Retrieving Conversations That Match a Search Query

• US 20130013634A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bay-Wei W. Chang, Brian D. Rakowski, Jing Yee Lim, Paul T. Buchheit, Sanjeev Singh
• Inventors: Buchheit, Paul T., Chang, Bay-Wei W., Lim, Jing Yee, Rakowski, Brian D., Singh, Sanjeev
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A server having one or more processors and memory receives a search query from a client. The server identifies a conversation relevant to the search query, where the conversation has two or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier. Identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying a conversation that, as a whole, is relevant to the search query. The server returns to the client for display, as a search result for the search query, conversation information corresponding to the identified conversation.

Claims

1. A method, performed at a server having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving a search query from a client;

identifying a conversation relevant to the search query, the conversation having two or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying a conversation that, as a whole, is relevant to the search query; and

returning to the client for display, as a search result for the search query, conversation information corresponding to the identified conversation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query comprises at least a first term and a second term.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the first term in a first message of the conversation and identifying the second term in a second message of the conversation, wherein the second message is distinct from the first message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second message does not contain text of the first message.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the first term in a first message, and not identifying the second term in the first message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the second term in a second message, and not identifying the first term in the second message.

7. A server system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving a search query from a client;

identifying a conversation relevant to the search query, the conversation having two or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying a conversation that, as a whole, is relevant to the search query; and

returning to the client for display, as a search result for the search query, conversation information corresponding to the identified conversation.

8. The server system of claim 7, wherein the search query comprises at least a first term and a second term.

9. The server system of claim 8, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the first term in a first message of the conversation and identifying the second term in a second message of the conversation, wherein the second message is distinct from the first message.

10. The server system of claim 9, wherein the second message does not contain text of the first message.

11. The server system of claim 9, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the first term in a first message, and not identifying the second term in the first message.

12. The server system of claim 11, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the second term in a second message, and not identifying the first term in the second message.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer system with one or more processors, cause the computer system to:

receive a search query from a client;

identify a conversation relevant to the search query, the conversation having two or more messages sharing a common set of characteristics that meet predefined criteria and a respective conversation identifier, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying a conversation that, as a whole, is relevant to the search query; and

return to the client for display, as a search result for the search query, conversation information corresponding to the identified conversation.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the search query comprises at least a first term and a second term.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the first term in a first message of the conversation and identifying the second term in a second message of the conversation, wherein the second message is distinct from the first message.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second message does not contain text of the first message.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the first term in a first message, and not identifying the second term in the first message.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein identifying a conversation relevant to the search query comprises identifying the second term in a second message, and not identifying the first term in the second message.