TOWARD OPTIMIZED QUERY SUGGESTON: USER INTERFACES AND ALGORITHMS

• US 20090171929A1
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jiangming, Yang, Zhang, Lei, Wang, Shuo, Jing, Feng
• Application Number:
  US11/964,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171929A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence

Abstract

Providing and presenting optimized query suggestions for web searching are described. A method for optimized query suggestion includes utilizing a combination of algorithms to identify query candidates in relationship to the submitted query, calculating a relevance and a frequency for the query candidates in relationship to the submitted query, and generating optimized query suggestions based on a ranked score of the query candidates. The method also includes clustering the optimized query suggestions in a more structured presentation and describing a relationship between the optimized query suggestions and the submitted query in a textual and pictorial description. The method enhances the experience of the user in web searching.

Claims

1. A method for optimized query suggestion, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising

utilizing algorithms to identify query candidates in relationship to the submitted query;

calculating a relevance and a frequency for the query candidates in relationship to the submitted query;

generating optimized query suggestions based on a ranked score of the query candidates;

clustering the optimized query suggestions in a more structured presentation; and

describing a relationship between the optimized query suggestions and the submitted query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithms comprise a query string and frequency algorithm, a query log session algorithm, and a search result content algorithm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the string and frequency algorithm comprises query candidates that are related if the query candidates include terms of the submitted query.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the query log session algorithm comprises query candidates that are related if the query candidates appear in a substantial number of user query sessions, wherein the query sessions may be consecutive.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the search result content algorithm comprises query candidates that are related if the query candidates have high-frequent terms or phrases of the top search results.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the relevance and the frequency comprises ranking the query candidates with a score.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein clustering the optimized query suggestions comprises organizing the optimized query suggestions in categories to improve the efficiency for a search task.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein describing the optimized query suggestions comprises at least one of a textual description or a pictorial presentation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimized query suggestion comprises a prioritized presentation in categorizing optimized query suggestions based on popular queries.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the optimized query suggestion comprises an organized presentation in classifying optimized query suggestions by function and organizing optimized query suggestions in clusters by semantic similarity.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising an automatic completion which comprises:

identifying prior submitted queries as the query candidates;

matching the submitted query with the prior submitted queries;

ranking the query candidates by popularity; and

offering query suggestions with refinements.

12. A computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method as recited in claim 1.

13. An application programming interface having computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

enabling entry of a submitted query;

utilizing a query string and frequency algorithm, a query log session algorithm, and a search result content algorithm to identify query candidates in relationship to a submitted query;

identifying optimized query suggestions based on a ranked score of the query candidates;

clustering the optimized query suggestions in a more structured presentation; and

providing a description of a relationship between the optimized query suggestions and the submitted query.

14. The application programming interface of claim 13, wherein the optimized query suggestion comprises a prioritized presentation in categorizing optimized query suggestions based on popular queries.

15. The application programming interface of claim 14, wherein the optimized query suggestions are categorized into a most searched displayed at a top of the search results and related searches at a bottom of the search results.

16. The application programming interface of claim 13, wherein the optimized query suggestion comprises an organized presentation in classifying optimized query suggestions by function and organizing optimized query suggestions in clusters by semantic similarity.

17. The application programming interface of claim 16, wherein the optimized query suggestions comprises classifying function of refine by and also try,

wherein refine by comprise a submitted query, a modifier, and refinements;

and

wherein also try comprises related queries containing none or only part of the submitted query.

18. A computer-readable storage media comprising computer-readable instructions executed on a computing device, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

utilizing a query string and frequency algorithm, a query log session algorithm, and a search result content algorithm to identify query candidates in relationship to a submitted query;

calculating a relevance and a frequency for the query candidates, wherein the relevance and the frequency determine a ranking score of the query candidates;

clustering the optimized query suggestions based on the ranked score of the query candidates; and

describing a relationship between the optimized query suggestions and the submitted query.

19. The computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein clustering the optimized query suggestions comprises organizing the optimized query suggestions in categories to improve the efficiency for a search task.

20. The computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein describing the optimized query suggestions comprises at least one of a textual description or a pictorial presentation.