System and method for context sensitive searching

• US 20050154711A1
• Filed: 01/09/2004
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McConnell, Christopher C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and system which allow the addition of context into a search involves the use of state monitors in the computing environment. The state monitors record information such as the installed hardware, software, user preferences, and operating modes. The state information is used to modify information gathered via a user search to make the search results more relevant to the user in the context of his computing environment. The monitors, along with logical operators and variables, assess the current state of the machine and modify the displayed search results by excluding irrelevant information, biasing up information relevant to the computing environment and biasing down other information less relevant to the computing environment.

Claims

1. A method for using state as context to modify retrieved information, the method comprising:

creating at least one state association that relates a particular state with at least one result;

retrieving from a database information related to a search request; and

modifying the information retrieved in accordance with the at least one state association if the at least one result is related to the retrieved information;

whereby context is applied to the retrieved information to form modified information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating at least one state association comprises using a monitor to determine the particular state and correlating the particular state with at the at least one result that is affected by the particular state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the state that a monitor detects is one of a hardware state, an operating system condition, a user preference and a software application operating parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating at least one state association comprises correlating a state with a help topic in a software program.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving information related to a search request comprises searching in a database of help topics and returning information based on the search request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the information retrieved comprises at least one of:

excluding a first selected item of the information retrieved from appearing as modified information;

biasing up a second selected item of the retrieved information by assigning the second selected item with a high ranking, whereby the second selected item is placed near the top a list of modified information; and

biasing down a third selected item of the retrieved information by assigning the third selected item with a low ranking, whereby the third selected item is placed away from the top of a list of modified information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein modifying the information retrieved further comprises using one or more of logical operators and variables in conjunction with two or more state monitors before applying the at least one step of excluding, biasing up, and biasing down.

8. A system for a including context in a search for information, the system comprising:

a processor having access to memory, the memory having instructions which, when executed, perform the method comprising;

creating at least one state association that relates a particular state with at least one result;

retrieving from a database information related to a search request; and

modifying the information retrieved in accordance with the at least one state association if the at least one result is related to the retrieved information;

whereby context is applied to the retrieved information to form modified information.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a display device wherein the modified information may be reviewed.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for including state context into search results, the method comprising:

creating at least one state association that relates a particular state with at least one result;

retrieving from a database information related to a search request; and

modifying the information retrieved in accordance with the at least one state association if the at least one result is related to the retrieved information;

whereby context is applied to the retrieved information to form modified information.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method step of creating at least one state association comprises using a monitor to determine the particular state and correlating the particular state with at the at least one result that is affected by the particular state.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the state that a monitor detects is one of a hardware state, an operating system condition, a user preference and a software application operating parameter.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method step of creating at least one state association comprises correlating a state with a help topic in a software program.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method step of retrieving information related to a search request comprises searching in a database of help topics and returning information based on the search request.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the method step of modifying the information retrieved comprises at least one of:

excluding a first selected item of the information retrieved from appearing as modified information;

biasing up a second selected item of the retrieved information by assigning the second selected item with a high ranking, whereby the second selected item is placed near the top a list of modified information; and

biasing down a third selected item of the retrieved information by assigning the third selected item with a low ranking, whereby the third selected item is placed away from the top of a list of modified information.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method step of modifying the information retrieved further comprises using one or more of logical operators and variables in conjunction with two or more state monitors before applying the at least one step of excluding, biasing up, and biasing down.

17. A method for using state as context to modify a search, the method comprising:

creating at least one state association which correlates a particular state with a specific result;

receiving a request for a search for information, the request containing at least one search term;

modifying the request in accordance with the at least one state association if the at least one result is related to the at least one search term;

accessing a database using the modified request and returning information related to the modified request from the database, whereby the context provided by the at least one association is used to modify a request that returns modified search results.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein creating at least one state association comprises using a monitor to determine the particular state and correlating the particular state with at the at least one result that is affected by the particular state.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the state that a state monitor detects is one of a hardware state, an operating system condition, a user preference, and a software application operating parameter.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein creating at least one state association comprises correlating a state with a help topic in a software program.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein accessing a database comprises searching in a database of help topics.

22. A system for a including context in a search for information, the system comprising:

a processor having access to memory, the memory having instructions which, when executed, perform the method comprising;

creating at least one state association which correlates a particular state with a specific result;

receiving a request for a search for information, the request containing at least one search term;

modifying the request in accordance with the at least one state association if the at least one result is related to the at least one search term;

accessing a database using the modified request and returning information related to the modified request from the database, whereby the context provided by the at least one association is used to modify a request that returns modified search results.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

a display device wherein the modified information may be reviewed.

24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for including state context into search results, the method comprising:

creating at least one state association which correlates a particular state with a specific result;

receiving a request for a search for information, the request containing at least one search term;

modifying the request in accordance with the at least one state association if the at least one result is related to the at least one search term;

accessing a database using the modified request and returning information related to the modified request from the database, whereby the context provided by the at least one association is used to modify a request that returns modified search results.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the method step of creating at least one state association comprises using a monitor to determine the particular state and correlating the particular state with at the at least one result that is affected by the particular state.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the state that a state monitor detects is one of a hardware state, an operating system condition, a user preference, and a software application operating parameter.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the method step of creating at least one state association comprises correlating a state with a help topic in a software program.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the method step of accessing a database comprises searching in a database of help topics.