SOCIAL NETWORK POWERED QUERY SUGGESTIONS

• US 20130031106A1
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schechter, Michael A., Latuskiewicz, Marek, Mok, Yi Lang, Ali, Mahbubul A., Humrichouser, Brian D., Vaidya, Mihir A.
• Application Number:
  US13/311,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031106A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Automatic suggestion for search query formulation is facilitated by considering social network information. A plurality of search queries can be identified as a function of a partial search query specified by a user and search history of one or more social network contacts of the user. Subsequently, these identified queries can be ranked to aid determination of a subset of the identified queries to suggest for query completion. Further, query suggestions resulting from a social network contact can be annotated to set them apart from other query suggestions.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating search, comprising:

employing at least one processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in memory to perform the following acts;

identifying one or more search queries as a function of a partial search query specified by a user, prior to initiating execution of a search, and search activity of one or more social contacts of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries based on whether a social contact selected a search result provided as a result of execution of a corresponding one of the one or more search queries.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries based on a number of social contacts that selected a search result produced as a function of a particular suggested search query.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries as a function of closeness of social contacts.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries as a function of expertise of the one or more social contacts.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises annotating the one or more queries with information that identifies social contacts that performed the one or more queries.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprises annotating the one or more search queries with pictures that identify the social contacts.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprises identifying the one or more search queries as a function of user search history.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprises identifying the search queries as a function of query context.

10. A system that facilitates search, comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, the processor configured to execute the following computer-executable components stored in the memory;

a first component configured to identify a plurality of suggested queries as a function of a portion of a query specified by a user, prior initiating search execution, and queries performed by one or more social network contacts of the user.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprises a second component configured to rank the suggested queries based on behavior of the social network contacts with respect to the queries performed thereby.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprises a third component configured to annotate the suggested queries performed by the one or more social network contacts.

13. The system of claim 12, the third component is configured to annotated at least one of the suggested queries with a picture of one or more the social network contacts that performed a respective query.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprises a second component configured to record search interactions of a plurality of users.

15. The system of claim 10, the first component is configured to identify the plurality of suggested queries as a function of an identified subset of the social network contacts.

16. The system of claim 10 the first component identifies the suggested queries as a function of search history of the user.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that enables at least one processor to perform the following acts:

identifying at least one search query submitted by at least one social network contact of a search engine user as a function of a partial search query specified by the user prior to initiation of a search with a complete search query.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprises communicating the at least one search query to the user.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprises annotating the at least one search query with information identifying the social contact.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprises ranking the at least one search query as a function of behavior of the at least one social contact.