Dynamic search box for web browser

• US 9,275,106 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Djabarov, George
• Primary Examiner(s): OWYANG, MICHELLE N
• Application Number:
  US14/132,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20140108446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 707705-780, 715700-866
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• 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 16/90324 using system suggestions

Abstract

A system may receive one or more terms of a search query. The system may automatically identify prior search queries that include the one or more terms of the search query from a history of prior search queries. The system may automatically identify possible spelling corrected search queries based on the one or more terms of the search queries. The system may automatically receive remote server-based query completion suggestions including the one or more terms of the search query. The system may present query refinement options, the query refinement box being populated with the prior search queries as suggested queries for possible selection by a user, the identified possible spelling corrected search queries, and the received query completion suggestions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, one or more characters of a search query provided by a particular user device associated with a particular user;

examining, by the one or more processors, a local history of search queries maintained at the particular user device;

identifying, via the one or more processors, a first set of prior search queries included in the local history,

each prior search query, included in the first set of prior search queries, including the one or more characters of the search query;

sending, by the one or more processors and to a server, a request for a second set of prior search queries included in search information accessible by the server,

the search information being non-user-specific historical search information based on search queries provided to a search engine usable by a plurality of user devices,

the server being different than the particular user device;

receiving, via the one or more processors, the second set of prior search queries from the server,

each prior search query, included in the second set of prior search queries, including the one or more characters of the search query;

providing, by the one or more processors and before search results are generated for the search query, a set of query refinement options for display via the particular user device,

the set of query refinement options including the first set of prior search queries and the second set of prior search queries in separate sections as suggested queries for possible selection by the particular user;

after providing the set of query refinement options, receiving, by the one or more processors and from the particular user device, one or more additional characters of the search query;

removing, by the one or more processors, a prior search query included in the first set of prior search queries that does not include the one or more additional characters and a prior search query from the second set of prior search queries that does not include the one or more additional characters from the set of query refinement options to form a modified set of query refinement options; and

providing, by the one or more processors and before the search results are generated for the search query, the modified set of query refinement options for display via the particular user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the one or more characters, one or more search contexts associated with a particular search query included in the first set of prior search queries or the second set of prior search queries; and

where providing the set of query refinement options for display includes;

providing information identifying the one or more search contexts for display via the particular user device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query;

determining one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query based on spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query; and

providing, before the search results are generated for the search query, the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query for display via the particular user device.

4. The method of claim 3, where spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query includes:

determining an amount of time that has passed since a last character, of the one or more characters of the search query, was received; and

spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query when the amount of time satisfies a time threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, where identifying the first set of prior search queries includes:

identifying one or more search queries, included in the local history, that begin with the one or more characters of the search query.

6. The method of claim 1, where the second set of prior search queries is ranked based on a respective number of search results with which the second set of prior search queries is associated.

7. A device comprising:

one or more processors to;

receive one or more characters of a search query provided by a particular user device associated with a particular user;

examine a local history of search queries maintained at the particular user device;

identify a first set of prior search queries included in the local history,

each prior search query, included in the first set of prior search queries, including the one or more characters of the search query;

send, to a server, a request for a second set of prior search queries included in search information accessible by the server,

the search information being non-user-specific historical search information based on search queries provided to a search engine usable by a plurality of user devices,

the server being different than the particular user device;

receive the second set of prior search queries from the server,

each prior search query, included in the second set of prior search queries, including the one or more characters of the search query;

provide, before search results are generated for the search query, a set of query refinement options for display via the particular user device,

the set of query refinement options including the first set of prior search queries and the second set of prior search queries in separate sections as suggested queries for possible selection by the particular user;

receive, after providing the set of query refinement options and from the particular user device, one or more additional characters of the search query;

remove a prior search query included in the first set of prior search queries that does not include the one or more additional characters and a prior search query from the second set of prior search queries that does not include the one or more additional characters from the set of query refinement options to form a modified set of query refinement options; and

provide, before the search results are generated for the search query, the modified set of query refinement options for display via the particular user device.

8. The device of claim 7, where the one or more processors are further to:

determine, based on the one or more characters, one or more search contexts associated with a particular search query included in the first set of prior search queries or the second set of prior search queries; and

where, when providing the set of query refinement options for display, the one or more processors are to;

provide information identifying the one or more search contexts for display via the particular user device.

9. The device of claim 7, where the one or more processors are further to:

spell-check the one or more characters of the search query;

determine one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query based on spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query; and

provide, before the search results are generated for the search query, the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query for display via the particular user device.

10. The device of claim 9, where, when spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query, the one or more processors are to:

determine an amount of time that has passed since a last character, of the one or more characters of the search query, was received; and

spell-check the one or more characters of the search query when the amount of time satisfies a time threshold.

11. The device of claim 7, where, when identifying the first set of prior search queries, the one or more processors are to:

identify one or more search queries, included in the local history, that begin with the one or more characters of the search query.

12. 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 one or more characters of a search query provided by a particular user device associated with a particular user;

examine a local history of search queries maintained at the particular user device;

identify a first set of prior search queries included in the local history,

each prior search query, included in the first set of prior search queries, including the one or more characters of the search query;

send, to a server, a request for a second set of prior search queries included in search information accessible by the server,

the search information being non-user-specific historical search information based on search queries provided to a search engine usable by a plurality of user devices,

the server being different than the particular user device;

receive the second set of prior search queries from the server,

each prior search query, included in the second set of prior search queries, including the one or more characters of the search query;

provide, before search results are generated for the search query, a set of query refinement options for display via the particular user device,

the set of query refinement options including the first set of prior search queries and the second set of prior search queries in separate sections as suggested queries for possible selection by the particular user;

receive, after providing the set of query refinement options and from the particular user device, one or more additional characters of the search query;

remove a prior search query included in the first set of prior search queries that does not include the one or more additional characters and a prior search query from the second set of prior search queries that does not include the one or more additional characters from the set of query refinement options to form a modified set of query refinement options; and

provide, before the search results are generated for the search query, the modified set of query refinement options for display via the particular user device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, where the instructions further comprise:

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

determine, based on the one or more characters, one or more search contexts associated with a particular search query included in the first set of prior search queries or the second set of prior search queries; and

where the one or more instructions to provide the set of query refinement options for display include;

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

provide information identifying the one or more search contexts for display via the particular user device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, where the instructions further comprise:

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

spell-check the one or more characters of the search query;

determine one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query based on spell-checking the one or more characters of the search query; and

provide, before the search results are generated for the search query, the one or more modifications to the one or more characters of the search query for display via the particular user device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the one or more instructions to spell-check the one or more characters of the search query include:

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

determine an amount of time that has passed since a last character, of the one or more characters of the search query, was received; and

spell-check the one or more characters of the search query when the amount of time satisfies a time threshold.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, where the one or more instructions to identify the first set of prior search queries include:

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

identify one or more search queries, included in the local history, that begin with the one or more characters of the search query.