Incremental query refinement

• US 7,890,526 B1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hurst-Hiller, Oliver, Brewer, Brett D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham; John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rayyan; Susan F
• Application Number:
  US10/749,936
• Time in Patent Office: 2,604 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 6, 707/10, 707705-706, 707/713, 707/722, 707/736, 707/741, 707/758, 707/759, 707765-767
• US Class Current: 707/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/242 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions

Abstract

A method of incrementally refining queries and updating query result lists without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of query submission. In the method, one or more query related character patterns are defined. Entry of query defining characters by a user is monitored to detect entry of a defined query related character pattern. The user is provided with one or more suggested query refinement options and an updated query result list each time a defined query related character pattern is detected. The query related character patterns may be a character pattern that indicates a word has been input by the user.

Claims

1. A method of incrementally refining a query without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of submission of the query, the method comprising:

defining a query related character pattern that does not include the explicit indicator of submission of the query but that does include;

a series of characters followed by a space character,

one or more characters followed by a predefined time delay,

one or more characters followed by a deleted character,

a predefined number of characters, and

predefined words

detecting entry, by a user, of query defining characters that match the defined query related character pattern, wherein the query is comprised of the query defining characters;

substantially simultaneously providing the user, in response to the detecting, with both an updated query result list and an updated list of one or more query refinement options, wherein both the updated query result list and the updated list of one or more query refinement options correspond to the query defining characters, and wherein each of the one or more query refinement options in the updated list is displayed with an adjacent type icon from a plurality of type icons including a spell correct icon and a narrowing icon and a broadening icon and a synonym icon, wherein the spell correct icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option is a spelling correction, and wherein the narrowing icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option narrows the query, and wherein the broadening icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option broadens the query, and wherein the synonym icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option includes a synonym; and

wherein the method is performed by a computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting the query refinement options based on a profile of the user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting an order of the updated query result list based on a profile of the user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing, in response to the simultaneously providing, a visual indicator to the user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying, based on a user input, the query related character pattern.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the defined query related character pattern in response to a change in a connection speed.

7. Computer readable storage media with computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A method of incrementally refining queries without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of submission of the query, the method comprising:

defining a query related character pattern that does not include the explicit indicator of submission of the query but that does include;

a series of characters followed by a space character,

one or more characters followed by a predefined time delay,

one or more characters followed by a deleted character,

a predefined number of characters, and

predefined words;

detecting entry, by a user, of a query defining characters that match the defined query related character pattern, wherein the query is comprised of the query defining characters;

simultaneously providing the user, in response to the detecting, with both an updated query result list and a list of one or more query refinement options, wherein both the updated query result list and the list of one or more query refinement options correspond to the query defining characters; and

wherein the method is performed by a computer.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising adjusting the query refinement options based on a profile of the user.

10. The method of claim 8 further adjusting an order of the updated query result list based on a profile of the user.

11. Computer readable storage media with computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 8.

12. A method of incrementally refining a query without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of submission of the query, the method comprising:

detecting entry, by a user, of a completed query defining word;

simultaneously providing the user, in response to the detecting, with both a query result list and a list of one or more query refinement options, wherein both the query result list and the list of one or more query refinement options correspond to the completed query defining word, and wherein each of the one or more query refinement options is displayed in an updated result query list with an adjacent type icon from a plurality of type icons including a spell correct icon and a narrowing icon and a broadening icon and a synonym icon, wherein the spell correct icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option represents a spelling correction, and wherein the narrowing icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option narrows the query, and wherein the broadening icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option broadens the query, and wherein the synonym icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option includes a synonym;

receiving a selection, from the user, of one of the one or more query refinement options;

providing the user, in response to the receiving a selection, with the updated query result list, wherein the updated query result list corresponds to the one of the one or more query refinement options; and

wherein the method is performed by a computer.

13. Computer readable storage media with computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 12.

14. A system comprising:

an input device configure to receive, from a user, query defining characters that do not include an explicit indicator of submission of a query, wherein the query is comprised of the query defining characters;

a display configured to simultaneously present to the user, in response to the received query defining characters, both a query result list and a list of query refinement options, wherein both the query result list and the list of query refinement options correspond to the received query defining characters, and wherein each of the one or more query refinement options in the updated list is displayed with an adjacent type icon from a plurality of type icons including a spell correct icon and a narrowing icon and a broadening icon and a synonym icon, wherein the spell correct icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option is a spelling correction, and wherein the narrowing icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option narrows the query, and wherein the broadening icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option broadens the query, and wherein the synonym icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option includes a synonym.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media with computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of incrementally refining a query without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of submission of the query, the method comprising:

defining a query related character pattern that does not include the explicit indicator of submission of the query but that does include;

a series of characters followed by a space character,

one or more characters followed by a predefined time delay,

one or more characters followed by a deleted character,

a predefined number of characters, and

predefined words;

detecting entry, by a user, of query defining characters that match the defined query related character pattern, wherein the query is comprised of the query defining characters;

simultaneously providing the user, in response to the detecting, with both an updated query result list and a list of one or more query refinement options, wherein both the updated query result list and the list of one or more query refinement options correspond to the query defining characters, and wherein each of the one or more query refinement options in the list is displayed with an adjacent type icon from a plurality of type icons including a spell correct icon and a narrowing icon and a broadening icon and a synonym icon, wherein the spell correct icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option is a spelling correction, and wherein the narrowing icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option narrows the query, and wherein the broadening icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option broadens the query, and wherein the synonym icon indicates that an adjacent query refinement option includes a synonym.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, the method further comprising adjusting the query refinement options based on a profile of the user.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, the method further comprising adjusting an order of the updated query result list based on a profile of the user.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, the method further comprising providing, in response to the simultaneously providing, a visual indicator to the user.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, the method further comprising modifying, based on user input, the query related character pattern.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, the method further comprising changing the defined query related character pattern in response to a change in a connection speed.