Method for searching and device thereof

• US 9,990,433 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Woo-shik, Kang, Min-Jeong, Kong, Won-Keun, Joo, Ga-hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim
• Application Number:
  US14/588,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20150339391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 707706, 707722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/434 using image data, e.g. images, photos, pictures taken by a user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7328 Query by example, e.g. a complete video frame or video sequence graphical querying G06F16/7335
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Provided are a method and an apparatus for searching for and acquiring information under a computing environment. The apparatus includes: at least one input device configured to receive a first query input of a first query type and a second query input of a second query type; and a controller configured to output a query input window including a first display item corresponding to the first query input and a second display item corresponding to the second query input, to automatically switch, in response to receiving the first query input, the apparatus from a first state to receive the first query input of the first query type to a second state to receive the second query input of the second query type, and to obtain a search result according to a query based on the first query input and the second query input.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a memory storing instructions;

at least one hardware processor configured to execute the instructions to at least;

control to present, in a display of the electronic device, a single search bar for presenting a search item or a plurality of search items, wherein each of the plurality of search items corresponds to one of a plurality of heterogeneous input types;

control to receive a first selection of a first input type which corresponds to a first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the first selection of the first input type, control to receive a first search item corresponding to the first input type and to present the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the first input type corresponds to text input and the first search item is a text;

control to receive a second selection of a second input type which corresponds to a second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the second selection of the second input type, control to receive a second search item corresponding to the second input type while presenting the first search item in the single search bar and to present the second search item in the single search bar in which the first search item is presented, wherein the second input type corresponds to image input and the second search item is an image;

control to generate a first combination query that is based on both the first search item and the second search item which are presented together within the single search bar;

control to send toward a search server the generated first combination query;

control to obtain from the search server search results comprising a search result reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item; and

control to present, in a search results display region of the display, the obtained search results reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:

control to receive a third selection of a third input type which corresponds to a third one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item and the second search item in the single search bar, wherein the third one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first input type and the second input type;

based on the third selection of the third input type, control to receive a third search item corresponding to the third input type while presenting both the first search item and the second search item in the single search bar and to present the third search item in the single search bar in which the first search item and the second search item are presented, wherein the third input type corresponds to handwriting and the third search item is a text; and

control to obtain search results according to a second combination query that is based on the first search item, the second search item, and the third search item.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to:

control to present, prior to receiving the second search item, a screen including both of the single search bar and the image separately from the single search bar; and

control to receive, as the second search item, a selection of the presented image.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a first input device configured to receive the first search item;

and

a second input device that is different from the first input device and is configured to receive the second search item.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first combination query includes information based on text corresponding to the first search item and information based on text acquired from the image corresponding to the second search item.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first combination query is generated based on keyword from the first search item of the first input type and keyword from the second search item of the second input type;

and

the search results provide at least one image reflecting both the keyword from the first search item and the keyword from the second search item.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one hardware processor is further configured to control to present extension query keywords based on the first search item and the second search item.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the search results are presented on the display of the electronic device in a priority order based on a result type including image, news, a web document, and an advertisement,

wherein the priority order is determined based at least on one of a user-defined priority, a user'"'"'s feedback, and usage history.

9. A search system comprising:

an electronic device comprising;

a memory storing first instructions;

at least one first hardware processor configured to execute the first instructions to at least;

control to present, in a display of the electronic device, a single search bar for presenting a search item or a plurality of search items, wherein each of the plurality of search items corresponds to one of a plurality of heterogeneous input types;

control to receive a first selection of a first input type which corresponds to a first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the first selection of the first input type, control to receive a first search item corresponding to the first input type and to present the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the first input type corresponds to text input and the first search item is a text;

control to receive a second selection of a second input type which corresponds to a second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the second selection of the second input type, control to receive a second search item corresponding to the second input type while presenting the first search item in the single search bar and to present the second search item in the single search bar in which the first search item is presented, wherein the second input type corresponds to image input and the second search item is an image;

control to generate a first combination query that is based on both the first search item and the second search item which are presented together within the single search bar;

control to send toward a search server the generated first combination query;

control to obtain from the search server search results comprising a search result reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item; and

control to present, in a search results display region of the display, the obtained search results reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item; and

the search server comprising;

at least one storage storing second instructions;

at least one second hardware processor configured to execute the second instructions to at least;

control to receive the first combination query from the electronic device;

control to perform a search based on the received first combination query; and

control to send the search results based on the performed search towards the electronic device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first hardware processor is further configured to:

control to present, prior to receiving the second search item, a screen including both of the single search bar and the image separately from the single search bar; and

control to receive, as the second search item, a selection of the presented image.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first combination query includes information based on text corresponding to the first search item and information based on text acquired from the image corresponding to the second search item.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first combination query is generated based on keyword from the first search item of the first input type and keyword from the second search item of the second input type;

and

the search results provides at least one image reflecting both the keyword from the first search item and the keyword from the second search item.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first hardware processor is further configured to control to present extension query keywords based on the first search item and the second search item.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the search results are presented on the display of the electronic device in a priority order based on a result type including image, news, a web document, and an advertisement,

wherein the priority order is determined based at least on one of a user-defined priority, a user'"'"'s feedback, and usage history.

