Multi-Dimensional Search Results Adjustment System

• US 20090100019A1
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Scott, Tischer, Steven Neil
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3334 Selection or weighting of terms from queries, including natural language queries

Abstract

A search query comprising a plurality of search terms is used to generate a plurality of search results. The search query, in its entirety, is represented by an object in multi-dimensional space. The multi-dimensional space comprises a plurality of dimensions to represent a plurality of search criteria, respectively. The object has a position in the multi-dimensional space based on values of the search criteria. The object is manipulated simultaneously in at least two dimensions of the multi-dimensional space to simultaneously modify respective values of at least two of the search criteria. The search results are filtered based on the modified values of the search criteria to produce a subset of the search results, and the subset is displayed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

representing a search query comprising a plurality of search terms, in its entirety, by an object in multi-dimensional space, the multi-dimensional space comprising a plurality of dimensions to represent a plurality of search criteria, respectively, the object having a position in the multi-dimensional space based on values of the search criteria, the search query used to generate a plurality of search results;

modifying respective values of at least two of the search criteria based on a manipulation of the object simultaneously in at least two dimensions of the multi-dimensional space;

filtering the search results based on the modified values of the search criteria to produce a subset of the search results; and

displaying the subset.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of literal string matching and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a topic.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of literal string matching and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a history of prior searches.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a history of prior searches and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a topic.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the object comprises a virtual object in a graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the object comprises a physical object.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a computer system programmed to;

represent a search query comprising a plurality of search terms, in its entirety, by an object in multi-dimensional space, the multi-dimensional space comprising a plurality of dimensions to represent a plurality of search criteria, respectively, the object having a position in the multi-dimensional space based on values of the search criteria, the search query used to generate a plurality of search results;

modify respective values of at least two of the search criteria based on a manipulation of the object simultaneously in at least two dimensions of the multi-dimensional space;

filter the search results based on the modified values of the search criteria to produce a subset of the search results; and

display the subset.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of literal string matching and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a topic.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of literal string matching and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a history of prior searches.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a history of prior searches and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a topic.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the object comprises a virtual object in a graphical user interface.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the object comprises a physical object.

13. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program to cause a computer system to:

represent a search query comprising a plurality of search terms, in its entirety, by an object in multi-dimensional space, the multi-dimensional space comprising a plurality of dimensions to represent a plurality of search criteria, respectively, the object having a position in the multi-dimensional space based on values of the search criteria, the search query used to generate a plurality of search results;

modify respective values of at least two of the search criteria based on a manipulation of the object simultaneously in at least two dimensions of the multi-dimensional space;

filter the search results based on the modified values of the search criteria to produce a subset of the search results; and

display the subset.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of literal string matching and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a topic.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of literal string matching and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a history of prior searches.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the at least two dimensions comprises a first dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a history of prior searches and a second dimension associated with a degree of relevance to a topic.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the object comprises a virtual object in a graphical user interface.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the object comprises a physical object.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a search query comprising a plurality of search terms;

performing a search to generate a plurality of search results based on the search query;

representing the search query, in its entirety, by a user-manipulable object in multi-dimensional space, the multi-dimensional space comprising a plurality of dimensions to represent a plurality of search criteria, respectively, the user-manipulable object having a position in the multi-dimensional space based on values of the search criteria;

receiving a manipulation of the user-manipulable object simultaneously in at least two dimensions of the multi-dimensional space;

modifying respective values of at least two of the search criteria based on the manipulation;

filtering the search results based on the modified values of the search criteria to produce a subset of the search results; and

displaying the subset.