Grouped search query refinements

• US 9,031,928 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• 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:
  US14/081,627
• Publication Number:
  US 20140074877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 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:

receiving, at a server, from each device of a plurality of user devices, a text input entered into a search engine query input field by a user of the user device, the query input field displayed in a map user interface having a viewport displaying a portion of a map at a particular zoom level when the text input was entered, and wherein the map was displayed prior to an initiation of entry of the text input;

for each text input, and before the user has submitted the text input as a search query to a search engine;

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

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

for each text input for which the particular zoom level is at a first zoom level so as to display a first area, 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 are selected to qualitatively refine the common primary query term; and

transmitting each set of the plurality of query suggestions to a correspond user device for presentation to the user.

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

for each text input for which the particular zoom level is at a second zoom level so as to display a second area that is larger than the first area, 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 are selected to geographically refine the common primary query term.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein each 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.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, 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.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the second area is a geographical region that includes a plurality of cities.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein first area is less than an area of a city and includes a particular location within the city.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, 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.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, 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.

9. A system, comprising:

a data processing apparatus; and

a non-transitory computer storage medium in data communication with the data processing apparatus and storing instructions that when executed by the data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a server from each device of a plurality of user devices, a text input entered into a search engine query input field by a user of the user device, the query input field displayed in a map user interface having a viewport displaying a portion of a map at a particular zoom level when the text input was entered, and wherein the map was displayed prior to an initiation of entry of the text input;

for each text input, and before the user has submitted the text input as a search query to a search engine;

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

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

for each text input for which the particular zoom level is at a first zoom level so as to display a first area, 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 are selected to qualitatively refine the common primary query term; and

transmitting each set of the plurality of query suggestions to a correspond user device for presentation to the user.

10. The system of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

for each text input for which the particular zoom level is at a second zoom level so as to display a second area that is larger than the first area, 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 are selected to geographically refine the common primary query term.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each 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.

12. The system of claim 10, 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.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second area is a geographical region that includes a plurality of cities.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein first area is less than an area of a city and includes a particular location within the city.

15. The system of claim 10, 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.

16. The system of claim 10, 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.

17. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the data processing apparatus cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at a server, from each device of a plurality of user devices, a text input entered into a search engine query input field by a user of the user device, the query input field displayed in a map user interface having a viewport displaying a portion of a map at a particular zoom level when the text input was entered, and wherein the map was displayed prior to an initiation of entry of the text input;

for each text input, and before the user has submitted the text input as a search query to a search engine;

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

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

for each text input for which the particular zoom level is at a first zoom level so as to display a first area, 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 are selected to qualitatively refine the common primary query term; and

transmitting each set of the plurality of query suggestions to a correspond user device for presentation to the user.

18. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 17, the operations further comprising:

for each text input for which the particular zoom level is at a second zoom level so as to display a second area that is larger than the first area, 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 are selected to geographically refine the common primary query term.