Iterative and interactive context based searching
First Claim
1. At a computer system including one or more processors and system memory, the computer system including a database of searchable information, a method for providing a user with requested information, the method comprising:
- an act of using input portals to enter searchable information into a database, the searchable information comprising contextual data, location specific information, and time specific information;
an act of receiving a query from another computing device, the query including search terms of a user request for the searchable information;
an act of parsing the query to identify the included search terms and to identify the user;
an act of accessing relevant contextual data for the user based on the search terms and the identity of the user, the relevant contextual data including at least accumulated behavioral data for the user, the accumulated behavioral data indicative of one or more prior interactions the user has had with the computer system, the contextual data also including the user'"'"'s search history;
an act of formulating a current context for the query from the relevant contextual data for the user;
an act of determining that the search terms in view of the current context do not define the user request for information since the search terms in view of the current context are ambiguous, provide too few relevant results, or provide too many relevant results;
an act of entering into an interactive query dialogue with the other computing device to obtain additional relevant contextual data for the user, including performing one or more times;
an act of submitting a further query back to the other computing device, the further query requesting the additional contextual data for the user; and
an act of receiving the additional contextual data from the other computing device, the additional contextual data having been entered by the user at the other computing device;
the computer system formulating a refined context for the query from the current context and the additional contextual data;
an act of using the search terms in view of the refined context to search the searchable information in the database for any relevant portions of data responsive to the query;
an act of identifying one or more relevant portions of data responsive to the query from the database; and
an act of returning the one or more portions of data comprising the user'"'"'s search history to the other computing device in response to the query.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for iteratively and interactively searching for information. Embodiments of the invention can provide a user with relevant location-specific information in response to a query from the user. Provided information can also be relevant to a user'"'"'s predicted future behavior. As context for a user is obtained and/or accumulated, such as, for example, through an interactive query dialogue, the probability of providing relevant information in response to a query from the user increases.
27 Citations
21 Claims
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1. At a computer system including one or more processors and system memory, the computer system including a database of searchable information, a method for providing a user with requested information, the method comprising:
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an act of using input portals to enter searchable information into a database, the searchable information comprising contextual data, location specific information, and time specific information; an act of receiving a query from another computing device, the query including search terms of a user request for the searchable information; an act of parsing the query to identify the included search terms and to identify the user; an act of accessing relevant contextual data for the user based on the search terms and the identity of the user, the relevant contextual data including at least accumulated behavioral data for the user, the accumulated behavioral data indicative of one or more prior interactions the user has had with the computer system, the contextual data also including the user'"'"'s search history; an act of formulating a current context for the query from the relevant contextual data for the user; an act of determining that the search terms in view of the current context do not define the user request for information since the search terms in view of the current context are ambiguous, provide too few relevant results, or provide too many relevant results; an act of entering into an interactive query dialogue with the other computing device to obtain additional relevant contextual data for the user, including performing one or more times; an act of submitting a further query back to the other computing device, the further query requesting the additional contextual data for the user; and an act of receiving the additional contextual data from the other computing device, the additional contextual data having been entered by the user at the other computing device; the computer system formulating a refined context for the query from the current context and the additional contextual data; an act of using the search terms in view of the refined context to search the searchable information in the database for any relevant portions of data responsive to the query; an act of identifying one or more relevant portions of data responsive to the query from the database; and an act of returning the one or more portions of data comprising the user'"'"'s search history to the other computing device in response to the query. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for use at a computer system, the computer system including a database of searchable information, the computer program product for implementing a method for providing a user with requested information, the computer-program product comprising one or more processors and one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at the one or more processors, cause the computer system to perform the method, including the following:
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using input portals to enter searchable information into a database, the searchable information comprising contextual data, location specific information, and time specific information; receive a query from another computing device, the query including search terms of a user request for the searchable information; parse the query to identify the included search terms and to identify the user; access relevant contextual data for the user based on the search terms and the identity of the user, the relevant contextual data including at least accumulated behavioral data for the user, the accumulated behavioral data indicative of one or more prior interactions the user has had with the computer system, the contextual data also including the user'"'"'s search history; formulate a current context for the query from the relevant contextual data for the user; determine that the search terms in view of the current context insufficiently do not define the user request for information since the search terms in view of the current context are ambiguous, provide too few relevant results, or provide too many relevant results; enter into an interactive query dialogue with the other computing device to obtain additional relevant contextual data for the user, including performing one or more times; submitting a further query back to the other computing device, the further query requesting the additional contextual data for the user; and receiving the additional contextual data from the other computing device, the additional contextual data having been entered by the user at the other computing device; the computer system formulating a refined context for the query from the current context and the additional contextual data; use the search terms in view of the refined context to search the searchable information m the database for any relevant portions of data responsive to the query; identify one or more relevant portions of data responsive to the query from the database; and returning the one or more portions of data comprising the user'"'"'s search history to the other computing device in response to the query. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A search system, the search system comprising:
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system memory; one or more processors; and one or more computer storage media having stored there on computer-executable instructions representing a parser, a context formulation module, a search evaluation module, and search logic, the parser configured to; use input portals to enter searchable information into a database, the searchable information comprising contextual data, location specific information, and time specific information receive a query from another computing device, the query including search terms of a user request for the searchable information; and parse the query to identify the included search terms and to identify the user; wherein the context formulation module is configured to; access relevant contextual data for the user based on the search terms and the identity of the user, the relevant contextual data including past searches of the user, past user locations for the user, past purchases of the user, attributes captured from surveys taken by the user, and environmental data based on the users location, the contextual data also including the user'"'"'s search history; and formulate a context for a received query from the relevant contextual data for the user; wherein the query evaluation module is configured to; determine whether the search terms in view of the current context sufficiently define the user request for information by not being ambiguous or by returning an adequate number of results; and when the search terms in view of the context insufficiently define the user request for information enter into an interactive query dialogue with the other computing device to obtain additional relevant contextual data for the user, including performing one or more times; submitting an SMS (Short Message Service) message including a further query back to the other computing device, the further query requesting the additional contextual data for the user; and receiving an SMS message including the additional contextual data from the other computing device, the additional contextual data having been entered by the user at the other computing device; wherein the search logic includes one or more portions of search logic including;
matching rules, forward chaining rules, backward chaining rules, conditional logic, and probability equations, and wherein the portions of search logic interoperate to;use search terms in view of a context to search the searchable information in the database for any relevant portions of data responsive to the query; identify one or more relevant portions of data responsive to the query from the database; and return the one or more portions of data comprising the user'"'"'s search history to the other computing device in response to the query. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification