Faceted search results

• US 9,256,653 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hornkvist, John M., Loofbourrow, Wayne R., Koebler, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruiz, Angelica
• Application Number:
  US14/462,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A data processing system receives a first user input comprising a search query. The data processing system displays in a search interface accessible across a plurality of computer application programs, a plurality of results matching the search query. The results are categorized into a plurality of categories and only a first subset of all results are displayed for each of the plurality of categories. The data processing system receives a second user input comprising a selection of one of the plurality of categories. In response to the second user input, the data processing system displays, in the search interface, a second subset of results, wherein the second subset is categorized into one or more subcategories of the selected category.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, on a data processing system with one or more processors, a first user input comprising a search query;

displaying, in response to receiving the first user input, a first subset of a plurality of search results generated by a search performed according to the search query across data accessible by the data processing system, the first subset of the plurality of search results displayed within a plurality of categories;

receiving, while displaying the first subset of the plurality of search results, a second user input comprising a selection of a first category of the plurality of categories;

displaying, in response to the second user input, a second subset of the plurality of search results, the second subset categorized into a plurality of default subcategories of the first category;

receiving, while displaying the second subset of the plurality of search results, a third user input comprising a selection of one of a plurality of subcategory options; and

in response to the third user input, displaying a third subset of the plurality of search results, the third subset categorized into a plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected subcategory option.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating a subcategory option selection interface, wherein the subcategory option selection interface includes the plurality of subcategory options related to the first category.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third subset includes search results not previously displayed in the first subset of search results, and wherein the plurality of subcategory options are provided in a search interface including a user selectable option to change to a display of search results within at least one category or subcategory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of default subcategories are dynamically determined by the data processing system based at least in part on metadata stored with each of the plurality of search results.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subcategory options are determined by the data processing system based at least in part on the selected first category.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results categorized into each subcategory are displayed grouped together in proximity to a displayed representation of a subcategory corresponding to the selected subcategory option.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of default subcategories correspond to one of the plurality of subcategory options.

8. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed cause a data processing system with one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving, on the data processing system, a first user input comprising a search query;

displaying, in response to receiving the first user input, a first subset of a plurality of search results generated by a search performed according to the search query across data accessible by the data processing system, the first subset of the plurality of search results displayed within a plurality of categories;

receiving, while displaying the first subset of the plurality of search results, a second user input comprising a selection of a first category of the plurality of categories;

displaying, in response to the second user input, a second subset of the plurality of search results, the second subset categorized into a plurality of default subcategories of the first category;

receiving, while displaying the second subset of the plurality of search results, a third user input comprising a selection of one of a plurality of subcategory options; and

in response to the third user input, displaying a third subset of the plurality of search results, the third subset categorized into a plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected subcategory option.

9. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of subcategory options are provided in a subcategory option selection interface.

10. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the third subset includes search results not previously displayed in the first subset of search results, and wherein the plurality of subcategory options are provided in a search interface including a user selectable option to change to a display of search results within at least one category or subcategory.

11. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of default subcategories are dynamically determined by the data processing system based at least in part on metadata stored with each of the plurality of search results.

12. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of subcategory options are determined by the data processing system based at least in part on the selected first category.

13. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein search results categorized into each subcategory are displayed grouped together in proximity to a displayed representation of a subcategory corresponding to the selected subcategory option.

14. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of default subcategories correspond to one of the plurality of subcategory options.

15. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor and configurable for storing instructions, wherein the instructions configure the processor to;

receive a first user input comprising a search query;

display, in response to receiving the first user input, a first subset of a plurality of search results generated by a search performed according to the search query across data accessible by the data processing system, the first subset of the plurality of search results displayed within a plurality of categories;

receive, while displaying the first subset of the plurality of search results, a second user input comprising a selection of a first category of the plurality of categories;

display, in response to the second user input, a second subset of the plurality of search results, the second subset categorized into a plurality of default subcategories of the first category;

receive, while displaying the second subset of the plurality of search results, a third user input comprising a selection of one of a plurality of subcategory options; and

in response to the third user input, display a third subset of the plurality of search results, the third subset categorized into a plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected subcategory option.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the third subset includes search results not previously displayed in the first subset of search results, and wherein the plurality of subcategory options are provided in a search interface including a user selectable option to change to a display of search results within at least one category or subcategory.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of default subcategories are dynamically determined by the data processing system based at least in part on metadata stored with each of the plurality of search results.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of subcategory options are determined by the data processing system based at least in part on the selected first category.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the search results categorized into each subcategory are displayed grouped together in proximity to a displayed representation of a subcategory corresponding to the selected subcategory option.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of default subcategories correspond to one of the plurality of subcategory options.