Abstract:
A system and related techniques generate a survey to capture user feedback about the quality of search results, in a continuous context with the user&#39;s Web page or other search activity. According to embodiments, a survey frame inviting the user to undertake a set of search questions may be presented within the same set of page frames which display the search results, so that the user may choose to answer the survey while still viewing their search results, or selected Web sites or other hits. According to further embodiments, rather than being presented within the frame structure of a page, the survey may be presented from within a browser toolbar extension, side-by-side or otherwise arranged within the environment of the user&#39;s search activity. Unlike other feedback gathering platforms which may force the user to navigate to a new page to view and respond to questions, or transmit email questionnaires after the fact, according to the invention in one regard the user may be prompted into a dialogue to supply feedback about their search experience, while still within the contextual workflow of that experience, and still being able to view or review results or content which they have received. User distraction is therefore minimized while feedback quality may be improved. The user feedback which rates the quality or accuracy of the search results or search experience may in embodiments be stored and used to train search intelligence, or for other purposes.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     Not applicable.  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     Not applicable.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The invention relates to the field of computerized information retrieval, and more particularly to systems and methods for generating and exposing a survey sequence which ranks or rates search results, from within the contextual workflow of the user&#39;s search experience.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     As Internet and other search technology matures and deepens the ability to collect user feedback about the quality and accuracy of search results and the uses&#39; search experience has become more useful and necessary. Search services or engines may seek to have users answer a questionnaire about the accuracy or quality of the results returned to a user input, to help train search intelligence and assess the overall operation of the service. Search services today may generate a dialogue to present to the user to ask them, for instance, to rate their satisfaction on a numerical or other scale, rate the perceived accuracy in the results or offer other input or feedback. That feedback may be stored to a database for mining, training and other purposes.  
         [0005]     However, search questionnaires or dialogues as presently implemented suffer from certain drawbacks or disadvantages, in terms of efficiency and contextual workflow. For example, some search services may present a popup or other invitation to a user to answer a survey about their search results, activation of which however causes another browser window to open to present the questions or rating selections. Separating the questionnaire presentation from the search presentation interrupts the contextual workflow, forces the user to flip back and forth between pages to review results and survey questions, may slow down the user&#39;s resumption of search activity and also may lead to less accurate survey feedback, since the user may rush through the response sequence or forget details of the search, since a few seconds or a few minutes of time may be required to complete the survey page.  
         [0006]     On the other hand, some search platforms have attempted to gather user feedback through the avenue of specially-modified Web browsers or other applications, which approach may introduce separate difficulties in user adoption and installation, compatibility, versioning and other operational aspects. Other known survey techniques may include transmission of survey questionnaires to a user by email, which however may involve even greater contextual separation and other problems, including that not all search users may wish to share or may have available email addresses. Other problems in search survey technology exist.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The invention overcoming these and other problems in the art relates in one regard to a system and method for generating a contextual survey sequence for search results, in which an Internet search or other search user may be presented with a survey to gather feedback about their search experience, inline with the workflow and environment of the user&#39;s search activity as or after it occurs. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, a user who has received a set of search results may also be presented with an integrated survey frame within a Web page which invites the user to enter a survey dialogue, which dialogue is then generated within that same page or environment, with search results or selected pages or other content still displayed or selectable within the page. According to embodiments of the invention in another regard, the survey dialogue or sequence may be generated and presented to the user as an extension to a Web browser toolbar, exposing an invitation to enter a survey sequence from that point. The survey dialogue may then be executed within that toolbar or panel. According to embodiments of the invention in a general regard, the user who chooses to opt in to responding to a search survey may thus experience a comparatively convenient dialogue within the page or environment of their search activity, and with minimal distraction from their search context or workflow. Moreover, because in one regard the users&#39; feedback may be collected contemporaneously, or close to contemporaneously, with their search navigation, the quality or accuracy of the users&#39; responses and details about their search experience may be more faithfully captured. The captured feedback may then be used for training of search intelligence, to use as data for human search rating or review, or other purposes. Individual survey sequences may be presented or re-presented for individual selected Web sites or other results, or for refined or repeated queries and their overall results.