Netflix patents search system that explains why a show is missing
Netflix has been granted a patent for a search tool that guesses what users are looking for by comparing their typing to past viewing habits. It groups results into categories and uses this data to create specific answers, such as telling users if a title is not part of a specific collection.
In the filing’s own words
In various embodiments, an intent-based query processing application processes search queries. The intent-based query processing application computes lexical similarity scores between a search query and a set of entities. The intent-based query processing application computes entity relevance scores based on the lexical similarity scores and user engagement scores associated with both the search query and the set of entities. The intent-based query processing application computes a first category relevance score associated with both the search query and a first category based on the entity relevance scores. The intent-based query processing application determines an intent associated with the search query based on the first category relevance score. The intent-based query processing application generates a response to the search query based on the intent.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method for generating intent-informed responses to search queries, the method comprising: computing a plurality of lexical similarity scores between a search query and a plurality of entities; computing a plurality of entity relevance scores based on the plurality of lexical similarity scores and a plurality of user engagement scores, wherein the plurality of user engagement scores is based on historical engagement data associated with both the search query and the plurality of entities; computing a first category relevance score associated with both the search query and a first category, wherein each entity included in the plurality of entities is assigned to a category, and the first category relevance score is computed based on a subset of the plurality of entity relevance scores corresponding to entities that are assigned to the first category; determining an intent associated with the search query based on the first category relevance score; and generating a response to the search query that includes a first message indicating that a first media title associated with the search query is not included in a first collection of media titles based on the intent and the first category relevance score.
Facts
- Company
- Netflix (NETFLIX, INC.)
- Official title
- Techniques for automatically inferring intents of search queries
- Patent number
- US12748762B2
- Application number
- 18299674
- Filed
- Apr 12, 2023
- Granted
- Sep 29, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 19
Classified under
G06F 16/24578 Physics & computingG06F 16/285 Physics & computingMore from Netflix in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.