USER INTERFACE FOR RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE SEARCH QUERIES

• US 20150012527A1
• Filed: 07/06/2013
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: HEWITT, Trudy L., JACOBSON, Lee A., LEBLANC, Luc G., THOMASON, Michael S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,772,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Alternative search queries are provided by: determining alternative search paths for terms in a current search query; receiving a user selection of one or more terms in the current search query; providing a graphical display of one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms; receiving a user selection of at least a portion of one of the alternative search paths to be a new search query; and displaying search results for the new search query. The new search query may then become the current search query, and the determining of the alternative search paths, the receiving of the user selection of the one or more terms in the current search query, and the providing of the graphical display of alternative search paths for the selected terms are performed for the new search query as the current search query.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a user interface for recommending alternative search queries comprising:

determining one or more alternative search paths for one or more terms in a current search query by at least one computing processor;

receiving a user selection of one or more terms in the current search query by the at least one computing processor;

providing a graphical display of one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms by the at least one computing processor;

receiving a user selection of at least a portion of one of the alternative search paths to be a new search query by the at least one computing processor; and

displaying search results for the new search query by the at least one computing processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the new search query becomes the current search query,

wherein the determining of the one or more alternative search paths for the one or more terms in the current search query, the receiving of the user selection of the one or more terms in the current search query, and the providing of the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms are performed for the new search query as the current search query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each alternative search path comprises one or more alternative search terms for the one or more terms in the current search query based on one or more of:

historical search data for the user; and

search analytical data of other users'"'"' searches.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical display comprises graphical elements corresponding to alternative search terms in any alternative search path, wherein the graphical elements comprise one or more of:

varying sizes, shades, colors, and text indicating additional information for the corresponding given alternative search terms.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein other alternative search paths are displayed based on user navigation among graphical elements corresponding to alternative search terms in any alternative search path.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alterative search paths are displayed on a touchscreen, wherein other alternative search paths are displayed in response to user gestures on the touchscreen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the user selection of the one or more terms in the current search query, and the providing of the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms, comprise:

receiving a user selection of multiple terms in the current search query; and

providing the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for a combination of the multiple terms.

8. A computer program product for providing a user interface for recommending alternative search queries, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a processor to:

determine one or more alternative search paths for one or more terms in a current search query;

receive a user selection of one or more terms in the current search query;

provide a graphical display of one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms;

receive a user selection of at least a portion of one of the alternative search paths to be a new search query; and

display search results for the new search query.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the new search query becomes the current search query,

wherein the computer readable program code executable by the processor to determine the one or more alternative search paths for the one or more terms in the current search query, receive the user selection of the one or more terms in the current search query, and provide the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms are further executable by the processor for the new search query as the current search query.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein each alternative search path comprises one or more alternative search terms for the one or more terms in the current search query based on one or more of:

historical search data for the user; and

search analytical data of other users'"'"' searches.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the graphical display comprises graphical elements corresponding to alternative search terms in any alternative search path, wherein the graphical elements comprise one or more of:

varying sizes, shades, colors, and text indicating additional information for the corresponding given alternative search terms.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the processor further displays other alternative search paths based on user navigation among graphical elements corresponding to alternative search terms in any alternative search path.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the processor further displays the one or more alterative search paths on a touchscreen, wherein other alternative search paths are displayed in response to user gestures on the touchscreen.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program code executable by the processor to receive the user selection of the one or more terms in the current search query, and provide the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms, are further executable by the processor to:

receive a user selection of multiple terms in the current search query; and

provide the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for a combination of the multiple terms.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by the processor to;

determine one or more alternative search paths for one or more terms in a current search query;

receive a user selection of one or more terms in the current search query;

provide a graphical display of one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms;

receive a user selection of at least a portion of one of the alternative search paths to be a new search query; and

display search results for the new search query.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the new search query becomes the current search query,

wherein the computer readable program code executable by the processor to determine the one or more alternative search paths for the one or more terms in the current search query, receive the user selection of the one or more terms in the current search query, and provide the graphical display of the one or more alternative search paths for the selected terms are further executable by the processor for the new search query as the current search query.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein each alternative search path comprises one or more alternative search terms for the one or more terms in the current search query based on one or more of:

historical search data for the user; and

search analytical data of other users'"'"' searches.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphical display comprises graphical elements corresponding to alternative search terms in any alternative search path, wherein the graphical elements comprise one or more of:

varying sizes, shades, colors, and text indicating additional information for the corresponding given alternative search terms.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor further displays other alternative search paths based on user navigation among graphical elements corresponding to alternative search terms in any alternative search path.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor further displays the one or more alterative search paths on a touchscreen, wherein other alternative search paths are displayed in response to user gestures on the touchscreen.