Dynamically updated search results based upon continuously-evolving search query that is based at least in part upon phrase suggestion, search engine uses previous result sets performing additional search tasks

• US 7,461,059 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ragno, Robert J., Richardson, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US11/159,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707 3- 5, 707/10, 707100-102, 707/104.1, 707/200, 706 50- 55, 709/217, 709/219, 709/203, 715258-259, 715/268, 715/257, 715261-262, 715700-701, 715727-728, 715/968, 704/246, 704/251, 704/257
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/738 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A system for guiding a search for information is presented. The system comprises a user interface that accepts a phrase and receives at least one suggestion based at least in part on the phrase. The system also includes a phrase suggestion engine that matches the phrase with the at least one suggestion. Methods of using the system are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for guiding a search for information, comprising:

a processor for executing the following software components;

a user interface that accepts a phrase and receives at least one suggestion based at least in part on the phrase, wherein the user interface includes a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the phrase and includes a speech processing component that accepts an audio data input to recognize the phrase;

a phrase suggestion engine that matches the phrase with the at least one suggestion, wherein the phrase suggestion engine interacts with the user interface to assist in providing suggestions, and which takes into account context and most likely desired results, in order to maximize likelihood that a user obtains responsive information to its query;

wherein the phrase suggestion engine suggests queries that include sound-alike phrases, substitute phrases, spelling correction phrases, noisy input correction phrases and grammar correction phrases based upon available dictionary words, past searches by the user and phrases from a phrase data store;

a search engine that provides a result set based at least in part upon a query created using the suggestion;

wherein upon completion of a query that includes one or more suggested phrases, the user interface sends the query to the search engine which performs the searches incrementally as each individual phrase is suggested by the phrase suggestion engine, the user interface provides dynamically updated search results based upon a continuously-evolving search query that is based at least in part upon suggestions, the search engine then uses previous result sets and performs additional search tasks on the query as the user enters additional data;

a feedback module that adjusts a manner in which the query would otherwise be completed, the feedback module provides information and assists the phrase suggestion engine in suggesting a partial query for the user based on a user'"'"'s interactions with results of previous search queries, and searches and search queries from other users; and

a result display component that displays at least a part of the result set from the search engine; and

wherein the user interface further comprises a presentation component that presents the suggestion to the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface is at least one of a command line interface, a text-based interface, a graphical user interface, a web-based interface, a stylus-based interface, a pen-based data input system, a keypad, a speech recognition system, and a handwriting recognition system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the phrase is one of a prefix, a regular expression, a suffix, an infix, a pattern, a substring, and a string.

4. A method of guiding a search for information stored in a machine-readable format, comprising:

creating a suggestion from a phrase entered by a user at a user interface via the user interface accepting the phrase and receiving at least one suggestion based at least in part on the phrase, wherein the user interface includes a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the phrase and includes a speech processing component that accepts an audio data input to recognize the phrase, and wherein creating a suggestion includes referencing a set of suggestions and referencing a probability measure;

creating at least one query based at least in part upon the suggestion;

utilizing a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the suggestion;

searching for results that are based at least in part upon a query derived from the suggestion;

suggesting queries that include sound-alike phrases, substitute phrases, spelling correction phrases, noisy input correction phrases and grammar correction phrases;

sending the query to a search engine which performs the searches incrementally as each individual phrase is suggested by a phrase suggestion engine, the user interface provides dynamically updated search results based upon a continuously-evolving search query that is based at least in part upon suggestions, the search engine then uses previous result sets and performs additional search tasks on the query as the user enters additional data; and

outputting the results to a computer display to allow a user to review the results, wherein a user interface provides dynamically updated search results based upon a continuously-evolving search query that is based at least in part upon suggestions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein referencing a set of suggestions includes referencing a ranking of suggestions.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising presenting results that are based at least in part upon the query.

7. A system for guiding a search for information stored in a machine-readable format, comprising:

a computer memory;

means for creating a suggestion from a phrase entered by a user at a user interface via the user interface accepting the phrase and receiving at least one suggestion based at least in part on the phrase, wherein the user interface includes a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the phrase and includes a speech processing component that accepts an audio data input to recognize the phrase, and wherein the means for creating a suggestion includes means for referencing a set of suggestions and means for referencing a probability measure;

means for creating at least one query based at least in part upon the suggestion;

means for storing the at least one query in the computer memory;

means for utilizing a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the suggestion;

means for searching for results that are based at least in part upon a query derived from the suggestion;

means for suggesting queries that include sound-alike phrases, substitute phrases, spelling correction phrases, noisy input correction phrases and grammar correction phrases;

means for sending the query to a search engine which performs the searches incrementally as each individual phrase is suggested by a phrase suggestion engine, the user interface provides dynamically updated search results based upon a continuously-evolving search query that is based at least in part upon suggestions, the search engine then uses previous result sets and performs additional search tasks on the query as the user enters additional data; and

means for outputting the results to a computer display to allow a user to review the results, wherein a user interface provides dynamically updated search results based upon a continuously-evolving search query that is based at least in part upon suggestions.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the means for referencing a set of suggestions includes means for referencing a ranking of suggestions.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising means for searching for results that are based at least in part upon a query derived from the suggestion.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for presenting results that are based at least in part upon the query.