Techniques for providing suggestions for creating a search query

• US 7,676,460 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Morgan, Brian Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casanova; Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US11/367,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20070208738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/4, 707/2, 707/3, 707/5, 707/6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/211 Syntactic parsing, e.g. based on context-free grammar [CFG] or unification grammars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

Provided are techniques for providing suggestions for a search query. As input of a search query is received, it is determined that the input corresponds to a stem. It is determined whether the stem resolves to a predetermined term. In response to determining that the input resolves to a predetermined term, a new query is generated based on the predetermined term and zero or more previously resolved terms. In response to executing the new query, results are received and suggestions for completing the search query are provided based on the received results.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing suggestions for a search query, comprising:

storing a dictionary of stems that includes custom commands and synonyms;

storing a list of attributes that correlates synonyms found in the dictionary of stems with attributes in the list of attributes, wherein there are multiple attributes for a particular item;

maintaining a record of resolved terms that have been identified as predetermined terms and other terms that are identified as not being predetermined terms;

receiving a new input for a search query before the user submits a complete search query, wherein the search query includes the resolved terms, the other terms, and the input;

determining that the input corresponds to a stem;

determining whether the stem or a synonym of the stem resolve to a predetermined term using the dictionary of stems and the list of attributes; and

in response to determining that the stem resolves to a predetermined term,

generating a suggestion query with the predetermined term and previously resolved terms in a resolved portion of the search query and without using the other terms that are identified as not being predetermined terms, wherein the previously resolved terms are terms that were identified as predetermined terms prior to generating the suggestion query;

executing the suggestion query with a search engine, wherein the suggestion query includes the predetermined term and the previously resolved terms;

in response to executing the suggestion query, receiving results from the search engine; and

displaying context-dependent suggestions of additional terms for completing the search query based on the received results, comprising;

when the predetermined term is an attribute name that is on the list of attributes, displaying valid attribute values for the attribute name; and

when the predetermined term is define, returning a list of terms representing concepts for which context-relevant definitions are available.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the input indicates that the search query has been submitted; and

submitting the search query to the search engine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the input indicates that an option from among the suggestions for completing the search query has been selected by one of a user and an application; and

in response to determining that the input indicates that the option from among the suggestions for completing the search query has been selected, updating the resolved portion of the search query.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the results are provided in the natural language style in real-time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input comprises a keystroke.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined term is a custom command and wherein generating the new query comprises performing a custom search.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined term is one of the attribute name, a custom command, a partial attribute value, a term of with a term of show, and a portion of an attribute name.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed by a processor on a computer causes the computer to:

store a dictionary of stems that includes custom commands and synonyms;

store a list of attributes that correlates synonyms found in the dictionary of stems with attributes in the list of attributes, wherein there are multiple attributes for a particular item;

maintain a record of resolved terms that have been identified as predetermined terms and other terms that are identified as not being predetermined terms;

receive a new input for a search query before the user submits a complete search query, wherein the search query includes the resolved terms, the other terms, and the input;

determine that the input corresponds to a stem;

determine whether the stem or a synonym of the stem resolve to a predetermined term using the dictionary of stems and the list of attributes; and

in response to determining that the stem resolves to a predetermined term,

generate a suggestion query with the predetermined term and previously resolved terms in a resolved portion of the search query and without using the other terms that are identified as not being predetermined terms, wherein the previously resolved terms are terms that were identified as predetermined terms prior to generating the suggestion query;

execute the suggestion query with a search engine, wherein the suggestion query includes the predetermined term and the previously resolved terms;

in response to executing the suggestion query, receive results from the search engine; and

display context-dependent suggestions of additional terms for completing the search query based on the received results, comprising;

when the predetermined term is an attribute name that is on the list of attributes, displaying valid attribute values for the attribute name; and

when the predetermined term is define, returning a list of terms representing concepts for which context-relevant definitions are available.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

determine that the input indicates that the search query has been submitted; and

submit the search query to the search engine.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

determine that the input indicates that an option from among the suggestions for completing the search query has been selected by one of a user and an application; and

in response to determining that the input indicates that the option from among the suggestions for completing the search query has been selected, update the resolved portion of the search query.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the predetermined term is one of the attribute name, a custom command, a partial attribute value, a term of with, a term of show, and a portion of an attribute name.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the results are provided in the natural language style in real-time.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the input comprises a keystroke.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the predetermined term is a custom command and wherein generating the new query comprises performing a custom search.

15. A system for providing suggestions for a search query, comprising:

hardware logic capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

storing a dictionary of stems that includes custom commands and synonyms;

storing a list of attributes that correlates synonyms found in the dictionary of stems with attributes in the list of attributes, wherein there are multiple attributes for a particular item;

maintaining a record of resolved terms that have been identified as predetermined terms and other terms that are identified as not being predetermined terms;

receiving a new input for a search query before the user submits a complete search query, wherein the search query includes the resolved terms, the other terms, and the input;

determining that the input corresponds to a stem;

determining whether the stem or a synonym of the stem resolve to a predetermined term using the dictionary of stems and the list of attributes; and

in response to determining that the stem resolves to a predetermined term,

generating a suggestion query with the predetermined term and previously resolved terms in a resolved portion of the search query and without using the other terms that are identified as not being predetermined terms, wherein the previously resolved terms are terms that were identified as predetermined terms prior to generating the suggestion query;

executing the suggestion query with a search engine, wherein the suggestion query includes the predetermined term and the previously resolved terms;

in response to executing the suggestion query, receiving results from the search engine; and

displaying context-dependent suggestions of additional terms for completing the search query based on the received results, comprising;

when the predetermined term is an attribute name that is on the list of attributes, displaying valid attribute values for the attribute name; and

when the predetermined term is define, returning a list of terms representing concepts for which context-relevant definitions are available.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the input indicates that the search query has been submitted; and

submitting the search query to the search engine.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the input indicates that an option from among the suggestions for completing the search query has been selected by one of a user and an application; and

in response to determining that the input indicates that the option from among the suggestions for completing the search query has been selected, updating the resolved portion of the search query.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined term is one of the attribute name, a custom command, a partial attribute value, a term of with, a term of show, and a portion of an attribute name.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the results are provided in the natural language style in real-time.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the input comprises a keystroke.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the predetermined term is a custom command and wherein generating the new query comprises performing a custom search.