Queries of a topic-based-source-specific search system

• US 9,405,822 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sheer Data LLC
• Original Assignee: Sheer Data LLC
• Inventors: Dessau, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US13/911,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2272 Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions

Abstract

Approaches for facilitating queries of a topic-based-source-specific search system are disclosed. In certain implementations, an input relating to a query may be received. Suggested ones of predefined sources and suggested ones of information items of the predefined sources may be determined based on the input. A set of suggestions including a group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources and a group of suggestions relating to the suggested information items may be provided for presentation on a user interface. In some implementations, metadata that indicates first, second, or other attributes relating to the predefined sources or the information items may be stored in association with the predefined sources or the information items. A second input relating to the query may be received responsive to providing the set of suggestions. A presentation of a comparison between the first attribute and the second attribute may be provided based on the second input.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of facilitating queries of a topic-based-source-specific search system, the system being configured to collect information from predefined sources relating to a content topic prior to the queries, the method being implemented by the system that includes one or more processors executing one or more computer program modules which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a query input module, an input relating to a query;

determining, by a suggestion module, suggested ones of the predefined sources and suggested ones of information items of the predefined sources based on the received input; and

providing, by a user interface module, a set of suggestions including a group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources and a group of suggestions relating to the suggested information items for presentation on a user interface;

providing, by the user interface module, a query input component on a display of the user interface, wherein the query input component is configured to receive the input;

receiving, by the query input module, a second input relating to the query responsive to providing the set of suggestions; and

determining, by an information retrieval module, a subset of the information items that relates to the received second input;

determining, by the information retrieval module, one or more sources associated with the determined subset of the information items; and

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of the determined subset of the information items and one or more representations of the determined sources on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content topic corresponds to government information, and wherein the suggested information items relate to one or more of bills or laws.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the suggested sources are determined based a determination that one or more identifiers of the suggested sources correspond to the received input.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the suggestion module, one or more suggested keywords based on the received input; and

providing, by the user interface module, a group of suggestions relating to the suggested keywords for presentation on the user interface simultaneously with the group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources and the group of suggestions relating to the suggested information items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content topic corresponds to government information, and wherein the information items relate to one or more of press releases, speeches, opinions, statements, or legislation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, by an indexing module, metadata in association with the predefined sources or the information items, wherein the metadata indicate a first attribute relating to first ones of the predefined sources or the information items, and a second attribute relating to second ones of the predefined sources or the information items;

receiving, by the query input module, a second input relating to the query responsive to providing the set of suggestions; and

providing, by the user interface, a presentation of a comparison between the first attribute and the second attribute based on the received second input.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first attribute corresponds to a first political or government entity, and wherein the second attribute corresponds to a second political or government entity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first political or government entity corresponds to a first political party, a first political or government organization, or a first political or government figure, and wherein the second political or government entity corresponds to a second political party, a second political or government organization, or a political or government figure.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing, by the user interface module, a query input component on a display of the user interface simultaneously with the presentation of the comparison, wherein the query input component is configured to receive input.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a user profile module, a source set associated with the user, wherein the source set includes at least one source associated with the user; and

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of options to modify the source set on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component, the representations of the determined subset, and the representations of the determined sources.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining, by the user profile module, that the source set includes a first source of the determined sources; and

determining, by the user profile module, that the source set does not include a second source of the determined sources,

wherein the representations of the modify options includes a representation of an option to remove the first source from the source set based on the determination that the source set includes the first source and a representation of an option to add the second source to the source set based on the determination that the source set does not include the second source.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating, by a user profile module, one or more first item types with a primary item type set based on one or more inputs corresponding to selection of the first item types;

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of first information items of the determined subset in a primary area on the display of the user interface based on a determination that the first information items are associated with the first item types; and

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of second information items of the determined subset in a secondary area on the display of the user interface based on a determination that the second information items are associated with one or more second item types, wherein the primary area and the secondary area are provided on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component and the determined sources.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of options to select or unselect a plurality of item types to modify the primary item type set on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component, the representations of the determined sources, the primary area, and the secondary area,

wherein providing of the representations of the first information items in the primary area and the representations of the second information items in the secondary area is based on one or more inputs corresponding to selecting the first item types of the plurality of item types or unselecting the second item types of the plurality of item types.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the secondary area is removed from view on the display of the user interface based on a determination that each of the plurality of item types is selected.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the user interface module, one of the information items of the determined subset on a second display of the user interface;

determining, by the suggestion module, suggested keywords that relate to a second query and the presented information item; and

providing, by the user interface module, a group of suggestions relating to the suggested keywords on the second display of the user interface simultaneously with the presented information item.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a user profile module, a source set associated with a user, wherein the source set includes at least one source associated with the user;

determining, by the suggestion module, second suggested ones of the predefined sources that are not included in the source set; and

providing, by the user interface module, a group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component, the representations of the determined subset, and the representations of the determined sources based on a determination that the second suggested sources are not included in the source set.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determine, by the information retrieval module, one or more first information items of the determined subset based on one or more first filters;

determine, by the information retrieval module, one or more second information items of the determined subset based on one or more second filters; and

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of the first information items in a first area on the display of the user interface and one or more representations of the second information items in a second area on the display of the user interface, wherein the first area and the second area are provided on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component and the determined sources.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first filters relate to one or more of first political entities, first government entities, or first legislations, and wherein the second filters relate to one or more of second political entities, second government entities, or second legislations.