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  illustrates an environment in which a system and method for generating a contextual survey sequence for search results may operate, according to embodiments of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  illustrates a survey sequence which may be generated or presented when a user elects to participate in a survey dialogue related to search, according to embodiments of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of overall survey sequence processing, according to embodiments of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  illustrates an environment in which a system and method for generating a survey sequence for search results may operate, according to further embodiments of the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of overall survey sequence processing, according to further embodiments of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates an environment in which a system and method for generating a contextual survey sequence for search results may operate, according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in that figure a user may operate a client  102  such as a personal computer, network-enabled cellular telephone, personal digital assistant or other machine or hardware to perform search activity including entering key word or other queries or searches, accessing online or other content and receiving and manipulating search results. More particularly and as shown, a user may operate a client interface  104  such as a graphical user interface, command-line, voice-operated or other interface to enter search input  108 , for instance at a Web or other search page  106 , or other search site. Search input  108  may include for example one or more words or other alphanumeric, textual or other expressions, and may be transmitted to a search service  116  such as a public search engine or other search resource. The search service  116  may in general return a set of search results  110  to the client  102  or other machine or hardware, for the user to view, select, navigate and manipulate, which results may include for example a list of URLs (universal resource locators) or other addresses or identifiers of Web pages or other documents or content matching or related to the search input  108 . According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the set of search results  110  and other parts of or data constituting the search page  106  may consist of a set of page frames  126 , such as hyper text markup language (HTML) frames assembled into a Web page or other documents via a Web browser or other application. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, each frame in the set of page frames  126  may contain or consist of content drawn from separate URLs or other addresses or locators, assembled into a coherent larger document or page presentation via the Web browser or other tool.  
         [0014]     In addition to the delivery of the set of search results  110  themselves, according to embodiments of the invention in one regard the user may also be presented with a survey dialogue or questionnaire containing a series of questions inviting the user to rate the perceived accuracy, relevance, quality and other aspects of the user&#39;s search experience. More particularly, according to embodiments of the invention as shown, the user may be presented with a survey frame  112  within the set of pages frames  126 , to display an invitation or survey opt-in  114  for the user to initiate the process of answering a survey dialogue or sequence rating the user&#39;s search experience. The survey opt-in  114  and survey frame  112  containing that opt-in dialogue box or other selector may in embodiments be generated and presented by search service  116  upon delivery of the set of search results  110  to the client  102 , or generated by other resources or at other times.  
         [0015]     According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the selection or acceptance of the survey opt-in  114  may trigger the generation and presentation of a survey sequence  120  reflecting a set or series of questions regarding the quality, accuracy and other characteristics of the set of survey results  110 . According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the survey sequence may be accessed or generated by search service  116  or other resource, and transmitted to client  102  for presentation in the survey frame  112 . In general, user responses to those dialogues or questions may be captured and transmitted to search service  116  as survey response data  128 , which may for example be stored in a search log  118  or other database or data store. The survey response data  128  may be used by search service  116  or other resources or operators to train search intelligence, assess overall quality of operations, or for other purposes.  
