Patent ID: 7774339

Claim:
A method of performing searching of information, given an information retrieval query submitted by a current user, the method comprising: executing the information retrieval query to obtain information retrieval search results for the information retrieval query; automatically searching stored search trails of prior users in response to receiving the information retrieval query, the search trails indicating one or more interaction paths followed by the prior users, the interaction paths each comprising a temporally ordered sequence of viewed web pages beginning with search results returned to the prior users in response to submitting the information retrieval query wherein the interaction paths searched include a query reformulation path in which the prior users reformulated the information retrieval query and accessed sites or domains returned in response to a search performed for the reformulated information retrieval query; identifying sites or domains in the information retrieval search results and additional sites or domains, in addition to those in the information retrieval search results, from the search trails accessed wherein identifying the additional sites and domains includes identifying the additional sites or domains based on the sites or domains accessed by the prior users on the interaction paths after reformulating the information retrieval query, the additional sites or domains being displayed on the user interface before the current user reformulates the information retrieval query; and generating a user interface displaying a search results page with both the sites or domains in the information retrieval search results for the information retrieval query and links to the additional sites or domains.