Dictionary suggestions for partial user entries

• US 8,312,032 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Choi, Yung, Lee, Haimin, Lee, Dong-Hwi, Jang, Jungshik
• Primary Examiner(s): MORRISON, JAY A
• Application Number:
  US12/171,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments, a server receives a partial search query from a client device that is located remotely from the server, and predicts from the partial search query a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query, where the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users. The partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in the same language. In addition, the server obtains translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, where the translations are in a different language from the set of predicted complete queries, and conveys both the set of predicted complete queries and the corresponding translations to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for processing query information, comprising:

at a server system with one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs storing instructions for;

prior to a user of a client device signaling completion of a search query;

receiving from the client device a partial search query, the client device located remotely from the server;

predicting from the partial search query a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query, where the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users, wherein the partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in a first language;

subsequent to the predicting, obtaining translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, wherein the translations are in a second language different from the first language, and the subset comprises multiple predicted complete queries, wherein the first and second languages are predicted based, at least in part, on the partial search query; and

conveying both the set of predicted complete queries and the corresponding translations to the client device for concurrent display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, predicting and conveying comprise a single transaction between the client device and the server system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first language is one language of a predefined set of two languages and the second language is the other language of the predefined set of two languages.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predefined set of two languages is selected by a search requestor at the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial search query is received from a translation web page displayed at the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predicting includes obtaining the predicted complete queries from prediction information, computed prior to receiving the partial search query, that associates the predicted complete queries with the partial search query.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising ordering the set of predicted complete queries in accordance with ranking criteria.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, when the partial search query is a member of the set of predicted complete queries, the ordering includes placing the partial search query at a top position of the ordered set of predicted complete queries.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the ordering includes ordering the set in lexicographical order.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining translations includes looking up translations of the set of predicted complete queries from a predefined table.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing a set of predefined queries from the set of predicted complete queries.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the predicted complete queries are pre-filtered to remove a set of predefined complete queries.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing the size of the set to N, wherein the N is a predefined number.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the predicting includes mapping the partial search query to an entry in a chunk table;

the chunk table comprising pointers to entries in a token table;

the token table comprising entries having queries and corresponding translations.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of predicted complete queries includes a respective predicted complete query that is an abbreviation or shortened term, and the method includes obtaining a completion or synonym of the abbreviation or shortened term, wherein both the respective predicted complete query and the completion or synonym are in a same language.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the predicted complete queries does not include the entire partial search query.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of predicted complete queries includes multiple predicted complete queries distinct from the partial search query.

18. A method for processing query information, comprising:

at a client device with one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs storing instructions for;

prior to a search requestor of the client device signaling completion of a search query;

receiving from the search requestor a partial search query;

obtaining, from a server system that is remote from the client device, a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query and translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, wherein the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users, the partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in a first language, the translations are in a second language different from the first language, the first and second languages are predicted based, at least in part, on the partial search query, and the subset comprises multiple predicted complete queries; and

concurrently displaying two or more complete queries from the set of predicted complete queries and at least portions of the translations of the two or more complete queries.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predicted complete queries and the translations are obtained in a single transaction with the server system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first language is one language of a predefined set of two languages and the second language is the other language of the predefined set of two languages.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the predefined set of two languages is selected by the search requestor.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the partial search query is received from a web page displayed at the client device, and the predefined set of two languages is selected by the search requestor from a list of predefined pairs of languages.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the partial search query is received from a translation web page displayed at the client device.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the predicted complete queries are complete queries previously submitted to the server by the community of users.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising ordering the set of predicted complete queries in accordance with ranking criteria.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the ordering includes ordering the set in lexicographical order.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein, if the partial search query is a member of the set of predicted complete queries, the ordering includes placing the partial search query at a top position of the ordered set of predicted complete queries.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the set of predicted complete queries have been filtered to remove a set of predefined queries.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising reducing the size of the set to N, wherein the N is a predefined number.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the set of predicted complete queries includes a respective predicted complete query that is an abbreviation or shortened term, and the method includes obtaining from the server a completion or synonym of the abbreviation or shortened term, wherein both the respective predicted complete query and the completion or synonym are in a same language.

31. A server system for processing query information, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store data and one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

prior to a user of a client device signaling completion of a search query;

receiving from a search requestor a partial search query, the search requestor located remotely from the server system;

predicting from the partial search query a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query, where the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users, wherein the partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in a first language;

subsequent to the predicting, obtaining translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, wherein the translations are in a second language different from the first language, and the subset comprises multiple predicted complete queries, wherein the first and second languages are predicted based, at least in part, on the partial search query; and

conveying both the set of predicted complete queries and the corresponding translations to the search requestor for concurrent display.

32. The server system of claim 31, including:

data, stored in the memory, the data representing complete queries previously submitted by a community of users, and translations of the complete queries;

wherein the instructions for predicting and for obtaining comprise instructions for extracting from the stored data, data representing the predicted complete queries and the translations of the set of predicted complete queries.

33. The server system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the predicted complete queries does not include the entire partial search query.

34. The server system of claim 31, wherein:

the first language is one language of a predefined set of two languages, and the second language is the other language of the predefined set of two languages; and

the one or more program include instructions for predicting the predefined set of two languages based, at least in part, on an Internet protocol address of the client device.

35. The server system of claim 31, wherein the subset of predicted complete queries includes multiple predicted complete queries distinct from the partial search query.

36. A client system for processing query information, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to store data and one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

prior to a search requestor of the client system signaling completion of a search query;

receiving from the search requestor a partial search query;

obtaining, from a server system that is remote from the client system, a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query and translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, wherein the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users, the partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in a first language, the translations are in a second language different from the first language, the first and second languages are predicted based, at least in part, on the partial search query, and the subset comprises multiple predicted complete queries; and

concurrently displaying two or more complete queries from the set of predicted complete queries and at least portions of the translations of the two or more complete queries.

37. The system of claim 36, including:

data, stored in the memory, including a web page to be displayed at the client system and prediction data representing the set of predicted complete search queries and translations obtained from the server system, wherein at least a subset of the prediction data is for display within the web page.

38. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a server system, the one or more programs comprising instruction for:

prior to a user of a client device signaling completion of a search query;

receiving from the client device a partial search query, the client device located remotely from the server system;

predicting from the partial search query a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query, where the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users, wherein the partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in a first language;

subsequent to the predicting, obtaining translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, wherein the translations are in a second language different from the first language, and the subset comprises multiple predicted complete queries, wherein the first and second languages are predicted based, at least in part, on the partial search query; and

conveying both the set of predicted complete queries and the corresponding translations to the client device for concurrent display.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein at least one of the predicted complete queries does not include the entire partial search query.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein:

the first language is one language of a predefined set of two languages, and the second language is the other language of the predefined set of two languages; and

the one or more program include instructions for predicting the predefined set of two languages based, at least in part, on an Internet protocol address of the client device.

41. The computer readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the subset of predicted complete queries includes multiple predicted complete queries distinct from the partial search query.

42. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a client device or system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

prior to a search requestor of the client device or system signaling completion of a search query;

receiving from the search requestor a partial search query;

obtaining, from a server system that is remote from the client device or system, a set of predicted complete queries relevant to the partial search query and translations of at least a subset of the set of predicted complete queries, wherein the predicted complete queries comprise previously submitted complete queries submitted by a community of users, the partial search query and the set of predicted complete queries are in a first language, the translations are in a second language different from the first language, the first and second languages are predicted based, at least in part, on the partial search query, and the subset comprises multiple predicted complete queries; and

concurrently displaying two or more complete queries from the set of predicted complete queries and at least portions of the translations of the two or more complete queries.