Grouped search query refinements

• US 8,612,414 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Michelle I., Heng, Keekim J., Riegelsberger, Jens, Lin, Jocelyn
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, THANH HA T
• Application Number:
  US13/300,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/724
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on one or more computer storage devices, for grouping search query refinements. One of the methods includes while receiving a text input into an input field by a user and before the user has submitted the text input to a search engine obtaining query suggestions based at least in part on the text input. The method includes grouping query suggestions based on a common query term shared by the query suggestions, wherein the query suggestions include terms that refine the common query term. The method includes transmitting a set of query suggestions to a client device for presentation, wherein the set includes the query suggestions that are presented as a group with the common query term presented in a prominent position and the refinement terms presented in subordinate positions and wherein the common query term and the refinement terms are each user-selectable.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

while receiving a text input entered into a search engine query input field by a user, the query input field displayed in a map user interface having a viewport displaying a portion of a map at a particular zoom level, and before the user has submitted the text input as a search query to a search engine;

determining the particular zoom level and a geographical location associated with the portion of the map displayed in the viewport at the particular zoom level;

obtaining a plurality of query suggestions based at least in part on the received text input;

grouping at least some of the query suggestions based on a common primary query term shared by the query suggestions, wherein the grouped query suggestions include one or more refinement terms that refine the common primary query term, wherein the one or more refinement terms that refine the common primary query term are selected based, at least in part, on the particular zoom level of the map as presented in the viewport while the text input is being received, and the geographical location displayed in the viewport while the text input is being received; and

transmitting a set of the plurality of query suggestions to a client device for presentation to the user, wherein the set includes the grouped query suggestions that are presented as a group with the common primary query term presented in a prominent position and the one or more refinement terms presented in subordinate positions relative to the common primary query term and wherein the common primary query term and the one or more refinement terms are each user-selectable.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received text input does not comprise a complete word and the common primary query term comprises a suggested word completion of the received text input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed out to display a geographical region that includes a plurality of cities and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to geographically refine the common primary query term.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed in to display a geographical region that includes a geographical region approximately centered about a particular city and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to geographically and qualitatively refine the common primary query term.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed in to display a geographical region that is approximately centered about a particular location within a city and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to qualitatively refine the common primary query term.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from the user selecting one of the query suggestions, wherein the received text input and the selected query suggestion comprise a search query;

before the user has submitted the search query;

obtaining a second plurality of query suggestions based on the search query, wherein at least some of the query suggestions comprise refinement terms that refine the search query and are grouped together; and

transmitting a set of the second plurality of query suggestions to the client device for presentation to the user, wherein the set includes the grouped query suggestions that are presented in a position relative to the search query that indicates the grouped query suggestions are refinement terms that refine the search query.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from the user that selects the common primary query term and that submits a search query comprising the common primary query term to the search engine;

obtaining a set of search results that are responsive to the search query; and

transmitting the set of search results to the client device for presentation to the user, wherein the at least some of the refinement terms included in the grouped query suggestions are simultaneously presented to the user as user-selectable refinement terms that are selectable to refine the submitted search query.

8. A computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more computers;

one or more data storage devices coupled to the one or more computers and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

while receiving a text input entered into a search engine query input field by a user, the query input field displayed in a map user interface having a viewport displaying a portion of a map at a particular zoom level, and before the user has submitted the text input as a search query to a search engine;

determining the particular zoom level and a geographical location associated with the portion of the map displayed in the viewport at the particular zoom level;

obtaining a plurality of query suggestions based at least in part on the received text input;

grouping at least some of the query suggestions based on a common primary query term shared by the query suggestions, wherein the grouped query suggestions include one or more refinement terms that refine the common primary query term, wherein the one or more refinement terms that refine the common primary query term are selected based, at least in part, on the particular zoom level of the map as presented in the viewport while the text input is being received, and the geographical location displayed in the viewport while the text input is being received; and

transmitting a set of the plurality of query suggestions to a client device for presentation to the user, wherein the set includes the grouped query suggestions that are presented as a group with the common primary query term presented in a prominent position and the one or more refinement terms presented in subordinate positions relative to the common primary query term and wherein the common primary query term and the one or more refinement terms are each user-selectable.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the received text input does not comprise a complete word and the common primary query term comprises a suggested word completion of the received text input.

10. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed out to display a geographical region that includes a plurality of cities and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to geographically refine the common primary query term.

11. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed in to display a geographical region that includes a geographical region approximately centered about a particular city and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to geographically and qualitatively refine the common primary query term.

12. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed in to display a geographical region that is approximately centered about a particular location within a city and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to qualitatively refine the common primary query term.

13. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations further comprising:

receiving an input from the user selecting one of the query suggestions, wherein the received text input and the selected query suggestion comprise a search query;

before the user has submitted the search query;

obtaining a second plurality of query suggestions based on the search query, wherein at least some of the query suggestions comprise refinement terms that refine the search query and are grouped together; and

transmitting a set of the second plurality of query suggestions to the client device for presentation to the user, wherein the set includes the grouped query suggestions that are presented in a position relative to the search query that indicates the grouped query suggestions are refinement terms that refine the search query.

14. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations further comprising:

receiving an input from the user that selects the common primary query term and that submits a search query comprising the common primary query term to the search engine;

obtaining a set of search results that are responsive to the search query; and

transmitting the set of search results to the client device for presentation to the user, wherein the at least some of the refinement terms included in the grouped query suggestions are simultaneously presented to the user as user-selectable refinement terms that are selectable to refine the submitted search query.

15. A computer-readable storage device encoded with instructions which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

while receiving a text input entered into a search engine query input field by a user, the query input field displayed in a map user interface having a viewport displaying a portion of a map at a particular zoom level, and before the user has submitted the text input as a search query to a search engine;

determining the particular zoom level and a geographical location associated with the portion of the map displayed in the viewport at the particular zoom level;

obtaining a plurality of query suggestions based at least in part on the received text input;

grouping at least some of the query suggestions based on a common primary query term shared by the query suggestions, wherein the grouped query suggestions include one or more refinement terms that refine the common primary query term, wherein the one or more refinement terms that refine the common primary query term are selected based, at least in part, on the particular zoom level of the map as presented in the viewport while the text input is being received, and the geographical location displayed in the viewport while the text input is being received; and

transmitting a set of the plurality of query suggestions to a client device for presentation to the user, wherein the set includes the grouped query suggestions that are presented as a group with the common primary query term presented in a prominent position and the one or more refinement terms presented in subordinate positions relative to the common primary query term and wherein the common primary query term and the one or more refinement terms are each user-selectable.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the received text input does not comprise a complete word and the common primary query term comprises a suggested word completion of the received text input.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed out to display a geographical region that includes a plurality of cities and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to geographically refine the common primary query term.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed in to display a geographical region that includes a geographical region approximately centered about a particular city and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to geographically and qualitatively refine the common primary query term.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the particular zoom level is zoomed in to display a geographical region that is approximately centered about a particular location within a city and the one or more refinement terms are selected, at least in part, to qualitatively refine the common primary query term.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations further comprising:

receiving an input from the user selecting one of the query suggestions, wherein the received text input and the selected query suggestion comprise a search query;

before the user has submitted the search query;

obtaining a second plurality of query suggestions based on the search query, wherein at least some of the query suggestions comprise refinement terms that refine the search query and are grouped together; and

transmitting a set of the second plurality of query suggestions to the client device for presentation to the user, wherein the set includes the grouped query suggestions that are presented in a position relative to the search query that indicates the grouped query suggestions are refinement terms that refine the search query.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations further comprising:

receiving an input from the user that selects the common primary query term and that submits a search query comprising the common primary query term to the search engine;

obtaining a set of search results that are responsive to the search query; and

transmitting the set of search results to the client device for presentation to the user, wherein the at least some of the refinement terms included in the grouped query suggestions are simultaneously presented to the user as user-selectable refinement terms that are selectable to refine the submitted search query.