PREVIEWING SEARCH RESULTS FOR SUGGESTED REFINEMENT TERMS AND VERTICAL SEARCHES

• US 20100146012A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Hugh, Beaudreau, Scott, Fuller, Deana R., Buckley, Jamie, Lane, Mira, MacDonald, Brian
• Application Number:
  US12/328,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20100146012A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages

Abstract

An embodiment of the current invention is directed to presenting a preview of search results for a suggested search. A search engine query is received. One or more search results are generated. One or more suggested, search terms are generated. A search engine results page is generated, including the one or more search results and the one or more suggested, search terms. An indication is received, indicating that a preview of search results related to a selected, suggested, search term is to be displayed. A preview window including a results section and a menu-bar section is generated. One or more search results related to the selected, suggested, search term are acquired. The one or more search results are presented in the preview window. The preview window allows interaction with the one or more search results.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of presenting a preview of one or more search results provided on a search engine results page for a suggested search, the method comprising:

receiving a search-engine query;

generating one or more search results related to the search-engine query;

generating one or more suggested, search-refinement terms;

generating a search engine results page, including the one or more search results and the one or more suggested, search-refinement terms;

receiving an indication, indicating a preview of search results related to a selected, suggested search-refinement term of the one or more suggested, search-refinement terms is to be displayed;

generating a preview window that includes a results section and a menu-bar section;

acquiring one or more search results related to the selected, suggested search-refinement term; and

providing the one or more search results for presentation in the preview window, wherein the preview window allows interaction with the one or more search results.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein the indication is generated by a hover action.

3. The media of claim 1, wherein the menu bar section comprises an input field for indicating a further search refinement is to be performed.

4. The media of claim 1, wherein the menu bar comprises an input field for indicating the search results should be saved.

5. The media of claim 1, wherein the menu bar comprises an input field for indicating the preview window should be docked on a parent window.

6. The media of claim 1, wherein the status bar comprises an input field for sharing the preview window.

7. The media of claim 6, wherein sharing the preview window comprises sharing the preview window via sending an instant message to a user.

8. The media of claim 6, wherein sharing the preview window comprises sharing the preview window via sending an electronic mail message to a user.

9. The media of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises zooming within the preview window.

10. The media of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises selecting one of the search results for further inspection within the preview window.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the selecting comprises clicking on a hyperlink.

12. The media of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises selecting a search result to be displayed in a parent window.

13. The media of claim 1, wherein the preview window is removed if the preview window is out of focus for a threshold period of time.

14. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of presenting a preview of one or more search results for a suggested search provided on a search engine results page, the method comprising:

receiving a search-engine query;

generating one or more search results related to the search-engine query;

generating one or more suggested, vertical-search categories;

generating a search engine results page, including the one or more search results and the one or more suggested, vertical-search categories;

receiving an indication, indicating a preview of search results related to a selected, suggested vertical-search category of the one of the one or more suggested, vertical-search categories is to be displayed;

generating a preview window that includes a results section and a menu-bar section;

acquiring one or more search results related to the selected, suggested vertical-search category; and

providing the one or more search results for presentation in the preview window, wherein the preview window allows interaction with the one or more search results.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein the preview window is generated in-line with a search suggestion.

16. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of presenting a preview of one or more search results for a suggested search provided on a search engine results page, the method comprising:

receiving a search-engine query;

generating one or more search results related to the search-engine query;

generating one or more suggested, search terms;

generating a search engine results page, including the one or more search results and the one or more suggested, search terms;

receiving an indication, indicating a preview of search results related to a selected, search term of the one of the one or more suggested, search terms is to be displayed;

generating a preview window that includes a results section and a menu-bar section, wherein the menu-bar section comprises a save button, a search-refinement input field, an instant-message-share button, an email-share button, and a docking button;

acquiring one or more search results related to the selected, suggested search term; and

providing the one or more search results for presentation in the preview window, wherein the preview window allows interaction with the one or more search results.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein the suggested search terms are suggested, search-refinement terms.

18. The media of claim 16, wherein the suggested search terms are suggested, vertical-search categories.

19. The media of claim 16, wherein the one or more search results are pre-fetched.

20. The media of claim 16, wherein the preview window comprises an option for filtering the one or more search results.