Apparatus and method for displaying search results using tabs

• US 8,694,526 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Costello, Tomas, Monier, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): GOFMAN, ALEX N
• Application Number:
  US12/179,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20090240685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 707/768, 707/765
• US Class Current: 707/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search

Abstract

A graphical user interface includes tabs representative of different classes of search results. The tabs are derived in response to the processing of a query. The different classes of search results group content by meaning, such that a query term with different meanings produces different classes of search results with different meanings.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

present a browser window that displays a web page based on a transmission of a search query that includes one or more terms;

present a plurality of tabs that are part of the web page,

the plurality of tabs being associated with a plurality of concepts,

 

the plurality of concepts being associated with the search query,

 

each concept, of the plurality of concepts, being based on a related query of a plurality of related queries associated with the search query,

each related query, of the plurality of related queries, including the one or more terms and one or more additional terms,

 

each tab, of the plurality of tabs, being associated with a different concept of the plurality of concepts and specifying a respective related query of the plurality of related queries associated with the search query;

present a plurality of stacks associated with a tab of the plurality of tabs,

the plurality of stacks being associated with a particular concept, of the plurality of concepts, associated with the tab,

each stack, of the plurality of stacks, including information regarding a respective plurality of search result documents associated with a different type of information, of a plurality of types of information-relating to the particular concept;

present a menu that displays, when a particular stack, of the plurality of stacks, is selected, information regarding two or more search result documents associated with a particular type of information of the plurality of types of information,

the two or more search result documents having a common attribute; and

cause a search, relating to a particular related query of the plurality of related queries, to be performed if selection of a particular tab, of the plurality tabs, is detected,

the particular tab specifying the particular related query.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the menu includes a drop down list menu.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the menu includes a scroll over pop-up menu.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the menu includes a flip through menu.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the plurality of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to present a sponsored tab including links to advertisements.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the plurality of instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to present a list, that is part of the web page, of terms that refine the one or more terms of the search query.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a search query that includes one or more terms;

generate a plurality of related queries associated with the search query,

each related query, of the plurality of related queries, including the one or more terms and a variation of the one or more terms,

each related query, of the plurality of related queries, identifying a respective concept of a plurality of concepts,

the plurality of concepts being associated with the search query;

present, based on receiving the search query, a plurality of tabs relating to the search query,

each tab, of the plurality of tabs, identifying a respective related query of the plurality of related queries associated with the search query;

detect selection of a first tab of the plurality of tabs,

the first tab being associated with a particular concept of the plurality of concepts;

present, based on detecting the selection of the first tab, a plurality of stacks associated with the particular concept,

each stack, of the plurality of stacks, including information regarding a plurality of documents associated with a different type of information, of a plurality of types of information associated with the particular concept;

detect selection of a stack of the plurality of stacks;

present, based on receiving detecting the selection of the stack, information regarding two or more documents,

the two or more documents being included in the stack and being associated with a particular type of information of the plurality of types of information; and

cause a search to be performed when selection of a second tab, of the plurality of tabs, is detected,

the search relating to a particular related query, of the plurality of related queries, identified by the second tab.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the two or more documents include a common attribute.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, where the one or more instructions to present the information regarding the two or more documents include:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to present a menu that lists the two or more documents.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at one or more server devices, a search query that includes one or more terms;

presenting for display, by the one or more server devices and based on receiving the search query, a first tab of a browser window,

the first tab including information identifying search result documents relating to the search query;

presenting for display, by the one or more server devices and based on receiving the search query, a plurality of second tabs of the browser window,

the plurality of second tabs being presented for display with the first tab,

each second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, identifying a respective related query of a plurality of related queries associated with the search query,

each related query, of the plurality of related queries, including the one or more terms and one or more additional terms,

each related query, of the plurality of related queries, identifying a respective concept of a plurality of concepts,

the plurality of concepts being associated with the search query,

at least one second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, including a plurality of stacks,

the at least one second tab being associated with a particular concept of the plurality of concepts,

each stack, of the plurality of stacks, including information identifying a plurality of search result documents,

the plurality of search result documents being associated with a different type of information of a plurality of types of information relating to the particular concept,

the plurality of search result documents of a particular stack, of the plurality of stacks, having a common attribute; and

causing, by the one or more server devices, a search to be performed when selection of a particular second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, is detected,

the search relating to a particular related query, of the plurality of related queries, identified by the particular second tab.

11. The method of claim 10, where each second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, includes an image associated with a respective concept of the plurality of concepts associated with the search query.

12. The method of claim 11, where the image includes an icon.

13. The method of claim 10, where each second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, is related to a particular category, from a set of categories, associated with the search query.

14. The method of claim 10, where at least two second tabs, of the plurality of second tabs, are related to different meanings of a term of the one or more terms included in the search query.

15. The method of claim 10, where at least one second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, includes a sub-tab.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating the plurality of related queries,

where the plurality of related queries are based on one or more of stems, abbreviations, word grouping, spelling variations, semantic relationships, synonyms, acronym expansion, terms that divide a search space into substantially non-overlapping subsets, capitalization, or techniques that consider preceding and subsequent terms for a related query.

17. The method of claim 10, where presenting for display the plurality of second tabs comprises:

determining, for each second tab, of the plurality of second tabs, a relevance of content of the second tab to the search query;

ordering the plurality of second tabs based on the determined relevance, and

presenting the ordered plurality of second tabs for display.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising ordering the plurality of second tabs based on a quality of search result documents associated with the plurality of second tabs.

19. The method of claim 18, where the quality of the search result documents is based upon a query independent metric.

20. The method of claim 18, where the quality of the search result documents is based upon a query dependent metric.

21. The method of claim 17, where determining the relevance comprises determining the relevance based upon the plurality of related queries.

22. The method of claim 17, where determining the relevance includes determining the relevance based upon historical tab click through data.

23. The method of claim 17, where determining the relevance includes determining the relevance based upon human specified criteria.

24. The method of claim 17, where determining the relevance includes determining the relevance based upon lexical metrics.

25. The method of claim 10, where presenting for display the plurality of second tabs comprises presenting for display a drop down menu of the plurality of second tabs.

26. The method of claim 10, where presenting for display the plurality of second tabs includes presenting for display the plurality of second tabs in an alphabetical order.

27. The method of claim 10, where presenting for display the plurality of second tabs includes:

presenting for display the plurality of second tabs in an order based on a ranking score reflecting a measure of quality of documents associated with the plurality of second tabs.