Patent Document ID: 7827172
Application ID: 11724559

Base Claim:
1. A method comprising the steps of: receiving a particular query that comprises one or more terms; in response to receiving the particular query: making a first plurality of comparisons, wherein each comparison in the first plurality of comparisons is based on the particular query and a different query of a plurality of queries, wherein the number of the first plurality of comparisons and the number of the plurality of queries is the same; making a second plurality of comparisons, wherein each comparison in the second plurality of comparisons is based on the particular query and a different query of the plurality of queries; based on the first plurality of comparisons, generating a first numerical value; based on the second plurality of comparisons, generating a second numerical value that is different than the first numerical value; determining a ratio between the first numerical value and the second numerical value; and ranking documents in a document set based, at least in part, on the ratio; wherein the steps are performed by one or more computer systems.

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Claim 16:
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more comparisons of the first plurality of comparisons include determinations of whether (1) said each query contains the particular query, (2) the particular query is not equal to said each query, (3) said each query does not begin with the particular query, and (4) said each query does not end with the particular query.