Automatic search query suggestions with search result suggestions from user history

• US 8,370,329 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gutt, Zachary Mark, Mains, Richard Leigh, Paushkina, Anastasia
• Primary Examiner(s): Spieler, William
• Application Number:
  US12/235,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/721
• US Class Current: 707/721
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3326 using relevance feedback from the user, e.g. relevance feedback on documents, documents sets, document terms or passages

Abstract

Suggested search results are provided with suggested search queries as a user incrementally enters characters of a search query. At each incremental user input, a query portion is received and suggested search queries are identified based on the query portion. Suggested search results associated with the suggested search queries are also identified. These suggested search results enable direct navigation to web sites associated with the search results. In some embodiments, a user'"'"'s search history is analyzed to identify search results selected by the user for the suggested search queries. In other embodiments, search histories for a group of users associated with the user are analyzed to identify the suggested search results to provide with the suggested search queries.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing suggested search queries and associated search results to a user, the method comprising:

prior to receiving a user command to perform a search using a completed search query;

receiving user input representing a search query portion;

identifying a plurality of suggested search queries based on the search query portion;

identifying a search result corresponding with a first suggested search query from the plurality of suggested search queries, the search result having been previously selected by the user multiple times in a plurality of previous search sessions, the multiple times satisfying a threshold number; and

communicating the plurality of suggested search queries and the search result for presentation to the user, the plurality of suggested search queries being presented in a list with the search result being presented in the list adjacent to the first suggested search query to associate the search result with the first suggested search query.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of suggested search queries based on the search query portion comprises comparing the search query portion against query logs to identify at least one of the suggested search queries.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of suggested search queries based on the search query portion comprises comparing the search query portion against a search engine index to identify at least one of the suggested search queries, the search engine index storing information regarding web pages crawled by a search engine.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of suggested search queries based on the search query portion comprises comparing the search query portion against search history information for the user to identify at least one of the suggested search queries.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises ranking the plurality of suggested search queries.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the search result is also identified based on the search result satisfying a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of:

how recently the user has selected the search result, and how long the user viewed a web page associated with the search result.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises identifying a plurality of search results, and wherein the method further comprises ranking the plurality of search results based on at least one of:

a number of times the user has selected each search result, how recently the user has selected each search result, and how long the user viewed a web page associated with each search result.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the search result includes an embedded link, allowing for user selection of the search result causing a web page corresponding with the search result to be retrieved and displayed.

9. One or more computer-storage media storing computer-useable instructions for causing a computing device to perform a method for providing suggested search queries and suggested search results, the method comprising:

as a user incrementally enters characters to form a portion of a search query, upon each increment;

receiving the portion of the search query;

accessing search history information for the user, the search history information including previous search queries submitted by the user and search results selected by the user for each of the previous search queries;

identifying a suggested search query based on the portion of the search query and the search history information for the user, the suggested search query corresponding with a search query previously submitted by the user;

identifying a suggested search result based on the suggested search query and the search history information for the user, the suggested search result corresponding with a search result previously selected by the user for the search query previously submitted by the user, the search result having been previously selected by the user a plurality of times when presented in response to searches using the search query previously submitted by the user in a plurality of previous search sessions, the plurality of times satisfying a threshold number; and

communicating the suggested search query and the suggested search result for presentation to the user, wherein the suggested search result is presented adjacent to the suggested search query to associate the suggested search result with the suggested search query.

10. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 9, wherein the suggested search result includes an embedded link, allowing for user selection of the suggested search result causing a web page corresponding with the suggested search result to be retrieved and displayed.

11. One or more computer-storage media storing computer-useable instructions for causing a computing device to perform a method for providing suggested search queries and associated search results for a first user, the method comprising:

prior to receiving a user command to perform a search using a completed search query;

receiving user input from the first user, the user input representing a search query portion;

identifying a plurality of suggested search queries based on the search query portion;

identifying a search result corresponding with a first suggested search query from the plurality of suggested search queries, the search result having been previously selected a plurality of times in previous search sessions by at least one second user within a group of users associated with the first user, the group of users comprising users within a social network from a social networking website to which the first user belongs; and

communicating the plurality of suggested search queries and the search result for presentation to the first user, the plurality of suggested search queries being presented in a list with the search result being presented adjacent to the first suggested search query to associate the search result with the first suggested search query.

12. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 11, wherein identifying the plurality of suggested search queries based on the search query portion comprises at least one of the following:

comparing the search query portion against query logs to identify at least one of the suggested search queries;

comparing the search query portion against a search engine index to identify at least one of the suggested search queries, the search engine index storing information regarding web pages crawled by a search engine; and

comparing the search query portion against search history information for at least one of the first user and the at least one second user to identify at least one of the suggested search queries.

13. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises ranking the plurality of suggested search queries.

14. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying the at least one second user as being within the group of users associated with the first user; and

accessing search history information for the at least one second user.

15. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 11, wherein identifying the search result corresponding with the first suggested search query comprises determining that the search result satisfies a predetermined threshold.

16. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 15, wherein the predetermined threshold comprises at least one of:

a number of times the at least one second user has selected the at least one search result, how recently the at least one second user has selected the at least one search result, and how long the at least one second user viewed a web page associated with the at least one search result.