Patent Document ID: 7505961
Application ID: 11368814

Base Claim:
1. A method for generating search results, the method executed by a computer having at least one processor, the method comprising: receiving a query; comparing the query to either: (a) a plurality of documents, or (b) information representative of said plurality of documents; creating, for at least a first document of the plurality, a score data structure which comprises a plurality of fields of information containing numerical values regarding a plurality of aspects of how the first document compares to the query; selecting, based on a function, a first rank set from a plurality of rank sets, wherein each of the rank sets comprises a plurality of formulas, each formula including at least one different weighted value and each formula operable to compute a scalar score based on score data structures; selecting, for at least the first document of the plurality, a specific formula from the first rank set, the specific formula selected in accordance with a document type associated with the first document; computing a scalar score for at least said first document by applying the specific formula selected from the plurality of formulas in said first rank set to said score data structure; and generating a ranking for at least the first document based at least in part on the computed scalar score.

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Claim 5:
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of formulas computes said scalar score as a mathematical function of said plurality of fields.