Guided search

• US 10,691,760 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Pattabiraman, Kumaresh, Desai, Nihit, Tunkelang, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Park, Grace
• Application Number:
  US14/582,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,009 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9532 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Techniques for assisting a user in conducting a search for online content are described. According to various embodiments, a set of search results is generated, in response to a user search query. A list of candidate facet-value pairs, for inclusion in a suggestion facet user interface element for display in-line with the set of search results, is then accessed. The suggestion facet user interface element may be configured, upon user selection, to filter the set of search results based on the corresponding facet-value pair. Thereafter, win rate information identifying win rates associated with each of the candidate facet-value pairs is accessed. A specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate is then selected for inclusion in the suggestion facet user interface element.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, in response to a user search query submitted by a user, a set of search results;

accessing a list of candidate facet-value pairs for inclusion in a suggestion facet user interface element, the suggestion facet user interface element configured to filter the set of search results based on the corresponding facet-value pair;

accessing win rate information indicative of user interaction with each of the candidate facet-value pairs, the win rate information for a candidate facet-value pair from the list of candidate facet-value pairs indicates how often the suggestion facet user interface element that includes the candidate facet-value pair was selected relative to selection of any search results displayed below the suggestion facet user interface element;

selecting, using one or more processors, a specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate;

including the specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate in the suggestion facet user interface element;

before the set of search results is provided to the user, including, into a user interface, the suggestion facet user interface element as an item in a list, where the other items in the list each represent a search result from the set of search results; and

causing the set of search results to be displayed via the user interface,

wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and search results that were displayed below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element in a search results page.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the suggestion facet user interface element; and

filtering the set of search results, based on the selected candidate facet-value pair.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the facet-value pairs includes a facet corresponding to industry, location, or company.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and a predetermined number of search results that were displayed immediately below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and a specific-sized portion of a search results page that was displayed immediately below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the specific-sized portion corresponds to a display height of the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

7. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by the one or processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

generating, in response to a user search query submitted by a user, a set of search results;

accessing a list of candidate facet-value pairs for inclusion in a suggestion facet user interface element, the suggestion facet user interface element configured to filter the set of search results based on the corresponding facet-value pair;

accessing win rate information indicative of user interaction with each of the candidate facet-value pairs, the win rate information for a candidate facet-value pair from the list of candidate facet-value pairs indicates how often the suggestion facet user interface element that includes the candidate facet-value pair was selected relative to selection of any search results displayed below the suggestion facet user interface element;

selecting a specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate;

including the specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate in the suggestion facet user interface element;

before the set of search results is provided to the user, including, into a user interface, the suggestion facet user interface element as an item in a list, where the other items in the list each represent a search result from the set of search results; and

causing the set of search results to be displayed via the user interface,

wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and search results that were displayed below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element in a search results page.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the suggestion facet user interface element; and

filtering the set of search results, based on the selected candidate facet-value pair.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of the facet-value pairs includes a facet corresponding to industry, location, or company.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and a predetermined number of search results that were displayed immediately below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and a specific-sized portion of a search results page that was displayed immediately below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the specific-sized portion corresponds to a display height of the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating, in response to a user search query submitted by a user, a set of search results;

accessing a list of candidate facet-value pairs for inclusion in a suggestion facet user interface element, the suggestion facet user interface element configured to filter the set of search results based on the corresponding facet-value pair;

accessing win rate information indicative of user interaction with each of the candidate facet-value pairs, the win rate information for a candidate facet-value pair from the list of candidate facet-value pairs indicates how often the suggestion facet user interface element that includes the candidate facet-value pair was selected relative to selection of any search results displayed below the suggestion facet user interface element;

selecting a specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate;

including the specific one of the candidate facet-value pairs having the highest win rate in the suggestion facet user interface element;

before the set of search results is provided to the user, including, into a user interface, the suggestion facet user interface element as an item in a list, where the other items in the list each represent a search result from the set of search results; and

causing the set of search results to be displayed via the user interface,

wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and search results that were displayed below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element in a search results page.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a user selection of the suggestion facet user interface element; and

filtering the set of search results, based on the selected candidate facet-value pair.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein at least one of the facet-value pairs includes a facet corresponding to industry, location, or company.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and a predetermined number of search results that were displayed immediately below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein each win rate indicates a number of clicks received by at least one previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element including the corresponding candidate facet-value pair, divided by the number of clicks received by the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element and a specific-sized portion of a search results page that was displayed immediately below the previously displayed suggestion facet user interface element.