Refining Search Query Results

• US 20150046423A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Schwab & Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TD Ameritrade IP Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Inventors: WEEKS, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,255,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Systems and methods for refining search query results are provided. A first user input is received. A plurality of search categories for the first input are determined. The plurality of search categories are then associated with different segments of a first slider. The first slider allows a user to generate a search query for the first user input among the plurality of associated categories. The search query returns a set of search query results. A plurality of sub categories may be determined for each search category. The plurality of sub-categories are associated with different segments of a second slider. Movement of a slider button of a second slider to a first segment of the second slider may be detected. The search query results may be filtered based on the first segment of the second slider. The filtering adjusts a level of detail of the set of search query results.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a server, a first user input;

determining, by the server, a plurality of search categories for the first user input; and

associating, by the server, the plurality of categories with different segments of a first slider, wherein the first slider allows a user to generate a search query for the first user input among the plurality of search categories.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, a second user input;

generating, by the server, a search query for the first user input based on the second user input; and

receiving, by the server, a set of search query results for the first user input based on the second user input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second user input comprises:

moving a slider button of the first slider to a first segment of the first slider.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the search query for the first user input is generated based on a search of a search category associated with the first segment of the first slider.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, one or more additional user inputs, wherein each user input comprises additional movements of a slider button of the first slider to different segments of the first slider; and

updating, by the server, the search query results for each additional user input based on searches of the search categories associated with the different segments of the first slider.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the server, a plurality of sub categories for each search category; and

associating, by the server, the plurality of sub-categories with different segments of a second slider.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting, by the server, movement of a slider button of a second slider to a first segment of the second slider; and

filtering, by the server, the search query results based on the first segment of the second slider, wherein the filtering comprises adjusting a level of detail of a set of search query results.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a first user input comprises:

receiving, by the server, one or more search terms; and

parsing, by the server, the one or more search terms.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining a plurality of search categories for the first input comprises:

analyzing, by the server, the parsed one or more search terms;

determining, by the server, one or more category types for the parsed one or more search terms based on the analysis; and

retrieving, by the server, the plurality of search categories based on a match with the one or more category types.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein determining one or more category types comprises:

generating, by the server criteria for a model based on characteristics of the first user input, wherein the model assigns a relevance score to each of the search categories of the plurality of search categories; and

selecting, by the server, one or more of the search categories based on the relevance score exceeding a relevance threshold.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein associating the plurality of search categories with different segments of the first slider comprises:

partitioning, by the server, a length of the first slider into the different segments based on a quantity of the plurality of search categories, wherein the quantity of the plurality of search categories determines a quantity of the different segments; and

linking, by the server, each of the search categories to at least one segment of the first slider.

12. A system, comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor and memory; and

a

a query module, implemented on the computing device, and configured to;

receive a first user input;

determine a plurality of search categories for the first user input; and

associate the plurality of search categories with different segments of a first slider, wherein the first slider allows a user to generate a search query for the first user input among the plurality of search categories.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the query module is further configured to:

receive a second user input;

generate a search query for the first user input based on the second user input; and

receive a set of search query results for the first user input based on the second user input.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second user input comprises:

detecting movement of a slider button of the first slider to a first segment of the first slider.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein die search query for the first user input is generated based on a search of a search category associated with the first segment of the first slider.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the query module is further configured to:

receive one or more additional user inputs, wherein each user input comprises additional movements of a slider button of the first slider to different segments of the first slider; and

update the search query results for each additional user input based on searches of the search categories associated with the different segments of the first slider.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the query module is further configured to:

determine a plurality of sub categories for each search category; and

associate the plurality of sub-categories with different segments of a second slider.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the query module is further configured to:

detect movement of a slider button of a second slider to a first segment of the second slider; and

filter the search query results based on the first segment of the second slider, wherein the filtering comprises adjusting a level of detail of a set of search query results.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the query module is further configured to:

receive one or more search terms; and

parse the one or more search terms.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the query module is further configured to:

analyze the parsed one or more search terms;

determine one or more category types for the parsed one or more search terms based on the analysis; and

retrieve the plurality of search categories based on a match with the one or more category types.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the query module is further configured to:

generate criteria for a model based on characteristics of the first user input, wherein the model assigns a relevance score to each of the search categories of the plurality of search categories; and

select one or more of the search categories based on the relevance score exceeding a relevance threshold.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the query module is further configured to:

partition a length of the first slider into the different segments based on a quantity of the plurality of search categories, wherein the quantity of the plurality of search categories determines a quantity of the different segments; and

link each of the search categories to at least one segment of the first slider.

23. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a server, a first user input;

receiving, by the server, a second user input, wherein the second user input comprises moving a slider button of a first slider to a first position of the first slider;

identifying, by the server, a search category for the first user input based on the first position;

generating, by the server, a search query based on the first user input, second user input and the identified search category; and

retrieving, by the server, a set of search query results from a database associated with the identified search category.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving, by the server, one or more additional user inputs, wherein each user input comprising additional movements of the slider button of the first slider to different positions of the first slider; and

updating, by the server, the set of search query results for each additional user input based on searchable categories associated with the different segments of the first slider.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting, by the server, movement of the slider button to a default segment of the first slider; and

searching, by the server, all search categories associated with first slider based on the default segment.

26. A system, comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor and memory; and

a

a query module, implemented on the computing device, and configured to;

receive a first user input;

receive a second user input, wherein the second user input comprises moving a slider button of a first slider to a first position of the first slider;

identify a search category for the first user input based on the first position;

generate a search query based on the first user input, second user input and the identified search category; and

retrieve a set of search query results from a database associated with the identified search category.

27. A computer program product having computer logic stored therein, said control logic when executed causing a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first user input;

determining a plurality of search categories for the first user input; and

associating the plurality of search categories with different segments of a first slider, wherein the first slider allows a user to generate a search query for the first user input among the plurality of search categories.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

receiving a second user input;

generating a search query for the first user input based on the second user input; and

receiving a set of search query results for the first user input based on the second user input.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the second user input comprises:

moving a slider button of the first slider to a first segment of the first slider.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the search query for the first user input is generated based on a search of a search category associated with the first segment of the first slider.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, the operations further comprising:

receiving one or more additional user inputs, each user input comprising additional movements of a slider button of the first slider to different segments of the first slider; and

updating the search query results for each additional user input based on searches of the search categories associated with the different segments of the first slider.

32. The computer program product of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

determining a plurality of sub categories for each search category; and

associating the plurality of sub-categories with different segments of a second slider.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, the operations further comprising:

detecting movement of a slider button of a second slider to a first segment of the second slider; and

filtering the search query results based on the first segment of the second slider, wherein the filtering comprises adjusting a level of detail of a set of search query results.

34. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is configured to;

receive a first user input;

determine a plurality of search categories for the first user input; and

associate the plurality of search categories with different segments of a first slider, wherein the first slider allows a user to generate a search query for the first user input among the plurality of search categories.