Predictive Query Completion And Predictive Search Results

• US 20120047135A1
• 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, Black, David, Wiley, Jon M., Tungare, Manas, Mahkovec, Ziga, McMahan, Benjamin J., Gomes, Benedict A., Effrat, Jonathan J., Wright, Johanna R., Wichary, Marcin K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,750 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, a search service provides query suggestions responsive to a query suggestion request from a client device, and determines if a prediction criterion is met. The prediction criterion is independent of a user selection of a query suggestion provided in response to one or more query suggestion requests. In response to determining that the prediction criterion is met, the search system provides search results to the client device. The search results are responsive to one of the query suggestions provided in response to the query suggestion request or one or more previous query suggestion requests.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a data processing apparatus; and

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

receiving from a client device a request for a search resource;

providing to the client device in response to the request for the search resource, the search resource including interface instructions that cause the client device to generate a search interface that includes a query input field;

receiving query suggestion requests from a client device, each query suggestion request having been generated in response to a query input in the query input field;

in response to each query suggestion request;

providing query suggestions responsive to the 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 receiving a completed query from the client device;

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met, providing search results to the client device, the search results being responsive to one of the query suggestions provided in response to the query suggestion request or one or more previous query suggestion requests; and

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is not met, not providing the search results to the client device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the 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 query suggestion for which search results are provided in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met; and

the interface instructions cause the client device to;

render the query suggestions according to the order; and

in response to the client device receiving the search results being responsive to one of the query suggestions, generate an indication in the interface that indicates the query suggestion for which the search results are responsive.

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

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the indication is an automatic completion of a query input in the query input field to the query suggestion for which the 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 query suggestion.

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

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

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

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

generate an indication in the interface that indicates the subsequent query suggestion;

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

remove the search results displayed prior in time to the displaying of the subsequent search results.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

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

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; and

providing search results to the client device comprises providing search results responsive to the query suggestion with the highest respective probability.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the 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 query suggestion for which search results are provided in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met; and

determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises determining that the prediction criterion is met when the highest ranked query suggestion has a respective probability of being selected by the user that exceeds a threshold probability greater than zero; and

providing search results to the client device comprises providing search results responsive to the highest ranked query.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises determining if a prediction event occurs prior to receiving another query suggestion request after the query suggestion request, the prediction event occurring independent of the user selection of a query suggestion provided in response to a previous query suggestion request.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises:

in response to the query suggestion request, initializing and starting a timer that expires after a predefined time period;

determining that the prediction criterion is met if the timer expires before another query suggestion request is received.

11. The system of claim 1, where the search resource is a video search resource, and the search results reference video resources.

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

13. A method performed by a data processing apparatus, comprising:

receiving from a client device a request for a search resource;

providing to the client device in response to the request for the search resource, the search resource including interface instructions that cause the client device to generate a search interface that includes a query input field;

receiving query suggestion requests from a client device, each query suggestion request having been generated in response to a query input in the query input field;

in response to each query suggestion request;

providing query suggestions responsive to the 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 receiving a completed query from the client device;

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met, providing search results to the client device, the search results being responsive to one of the query suggestions provided in response to the query suggestion request or one or more previous query suggestion requests; and

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is not met, not providing the search results to the client device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the 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 query suggestion for which search results are provided in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met; and

further comprising;

render the query suggestions according to the order; and

in response to the client device receiving the search results being responsive to one of the query suggestions, generate an indication in the interface that indicates the query suggestion for which the search results are responsive.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the indication is an automatic completion of a query input in the query input field to the query suggestion for which the 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 query suggestion.

16. The method of claim 13, 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; and

providing search results to the client device comprises providing search results responsive to the query suggestion with the highest respective probability.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the 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 query suggestion for which search results are provided in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met; and

determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises determining that the prediction criterion is met when the highest ranked query suggestion has a respective probability of being selected by the user that exceeds a threshold probability greater than zero; and

providing search results to the client device comprises providing search results responsive to the highest ranked query.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises determining if a prediction event occurs prior to receiving another query suggestion request after the query suggestion request, the prediction event occurring independent of the user selection of a query suggestion provided in response to a previous query suggestion request.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein determining if a prediction criterion is met comprises:

in response to the query suggestion request, initializing and starting a timer that expires after a predefined time period;

determining that the prediction criterion is met if the timer expires before another query suggestion request is received.

20. Software stored on a computer memory device and comprising instructions executable by a data processing apparatus and upon such execution cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a client device a request for a search resource;

providing to the client device in response to the request for the search resource, the search resource including interface instructions that cause the client device to generate a search interface that includes a query input field;

receiving query suggestion requests from a client device, each query suggestion request having been generated in response to a query input in the query input field;

in response to each query suggestion request;

providing query suggestions responsive to the 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 receiving a completed query from the client device;

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is met, providing search results to the client device, the search results being responsive to one of the query suggestions provided in response to the query suggestion request or one or more previous query suggestion requests; and

in response to determining that the prediction criterion is not met, not providing the search results to the client device.