Instant search results with page previews

• US 9,378,283 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Batraski, Ethan, Zhu, Shenhong, Franklin, Olivia, Wu, Hui, Liu, Mingtian
• Primary Examiner(s): PEACH, POLINA G
• Application Number:
  US13/453,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Methods, systems, and programming for providing search previews is disclosed. At least one input is received. At least one query suggestion is generated based on the at least one input. The at least one query suggestion is displayed in a first display area. At least one web page preview is generated based on the at least one input. The at least one web page preview is displayed in a second display area. Each web page preview is viewable and actionable.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a computing device, the computing device having at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for providing search previews, the method comprising:

receiving a first input;

generating a first query suggestion based on the first input;

providing the first query suggestion to be displayed in a first display area;

determining whether a URL repository comprises a first web page URL of a first web page associated with the first query suggestion;

responsive to a determination that the URL repository comprises the first web page URL, determining whether a first web page preview linked to the first web page should be refreshed based on a first importance score associated with the first web page preview;

responsive to a determination that the first importance score indicates that the first web page preview should be refreshed, refreshing the first web page preview, wherein the first web page preview comprises a first web page snapshot of the first web page;

marking the first web page snapshot as a high quality snapshot when the first web page snapshot passes a threshold test;

continuously attempting refreshment of the first web page snapshot when the first web page snapshot fails the threshold test;

providing the first web page preview to be displayed in a second display area;

generating a second web page preview linked to a second web page associated with the first query suggestion, wherein the second web page preview comprises a second web page snapshot of the second web page;

providing the second web page preview to be displayed in the second display area;

determining whether a rich result exists and can be displayed, wherein the rich result comprises a targeted search result with a predetermined association with the first query suggestion; and

responsive to a determination that the rich result exists and can be displayed, providing the rich result to be displayed in a third display area, wherein the first query suggestion, the first and second web page previews, and the rich result are to be displayed simultaneously.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an update to the first input;

updating the first query suggestion and display thereof in the first display area based on the updated first input; and

updating the first web page preview and display thereof in the second display area based on the updated first input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first query suggestion comprises:

determining an intent based on the at least one input;

determining the first query suggestion based on the intent; and

providing the first query suggestion for display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first web page preview comprises:

determining a first web page result based on the first input;

determining the first web page snapshot associated with the first web page result;

associating the first web page snapshot with the first web page preview; and

providing the first web page preview for display.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second display area including the first web page preview is navigable based on detection of an input within the second display area, the input associated with coordinates within the second display area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display area and the second display area are part of a combined display area that is invisible and embedded within a browser environment displayed on a display of the computing device, wherein the combined display area becomes visible in the browser environment in response to detection of a triggering event.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the first importance score based on one or more of;

whether the first web page URL is new, a number of times the first web page URL has been accessed, whether the first web page URL is a recently failed URL, or whether the first web page preview has been previously successfully generated.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the URL repository does not comprise the first web page URL, generating the first web page preview based on the first web page URL.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein whether the rich result can be displayed is determined based on display space of the computing device.

7. A machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium having information recorded for providing search previews, wherein the information, when read by the machine, causes the machine to perform the steps comprising:

receiving a first input;

generating a first query suggestion based on the first input;

providing the first query suggestion to be displayed in a first display area;

determining whether a URL repository comprises a first web page URL of a first web page associated with the first query suggestion;

responsive to a determination that the URL repository comprises the first web page URL, determining whether a first web page preview linked to the first web page should be refreshed based on a first importance score associated with the first web page preview;

responsive to a determination that the first importance score indicates that the first web page preview should be refreshed, refreshing the first web page preview, wherein the first web page preview comprises a first web page snapshot of the first web page;

marking the first web page snapshot as a high quality snapshot when the first web page snapshot passes a threshold test

continuously attempting refreshment of the first web page snapshot when the first web page snapshot fails the threshold test

providing the first web page preview to be displayed in a second display area;

generating a second web page preview linked to a second web page associated with the first query suggestion, wherein the second web page preview comprises a second web page snapshot of the second web page;

providing the second web page preview to be displayed in the second display area;

determining whether a rich result exists and can be displayed, wherein the rich result comprises a targeted search result with a predetermined association with the first query suggestion; and

responsive to a determination that the rich result exists and can be displayed, providing the rich result to be displayed in a third display area, wherein the first query suggestion, the first and second web page previews, and the rich result are to be displayed simultaneously.

8. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 7, wherein the information, when read by the machine, further causes the machine to perform the steps comprising:

receiving an update to the first input;

updating the first query suggestion and display thereof in the first display area based on the updated first input; and

updating the first web page preview and display thereof in the second display area based on the updated first input.

9. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the first query suggestion comprises:

determining an intent based on the at least one input;

determining the first query suggestion based on the intent; and

providing the first query suggestion for display.

10. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the first web page preview comprises:

determining a first web page result based on the first input;

determining the first web page snapshot associated with the first web page result;

associating the first web page snapshot with the first web page preview; and

providing the first web page preview for display.

11. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 7, wherein the second display area including the first web page preview is navigable based on detection of an input within the second display area, the input associated with coordinates within the second display area.

12. The machine readable non-transitory and tangible medium of claim 7, wherein the first display area and the second display area are part of a combined display area that is invisible and embedded within a browser environment displayed on a display of the computing device, wherein the combined display area becomes visible in the browser environment in response to detection of a triggering event.

13. A system comprising at least one processor, storage, and a communication platform connected to a network for providing search previews, comprising:

a search query unit for receiving a first input;

a search suggestion unit for determining a first query suggestion based on the first input;

a search results unit for generating a first web page preview linked to a first web page associated with the first query suggestion and generating a second web page preview linked to a second web page associated with the first query suggestion, wherein the first web page preview comprises a first web page snapshot of the first web page and the second web page preview comprises a second web page snapshot of the second web page, wherein generating the first web page preview comprises;

determining whether a URL repository comprises a first web page URL of the first web page associated with the first query suggestion,

responsive to a determination that the URL repository comprises the first web page URL, determining whether the first web page preview linked to the first web page should be refreshed based on a first importance score associated with the first web page preview,

responsive to a determination that the first importance score indicates that the first web page preview should be refreshed, refreshing the first web page preview,

marking the first web page snapshot as a high quality snapshot when the first web page snapshot passes a threshold test, and

continuously attempting refreshment of the first web page snapshot when the first web page snapshot fails the threshold test; and

a display unit for providing for display the first query suggestion in a first display area, providing for display the first web page preview in a second display area, and providing for display the second web page preview in the second display area;

wherein the search results unit is further configured for

determining whether a rich result exists and can be displayed, wherein the rich result comprises a targeted search result with a predetermined association with the first query suggestion; and

responsive to a determination that the rich result exists and can be displayed, providing the rich result to be displayed in a third display area, wherein the first query suggestion, the first and second web page previews, and the rich result are to be displayed simultaneously.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the search query unit is further configured for

receiving an update to the first input;

updating the first query suggestion and display thereof in the first display area based on the updated first input; and

updating the first web page preview and display thereof in the second display area based on the updated first input.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the search query unit is configured for

determining an intent based on the at least one input;

determining the first query suggestion based on the intent; and

providing the first query suggestion for display.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the search results unit is further configured for determining a first web page result based on the first input;

determining the first web page snapshot associated with the first web page result;

associating the first web page snapshot with the first web page preview; and

providing the first web page preview for display.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the second display area including the first web page preview is navigable based on detection of an input within the second display area, the input associated with coordinates within the second display area.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first display area and the second display area are part of a combined display area that is invisible and embedded within a browser environment displayed on a display of the computing device, wherein the combined display area becomes visible in the browser environment in response to detection of a triggering event.