15. A method, comprising:

presenting, in a display of an electronic device, a single search bar for presenting a search item or a plurality of search items, wherein each of the plurality of search items corresponds to one of a plurality of heterogeneous input types;

receiving a first selection of a first input type which corresponds to a first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the first selection of the first input type, receiving a first search item corresponding to the first input type and to present the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the first input type corresponds to text input and the first search item is a text;

receiving a second selection of a second input type which corresponds to a second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the second selection of the second input type, receiving a second search item corresponding to the second input type while presenting the first search item in the single search bar and to present the second search item in the single search bar in which the first search item is presented, wherein the second input type corresponds to image input and the second search item is an image;

generating a first combination query that is based on both the first search item and the second search item which are presented together within the single search bar;

sending toward a search server the generated first combination query;

obtaining from the search server search results comprising a search result reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item; and

presenting, in a search results display region of the display, the obtained search results reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a third selection of a third input type which corresponds to a third one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item and the second search item in the single search bar, wherein the third one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first input type and the second input type;

based on the third selection of the third input type, receiving a third search item corresponding to the third input type while presenting both the first search item and the second search item in the single search bar and to present the third search item in the single search bar in which the first search item and the second search item are presented, wherein the third input type corresponds to handwriting and the third search item is a text; and

obtaining search results according to a second combination query that is based on the first search item, the second search item, and the third search item.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

presenting, prior to receiving the second search item, a screen including both of the single search bar and the image separately from the single search bar,

wherein the receiving the second search item comprises receiving, as the second search item, a selection of the presented image.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the receiving the first search item comprises receiving, through a first input device, the first search item; and

the receiving the second search item comprises receiving, through a second input device that is different from the first input device, the second search item.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first combination query includes information based on text corresponding to the first search item and information based on text acquired from the image corresponding to the second search item.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first combination query is generated based on keyword from the first search item of the first input type and keyword from the second search item of the second input type;

and

the search results provide at least one image reflecting both the keyword from the first search item and the keyword from the second search item.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting extension query keywords based on the first search item and the second search item.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the search results are presented on the display of the electronic device in a priority order based on a result type including image, news, a web document, and an advertisement,

wherein the priority order is determined based at least on one of a user-defined priority, a user'"'"'s feedback, and usage history.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon instructions executable by at least one hardware processor of an electronic device having a display to cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

presenting, in the display of the electronic device, a single search bar for presenting a search item or a plurality of search items, wherein each of the plurality of search items corresponds to one of a plurality of heterogeneous input types;

receiving a first selection of a first input type which corresponds to a first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the first selection of the first input type, receiving a first search item corresponding to the first input type and to present the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the first input type corresponds to text input and the first search item is a text;

receiving a second selection of a second input type which corresponds to a second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item in the single search bar, wherein the second one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types;

based on the second selection of the second input type, receiving a second search item corresponding to the second input type while presenting the first search item in the single search bar and to present the second search item in the single search bar in which the first search item is presented, wherein the second input type corresponds to image input and the second search item is an image;

generating a first combination query that is based on both the first search item and the second search item which are presented together within the single search bar;

sending toward a search server the generated first combination query;

obtaining from the search server search results comprising a search result reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item; and

presenting, in a search results display region of the display, the obtained search results reflecting both of the first search item and the second search item.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third selection of a third input type which corresponds to a third one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types while presenting the first search item and the second search item in the single search bar, wherein the third one of the plurality of heterogeneous input types is different from the first input type and the second input type;

based on the third selection of the third input type, receiving a third search item corresponding to the third input type while presenting both the first search item and the second search item in the single search bar and to present the third search item in the single search bar in which the first search item and the second search item are presented, wherein the third input type corresponds to handwriting and the third search item is a text; and

obtaining search results according to a second combination query that is based on the first search item, the second search item, and the third search item.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting, prior to receiving the second search item, a screen including both of the single search bar and the image separately from the single search bar,

wherein the receiving the second search item comprises receiving, as the second search item, a selection of the presented image.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein:

the receiving the first search item comprises receiving, through a first input device, the first search item; and

the receiving the second search item comprises receiving, through a second input device that is different from the first input device, the second search item.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein the first combination query includes information based on text corresponding to the first search item and information based on text acquired from the image corresponding to the second search item.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein the first combination query is generated based on keyword from the first search item of the first input type and keyword from the second search item of the second input type;

and

the search results provide at least one image reflecting both the keyword from the first search item and the keyword from the second search item.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein the operations further comprise presenting extension query keywords based on the first search item and the second search item.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 23, wherein the search results are presented on the display of the electronic device in a priority order based on a result type including image, news, a web document, and an advertisement,

wherein the priority order is determined based at least on one of a user-defined priority, a user'"'"'s feedback, and usage history.