Predictive selection of item attributes likely to be useful in refining a search
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of assisting users in refining searches, the method comprising:
- identifying search criteria submitted by each of a plurality of users to search for items represented in a data repository;
programmatically identifying a plurality of items that are associated with the search criteria, wherein the plurality of items are identified, at least in part, by analyzing item-specific actions performed by the plurality of users;
programmatically analyzing attribute information of the identified plurality of items to select at least one item attribute that is useful for subdividing at least a portion of said plurality of items into multiple groups of items;
at least partly in response to selecting the item attribute, creating, in a computer memory, an entry that associates the search criteria with the attribute; and
in response to a subsequent submission by a user of a search query that includes said search criteria, looking up the attribute from the entry in the computer memory, and providing to the user an option to use the attribute to refine the search query.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-implemented methods are described for identifying item attributes that are likely to be useful to users in refining searches for items. In one embodiment, when a user submits a search query to search for items, all or a portion of the search query is used to look-up a previously-generated list of item attributes (and optionally associated attribute values) that, based on a programmatic analysis that includes an analysis of user activity of a population of users, are associated with the search query and are useful for refining the search. These item attributes, and any associated attribute values, are then presented to the user in a selectable form such that the user can interactively narrow the search.
76 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method of assisting users in refining searches, the method comprising:
-
identifying search criteria submitted by each of a plurality of users to search for items represented in a data repository; programmatically identifying a plurality of items that are associated with the search criteria, wherein the plurality of items are identified, at least in part, by analyzing item-specific actions performed by the plurality of users; programmatically analyzing attribute information of the identified plurality of items to select at least one item attribute that is useful for subdividing at least a portion of said plurality of items into multiple groups of items; at least partly in response to selecting the item attribute, creating, in a computer memory, an entry that associates the search criteria with the attribute; and in response to a subsequent submission by a user of a search query that includes said search criteria, looking up the attribute from the entry in the computer memory, and providing to the user an option to use the attribute to refine the search query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A computer-implemented method of assisting users in refining searches, the method comprising:
-
identifying a search criteria submitted by each of a plurality of users to search for items represented in a data repository; programmatically identifying a plurality of items that are associated with the search criteria, wherein the plurality of items are identified, at least in part, by analyzing item-specific actions performed by the plurality of users; programmatically analyzing attribute information of the identified plurality of items to identify an item attribute associated with at least some of the plurality of items, and to select a plurality of attribute values of said item attribute, wherein each selected value is shared by two or more, but not all, of the plurality of items; storing, in a computer memory, mapping data that maps the search criteria to the plurality of attribute values of the item attribute; and in response to a submission by a user of a search query that includes said search criteria, looking up from the mapping data the plurality of attribute values, and providing to the user, in conjunction with at least a partial listing of the items that are responsive to the search query, a respective option, for each of the plurality of attribute values, to view the responsive items that are characterized by that attribute value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification