Fault-tolerant search

• US 9,026,547 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quotient Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quotient Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Roloff, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Obisesan, Augustine K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brooks, David T
• Application Number:
  US13/412,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/759
• 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 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method comprises performing a first search based on a first text string; based on the first search, identifying one or more search results; after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed; while the one or more search results are displayed: receiving input that changes the first text string to a modified text string; in response to receiving the input: performing a second search based, at least in part, on a portion of the modified text string, and determining that no search results are identified based on the second search; after determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, continuing to display the one or more search results; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing a first search based on a first text string that comprises one or more terms;

based on the first search, identifying one or more search results;

after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed;

while the one or more search results are displayed;

receiving first input that changes the first text string to a second text string;

in response to receiving the first input;

performing a second search based, at least in part, on the second text string, and determining that no search results are identified based on the second search;

after determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, continuing to display the one or more search results;

while one or more search results are displayed;

receiving second input that changes a third text string to a fourth text string, wherein the third text string is the second text string or is based on the second text string;

in response to receiving the second input, performing a third search based on the fourth text string;

determining whether any search results are identified based on the third search;

in response to determining that no search results are identified based on the third search, incrementing a miss counter and determining whether the miss counter is above a threshold;

if the miss counter is above the threshold, then ceasing to display the one or more search results;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to performing the second search:

analyzing the second text string to identify a plurality of search terms within the second text string; and

for each search term of the plurality of search terms, determining, based on one or more criteria, whether to remove one or more characters from said each search term.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to performing the second search, determining whether the second text string matches the first text string, wherein the second search is performed only in response to determining that the second text string does not match the first text string.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more search results are displayed on a screen of a mobile phone.

2. A method comprising:

performing a first search based on a first text string that comprises one or more terms;

based on the first search, identifying one or more search results;

after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed;

while the one or more search results are displayed;

receiving first input that changes the first text string to a second text string;

in response to receiving the first input;

performing a second search based, at least in part, on the second text string, and determining that no search results are identified based on the second search;

after determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, continuing to display the one or more search results;

in response to determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, incrementing a counter for each search term, in a portion of the second text string, that starts with a term in a particular list but does not exactly match the term in the particular list;

determining whether the counter is equal to a particular threshold;

wherein continuing to display the one or more search results is performed only if the counter is less than the particular threshold.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein:

performing a third search based on a third text string;

based on the third search, identifying one or more third search results;

receiving third input that changes the third text string to a fourth text string;

in response to receiving the third input, without receiving further input, and without performing another search;

removing one or more characters from the fourth text string to create a modified text string;

wherein removing the one or more characters comprises replacing a particular term in the fourth text string with a previous term from a particular list of terms to create the modified text string;

wherein the particular list of terms includes one or more terms that were added to the particular list of terms in response to a determination that one or more searches based on the one or more terms resulted in identifying at least one search result.

4. A method comprising:

while a first text string is being formed,

creating a first list;

classifying each of one or more terms, of the first text string, as a bad term, wherein a term is classified as a bad term if a search that was performed using the term yielded no search results;

adding the one or more terms to the first list;

creating a second list;

classifying each of one or more second terms, of the first text string, as a good term, wherein a particular term is classified as a good term if a search that

was performed using the particular term yielded one or more search results;

adding the one or more second terms to the second list;

performing a first search based on the first text string;

based on the first search, identifying one or more search results;

after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed;

while the one or more search results are displayed, receiving first input that changes the first text string to a second text string;

determining whether a certain term in the second text string begins with a term in the first list;

in response to determining that the certain term in the second text string begins with a term in the first list, removing the certain term from the second text string;

determining whether the certain term begins with a term in the second list;

in response to determining that the certain term begins with a term in the second list, adding the term in the second list to the second text string.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

removing the certain term from the second text string comprises adding the certain term to a third list that is different than the first list and the second list; and

the method further comprising, prior to performing a second search;

determining whether the second text string is empty;

in response to determining that the second text string is not empty, replacing the first list with the third list.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to determining that no search results are identified based on a second search:

for each term in the second text string;

determining whether said each term starts with a term in the second list but does not match that term in the second list, and

in response to determining that said each term starts with a term in the second list but does not match that term in the second list, incrementing a counter; and

continuing to display the one or more search results only in response to determining that the counter is less than a threshold number.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising adding, to the first list, a term from the second text string that starts with a term in the second list but does not match that term in the second list.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether each term in the second list begins with a term in the second text string; and

continuing to display the one or more search results only in response to determining that each term in the second list begins with a term in the second text string.

10. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:

performing a first search based on a first text string that comprises one or more terms;

based on the first search, identifying one or more search results;

after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed;

while the one or more search results are displayed;

receiving first input that changes the first text string to a second text string;

in response to receiving the first input;

performing a second search based, at least in part, on the second text string, and determining that no search results are identified based on the second search;

after determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, continuing to display the one or more search results;

while one or more search results are displayed;

receiving second input that changes a third text string to a fourth text string, wherein the third text string is the second text string or is based on the second text string;

in response to receiving the second input, performing a third search based on the fourth text string;

determining whether any search results arc identified based on the third search;

in response to determining that no search results are identified based on the third search, incrementing a miss counter and determining whether the miss counter is above a threshold;

if the miss counter is above the threshold, then ceasing to display the one or more search results.

12. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, prior to performing the second search:

analyzing the second text string to identify a plurality of search terms within the second text string; and

for each search term of the plurality of search terms, determining, based on one or more criteria, whether to remove one or more characters from said each search term.

18. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, prior to performing the second search, determining whether the second text string matches the first text string, wherein the second search is performed only in response to determining that the second text string does not match the first text string.

22. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 10, wherein the one or more search results are displayed on a screen of a mobile phone.

11. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

performing a first search based on a first text string that comprises one or more terms;

based on the first search, identifying one or more search results;

after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed;

while the one or more search results are displayed;

receiving first input that changes the first text string to a second text string;

in response to receiving the first input;

performing a second search based, at least in part, on the second text string, and determining that no search results are identified based on the second search;

after determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, continuing to display the one or more search results;

in response to determining that no search results are identified based on the second search, incrementing a counter for each search term, in the portion of the second text string, that starts with a term in a particular list but does not exactly match the term in the particular list;

determining whether the counter is equal to a particular threshold;

wherein continuing to display the one or more search results is performed only if the counter is less than the particular threshold.

21. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 11, wherein:

performing a third search based on a third text string;

based on the third search, identifying one or more third search results;

receiving third input that changes the third text string to a fourth text string;

in response to receiving the third input, without receiving further input, and without performing another search;

removing one or more characters from the fourth text string to create a modified text string;

wherein removing the one or more characters comprises replacing a particular term in the fourth text string with a previous term from a particular list of terms to create the modified text string;

wherein the particular list of terms includes one or more terms that were added to the particular list of terms in response to a determination that one or more searches based on the one or more terms resulted in identifying at least one search result.

13. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

while a first text string is being formed,

creating a first list;

classifying each of one or more terms, of the first text string, as a bad term, wherein a term is classified as a bad term if a search that was performed using the term yielded no search results;

adding the one or more terms to the first list;

creating a second list;

classifying each of one or more second terms, of the first text string, as a good term, wherein a particular term is classified as a good term if a search that was performed using the particular term yielded one or more search results;

adding the one or more second terms to the second list;

performing a first search based on the first text string;

based on the first search, identifying one or more search results;

after identifying the one or more search results, causing the one or more search results to be displayed;

while the one or more search results are displayed, receiving first input that changes the first text string to a second text string;

determining whether a certain term in the second text string begins with a term in the first list;

in response to determining that the certain term in the second text string begins with a term in the first list, removing the certain term from the second text string;

determining whether the certain term begins with a term in the second list;

in response to determining that the certain term begins with a term in the second list, adding the term in the second list to the second text string.

14. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 13, wherein:

removing the certain term from the second text string comprises adding the certain term to a third list that is different than the first list and the second list; and

the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, prior to performing a second search;

determining whether the second text string is empty;

in response to determining that the second text string is not empty, replacing the first list with the third list.

15. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause, in response to determining that no search results are identified based on a second search:

for each term in the second text string;

determining whether said each term starts with a term in the second list but does not match that term in the second list, and

in response to determining that said each term starts with a term in the second list but does not match that term in the second list, incrementing a counter; and

continuing to display the one or more search results only in response to determining that the counter is less than a threshold number.

16. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause adding, to the first list, a term from the second text string that starts with a term in the second list but does not match that term in the second list.

17. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause:

determining whether each term in the second list begins with a term in the second text string; and

continuing to display the one or more search results only in response to determining that each term in the second list begins with a term in the second text string.