Symbol-based query mechanism
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Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for processing a query request from a terminal (TE) to a search engine (SE). A terminal user is allowed to select querry parameters by means of visual symbols, ie icons, such as a “here” symbol (94) and a “bank” symbol (95). Symbol identifiers (91, 93) of the user-selected symbols, and optional logical operators (92) are sent (10-2) from the terminal to a proxy server (PS) that replaces (10 4, 10-8) each symbol identifier in the query request with a plaintext description and presents (10-10) the query parameters in a query to the search engine (SE). If the proxy server (PS) detects a “here” symbol (94), it may query a location server (LS) to get the terminal'"'"'s location which it then converts to plaintext. The query results are conveyed (10-16) to the terminal (EE).
19 Citations
84 Claims
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1-42. -42. (canceled)
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43. A method for initiating a query from a terminal, the method comprising:
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storing in the terminal a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol comprises at least a symbol identifier and visual data;
forming, in the terminal, a set of user-selected symbols, the forming step comprising;
(a) presenting the visual data of one or more symbols to a user;
(b) in response to the user selecting a symbol, adding the symbol to the set of user-selected symbols;
(c) repeating at least step until termination by the user;
the terminal sending a proxy server a set of query parameters, such that the set of query parameters indicates the set of user-selected symbols and at least one of the query parameters is a symbol identifier; and
receiving the results of the query.
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44. A method for processing a query request from a terminal, the method comprising the following steps executed by a proxy server:
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storing a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol comprises at least a symbol identifier and a plaintext description;
receiving the query request from the terminal, the query request comprising a set of query parameters, such that the set of query parameters indicates a set of user-selected symbols and at least one of the query parameters is a symbol identifier;
replacing each symbol identifier in the query request with a corresponding plaintext description and presenting the query parameters in a query to the search engine; and
conveying the results of the query to the terminal. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A terminal for initiating a query, the terminal comprising:
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memory for storing a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol comprises at least a symbol identifier and visual data;
a user interface logic for forming a set of user-selected symbols, wherein the user interface logic comprises;
(a) a first routine for presenting the visual data of symbols to a user for selection by the user;
(b) a second routine for adding each user-selected symbol to the set of user-selected symbols, until termination by the user;
a logic for sending a set of query parameters to a proxy server, such that the set of query parameters indicates the set of user-selected symbols and at least one of the query parameters is a symbol identifier. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. A proxy server for processing a query request from a terminal, the proxy server comprising:
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a database for storing a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol comprises at least a symbol identifier and a plaintext description;
a first logic for receiving the query request from the terminal, the query request comprising a set of query parameters, such that the set of query parameters indicates a set of user-selected symbols and at least one of the query parameters is a symbol identifier;
a second logic for replacing each symbol identifier in the query request with a plaintext description;
a third logic for presenting the query parameters in a query to a search engine; and
a fourth logic for conveying results of the query to the terminal. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A symbol server for sending one or more symbols to a terminal, the symbol server comprising:
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a symbol data base for storing a plurality of symbols, wherein each symbol comprises at least a symbol identifier, and visual data;
means for receiving a symbol request from the terminal; and
means for sending one or more symbols that match the symbol request to the terminal. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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Specification