Patent Document ID: 7627548
Application ID: 11283833

Base Claim:
1. A method performed by a server, the method comprising: identifying, by a processor of the server, prior query data, where the prior query data includes at least query term information and category information associated with search results returned based on the query term information, where the prior query data further includes at least: query terms associated with a user query for business listing information, a resulting business name returned in response to the user query, and a resulting business category associated with the resulting business name; determining, by the processor, whether the category information is a synonym for the query term information, where the determining comprises: determining whether the prior query data relates to a name query or a categorical query, determining whether the query terms are a candidate synonym of the resulting business category when the prior query data relates to a categorical query, determining whether a query, category pair, associated with the prior query data, is a hyponym, rejecting the query terms as a synonym of the resulting business category when the query, category pair, associated with the prior query data, is a hyponym, and accepting the query terms as a synonym of the resulting business category when the query, category pair associated with the prior query data is not a hyponym; receiving, by the processor, a subsequent search request relating to the query term information or the category information; refining, by the processor, the subsequent search request based on the query term information and the category information when the query term information is a synonym for the category information; performing, by the processor, a search based on the refined search request; and providing, by the processor, search results based on the search.

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Claim 5:
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the prior query data relates to a name query or a categorical query, further comprises: determining whether the query term information relates to a request for a business name or a business category.