Anticipated Query Generation and Processing in a Search Engine

• US 20110047120A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Glen M. Jeh, Sepandar D. Kamvar, Taher H. Haveliwala
• Inventors: Kamvar, Sepandar D., Jeh, Glen M., Haveliwala, Taher H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,156,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query

Abstract

A search system monitors the input of a search query by a user. Before the user finishes entering the search query, the search system identifies and sends a portion of the query as a partial query to the search engine. Based on the partial query, the search engine creates a set of predicted queries. This process may take into account prior queries submitted by a community of users, and may take into account a user profile. The predicted queries are be sent back to the user for possible selection. The search system may also cache search results corresponding to one or more of the predicted queries in anticipation of the user selecting one of the predicted queries. The search engine may also return at least a portion of the search results corresponding to one or more of the predicted queries.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed at a server system for processing a search query, comprising:

receiving at the server system a portion of the search query from a search requestor at a client system that is distinct from the server system;

at the server system, responding to receiving the portion of the search query, including;

predicting from the portion of the search query a plurality of predicted queries;

selecting one or more of the plurality of predicted queries;

obtaining search results for the selected one or more predicted queries; and

transmitting the plurality of predicted queries and one or more of the search results to the search requestor at the client system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the plurality of predicted queries using a collection of queries from a community of users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each respective predicted query of the plurality of predicted queries includes a query term that begins with the received portion of the search query.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a respective predicted query of the plurality of predicted queries includes a first query term followed by one or more subsequent query terms and one of the subsequent query terms begins with the received portion of the search query.