Identifying executable scenarios in response to search queries

• US 8,078,604 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kurien, Thekkthalackal Varugis, Jackson, Steven E., Field, Scott A., Lafornara, Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil, Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veillard, Jacques
• Application Number:
  US11/688,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for identifying executable scenario solutions relevant to a user query and returning such executable scenario solutions as search results in response to the user query are provided. Upon receiving a user query, a plurality of results is returned, each result being representative of a series of steps which may be implemented to address a particular issue relevant to the received user query. Often, a series of steps or scenario includes a number of sub-scenarios, each of which is to be executed sequentially to achieve the desired result. Accordingly, upon selection of a particular search result, the user may be guided through a series of sub-scenario result options until an item having direct association to a series of steps is selected. Once selected, the executable scenario solution is presented to the user for execution.

Claims

1. One or more memory hardware computer-storage media storing computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for identifying executable scenario solutions in response to search queries, the method comprising:

receiving a scenario-related query on a computing device, wherein the scenario-related query seeks a solution and indicates an intent to execute a specific solution and achieve a result;

in response to the received scenario-related query, identifying one or more selectable scenario descriptions, each selectable scenario description describing only one corresponding executable scenario solution, wherein the executable scenario solution comprises a scenario description and a solution which is directly associated with one or more steps implemented by a workflow, wherein at least one executable scenario solution requires one or more peripheral software object enablers, the one or more peripheral software object enablers being software which is required to be executed in addition to the executable scenario solution for successful execution of the executable scenario solution, and wherein the peripheral software object enabler corresponds to a scenario query, the scenario query being previously stored as a part of the executable scenario solution and;

being a query suitable for acquiring the peripheral software object enabler;

determining that the one or more peripheral software object enablers for the at least one executable scenario solution have been previously acquired;

determining a presentation order for the identified scenario descriptions by organizing the one or more corresponding executable scenario solutions based on an associative rating indicating in part the number of peripheral software object enablers the user will have to acquire to complete execution of the executable scenario solution;

presenting the one or more identified selectable scenario descriptions in the determined presentation order;

receiving a selection of a scenario description from the at least one identified selectable scenario description;

implementing the one or more steps of the workflow of the executable scenario solution corresponding to the selected scenario description; and

executing the one or more peripheral software object enablers during implementation of the one or more steps of the workflow to successfully complete execution of the executable scenario solution, wherein if it is determined that one or more peripheral software object enablers are is required to execute the at least one executable scenario solution, determining if the user has metadata associated with the one or more required peripheral software object enablers stored in association with a user-specific information store.

2. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to the received scenario-description selection, identifying one or more selectable sub-scenario descriptions and corresponding executable sub-scenario solutions, wherein the one or more selectable sub-scenario descriptions describe the corresponding executable sub-scenario solutions, wherein the one or more executable sub-scenario solutions when executed sequentially achieve the result intended by the user.

3. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more selectable sub-scenario descriptions and corresponding executable scenario solution comprises identifying a plurality of selectable sub-scenario descriptions, and wherein each of the plurality of selectable sub-scenario descriptions is attributed an associative rating.

4. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more selectable sub-scenario descriptions and corresponding executable scenario solution comprises identifying a plurality of selectable scenario solutions, and wherein each of the plurality of executable scenario solutions is attributed an associative rating.

5. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 2, wherein identifying one or more selectable sub-scenario descriptions and corresponding executable scenario solution comprises identifying at least one executable scenario solution, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a selection of the identified at least one executable scenario solution; and

automatically determining if one or more peripheral software object enablers is required in addition to the executable scenario solution to execute the at least one executable scenario solution.