Systems and methods for enhancing search query results

• US 8,239,377 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milic-Frayling, Natasa, Brewer, Brett D., Watson, Eric, Mays, Eddie L. III, Sommerer, Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rayyan, Susan F
• Application Number:
  US12/771,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention leverage search query result page thumbnails and search query result link content evaluations to provide user-dependent enhanced search query results. This provides a simplified means to inform a user of the relevancy of search query results based on the user'"'"'s preferences, environment, and profile, etc. The present invention allows a user to more adequately determine the value of the search query result via search query result indicators within the thumbnail and in the proximity of a displayed result link. In one embodiment of the present invention, a thumbnail of a query result link is automatically displayed when the link is selected. This provides a tool to view an entire search result page, eliminating the necessity of scrolling through each page to find relevant search terms. In another embodiment of the present invention, indicators are utilized to inform a user of the content of a search result link.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates search query results, comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having-stored therein, computer-executable instructions to implement the system, including;

a client-side receiving component that accepts at least one query result from at least one search service; and

a client-side processing component that provides user-dependent query-result information derived from the query result accepted by the client-side receiving component, wherein the user-dependent query-result information includes one or more of the following;

(a) an indication of percentage of a total quantity of image content within at least one linked document in the query result compared to a total quantity of all content within the at least one linked document in the query result;

(b) an indication of percentage of a total quantity of text content within the at least one linked document in the query result as compared to a total quantity of all content within the at least one linked document in the query result;

or

(c) an indication of percentage of the quantity of links within the at least one linked document in the query result as compared to a total quantity of all content within the at least one linked document in the query result; and

a service for eliminating from inclusion within the query results the at least one linked document when the percentage of the total quantity of the text content, links, or image content within the at least one linked document does not surpass a threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, the user-dependent query result information comprising query result information derived from a user model.

3. The system of claim 2, the user model comprising a model that utilizes, at least in part, information related to at least one of a user context, a user profile, or a user query result rule.

4. The system of claim 1, the client-side processing component provides the user-dependent query result information via at least one visual indicator.

5. The system of claim 4, the visual indicator comprising at least one of highlighting, color, intensity of color, geometric shape, or quantity of geometric shapes.

6. The system of claim 1, the client-side processing component provides the user-dependent query result information via at least one aural indicator.

7. The system of claim 1, the client-side processing component derives the user-dependent query result information via evaluation of at least one link provided by the query result.

8. The system of claim 7, the evaluation of at least one link comprising a determination as to whether the link corresponds to at least one of a document with text or a document with links.

9. One or more computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for facilitating search query results, the method comprising:

receiving at least one query-result document from at least one search service; and

providing user-dependent query-result information derived from the at least one query-result document, the user-dependent query-result information based on a user model comprising information related to one or more of a user context, a user profile, or a user query-result rule;

automatically displaying a thumbnail image that visually represents a page of the at least one query-result document;

identifying relevant terms within the page as a function of the provided user-dependent query-result information, wherein the user-dependent query result information comprises an indication of percentage of the quantity of links within the at least one query-result document as compared to a quantity of content within the at least one query-result document within the search query results;

marking the identified relevant terms on the page with at least one indicator; and

displaying the marked relevant terms in the thumbnail image.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein marking the identified relevant terms on the page with at least one indicator-comprises utilizing a color as the at least one indicator to highlight one or more of the relevant terms, wherein the color is selected from a spectrum of colors based on a prominence of the color and a relevance of the one or more highlighted relevant terms.

11. The media of claim 9, wherein marking the identified relevant terms on the page with at least one indicator—

providing a link from the identified relevant terms to corresponding passages in the at least one query-result document.

12. The media of claim 9, wherein the acts performed by the process further comprise scrolling to the page, within at least one query-result document, that includes text most relevant to the user-dependent query-result information, wherein the visual representation of the scrolled-to page is automatically displayed in the thumbnail image.

13. The media of claim 9, wherein the automatic display of the thumbnail image is a response to a user selection of a representation of the at least one query-result document presented in a search query results page.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein a representation of the query-result document is presented in a thumbnail view that, when a user-initiated selection is received in a portion therein, automatically scrolls the query-result document to a page location corresponding to the selected portion of the thumbnail view.

15. The media of claim 9, wherein the acts performed by the processor further comprising:

displaying, automatically, the thumbnail image in response to a selection of a link to a query-result document by at least one user; and

navigating to a portion of the query-result document and turning ON the at least one indicator in response to an interaction with the thumbnail image by the user.

16. The media of claim 9, wherein providing the user-dependent query-result information further comprises deriving at least part of the user-dependent query-result information via evaluating content of the query-result document.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein evaluating content comprises determining whether the content corresponds to at least one of a document with text or a document with links, wherein the determination is based upon a percentage of at least one of a quantity of text content in the linked document or a quantity of links in the linked document.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises providing an indicator for a link to the query-result document that indicates one or more of:

a text-content link indicating a document with text, or

a link-content link indicating documents with links.

19. One or more computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for highlighting terms within search query results, the method comprising:

accepting at least one query result from at least one search service, wherein the at least one query result satisfies a search query issued by a user;

providing user-dependent information derived from previous actions of the user, wherein the user-dependent query result information comprises an indication of percentage of the quantity of links within the at least one query result as compared to a quantity of content within the at least one query result;

scrolling to a relevant portion of a document represented by the at least one query result, wherein the relevant portion is selected upon statistically analyzing the content within the document against the user-dependent information;

automatically displaying a thumbnail view that visually represents the relevant portion of the at least one query result;

highlighting relevant terms within the relevant portion that are identified as corresponding to the user-dependent information; and

displaying the highlighted relevant terms within the thumbnail view.