Identifying search matches and altered search results

• US 9,563,675 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Wynn, Roger H., Elliott, Brendan D., Wang, Wenjun, Gonzalez Perez, Yadriel, Mopati, Sivaramakrishna, Gordner, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): MACKES, KRIS E
• Application Number:
  US13/887,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results

Abstract

In embodiments of identifying search matches and altered search results, a query is received from a device application, and a data search is initiated based on the query that specifies search terms. A search result set of search result items is then received, and properties of a search result item are correlated with the search result item, where the properties indicate why the search result item was returned as part of the search result set. Search terms of the query are also associated with respective properties of the search result item to indicate a correspondence of a search term with a property of the search result item. The search result set of the search result items can then be returned to the device application along with the properties of each search result item and the associated search terms of the query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

executing a search module on a processor of a computing device to perform;

initiating a data search based on a query that specifies search terms;

receiving a search result set of search result items responsive to the query;

correlating one or more properties of a search result item as hit properties of the search result item, the hit properties being a textual match to the query and including information associated with the search result item indicating why the search result item was returned as part of the search result set;

associating one or more of the search terms of the query with respective one or more hit properties of the search result item to indicate a correspondence of a search term with a hit property of the search result item;

determining a presentation template configured to format the search result item for display in a search result user interface on the computing device based on a type of the search result item;

initiating a property query of the search result item to determine the one or more hit properties that are correlated with the search result item;

receiving the one or more hit properties that are correlated with the search result item responsive to the property query; and

displaying the one or more hit properties that are correlated with the search result item in the search results user interface on a display of the computing device, each of the displayed one or more hit properties indicating a correspondence with the associated one or more search terms to indicate the applicability of the search result item.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the query from a device application; and

returning the search result set of the search result items to the device application along with the one or more hit properties of each search result item and the one or more associated search terms of the query.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search result item is configured to self-express by exposing an application program interface configured to indicate through a user interface why the search result item was returned as part of the search result set based on the one or more hit properties of the search result item.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search result item includes one or more presentation templates that indicate how the search result item can be displayed in a search result user interface.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining the presentation template for the search result item is further based on the one or more hit properties of the search result item that caused the search result item to be included in the search result set.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving back the query as originally initiated responsive to the property query for said associating the one or more search terms of the query with the respective one or more hit properties of the search result item.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a presentation template for a hit property that is correlated with the search result item responsive to the property query, the presentation template for the hit property indicating how the search result item can be displayed in the search result user interface based on the hit property that is correlated with the search result item.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a search input to further filter the search result set for a subset of the search result items;

determining filtered search result items responsive to the search input; and

returning the subset of the search result items along with the one or more hit properties that correlate to each of the search result items in the subset.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said initiating the property query of the search result item is performed responsive to a user requesting additional information about the search result item via an Application Programming Interface (API).

10. A computing device, comprising:

a memory to maintain one or more device applications that are each configured to initiate a query that specifies search terms;

a processing system to implement a search module that is configured to;

receive a search result set of search result items responsive to the query;

correlate a property of a search result item as a hit property with the search result item, the hit property being a textual match to the query and including information associated with the search result item indicating why the search result item was returned as part of the search result set;

associate a search term of the query with the hit property of the search result item to indicate a correspondence of the search term with the hit property of the search result item;

determine a presentation template that indicates how to format the search result item for display in a search result user interface on the computing device based on a type of the search result item;

initiate a property query of the search result item to determine one or more hit properties that are correlated with the search result item; and

receive the one or more hit properties that are correlated with the search result item responsive to the property query, the one or more hit properties displayable in the search results user interface each with an indication of what text-matched with the search terms of the query.

11. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the search module is configured to:

receive the query from a device application; and

return the search result set of the search result items to the device application along with the hit property of the search result item and the search term of the query that is associated with the hit property of the search result item.

12. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the search result item is received with one or more presentation templates that indicate how to format the search result item for display in a search result user interface.

13. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the search module is configured to determine the presentation template for the search result item further based on the hit property of the search result item that caused the search result item to be included in the search result set.

14. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the memory is configured to maintain a search folder of query information that includes the query, the search result set of the search result items, and the one or more hit properties that correlate to each of the respective search result items.

15. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the search module is configured to receive back the query as originally initiated responsive to the property query.

16. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the search module is configured to receive a presentation template for the hit property that is correlated with the search result item responsive to the property query, the presentation template indicating how the search result item can be displayed in a search result user interface based on the hit property that is correlated with the search result item.

17. A computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the search module is configured to:

receive a search input to further filter the search result set for a subset of the search result items;

determine filtered search result items responsive to the search input; and

return the subset of the search result items along with the one or more hit properties that correlate to each of the search result items in the subset.

18. Computer-readable storage media comprising a search module stored as instructions that are executable and, responsive to execution of the instructions by a computing device, the computing device performs operations of the search module comprising to:

initiate a data search based on a query that specifies search terms;

receive a search result set of search result items responsive to the query with at least one search result item including one or more presentation templates that indicate a format for how the search result item can be displayed in a search result user interface based on a type of the search result item;

correlate one or more properties of the search result item as hit properties of the search result item, the hit properties being a textual match to the query and including information associated with the search result item indicating why the search result item was returned as part of the search result set; and

return the search result set of the search result items to a device application along with the one or more hit properties of the search result item and a selected presentation template of the search result item, the one or more hit properties displayable to indicate why the search result item was returned as part of the search result set in the search results user interface.

19. Computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 18, wherein the computing device performs the operations of the search module further comprising to associate one or more of the search terms of the query with respective one or more hit properties of the search result item to indicate a correspondence of a search term with a hit property of the search result item.

20. Computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 18, wherein the computing device performs the operations of the search module further comprising to:

determine the selected presentation template for the search result item further based on the one or more hit properties of the search result item that caused the search result item to be included in the search result set.