19. A computer-implemented method of facilitating comparisons of information item attributes based on queries of a topic-based-source-specific search system, the system being configured to collect information from predefined sources relating to a content topic prior to the queries, the method being implemented by the system that includes one or more processors executing one or more computer program modules which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

storing, by an indexing module, metadata in association with information items of the predefined sources, wherein the metadata indicate a first attribute relating to first ones of the information items and a second attribute relating to second ones of the information items;

receiving, by a query input module, an input relating to a query; and

determining, by an information retrieval module, a subset of the information items that relates to the received input;

providing, by a user interface module, a display of a user interface that presents a comparison between the first attribute and the second attribute based on one or more first information items of the determined subset that relate to the first attribute and one or more second information items of the determined subset that relate to the second attribute;

determining, by a suggestion module, suggested ones of the predefined sources and suggested ones of the information items of the predefined sources based on the received input;

providing, by the user interface module, a set of suggestions including a group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources and a group of suggestions relating to the suggested information items for presentation on the user interface;

providing, by the user interface module, a query input component on the display of the user interface, wherein the query input component is configured to receive the input;

receiving, by the query input module, a second input relating to the query responsive to providing the set of suggestions; and

determining, by an information retrieval module, a subset of the information items that relates to the received second input;

determining, by the information retrieval module, one or more sources associated with the determined subset of the information items; and

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of the determined subset of the information items and one or more representations of the determined sources on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first attribute corresponds to a first political or government entity, and wherein the second attribute corresponds to a second political or government entity.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first political or government entity corresponds to a first political party, a first political or government organization, or a first political or government figure, and wherein the second political or government entity corresponds to a second political party, a second political or government organization, or a second political or government figure.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of the determined subset of the information items on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the presentation of the comparison.

23. A computer-implemented method of facilitating comparisons of predefined source attributes based on queries of a topic-based-source-specific search system, the system being configured to collect information from predefined sources relating to a content topic prior to the queries, the method being implemented by the system that includes one or more processors executing one or more computer program modules which, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

storing, by an indexing module, metadata in association with the predefined sources, wherein the metadata indicate a first attribute relating to first ones of the predefined sources and a second attribute relating to second ones of the predefined sources;

receiving, by a query input module, an input relating to a query;

determining, by an information retrieval module, a subset of information items of the predefined sources that relates to the received input;

providing, by a user interface module, a display of a user interface that presents a comparison between the first attribute and the second attribute based on one or more first sources of the predefined sources associated with the determined subset that relate to the first attribute and one or more second sources of the predefined sources associated with the determined subset that relate to the second attribute;

determining, by a suggestion module, suggested ones of the predefined sources and suggested ones of the information items of the predefined sources based on the received input;

providing, by the user interface module, a set of suggestions including a group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources and a group of suggestions relating to the suggested information items for presentation on the user interface;

providing, by the user interface module, a query input component on the display of the user interface, wherein the query input component is configured to receive the input;

receiving, by the query input module, a second input relating to the query responsive to providing the set of suggestions; and

determining, by the information retrieval module, a subset of the information items that relates to the received second input;

determining, by the information retrieval module, one or more sources associated with the determined subset of the information items; and

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of the determined subset of the information items and one or more representations of the determined sources on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first attribute corresponds to a first political party, a first political or government organization, or a first political or government figure, and wherein the second attribute corresponds to a second political party, a second political or government organization, or a second political or government figure, the method further comprising:

providing, by the user interface module, one or more representations of the determined subset of the information items on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the presentation of the comparison.

25. A topic-based-source-specific search system for facilitating queries of the system, the system being configured to collect information from predefined sources relating to a content topic prior to the queries, the system comprising:

one or more physical processors configured to execute computer program modules, the computer program modules comprising;

an query input module configured to receive an input relating to a query;

a suggestion module configured to determine suggested ones of the predefined sources and suggested ones of information items of the predefined sources based on the received input; and

a user interface module configured to provide a set of suggestions including a group of suggestions relating to the suggested sources and a group of suggestions relating to the suggested information items for presentation on a user interface, provide a query input component on a display of the user interface, wherein the query input component is configured to receive the input;

wherein the query input module is further configured to receive a second input relating to the query responsive to providing the set of suggestions; and

an information retrieval module configured to determine a subset of the information items that relates to the received second input, and determine one or more sources associated with the determined subset of the information items;

wherein the user interface module is further configured to provide one or more representations of the determined subset of the information items and one or more representations of the determined sources on the display of the user interface simultaneously with the query input component.