Method for searching and device thereof

• US 10,223,466 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2018
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Woo-shik, Kang, Min-Jeong, Kong, Won-Keun, Joo, Ga-hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US15/986,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20180268068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 707722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7328 Query by example, e.g. a complete video frame or video sequence graphical querying G06F16/7335
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Provided are a method and an apparatus for searching for and acquiring information under a computing environment. The apparatus includes: at least one input device configured to receive a first query input of a first query type and a second query input of a second query type; and a controller configured to output a query input window including a first display item corresponding to the first query input and a second display item corresponding to the second query input, to automatically switch, in response to receiving the first query input, the apparatus from a first state to receive the first query input of the first query type to a second state to receive the second query input of the second query type, and to obtain a search result according to a query based on the first query input and the second query input.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying, on a display of an electronic device, a search bar;

receiving, through the search bar, a first user input for a first search request;

sending, toward an external search server, the first search request based at least on the first user input;

receiving, from the external search server, a first search result based at least on the first search request, the first search result comprising a plurality of search result images;

displaying, on the display, a search result image from among the plurality of search result images;

receiving, on the displayed search result image, a second user input for selecting a partial region of the displayed search result image;

sending, toward the external search server, a second search request based at least on the selected partial region of the displayed search result image;

receiving, from the external search server, a second search result based at least on the second search request; and

displaying the selected partial region in a first area of the display and the second search result received from the external search server as a search result of the second search request in a second area of the display,

wherein the displayed second search result comprises;

an image of a search result product corresponding to a product comprised in the selected partial region, and

a price for the search result product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed second search result comprises a plurality of images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sent second search request comprises an image file corresponding to the selected partial region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sent second search request comprising an URL(Uniform Resource Locator) address corresponding to the displayed search result image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial region of the displayed search result image is manually selected based on the second user input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user input comprising at least one of a drag input and a touch input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial region of the displayed search result image is automatically selected based at least on an image detection analysis.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a memory storing instructions; and

at least one hardware processor configured to execute the instructions to at least;

display, on the display, a search bar;

receive, through the search bar, a first user input for a first search request;

send, toward an external search server, the first search request based at least on the first user input;

receive, from the external search server, a first search result based at least on the first search request, the first search result comprising a plurality of search result images;

display, on the display, a search result image from among the plurality of search result images;

receive, on the displayed search result image, a second user input for selecting a partial region of the displayed search result image;

send, toward the external search server, a second search request based at least on the selected partial region of the displayed search result image;

receive, from the external search server, a second search result based at least on the second search request; and

display the selected partial region in a first area of the display and the second search result received from the external search server as a search result of the second search request in a second area of the display,

wherein the displayed second search result comprises;

an image of a search result product corresponding to a product comprised in the selected partial region, and

a price for the search result product.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the displayed second search result comprises a plurality of images.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the sent second search request comprises an image file corresponding to the selected partial region.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the sent second search request comprising an URL(Uniform Resource Locator) address corresponding to the displayed search result image.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the partial region of the displayed search result image is manually selected based on the second user input.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the second user input comprising at least one of a drag input and a touch input.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the partial region of the displayed search result image is automatically selected based at least on an image detection analysis.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon instructions executable by at least one hardware processor of an electronic device having a display to cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on the display of the electronic device, a search bar;

receiving, through the search bar, a first user input for a first search request;

sending, toward an external search server, the first search request based at least on the first user input;

receiving, from the external search server, a first search result based at least on the first search request, the first search result comprising a plurality of search result images;

displaying, on the display, a search result image from among the plurality of search result images;

receiving, on the displayed search result image, a second user input for selecting a partial region of the displayed search result image;

sending, toward the external search server, a second search request based at least on the selected partial region of the displayed search result image;

receiving, from the external search server, a second search result based at least on the second search request; and

displaying the selected partial region in a first area of the display and the second search result received from the external search server as a search result of the second search request in a second area of the display,

wherein the displayed second search result comprises;

an image of a search result product corresponding to a product comprised in the selected partial region, and

a price for the search result product.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the displayed second search result comprises a plurality of images.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the sent second search request comprises an image file corresponding to the selected partial region.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the sent second search request comprising an URL(Uniform Resource Locator) address corresponding to the displayed search result image.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the partial region of the displayed search result image is manually selected based on the second user input.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 19, wherein the second user input comprising at least one of a drag input and a touch input.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 15, wherein the partial region of the displayed search result image is automatically selected based at least on an image detection analysis.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

at least one hardware processor configured to execute the instructions to at least;

control to present, on a screen, a search bar;

receive, though the search bar, a first user input for a first search request;

send, toward an external search server, the first search request based at least on the first user input;

receive, from the external search server, a first search result based at least on the first search request, the first search result comprising a plurality of search result images;

control to present, on the screen, a search result image from among the plurality of search result images;

receive, on the presented search result image, a second user input for selecting a partial region of the presented search result image;

send, toward the external search server, a second search request based at least on the selected partial region of the presented search result image;

receive, from the external search server, a second search result based at least on the second search request; and

control to present the selected partial region in a first area of the screen and the second search result received from the external search server as a search result of the second search request in a second area of the screen,

wherein the presented second search result comprises;

an image of a search result product corresponding to a product comprised in the selected partial region, and

a price for the search result product.

23. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the presented second search result comprises a plurality of images.

24. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the sent second search request comprises an image file corresponding to the selected partial region.

25. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the sent second search request comprising an URL(Uniform Resource Locator) address corresponding to the displayed search result image.

26. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the partial region of the presented search result image is manually selected based on the second user input.

27. The electronic device of claim 26, wherein the second user input comprising at least one of a drag input and a touch input.

28. The electronic device of claim 22, wherein the partial region of the presented search result image is automatically selected based at least on an image detection analysis.