User interfaces for search systems using in-line contextual queries
First Claim
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1. A method for processing a query, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- receiving, from a client, at a server, via a contextual search interface displayed on a content presentation application executing on the client, query data indicating a query initiated by a user of said client;
receiving from said client, at said server, with said query data, a context vector associated with the contextual search interface, the context vector including context data derived from content displayed on the client by the content presentation application when the query data was entered by the user;
wherein the context vector includes one or more terms that are not part of the query data;
wherein the context vector is not identical to said content;
generating a first search result comprising a ranked list of hits using at least the query data, the context vector, and a plurality of hits obtained from searching a search corpus;
wherein the step of generating the first search result includes at least one of;
searching the search corpus based on search criteria that are based, at least in part, on the context vector;
orranking the plurality of hits based, at least in part, on the context vector;
transmitting the first search result for presentation to the user;
with said first search result, transmitting to the user a user-editable list of context terms from the context vector;
receiving, from the client, an updated context vector based on a user update to the user-editable list of context terms;
generating a second search result comprising a second ranked list of hits using at least the query data, the updated context vector, and a second plurality of hits obtained from searching a search corpus;
wherein the step of generating the second search result includes at least one of;
searching the search corpus based on search criteria that are based, at least in part, on the updated context vector;
orranking the plurality of hits based, at least in part, on the updated context vector; and
transmitting the second search result for presentation to the user.
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Abstract
Systems and methods, including user interfaces, are provided for implementing searches using contextual information associated with a Web page (or other document) that a user is viewing when a query is entered. The page includes a contextual search interface that has an associated context vector representing content of the page. When the user submits a search query via the contextual search interface, the query and the context vector are both provided to the query processor and used in responding to the query.
447 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for processing a query, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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receiving, from a client, at a server, via a contextual search interface displayed on a content presentation application executing on the client, query data indicating a query initiated by a user of said client; receiving from said client, at said server, with said query data, a context vector associated with the contextual search interface, the context vector including context data derived from content displayed on the client by the content presentation application when the query data was entered by the user; wherein the context vector includes one or more terms that are not part of the query data; wherein the context vector is not identical to said content; generating a first search result comprising a ranked list of hits using at least the query data, the context vector, and a plurality of hits obtained from searching a search corpus; wherein the step of generating the first search result includes at least one of; searching the search corpus based on search criteria that are based, at least in part, on the context vector;
orranking the plurality of hits based, at least in part, on the context vector; transmitting the first search result for presentation to the user; with said first search result, transmitting to the user a user-editable list of context terms from the context vector; receiving, from the client, an updated context vector based on a user update to the user-editable list of context terms; generating a second search result comprising a second ranked list of hits using at least the query data, the updated context vector, and a second plurality of hits obtained from searching a search corpus; wherein the step of generating the second search result includes at least one of; searching the search corpus based on search criteria that are based, at least in part, on the updated context vector;
orranking the plurality of hits based, at least in part, on the updated context vector; and transmitting the second search result for presentation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for providing access to a search engine, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
sending to a client a page of content comprising first code, wherein execution of said first code by a content presentation application at the client causes the client to perform the steps of; displaying at least first particular content from said page, wherein said first particular content is a subset of the content in said page; displaying one or more contextual search icons, each contextual search icon associated with a different portion of the content of the page, said contextual search icons including a particular contextual search icon associated with the first particular content; receiving a user selection of the particular contextual search icon; in response to the user selection, while continuing to display at least a portion of said page, displaying an expanded contextual search interface corresponding to the particular contextual search icon, the expanded contextual search interface including a query entry area configured to accept entry of zero or more query terms by the user and a search submission control element; prior to the user submitting any query data, sending a context vector derived from the first particular content to a first server; prior to the user submitting any query data, in response to sending the context vector to the first server, receiving from the first server, for display with said expanded contextual search interface, augmented content based at least in part on the context vector; and while continuing to display at least a portion of said page, prior to the user submitting any query data, displaying the augmented content in or adjacent to said expanded contextual search interface. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for performing a search, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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receiving, from a client, at a server, via a contextual search interface displayed on a content presentation application executing on the client, a user query that includes query data entered by the user in a first field of the contextual search interface; receiving from said client, at said server, with said query data, context data entered by the user in a second field of the contextual search interface; deriving a context vector from said context data, said context vector representing said context data and further being not identical to said context data; generating a search result comprising a ranked list of hits using at least the query data, the context vector, and a plurality of hits obtained from searching a search corpus; wherein the step of generating the search result includes at least one of; searching the search corpus based on search criteria that are based, at least in part, on the context vector;
orranking the plurality of hits based, at least in part, on the context vector; transmitting the search result for presentation to the user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable storage medium that is volatile memory or non-volatile memory and that stores computer-executable code that, when executed by one or more processors at a client, causes the client to implement a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical user interface:
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includes a selection control element activating the graphical user interface; includes a query entry area configured to accept entry of one or more query terms by a user; includes a submission control element configured to submit a query including any query terms entered in the query entry area and a separate context vector derived from at least a portion of content in a page currently displayed at the client to a search engine in response to user operation of the submission control element, and includes a pop-up element for displaying at least the query entry area and augmented content based on said context vector; wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display the pop-up element in response to the user activating the user interface via the selection control element; wherein the graphical user interface is configured to send said context vector to a first server upon the user activating the graphical user interface via the selection control element, prior to the user entering any query terms; wherein the graphical user interface is configured to receive said augmented content from the first server, in response to sending the context vector, prior to the user entering any query terms. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification