Query graphs indicating related queries

• US 7,565,627 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cucerzan, Silviu-Petru, Brill, Eric D., Ragno, Robert J., Zaragoza, Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Sy D
• Application Number:
  US10/955,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20060074870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,755 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1-206, 715/854, 715/853, 715/855, 715/968
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3328 using graphical result space presentation or visualisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

The present invention leverages query-related information based on a query and/or a search intention to provide a systematic means to facilitate a user in locating desired information despite lacking exact search parameters. This allows users to find information without first formulating an optimum search query. The query graph provides a navigable, graphical notion of the query-related information via nodes representative of the query-related information and edges representative of the associations between the information. In one instance of the present invention, the query graph is derived from an information source such as a query log, a query list, and/or a search engine and the like. Additional instances of the present invention utilize visual and/or audible indicators employed with the query graph to facilitate in relaying the query-related information to the user, including, but not limited to, overlays, icons, colors, and dimensional variances and the like.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates searching, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein computer-executable instructions configured to implement the searching system including;

an input component that receives at least one search query from the user; and

a search component that obtains results associated with the at least one search query and provides an automatically derived query graph having nodes and edges connecting the nodes, each node of the query graph represents a distinct query, wherein nodes representing queries that are older are depicted further in the background of the query graph than nodes representing more recent queries.

2. The system of claim 1, the query graph comprising a navigable graph.

3. The system of claim 1, the query graph comprising a listing of at least one query.

4. The system of claim 1, the query graph comprising a graph with more than two dimensions.

5. The system of claim 4, one of the dimensions representing time.

6. The system of claim 1, the query graph comprising a graph containing related queries that are organized via at least one of similarity, popularity, novelty, or quality.

7. The system of claim 1, the query graph comprising a graph containing representations of searches that are organized via at least one of similarity, popularity, novelty, or quality.

8. The system of claim 1, the query graph comprising a graph depicting relationships between the at least one query and at least one related query utilized in the query graph.

9. The system of claim 1, the search component provides at least one search result associated with the at least one search query.

10. The system of claim 1, the search component utilizes at least one information source to obtain the results associated with the at least one search query and to provide the automatically derived query graph.

11. The system of claim 10, the information source comprising at least one of a query log, a composed query list, or a search engine.

12. The system of claim 1, the search component employs query session information to facilitate in deriving the query graph.

13. The system of claim 12, the query session information comprising, at least in part, related query similarity information based on at least one of an immediate user query or at least one prior user query.

14. The system of claim 1, the search component utilizes user preferences to facilitate in deriving the query graph, wherein user preferences are utilized to automatically exclude one or more queries from the query graph.

15. The system of claim 14, the user preferences comprising at least one of direct or derived preferences.

16. The system of claim 15, the derived preferences comprising preferences based on information derived from one other user or group of users similar to the user.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a user interface component that facilitates the user in navigating the query graph derived by the search component.

18. The system of claim 17, the user interface component allows the user to select at least one of one or more queries or one or more search results.

19. The system of claim 17, the search component interacts with the user interface component to provide at least one of a query graph or a query result in response to a user selection within a query graph.

20. The system of claim 19, the user selection comprising a plurality of nodes of a query graph.

21. The system of claim 19, the user selection comprising a selection via at least one of hovering over a query graph node or edge, clicking a pointing device on a query graph node or edge, visually indicating a query graph node or edge, or audibly indicating a query graph node or edge.

22. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable components of the system of claim 1.

23. A device employing the system of claim 1 comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a computer, a server, or a handheld electronic device.

24. A method for facilitating searching, comprising:

employing a processor executing computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement the following acts;

receiving at least one search query from a user; and

automatically deriving a query graph from results associated with the at least one search query, wherein a themed overlay is utilized on the graph, the themed overlay is selected based upon a derived user preference, the themed overlay represents the query graph using a graphical representation that employs graphical icons to represent nodes that are appropriate for the user to understand the query graph.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

approximately centering the derived query graph around the at least one search query.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the themed overlay is at least one of a graphical representation of a house with windows representing nodes or a tree with leaves representing nodes and branches representing edges.

27. The method of claim 24, deriving the query graph comprising:

determining related queries to the received at least one search query; and

organizing the related queries via at least one of similarity, popularity, novelty, or quality to form the query graph.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

providing at least one search result associated with the at least one search query.

29. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

employing query session information to facilitate in deriving the query graph.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

utilizing user preferences to facilitate in deriving the query graph;

the user preferences comprising at least one of direct or derived preferences.

31. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

utilizing a location to facilitate in deriving the query graph.

32. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

employing an excluded query to facilitate in deriving the query graph;

the excluded query provided by at least one of a system or a user input.

33. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

providing a user interface to facilitate a user in interacting with the query graph.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

conveying a query graph to a user that excludes at least one edge from view.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

conveying a query graph to a user as a listing of at least one query.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

employing at least one of an audible or visual indicator via the user interface to facilitate in conveying information to a user.

37. The method of claim 34, the visual indicator comprising at least one graphical image representing at least one node of the query graph.

38. The method of claim 36, the visual indicator comprising an overlay applied to the query graph.

39. The method of claim 36, the visual indicator comprising clustering of related queries based upon strength of relation between queries.

40. The method of claim 39, the visual indicator comprising at least one of a color indicator, a line thickness indicator, or a dashed line indicator to indicate the strength of relation.

41. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

inputting user selections via the user interface;

the user selections comprising at least one of hovering over a query graph node or edge, clicking a pointing device on a query graph node or edge, visually indicating a query graph node or edge, or audibly indicating a query graph node or edge.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

dynamically deriving at least one of a query graph or query result list in response to a user selection.

43. The method of claim 41 further comprising:

providing access to a document or a web page associated with a query in response to a user selection.

44. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

adjusting a number of conveyed queries in response to a user input.

45. A device employing the method of claim 24 comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a computer, a server, or a handheld electronic device.

46. A system that facilitates searching, comprising:

means for receiving at least one search query from a user; and

means for obtaining results associated with the at least one search query and providing an automatically derived query graph, each node of the query graph represents a distinct query, each edge of the query graph represents a relationship between queries represented by the nodes connected by the edge, wherein the system automatically excludes one or more queries from a display of the query graph based upon environmental factors associated with the user at the time the user submitted the query;

means for displaying the query graph.