Electronic search interface technology

• US 7,934,161 B1
• Filed: 12/09/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shutterstock Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jason Adam Denise
• Inventors: Denise, Jason Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US12/331,406
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 715/738, 715/739, 715/744, 715/810, 707706-709, 707/3, 707/5, 707/6, 707/711, 707/722, 707/E17.014
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Techniques are described for displaying a representation of a list of electronic search results while a user is reviewing content linked to by electronic search results included in the list. While the user is reviewing the search results, the user may jump between content linked to by different search results using the representation of the list of electronic search results displayed. The displayed representation of the list of search results may be updated based on the user'"'"'s browsing activities in reviewing the search results, user input manipulating the list of search results, and supplemental information added to the list of search results by the user.

Claims

1. An electronic search system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

causing display of at least a portion of an interface that includes an input field configured to enable a user to enter input to define a search query;

receiving first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

after receiving the first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

accessing a first search query based on the first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

initiating performance of a first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query;

based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, accessing a first list of search results that are responsive to the first search query, the first list of search results including at least a first search result that is responsive to the first search query and that links to first electronic content; and

causing display of the first list of search results accessed based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, the display of the first list of search results having a representation of the first search result that includes description information that is descriptive of the first search result and a first link that links to the first electronic content;

after causing display of the first list of search results accessed based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, detecting user input selecting the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results;

in response to the detection of user input selecting the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results, automatically, without additional user input after the user input selecting the first search result, including the first search result in a second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that, when displayed, includes a reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that, when displayed, includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result; and

after accessing search results based on a second search to identify search results that are responsive to a second search query that is different than the first search query and that was accessed after automatically including the first search result in the second list of search results, including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search such that the second list of search results includes the first search result which is responsive to the first search query and the second search result which is responsive to the second search query.

2. The electronic search system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise causing display of the second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that includes the reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result.

3. The electronic search system of claim 2, wherein causing display of the second list of search results comprises causing display, concurrently with the first electronic content linked to by the first link of the first search result, of the second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that includes the reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result such that a user is able to add a comment to the first search result included in the second list of search results while the first electronic content linked to by the first link of the first search result is displayed.

4. The electronic search system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise, after selection of a second search result included in the second list of search results that causes display of second electronic content linked to by the second search result, causing display of the second list of search results concurrently with the second electronic content linked to by the second search result in a manner that shows the reformatted representation of the first search result and a comment added to the first search result while the second electronic content linked to by the second search result is being displayed, the second search result being different than the first search result.

5. The electronic search system of claim 1, wherein automatically including the first search result in the second list of search results comprises automatically, by at least one processor and without additional user input after the user input selecting the first search result, including the first search result in the second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that, when displayed, includes a reformatted representation of the first search result that has a reduced title of the first search result as compared to a title of the first search result included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that, when displayed, includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result.

6. The electronic search system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to receiving user input to remove the first search result from the second list of search results, removing the first search result from the second list of search results by removing the reformatted representation of the first search result from a display of the second list of search results, arranging at least one other search result included in the second list of search results to account for a display area previously occupied by the reformatted representation of the first search result removed from the display of the second list of search results, and storing data to track removal of the first search result from the second list of search results.

7. The electronic search system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

including, in the second list of search results, a first search identifier that provides an indication of the first search query; and

including, in the second list of search results, a second search identifier that provides an indication of the second search query.

8. The electronic search system of claim 7, wherein including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search comprises including the second search result in the second list of search results at a location in the second list of search results that is separated from the first search result by a search identifier.

9. The electronic search system of claim 1, wherein including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search comprises including the second search result at an end of the second list of search results immediately following the first search result.

10. The electronic search system of claim 1, wherein detecting user input selecting the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results comprises detecting user input selecting the first link of the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results, the selection of the first link of the first search result causing display of the first electronic content linked to by the first link of the first search result.

