Patent Document ID: 8285706
Application ID: 12481595

Base Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method for using a human computation game to improve search engine performance, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for: displaying a page to two or more players via a multi-player game; upon displaying the page, receiving first terms from a first player and receiving second terms from a second player, causing a search engine to return first candidate pages in response to performing a first query using the first terms, causing the search engine to return second candidate pages in response to performing a second query using the second terms, assigning points to the first player if the first candidate pages returned by the search engine include the page displayed before the second candidate pages returned by the search engine include the page displayed, and assigning the points to the second player if the second candidate pages returned by the search engine include the page displayed before the first candidate pages returned by the search engine include the page displayed; storing one or more of the first terms and the second terms provided by the two or more players during play of the multi-player game and associated data; and utilizing the one or more of the first terms and the second terms and the associated data to improve results returned by the search engine.

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Claim 3:
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising: displaying a third page to the two or more players via a second multi-player game; upon displaying the third page, receiving third terms from the first player and receiving fourth terms from the second player, causing the search engine to return third candidate pages in response to performing a third query using the third terms, causing the search engine to return fourth candidate pages in response to performing a fourth query using the fourth terms, and assigning third points to the first player and the second player when the first player and the second player agree and correctly indicate that they are viewing the same or a different page as the other player; storing one or more of the third terms and the fourth terms provided by the two or more players during play of the second multi-player game and associated third data; and utilizing the one or more of the third terms and the fourth terms and the associated third data to improve results returned by the search engine.