         [0016]     However, according to embodiments of the invention in a general regard, because the survey frame  112  and ensuing survey sequence  120  are presented in a common environment with the set of search results  110  and other search activity, the user may be able to respond to the survey questions or requests for input with a contemporaneous impression of the accuracy or quality of the results. Moreover, because the survey sequence  120  may be presented via survey frame  112 , that frame and the survey questions may follow or remain presented to the user as they select and navigate to individual Web sites or other hits within the set of search results  110 , without interruption. The survey activity may thus remain in the context of the search activity, in a continuous manner. The survey response data  128  may thus be collected in relation to an individual page or result, multiple pages or results, or the set of search results  110  as a whole. Again, according to embodiments of the invention in a further regard, that survey response data  128  may be collected contemporaneously or close in time to the search activity, further enhancing the quality of that data. Moreover, according to embodiments of the invention in another regard, in part because the survey sequence  120  may be delivered via survey frame  112  which may consist in embodiments of an HTML-compatible, XML (extensible markup language)-compatible or other frame-based or frame-compatible format or layout, survey operations may be carried out via regular Web browsers or other applications, without a need for browsers or other applications which are specially modified for survey or feedback purposes.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a survey sequence  120  including a particular series of questions or invitations for input from a user, according to embodiments of the invention in one regard. In embodiments as shown, after selection of the survey opt-in  114  the user may be presented with a series of questions which as shown may ask the user to select rated, ordinal or ranked answers regarding the user&#39;s perceived satisfaction with their search, ease of use of the search service  116 , time efficiency in performing the search, accuracy of the search and other performance characteristics. User answers to those queries may for example be converted to numerical values according to the degree of satisfaction or other variable, which may for example be used to tabulate statistics about search results and other operational details of search service  116 . In embodiments as shown, the survey sequence  120  may likewise include a dialogue box for textual user response, which may for example be reviewed by human operators at a later time. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, the survey frame  112  may be refreshed to display one question in survey sequence  120  after the other, or multiple or all questions in survey sequence  120  may be displayed at the same time within survey frame  112 . According to embodiments of the invention in a further regard, the questions within survey sequence  120  may be adaptive or conditional, in that those questions may branch through a tree of various logical paths depending on inputs which the user supplies at a given point. Thus survey sequence  120  for a user who selects a response indicating only marginal accuracy in the results may descend into a set of further questions about the possible sources of the perceived inaccuracy, such as possible typographical errors or lack of interpreted relation between search terms. Other survey sequences  120  are possible. It may be noted that in cases where the user declines to accept survey opt-in  114 , the survey frame  112  may in embodiments be closed, or may in embodiments be left open to re-present survey opt-in  114  upon initiation of further or later search activity.  
         [0018]     Overall survey processing according to embodiments of the invention in one regard is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . In step  302 , processing may begin. In step  304 , a set of search input  108  may be received from a user or other source. In step  306 , a set of search results  110  may be generated by search service  116  or other search logic or resources, and presented to the user in a frame-based format such as HTML or other formats, layouts or page descriptors. In step  308 , the presentation of the set of search results  110  and/or the selection of a Web site or other content within those results may be detected. In step  310 , a survey frame  112  may be generated by search service  116  or other resource and transmitted to a browser or other application operating on client  102  or other destination.  
         [0019]     In step  312 , the user&#39;s survey opt-in  114  or other response may be received by search service  116  or other search logic or resource. In step  314 , the user may be presented with a survey sequence  120  such as a sequence of requests or dialogues to rate the quality, accuracy or other characteristics of the set of search results  110  and/or individually selected Web sites or other hits or content. Those ratings may be selectable by number, ordinal or qualitative rankings, or based on other measures, criteria or inputs. Survey sequence  120  may in embodiments include branched lines of questions or other sequences depending on user responses or other factors. In step  316 , the resulting survey response data  128  may be captured, for instance by search service  116  or other resource. In step  318 , the survey response data  128  may be stored to search log  118  or other data store. In step  320 , processing may repeat, return to a prior processing point, jump to a further processing point or end.