11. A method comprising:

causing display of at least a portion of an interface that includes an input field configured to enable a user to enter input to define a search query;

receiving first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

after receiving the first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

accessing a first search query based on the first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

initiating performance of a first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query;

based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, accessing a first list of search results that are responsive to the first search query, the first list of search results including at least a first search result that is responsive to the first search query and that links to first electronic content; and

causing display of the first list of search results accessed based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, the display of the first list of search results having a representation of the first search result that includes description information that is descriptive of the first search result and a first link that links to the first electronic content;

after causing display of the first list of search results accessed based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, detecting user input selecting the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results;

in response to the detection of user input selecting the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results, automatically, by at least one processor and without additional user input after the user input selecting the first search result, including the first search result in a second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that, when displayed, includes a reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that, when displayed, includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result; and

after accessing search results based on a second search to identify search results that are responsive to a second search query that is different than the first search query and that was accessed after automatically including the first search result in the second list of search results, including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search such that the second list of search results includes the first search result which is responsive to the first search query and the second search result which is responsive to the second search query.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

including, in the second list of search results, a first search identifier that provides an indication of the first search query; and

including, in the second list of search results, a second search identifier that provides an indication of the second search query.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search comprises including the second search result at an end of the second list of search results immediately following the first search result.

14. An electronic system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one computer-readable storage medium encoded with executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

causing display of at least a portion of an interface that includes an input field configured to enable a user to enter input to define a search query;

receiving first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

after receiving the first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

accessing a first search query based on the first search input entered in the input field included in the interface;

initiating performance of a first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query;

based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, accessing a first list of search results that are responsive to the first search query, the first list of search results including at least a first search result that is responsive to the first search query and that links to first electronic content; and

causing display of the first list of search results accessed based on the first search to identify search results that are responsive to the first search query, the display of the first list of search results having a representation of the first search result that includes description information that is descriptive of the first search result and a first link that links to the first electronic content;

after user input selecting the first search result included in the display of the first list of search results, including the first search result in a second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results and that, when displayed, includes a reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results;

after including the first search result in the second list of search results, receiving second search input, the second search input being different than the first search input;

after receiving the second search input;

accessing a second search query based on the second search input, the second search query being different than the first search query,

initiating performance of a second search to identify search results that are responsive to the second search query, and

accessing search results based on the second search to identify search results that are responsive to the second search query that is different than the first search query;

after accessing search results based on the second search to identify search results that are responsive to the second search query that is different than the first search query and that was accessed after including the first search result in the second list of search results, including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search such that the second list of search results includes the first search result which is responsive to the first search query and the second search result which is responsive to the second search query;

after including the first search result in the second list of search results and including the second search result in the second list of search results, receiving third search input, the third search input being different than the first search input and the second search input;

after receiving the third search input;

accessing a third search query based on the third search input, the third search query being different than the first search query and the second search query,

initiating performance of a third search to identify search results that are responsive to the third search query, and

accessing search results based on the third search to identify search results that are responsive to the third search query that is different than the first search query and the second search query;

after accessing search results based on the third search to identify search results that are responsive to the third search query that is different than the first search query and the second search query and that was accessed after including the first search result and the second search result in the second list of search results, including, in the second list of search results, a third search result identified in the third search such that the second list of search results includes the first search result which is responsive to the first search query, the second search result which is responsive to the second search query, and the third search result which is responsive to the third search query.

15. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise causing display of the second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that includes the reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result.

16. The electronic system of claim 15, wherein causing display of the second list of search results comprises causing display, concurrently with the first electronic content linked to by the first link of the first search result, of the second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results, that includes the reformatted representation of the first search result that has reduced description information of the first search result as compared to the description information included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results, and that includes at least one interface control that enables a user to add, to the first search result included in the second list of search results, a comment that is displayed in the second list of search results in association with the reformatted representation of the first search result such that a user is able to add a comment to the first search result included in the second list of search results while the first electronic content linked to by the first link of the first search result is displayed.

17. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein including the first search result in the second list of search results comprises automatically, without additional user input after user input selecting the first search result, including the first search result in the second list of search results that is different from the first list of search results and that, when displayed, includes a reformatted representation of the first search result that has a reduced title of the first search result as compared to a title of the first search result included in the representation of the first search result in the display of the first list of search results.

18. The electronic system of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

including, in the second list of search results, a first search identifier that provides an indication of the first search query;

including, in the second list of search results, a second search identifier that provides an indication of the second search query; and

including, in the second list of search results, a third search identifier that provides an indication of the third search query.

19. The electronic system of claim 18, wherein including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search comprises including the second search result in the second list of search results at a location in the second list of search results that is separated from the first search result by a search identifier.

20. The electronic system of claim 14:

wherein including, in the second list of search results, a second search result identified in the second search comprises including the second search result at an end of the second list of search results immediately following the first search result; and

wherein including, in the second list of search results, a third search result identified in the third search comprises including the third search result at an end of the second list of search results immediately following the second search result.