Table of contents for search query refinement

• US 10,162,869 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lane, Mira, Flynn, Javier Garcia, Ray, Paul, Malahy, Evan, Connell, Derrick, MacDonald, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Cheyne D
• Application Number:
  US14/202,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 707765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods and a computing system are provided for presenting a new user interface paradigm which allows users to explore facets related to a search query term while maintaining the original state of the search query term or staying within the confines of the user defined topic. The methods and system present facets or categories of relevant topics of a user generated search query term. The user may then explore these facets in a number of embodiments while maintaining the state of the search.

Claims

1. One or more memory devices having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for providing a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving a search query term;

communicating, to a back end server, the search query term to cause a first set of search results and a set of facets for the search query term to be generated, wherein the query term is associated with a first identifier;

receiving, from the back end server, the first set of search results and the set of facets for the search query term;

causing display of the first set of search results and the set of facets for the search query term;

receiving a selected facet from the set of facets;

communicating, based on receiving the selected facet from the set of facets, to the back end server, both the selected facet and the search query term to cause a second set of search results based on the selected facet and the search query term, to be generated;

matching a second identifier of the selected facet to the first identifier of the search query term, wherein the combination of operations of communicating the search query term to the back end server and matching the second identifier to the first identifier, supports maintaining a state of the search query term in that communicating the search query term along with the selected facet and matching the second identifier to the first identifier operates as an indication that the set of facets corresponding to the search query term are to remain available for display;

receiving, from the back end server, the set of facets for the search query term and a second set of search results, the set of facets is received based on communicating the search query term;

based on receiving the set of facets for the search query term and the second set of search results, causing concurrent display of;

(1) the second set of search results based on the search query term and the selected facet; and

(2) the set of facets corresponding to the search query term, wherein the state of the search query term is maintained based on communicating the search query term.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of search results are generated using the search query term and the selected facet as a refinement query.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing display of a set of sub facets, wherein the set of sub facets are generated using the search query term and the selected facet as a refinement query.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing display a graphical indication highlighting the selected facet.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

causing display of one or more static facets, wherein the static facets allow the user to refine search results.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a second selected facet; and

causing display of a third set of search results, wherein the third set of search results are generated using the search query term and the second selected facet as a refinement query.

7. One or more memory devices having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for providing a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving a search query term;

communicating the search query term to cause a first set of search results and a set of facets for the search query term to be generated, wherein the query term is associated with a first identifier;

receiving the first set of search results and the set of facets for the search query term;

causing display of the first set of search results and the set of facets for the search query term;

receiving a selected facet from the set of facets, wherein the selected facet from the set of facets is associated with a second identifier;

communicating both the selected facet and the search query term to cause a second set of search results and set of sub facets, based on the selected facet and the search query term, to be generated;

matching the second identifier of the selected facet to first identifier of the search query term, wherein the combination of operations of communicating the search query term and matching the second identifier to the first identifier, supports maintaining a state of the search query term, in that communicating the search query term along with the selected facet and matching the second identifier to the first identifier operates as an indication that the set of facets corresponding to the search query term are to remain available for display;

causing display of the set of facets corresponding to the search query term, wherein the state of the search query term is maintained based on communicating the search query term; and

causing display of the second set of search results and the set of sub facets, wherein the set of sub facets are generated using the search query term and the selected facet as a refinement query.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a selected sub facet; and

causing display of a third set of search results and the set of sub facets.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the third set of search results are generated using the search query term, the selected facet, and the selected sub facet as a refinement query.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

causing concurrent display of;

(1) a first graphical indication highlighting the selected facet; and

(2) a second graphical indication highlighting the selected sub facet.

11. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising:

causing display of one or more static facets, wherein the static facet allows the user to refine search results.

12. The method of claim 7, the method further comprising:

receiving a selected static facet; and

refining the second set of search results using the selected static facet.

13. One or more memory devices having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for providing a user interface, the method comprising:

receiving a search query term;

storing the search query term in a database, wherein the search query term is associated with a first identifier;

generating a set of facets for the search query term;

communicating for display the set of facets for the search query term;

receiving a selected facet from the set of facets;

storing the selected facet, wherein the selected facet is associated with a second identifier;

matching the second identifier of the selected facet to the first identifier of the search query term, wherein the combination of operations of receiving the selected facet and matching the second identifier to the first identifier supports maintaining the state of the search query term corresponding to the set of facets when the selected facet corresponds to a facet in the set of facets of the search query term, wherein the selected facet that corresponds to the facet in the set of facets operates as an indication that the set of facets corresponding to the search query term will remain available on display, wherein maintaining comprises;

(1) recalling the search query term from the database; and

(2) re-generating the set of facets of the search query term; and

communicating for display the set of facets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein storing the search query term further comprises:

wherein the first identifier and the second identifier are source identifiers used to identify the selected facet as corresponding the search query term.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a second selected facet from the set of facet; and

maintaining the state of the search query term corresponding to the set of facets when the second selected facet corresponds to the set of facets of the search query term, wherein maintaining comprises;

(1) recalling the search query term from the stored location;

(2) re-generating the set of facets of the search query term and a set of sub facets for the search query term and the second selected facet.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

communicating for display the set of facets and the set of sub facets.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a selected sub facet; and

maintaining the state of the search query term corresponding to the set of facets and the set of sub facets when the selected sub facet corresponds to the set of sub facets of the search query term.

18. The method of claim 13, the method further comprising:

communicating for display one or more static facets, wherein the static facets allow the user to refine search results.

19. The method of claim 18, the method further comprising:

receiving a selected static facet; and

refining a set of search results for the search query term using the selected static facet.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a second search query term, wherein a second set of facets for the second search query term does not correspond to the set of facets of the search query term;

communicating for display second set of facets for the second search query term such that a state of the first set of facets is not maintained.