspects, the method may further include collecting of feedback or bias data for use in the system. As such, the method may optionally include transmitting a feedback or bias data request to prompt a user or user device to supply feedback or bias data (Block 512). For example, the feedback request may be based on the biased search result of the query. In another example, the request for bias data may be part of the management of the system in order to stock the biasing components with relevant bias data.
Further, this optional aspect of the method may additionally include receiving feedback data or bias data in response to the request (Block 514). In one aspect, the feedback or bias data may be input by a user and received from a local or remote user device. In another aspect, the feedback or bias data may be passively collected from the user device.
Additionally, this optional aspect of the method further includes updating the friends bias data in the system with the received feedback or bias data (Block 516). For example, updating of the friends bias data may include adding the data to a memory, data store or other database operable to retain the data in relation to the respective user who supplied the data. Such data may then be utilized to generate biased search results in the manner described above.
As illustrated in
Upon review of the search engine results, if Mike decides to visit the recommended restaurant, Mike may inform the friends database of Mike's decision, along with Mike's feedback regarding the cheesecake (and/or other food) served at the restaurant. Mike's access terminal may also be configured to prompt Mike to enter Mike's feedback regarding the cheesecake and/or associated restaurant, which may then be stored in the friends database. In one application, a message (e.g., short message service (SMS)) may be sent to Mike's access terminal, prompting Mike to send Mike's feedback regarding the cheesecake (and/or other food) at the restaurant to the corresponding AN, which may then forward the information to the friends database. In another application, Mike's activities (e.g., time and frequency associated with visiting the cheesecake restaurant) may be monitored by various types of proximity detection services (e.g. AT, RFID, GPS, AT, credit card transaction, camera, and other monitoring/tracking means), and further stored in the friends database. The feedback information may aid Mike and Mike's friends in future searches.
In one implementation, search engine gateway, filter engine, info engine database, and friends database illustrated in
An example of how an FSE may use information provided by the friends database to improve/enhance the search results is illustrated as follows.
An example of using a pet (e.g., dog) as a friend entity) is illustrated as follows:
As illustrated in
In one implementation, tagging may be used to mark the search. Tagging may be in the form of a timestamp or handle, for example.
In another aspect, dynamic behavior may be implemented in a search process, e.g., displaying a link which has just been visited by a friend. Such allows the search information returned to Mike to be updated more readily (e.g., in substantially real-time) when a friend (e.g., Bob) follows a link.
The friends lists and the friends database (such as described above) may be updated in various manners. For example, the user's access terminal may prompt the user to send feedback associated with one or more search results (e.g., the restaurants and dog parks described above) to the friends database. The user may voluntarily send updated information (e.g., places recently visited, changes in location, hobbies, preferences, etc.) to the friends database. In some embodiments, a user's purchasing history may be collected and used as a bias input in connection with searches. Various proximity services (e.g., RFID, GPS, store tracking, camera, AT, and other monitoring/tracking means) may also be utilized in monitoring/tracking users' activities and working in conjunction with the friends database.
The example of
In the data collector case of the method, the method includes gathering bias data from a user based on actions or tasks performed by the user. For example, the user performs a location specific task (Event 806), such as purchasing a good or service. Upon completion of the task, the method includes asking the user for experience specific information (Event 808), such as an identification of and opinion related to the good or service purchased. Optionally, at any time after entering the participating location, information about the location (Event 810) may be transmitted to the user (Event 812), for example, triggered by an RFID token at an entrance or from an RFID credit card machine. Further, the method involves transmitting the gathered data to the friends biasing system (Event 814), where the gathered data is stored as bias data for the respective user (Block 816). When a user sends a search request for a new Asian restaurant, for instance, the results may be weighted based on the frequency of visits by other users on user's friends list.
Additionally, in a data user case, the method includes a user being informed of the bias data from one or more friends (Event 818), for example, based on the data gathered in the data collector case. Further, the method then includes the user being able to make a decision about the user's action based on the received friends bias data (Event 820). Optionally, at any time after entering the participating location, information about the location (Event 810) may be transmitted to the user (Event 822), for example, triggered by an RFID token at an entrance or from an RFID credit card machine for the use of the user while at the location.
The friends list need not be restricted to entities (e.g., people) the user initiating the search knows. The friends list may be based on location, age, gender, hobbies, demographics, organizations/affiliations, etc. For instance, a friends list may include all the males between 30 and 40 years old in Chicago, Ill. A user may use such a friends list to search for sports bars in Chicago, for example.
One or more aspects disclosed herein provide targeted search results based on user-based biases. One must appreciate that other aspects and implementations may exist. Various disclosed embodiments may be implemented in a search engine, a server, an access terminal, an AN, and other means.
Various units/modules and aspects disclosed herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In a hardware implementation, various units may be implemented within one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processors (DSP), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), processors, microprocessors, controllers, microcontrollers, programmable logic devices (PLD), other electronic units, or any combination thereof. In a software implementation, various units may be implemented with one or more modules (e.g., procedures, functions, and so on) that perform the functions described herein. The software codes may be stored in a memory unit and executed by at least one processor (or processing unit). The memory unit may be implemented within the processor or external to the processor, in which case it can be communicatively coupled to the processor via various means known in the art.
Those of skilled in the art would understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.
Those of skilled in the art would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention.
The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. Additionally, at least one processor may comprise one or more modules operable to perform one or more of the steps and/or actions described above.
The steps or actions of a method or algorithm described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. Additionally, in some aspects, the steps and/or actions of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and/or instructions on a machine readable medium and/or computer readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computer program product. A software module may reside in random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in an access terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in an access terminal.
The previous description of the disclosed implementations is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present aspects. Various modifications to these implementations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present aspects are not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
The present Application for Patent claims priority to Provisional Application No. 60/841,805 entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING IMPROVED SEARCH RESULTS USING USER-BASED BIASES” filed Aug. 31, 2006, and assigned to the assignee hereof and hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60841805 | Aug 2006 | US |
