System and method for language sensitive contextual searching

• US 9,754,022 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Byers, Simon, Kormann, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Kuen
• Application Number:
  US11/929,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,598 Days
• Field of Search: 707 5, 707760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A method, system and computer-readable media for searching a database and returning relevant results are disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a user query in one language, searching a database based on the user query to obtain one or more results, processing the results according to a local linguistic context association with the user query, and presenting to the user the results with an identifier for each result in which a local linguistic context around a location of the user query is in a second language.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user query in a first language;

identifying a local language associated with a current location of a user device; and

when the first language is distinct from the local language;

querying a database based on the user query, to yield search results, wherein the search results comprise (1) a first result having a first word in the first language and a second word in the local language and (2) a second result predominantly in the first language;

prioritizing the search results by first presenting the first result followed by the second result, to yield prioritized search results; and

presenting the prioritized search results with an indication associated with the second result identifying that the second result is predominantly in the first language.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current location is identified based on an internet protocol address of the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the local geographic linguistic context comprises one of a sentence and a phrase in the local language comprising a translation of the user query into the local language.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein search results comprise first language search results in the first language and local language search results based on the local geographic linguistic context.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a primary language of a search result in the search results based on one of a metatag and a language analysis of the search result.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the indication of amounts further comprises presenting a graphical representation illustrating how much of the document is in the first language and how much is in the local language, the graphical representation comprising a flag.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon determining the first language is distinct from the local language, presenting an option to further limit the user query according to results in the local language; and

upon receiving a confirmation, processing the user query according to the local language.

8. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a user query in a first language;

identifying a local language associated with a current location of a user device; and

when the first language is distinct from the local language;

querying a database based on the user query, to yield search results, wherein the search results comprise (1) a first result having a first word in the first language and a second word in the local language and (2) a second result predominantly in the first language;

prioritizing the search results by first presenting the first result followed by the second result, to yield prioritized search results; and

presenting the prioritized search results with an indication associated with the second result identifying that the second result is predominantly in the first language.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the current location is identified based on an internet protocol address of the user device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the local geographic linguistic context comprises one of a sentence and a phrase in the local language comprising a translation of the user query into the local language.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein search results comprise first language search results in the first language and local language search results based on the local geographic linguistic context.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising:

identifying a primary language of a search result in the search results based on one of a metatag and a language analysis of the search.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the indication of amounts further comprises presenting a graphical representation illustrating how much of the document is in the first language and how much is in the local language, the graphical representation comprising a flag.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable storage medium has additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising:

upon determining the first language is distinct from the local language, presenting an option to further limit the user query according to results in the local language; and

upon receiving a confirmation, processing the user query according to the local language.

15. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user query in a first language;

identifying a local language associated with a current location of a user device; and

when the first language is distinct from the local language;

querying a database based on the user query, to yield search results, wherein the search results comprise (1) a first result having a first word in the first language and a second word in the local language and (2) a second result predominantly in the first language;

prioritizing the search results by first presenting the first result followed by the second result, to yield prioritized search results; and

presenting the prioritized search results with an indication associated with the second result identifying that the second result is predominantly in the first language.

16. The computer-readable storage of claim 15, wherein the current location is identified based on an internet protocol address of the user device.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the local geographic linguistic context comprises one of a sentence and a phrase in the local language comprising a translation of the user query into the local language.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein search results comprise first language search results in the first language and local language search results based on the local geographic linguistic context.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising identifying a primary language of a search result in the search results based on one of a metatag and a language analysis of the search result.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the indication of amounts further comprises presenting a graphical representation illustrating how much of the document is in the first language and how much is in the local language, the graphical representation comprising a flag.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable storage device having additional instructions stored which result in operations comprising:

upon determining the first language is distinct from the local language, presenting an option to further limit the user query according to results in the local language; and

upon receiving a confirmation, processing the user query according to the local language.