Tokenized search suggestions

• US 8,473,507 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Loofbourrow, Wayne R., Robert, Julien, Moha, Alexandre, Bonnet, Olivier, Bovet, Simon I., Decker, Stephen Frederick, Langoulant, Brendan John, Jalon, Julien Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, NICHOLAS E
• Application Number:
  US13/333,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 707/767, 707/765, 707/766
• US Class Current: 707/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Embodiments of tokenized search suggestions include generating, by at least one suggestion engine executing on a data processing system, first suggestions based on first text input in a text input field. The first suggestions are displayed on a display device and a selection of one of the first suggestions is received. The first text input is replaced with a first token corresponding to the selected one of the first suggestions. The at least one suggestion engine generates second suggestions based on second text input in the text input field and filters the second suggestions using the selected one of the first suggestions. The filtered selections are displayed on a display device.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

generating a first tokenized search suggestion using a first selected suggestion and a first default suggestion scope;

generating a first search query using the first tokenized search suggestion;

performing a first search using the first search query;

receiving an input indicating to change the first default suggestion scope to a second suggestion scope;

generating an updated first tokenized search suggestion using the selected suggestion and the second suggestion scope;

generating a second search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion;

performing a second search using the second search query;

displaying results of the second search;

generating additional search suggestions from a text input;

receiving a selection of a second selected suggestion from the additional search suggestions;

generating a second tokenized search suggestion using the second selected suggestion and a second default suggestion scope; and

generating a third search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first default suggestion scope is configurable by a year.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

combining the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion with a Boolean OR operator if a scope of the updated first tokenized search suggestion is the same as a scope of the second tokenized search suggestion.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3, the method further comprising:

combining the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion with a Boolean AND operator if the scope of the updated first tokenized search suggestion is different than the scope of the second tokenized search suggestion.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein generating additional search suggestions from a text input is comprises merging suggestions generated by at least one suggestion engine using the text input.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the at least one suggestion engine comprises at least one of a date suggestion engine, a mailbox suggestion engine, and a search suggestion engine.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein each suggestion engine generates suggestions with different scopes.

8. A data processing system comprising:

means for generating a first tokenized search suggestion using a first selected suggestion and a first default suggestion scope;

means for generating a first search query using the first tokenized search suggestion;

means for performing a first search using the first search query;

means for receiving an input indicating to change the first default suggestion scope to a second suggestion scope;

means for generating an updated first tokenized search suggestion using the selected suggestion and the second suggestion scope;

means for generating a second search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion;

means for performing a second search using the second search query; and

means for displaying results of the second search;

means for generating additional search suggestions from a text input;

means for receiving a selection of a second selected suggestion from the additional search suggestions;

means for generating a second tokenized search suggestion using the second selected suggestion and a second default suggestion scope; and

means for generating a third search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the first default suggestion scope is configurable by a user.

10. The data processing system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for combining the updated first tokenized search suggestion and he second tokenized search suggestion with a Boolean OR operator if a scope of the updated first tokenized search suggestion is the same as a scope of the second tokenized search suggestion.

11. The data processing system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for combining the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion with a Boolean AND operator if the scope of the updated first tokenized search suggestion is different than the scope of the second tokenized search suggestion.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, wherein generating additional search suggestions from a text input is comprises merging suggestions generated by at least one suggestion engine using the text input.

13. The data processing system claim 12, wherein the at least one suggestion engine comprises at least one of a date suggestion engine, a mailbox suggestion engine, and a search suggestion engine.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein each suggestion engine generates suggestions with different scopes.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating a first tokenized search suggestion using a first selected suggestion and a first default suggestion scope;

generating a first search query using the first tokenized search suggestion;

performing a first search using the first search query;

receiving an input indicating to change the first default suggestion scope to a second suggestion scope;

generating an updated first tokenized search suggestion using the selected suggestion and the second suggestion scope;

generating a second search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion;

performing a second search using the second search query;

displaying results of the second search;

generating additional search suggestions from a text input;

receiving a selection of a second selected suggestion from the additional search suggestions;

generating a second tokenized search suggestion using the second selected suggestion and a second default suggestion scope; and

generating a third search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the first default suggestion scope is configurable by a user.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

combining the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion with a Boolean OR operator if a scope of the updated first tokenized search suggestion is the same as a scope of the second tokenized search suggestion.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

combining the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion with a Boolean AND operator if the scope of the updated first tokenized search suggestion is different than the scope of the second tokenized search suggestion.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein generating additional search suggestions from a text input is comprises merging suggestions generated by at least one suggestion engine using the text input.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the at least one suggestion engine comprises at least one of a date suggestion engine, a mailbox suggestion engine, and a search suggestion engine.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein each suggestion engine generates suggestions with different scopes.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a processing device, wherein the processing device executes instructions that cause the apparatus to;

generate a first tokenized search suggestion using a first selected suggestion and a first default suggestion scope;

generate a first search query using the first tokenized search suggestion;

perform a first search using the first search query;

receive an input indicating to change the first default suggestion scope to a second suggestion scope;

generate an updated first tokenized search suggestion using the selected suggestion and the second suggestion scope;

generate a second search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion;

perform a second search using the second search query;

display results of the second search;

generate additional search suggestions from a text input;

receive a selection of a second selected suggestion from the additional search suggestions;

generate a second tokenized search suggestion using the second selected suggestion and a second default suggestion scope; and

generate a third search query using the updated first tokenized search suggestion and the second tokenized search suggestion.