Patent ID: 7739408

Claim:
A method for search enhancement implemented on a network, comprising the steps of: transmitting to a user an interface for explicitly entering at least one quantized relevance value by the user in association with at least one general search parameter in regard to at least one presented subject matter, the interface comprising at least one general parameter value entry window for entering a general search parameter, at least one presented subject matter category, and at least one entry field for entering a quantized relevance value by the user to be associated with one of the presented subject matter categories and an entered general search parameter; receiving through the interface a general search parameter entered by the user, and a quantized relevance value entered by the user in association with one of the presented subject matter categories and the entered general search parameter; associating the received entered quantized relevance value and the received entered general search parameter with the user; storing the associated entered quantized relevance value and the associated entered general search parameter at a location that is accessible across the network; receiving a search query from the user over the network; retrieving the stored associated entered quantized relevance value and the associated entered general search parameter; categorizing the received search query within one of the presented subject matter categories; determining the relevance of the associated entered general search parameter within the presented subject matter category, based on the associated entered quantized relevance value; in response to the steps of categorizing the received search query and determining the relevance, creating a set of search parameters based on the received search query, the associated entered quantized relevance value and the associated entered general search parameter; and performing a search based on the set of created search parameters, wherein the step of performing the search based on the set of created search parameters comprises any of: using the associated entered general search parameter in conjunction with the received search query to perform the search if the associated entered general search parameter is determined to be relevant; performing the search with the received search query and subsequently refining search results with the associated entered general search parameter if the associated entered general search parameter is determined to be relevant; and performing the search with the received search query and subsequently providing any of organizing and storing of the search results with the associated entered general search parameter if the associated entered general search parameter is determined to be relevant.