PREDICTIVE QUERY COMPLETION AND PREDICTIVE SEARCH RESULTS

• US 20120047134A1
• Filed: 08/19/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansson, Othar, Gomes, Benedict A., Effrat, Jonathan J., Wichary, Marcin K., Black, David, Wiley, Jon M., Tungare, Manas, Mahkovec, Ziga, McMahan, Benjamin J., Wright, Johanna R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/731
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for processing search query suggestions. In one aspect, interface instructions on a client device cause the client device to generate a search interface that includes a query input field and provide query characters input in the query input field to a search service as a first query suggestion request. The client device receives, in response the query suggestion request, first query suggestions and renders the first query suggestions according to and order. In response to the client device receiving first search results responsive to one of the first query suggestions and being received independent of user selection of a first query suggestion and independent of sending a completed query to the search service, the client device generates an indication in the interface that indicates the first query suggestion for which the search results are responsive.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a client device; and

a computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by the client device cause the client device to perform operations comprising;

generating a search interface that includes a query input field;

providing query characters input in the query input field to a search service as a first query suggestion request;

receiving, in response to the first query suggestion request, first query suggestions;

rendering the first query suggestions according to an order; and

in response to the client device receiving first search results responsive to one of the first query suggestions and being received independent of user selection of a first query suggestion and independent of sending a completed query to the search service, generating an indication in the search interface that indicates the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication is a highlight of the first query suggestion that visually distinguishes the first query suggestion from the other first query suggestions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first query suggestions are ranked according to an order from a highest rank to a lowest rank, and wherein the highest ranked query suggestion is the first query suggestion.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the indication is an automatic completion of a query input in the query input field to the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive, the automatic completion including differentiated text appended to the query input in the query input field, the differentiated text indicating the query input in the query input field as a stem of the first query suggestion.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the interface instructions cause the client device to perform operations comprising:

displaying the first search results in substantial synchronization with the generating the indication in the search interface that indicates the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the interface instructions cause the client device to:

in response to receiving second search results responsive to a second query suggestion, the second query suggestion being subsequent in time to the first query suggestion for which the first search results are displayed;

generating an indication in the search interface that indicates the second query suggestion;

displaying the second search results in substantial synchronization with generating the indication in the interface that indicates the second query suggestion; and

removing the first search results.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface instructions cause the client device to generate a query suggestion request in response to each character input in the query input field.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the interface instructions cause the client device to perform operations comprising:

in response to each query suggestion request;

determining if a prediction criterion is met, the prediction criterion being independent of a user selection of a query suggestion provided in response to one or more query suggestion requests and independent of sending a completed query to a search engine;

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met, requesting search results responsive to one of the query suggestions provided in response to the query suggestion request, and displaying the search results received in response to the search results request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

each query suggestion has a respective probability of being selected by the user; and

determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises;

identifying the query suggestion with the highest respective probability relative to the probabilities of the other query suggestions provided; and

determining that the prediction criterion is met when the highest respective probability of the query suggestion exceeds a threshold probability that is greater than zero.

10. A computer-implemented method performed by a client device, comprising:

generating a search interface that includes a query input field;

providing query characters input in the query input field to a search service as a first query suggestion request;

receiving, in response to the first query suggestion request, first query suggestions;

rendering the first query suggestions according to an order; and

in response to the client device receiving first search results responsive to one of the first query suggestions and being received independent of user selection of a first query suggestion and independent of sending a completed query to the search service, generating an indication in the search interface that indicates the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the indication is a highlight of the first query suggestion that visually distinguishes the first query suggestion from the other first query suggestions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first query suggestions are ranked according to an order from a highest rank to a lowest rank, and wherein the highest ranked query suggestion is the first query suggestion.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication is an automatic completion of a query input in the query input field to the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive, the automatic completion including differentiated text appended to the query input in the query input field, the differentiated text indicating the query input in the query input field as a stem of the first query suggestion.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the first search results in substantial synchronization with the generating the indication in the search interface that indicates the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

in response to receiving second search results responsive to a second query suggestion, the second query suggestion being subsequent in time to the first query suggestion for which the first search results are displayed;

generating an indication in the search interface that indicates the second query suggestion;

displaying the second search results in substantial synchronization with generating the indication in the interface that indicates the second query suggestion; and

removing the first search results.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a query suggestion request in response to each character input in the query input field.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, in response to each query suggestion request:

determining if a prediction criterion is met, the prediction criterion being independent of a user selection of a query suggestion provided in response to one or more query suggestion requests and independent of sending a completed query to a search engine; and

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met, requesting search results responsive to one of the query suggestions provided in response to the query suggestion request, and displaying the search results received in response to the search results request.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

each query suggestion has a respective probability of being selected by the user; and

determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises;

identifying the query suggestion with the highest respective probability relative to the probabilities of the other query suggestions provided; and

determining that the prediction criterion is met when the highest respective probability of the query suggestion exceeds a threshold probability that is greater than zero.

19. Software stored on a computer memory device and comprising instructions executable by a client device and upon such execution cause the client device to perform operations comprising:

generating a search interface that includes a query input field;

providing query characters input in the query input field to a search service as a first query suggestion request;

receiving, in response to the first query suggestion request, first query suggestions;

rendering the first query suggestions according to an order; and

in response to the client device receiving first search results responsive to one of the first query suggestions and being received independent of user selection of a first query suggestion and independent of sending a completed query to the search service, generating an indication in the search interface that indicates the first query suggestion for which the first search results are responsive.