Dynamic client interaction for search

• US 9,256,683 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Richardson, Matthew R., Ragno, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US14/016,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20140006371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 707705-709, 707/723, 707748-754, 707768-769, 707/770
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation
• 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 16/738 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A system for guiding a search for information is presented. The system comprises a user interface that accepts a phrase and receives at least one suggestion based at least in part on the phrase. The system also includes a phrase suggestion engine that matches the phrase with the at least one suggestion. Methods of using the system are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of searching, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, an initial portion of a search query;

dynamically performing an initial search based on the initial portion of the search query;

presenting one or more suggestions for completing the search query and one or more initial search results comprising one or more hyperlinks identified in response to the initial search performed dynamically based on the initial portion of the search query;

while presenting the initial portion of the search query, the one or more suggestions, and the one or more initial search results, initiating a continuous receiving of one or more additional portions of the search query to generate a continuously-evolving search query; and

dynamically performing one or more subsequent searches in response to receiving the one or more additional portions of the search query and presenting one or more updated suggestions and dynamically updated search results by changing the displayed one or more search results and the displayed one or more suggestions;

wherein both the dynamically updated search results and the one or more updated suggestions are dynamically identified as the continuously-evolving search query is evolved on receiving each of the one or more additional portions in the portion of the search query, and

wherein the performing the initial search and generating the one or more suggestions are implemented simultaneously.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the initial search is further based on the one or more suggestions, and the one or more subsequent searches are further based on the one or more updated suggestions.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing, via a user interface associated with the computing device, wherein the user interface is at least one of a command line interface, a text-based interface, a graphical user interface, a web-based interface, a stylus-based interface, a pen-based data input system, a keypad, a speech recognition system, or a handwriting recognition system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing, via a user interface associated with the computing device, wherein the user interface includes at least one of a speech processing component that accepts an audio data input to recognize a phrase associated with the search query, or a handwriting processing component that accepts a handwritten data input to recognize the phrase associated with the search query.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the portion of the search query comprises at least one of a prefix, a regular expression, a suffix, an infix, a pattern, a substring, or a string.

6. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

receiving an initial portion of a search query;

dynamically performing an initial search based on the initial portion of the search query;

presenting one or more suggestions for completing the search query along with a plurality of search results for a search based on a corresponding suggestion, and one or more initial search results comprising one or more hyperlinks identified in response to the dynamically performed initial search;

receiving one or more additional portions of the search query to generate a continuously-evolving search query while presenting the continuously-evolving search query, the one or more updated suggestions, and the dynamically updated search results; and

dynamically performing one or more subsequent searches based on the continuously-evolving search query and presenting dynamically updated search results by changing the displayed one or more search results and the displayed one or more suggestions,

wherein performing the initial search and generating the one or more suggestions are implemented simultaneously.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein dynamically performing the one or more subsequent searches comprises dynamically performing the one or more subsequent searches in response to additions or refinements of the search query.

8. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein the acts further comprise:

generating the one or more updated suggestions based on the additional portions of the search query; and

dynamically updating the one or more updated suggestions based on the continuously-evolving search query; and

providing, via a user interface associated with a computing device, the dynamically updated search results and one or more dynamically updated suggestions.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the user interface includes at least one of a speech processing component that accepts an audio data input to recognize a phrase associated with the search query, or a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the phrase associated with the search query.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein a second query is automatically generated by analyzing the dynamically updated search results, wherein content selected based on the second query is presented along with the dynamically updated search results.

11. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the initial portion of the search query comprises at least one of a prefix, a regular expression, a suffix, an infix, a pattern, a substring, or a string.

12. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors to maintain a plurality of components executable by the one or more processors, the plurality of components comprising;

a user interface component configured to;

generate a user interface,

receive an initial portion of a search query, and

receive one or more changes to the search query resulting in a continuously-evolving search query,

a guide engine configured to;

present a plurality of suggestions based on the initial portion of the search query, and

dynamically update the plurality of suggestions based on the continuously-evolving search query, and

a search engine configured to;

perform an initial search in response to the initial portion of the search query and a first suggestion of the plurality of suggestions to present initial search results comprising one or more hyperlinks along with the plurality of suggestions, wherein performing the initial search and presenting the plurality of suggestions based on the initial portion of the search query are implemented simultaneously, and

dynamically perform one or more subsequent searches in response to the displayed continuously-evolving search query and one of the plurality of dynamically updated suggestions to generate dynamically updated search results by changing the displayed initial search results, wherein the plurality of dynamically updated suggestions and the dynamically updated search results are generated as the continuously-evolving search query is evolved on receiving the one or more changes to the search query.

13. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the user interface component is further configured to provide the dynamically updated search results and the plurality of dynamically updated suggestions to a user.

14. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the user interface is at least one of a command line interface, a text-based interface, a graphical user interface, a web-based interface, a stylus-based interface, a pen-based data input system, a keypad, a speech recognition system, or a handwriting recognition system.

15. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the user interface component includes at least one of a speech processing component that accepts an audio data input to recognize a phrase associated with the search query, or a handwriting processing component that accepts handwritten data input to recognize the phrase associated with the search query.

16. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the one or more changes of the search query comprise an addition or a refinement of a portion of the search query.

17. The computing system of claim 12, wherein the initial portion of the search query comprises at least one of a prefix, a regular expression, a suffix, an infix, a pattern, a substring, or a string.