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates an environment in which a system and method for generating a contextual survey sequence for search results may operate, according to a further embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in that figure a user may likewise operate a client  102  such as a personal computer, network-enabled cellular telephone, personal digital assistant or other machine or hardware to perform search activity, including to operate a browser  124  to navigate to a search page  106 , and for instance entering key word or other queries or search input  108  and receiving a set of search results  110  from a search service  116  as a result. According to embodiments of the invention as illustrated in that figure, upon delivery of the set of search results  110  or at other times, browser  124  may generate or present to the user a survey toolbar  122  which may prompt the user with a survey opt-in  114 , inviting the user to enter feedback, answer questions or supply input related to their search experience. In contrast for example to embodiments of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 1 , according to embodiments of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 4  the survey toolbar  122  may be part of the toolbar and control logic of browser  124  or other application itself, rather than encoded in a frame structure to be presented as part of an HTML or other page rendition. According to embodiments of the invention in this regard, the survey toolbar  122  may likewise display a survey sequence  120  to the user upon selection of survey opt-in  114 , from within the structure of that toolbar and related resources but in embodiments not necessarily dependent on search service  116  to receive that sequence or content. Survey toolbar  122  may however capture survey response data  128  as part of the local control logic of browser  124 , and transmit that data in the background or otherwise to the search service  116  for storage to search log  118  or other data stores. Survey response data  128  may again be used to train the search logic for search service  116  or other search resource, to assess customer satisfaction or other aspects of search operation. In embodiments of the invention as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , certain security or administrative advantages may be realized, including increased security of data since data in survey toolbar  122 , being embedded in browser  124  or other application, may not be easily viewed by frames in search page  106  or other potentially invasive code. It may be noted that in embodiments, the survey toolbar  122  may be implemented (as shown) to be selectable to be clicked away or terminated, or in embodiments may be implemented as a permanent toolbar feature. As in embodiments illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the survey sequence  120  presented via survey toolbar  122  may be associated with any one selected search result within the set of search results  110 , a group of selected results, or may be associated with or rate the set of search results  110 , as a whole. According to embodiments of the invention, in general, therefore the survey sequence  120  may consequently travel, be contextually associated with and be capable of collecting feedback on the user&#39;s experience in a continuous fashion, as they navigate various levels of search activity.  
         [0021]     Overall survey processing according to embodiments of the invention in a further regard is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . In step  502 , processing may begin. In step  504 , a set of search input  108  may be received from a user or other source. In step  506 , a set of search results  110  may be generated by search service  116  or other search logic or resources, and presented to the user in a frame or other format via browser  124  or other application. In step  508 , the presentation of the set of search results  110  and/or the selection of a Web site or other content within those results may be detected. In step  510 , a survey toolbar  122  may be generated and presented as part of, an extension to or in association with the toolbar resources of browser  124  or other application.  
         [0022]     In step  512 , the user&#39;s survey opt-in  114  or other response may be recognized and received by survey toolbar  122  or other logic or resource. In step  514 , the user may be presented with a survey sequence  120  within survey toolbar  122 , such as a sequence of requests or dialogues to rate the quality, accuracy or other characteristics of the set of search results  110  and/or individually selected Web sites or other hits or content. Those ratings may likewise be selectable by number, ordinal or qualitative rankings, or based on other measures, criteria or inputs. Survey sequence  120  may in embodiments likewise include branched series or lines of questions or other sequences depending on user responses or other factors.  
         [0023]     In step  516 , data related to the user, the set of search results  110 , user selection paths and other data related to the search activity may be exchanged by the survey toolbar  122  with search service  116  or other resource, as appropriate. In step  518 , the survey response data  128  generated in the user session may be captured, for instance by survey toolbar  122  and/or search service  116  or other resource. In step  520 , the survey response data  128  may be stored to search log  118  or other data store. In step  522 , processing may repeat, return to a prior processing point, jump to a further processing point or end.  
         [0024]     The foregoing description of the invention is illustrative, and modifications in configuration and implementation will occur to persons skilled in the art. For instance, while the invention in embodiments has generally been described in terms of search activity executed by way of an Internet-based search service  114 , in embodiments the search resources may include other public or private, online or offline search services or portals, such as search within intranets or privately held databases. In embodiments the search function may also be performed on a desktop basis, for instance to search a user&#39;s hard drive or other storage on client  102  for files or other content, or on other clients or machines.  
         [0025]     Similarly, while the invention has in embodiments been described as involving search activity conducted through a browser  124 , in embodiments other applications, utilities, tools or resources may be used or employed in search functions. Likewise, while the invention has in general been described as involving the rating or ranking of information retrieval services, in embodiments the invention may be used to generate contextual surveys within the environments of other activities as well.  
         [0026]     Furthermore, while in embodiments the search service  116 , search log  118  and other resources have generally been described as hosted or executed in a single site or resource, in embodiments that and other logic and functions may be deployed in a distributed manner over multiple machines, storage or other resources. Other hardware, software or other resources described as singular may in embodiments be distributed, and similarly in embodiments resources described as distributed may be combined. The scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims.