Dynamic search box for web browser

• US 8,639,684 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2011
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Djabarov, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehichioya, Fred I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Owyang, Michelle N.
• Application Number:
  US13/209,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 715700-866
• US Class Current: 707/721
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions

Abstract

A system may receive one or more terms of a search query. The system may automatically identify prior search queries that include the one or more terms of the search query from a history of prior search queries. The system may automatically identify possible spelling corrected search queries based on the one or more terms of the search queries. The system may automatically receive remote server-based query completion suggestions including the one or more terms of the search query. The system may present query refinement options, the query refinement box being populated with the prior search queries as suggested queries for possible selection by a user, the identified possible spelling corrected search queries, and the received query completion suggestions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing, by a processor of a client device, previously received search queries associated with a user of the client device;

receiving, by a processor of the client device and from the user, one or more characters of a search query;

presenting, by a processor of the client device and based on receiving the one or more characters of the search query, a listing of available search contexts to the user;

receiving, by a processor of the client device, a selection of a search context included in the listing of available search contexts;

identifying, by a processor of the client device and based on the search context, a plurality of the previously received search queries that include the one or more characters of the search query;

spell-checking, by a processor of the client device, the one or more characters of the search query;

determining, by a processor of the client device, one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query based on spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query;

before search results for the search query are presented for display, presenting, by a processor of the client device and to the user, query refinement options that include the plurality of the previously received search queries and the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query,

the one or more modifications to the one or more characters being presented in a section separately from the plurality of the previously received search queries, and

the plurality of the previously received search queries being different from the one or more characters of the search query;

receiving, by a processor of the client device, at least one additional character of the search query;

identifying, by a processor of the client device, a particular query, of the plurality of the previously received search queries, that does not include the at least one additional character of the search query;

removing, by a processor of the client device, the particular query from the presented query refinement options, the particular query being removed prior to the search results for the search query being presented for display.

2. The method of claim 1, where the previously received search queries are received from a group of users that includes the user of the client device, the group of users being associated with the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, where each of the plurality previously received search queries, included in the query refinement options, begins with the one or more characters of the search query.

4. The method of claim 1, where spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query includes:

determining an amount of time that has passed since a last character, of the one or more characters of the search query, was received; and

spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query when the amount of time satisfies a time threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying query tokens associated with the one or more characters of the search query; and

presenting the identified query tokens, where the identified query tokens are visually distinguished based on respective different syntax rules associated with the identified query tokens.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying other previously received search queries that include the one or more characters of the search query, where the other previously received search queries are associated with another client device; and

presenting, separately from the plurality of the previously received search queries and the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query, additional query refinement options that include the other previously received search queries.

7. The method of claim 1, where presenting the query refinement options includes:

presenting the query refinement options within a graphical box, at least one dimension of the graphical box being based on the plurality of the previously received search queries, and where removing the particular query from the presented query refinement options further includes;

resizing the graphical box based on removing the particular query from the presented query refinement options.

8. A device comprising:

a memory to store previously received search queries associated with a user of the device; and

a processor to;

receive one or more characters of a search query associated with the user,

present, based on receiving the one or more characters of the search query, a listing of available search contexts to the user,

receive a selection of a search context included in the listing of available search contexts,

identify, based on the search context, a plurality of the previously received search queries that include the one or more characters of the search query,

spell-check the one or more characters of the search query,

determine, based on spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query, one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query,

present, before search results for the search query are presented for display, query refinement options that include the plurality of the previously received search queries and the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query,

the one or more modifications to the one or more characters being presented in a section separately from the plurality of the previously received search queries, and

the plurality of the previously received search queries being different from the one or more characters of the search query,

receive at least one additional character of the search query,

update, before the search results for the search query are presented for display, the presented query refinement options based on the received at least one additional character of the search query,

the processor, when updating the presented query refinement options, being further to;

identify a particular query, of the plurality of the previously received search queries, that does not include the at least one additional character of the search query, and

remove the particular query from the presented query refinement options.

9. The device of claim 8, where each of the plurality previously received search queries begins with the one or more characters of the search query.

10. The device of claim 8, where the processor, when spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query, is further to:

determine that an amount of time that has passed since a last character, of the one or more characters of the search query, was received, and

spell-check the one or more characters of the search query after the amount of time satisfies a time threshold.

11. The device of claim 8, where the processor is further to:

identify query tokens associated with the one or more characters of the search query, and

present the identified query tokens, where the identified query tokens are visually distinguished based on respective different syntax rules associated with the identified query tokens.

12. The device of claim 8, where the processor is further to:

identify other previously received search queries that include the one or more characters of the search query, where the other previously received search queries are associated with another device that differs from the device, and

present, separately the plurality of the previously received search queries and the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query, additional query refinement options that include the other previously received search queries.

13. The device of claim 8, where the processor, when presenting the query refinement options, is further to:

present a graphical box, at least one dimension of the graphical box being based on the plurality of the previously received search queries, and

present the query refinement options within the graphical box, and where the processor, when updating the query refinement options, is further to;

resize the graphical box based on removing the particular query from the presented query refinement options.

14. A non-transitory memory storage device storing instructions executed by a computer, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive one or more characters of a search query associated with a user;

one or more instructions to present, based on receiving the one or more characters of the search query, a listing of available search contexts to the user;

one or more instructions to receive a selection of a search context included in the listing of available search contexts;

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify, based on the search context, a plurality of previously received search queries associated with the user, that include the one or more characters of the search query;

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to spell-check the one or more characters of the search query;

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine, based on spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query, one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query;

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to present, to the user and before search results for the search query are presented for display, query refinement options that include the plurality of previously received search queries and the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query,

the one or more modifications to the one or more characters being presented in a section separately from the plurality of the previously received search queries, and

the plurality of the previously received search queries being different from the one or more characters of the search query;

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive at least one additional character of the search query;

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to identify a particular query, of the plurality of previously received search queries, that does not include the at least one additional character of the search query; and

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to remove, prior to the search results for the search result being presented for display, the particular query from the presented query refinement options.

15. The non-transitory memory storage device of claim 14, where each of the plurality of previously received search queries begins with the one or more characters of the search query.

16. The non-transitory memory storage device of claim 14, where the one or more instructions to spell-check the one or more characters of the search query further include:

one or more instructions to determine an amount of time that has passed since a last character, of the one or more characters of the search query, was received; and

one or more instructions to spell-check the one or more characters of the search query when the amount of time satisfies a time threshold.

17. The non-transitory memory storage device of claim 14, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to identify query tokens associated with the one or more characters of the search query; and

one or more instructions to present the identified query tokens, where the identified query tokens are visually distinguished based on respective different syntax rules associated with the identified query tokens.

18. The non-transitory memory storage device of claim 14, where the instructions further include:

one or more instructions to identify other previously received search queries that include each of the one or more characters of the search query, where the other previously received search queries are associated with one or more users that differ from the user associated with the search query; and

one or more instructions to present, to the user and separately from the plurality of previously received search queries and the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query, additional query refinement options that include the other previously received search queries.

19. The non-transitory memory storage memory device of claim 14, where the one or more instructions to present the query refinement options further include:

one or more instructions to present the query refinement options within a graphical box, at least one dimension of the graphical box being based on the plurality of previously received search queries, and

where the one or more instructions to remove the particular query further include;

one or more instructions to resize the graphical box based on removing the particular query from the presented query refinement options.