Search results injected into client applications

• US 20070088686A1
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hurst-Hiller, Oliver, Gorecki, Marek, Murarka, Neel, Thirumalai-Anandanpillai, Srinivasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• 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

Architecture is provided that transcends a division offered by conventional query architectures by providing a query input box in a client application which provides rich look-ahead query results by integrating results from a network-based service with results from the client application. Realtime network-based search results are injected into the query as the user types the query into a client input box. When a user enters a query character into a query input box of a client application, a search is conducted via an Internet-based index service using the existing query character. In response, the search returns suggested results that are then processed to complete the query as presented for selection by the user in the query input box.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates query processing, comprising the following computer executable components:

a query component that facilitates input of a portion of query data into a client application during a query generation process; and

a search component that accesses a network-based service to suggest additional query data in response to receiving the portion of the query data and communicates the additional query data to the query component for presentation to a user.

2. The system of claim 1, the query component includes a client input box of the client application.

3. The system of claim 1, the query component inputs presents the suggested additional query data via the client application as a user types one or more characters into the client application.

4. The system of claim 1, the network-based service is an Internet service.

5. The system of claim 1, the query component facilitates input of the suggested additional query data into at least one of a browser search box, a browser navigation box, and a desk bar box, of the client application.

6. The system of claim 1, the query data is a single character that is entered into an input box of the client application.

7. The system of claim 1, the client application is at least one of a word processing application, a browser application, a spreadsheet application, and a presentation application.

8. The system of claim 1, the query data is multiple characters that are entered into an input box of the client application.

9. The system of claim 1, the additional query data is suggested from a cache of results which are stored local to the client application.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning and reasoning component that employs a probabilistic and/or statistical-based analysis to prognose or infer an action that a user desires to be automatically performed.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an adaptive component that adapts the query generation process to a skill level of the user.

12. The system of claim 1, the additional query data is based on personalized search information.

13. The system of claim 1, the additional query data is based on search results that are personalized.

14. A computer-implemented method of processing a query, the method comprising the following computer executable acts:

receiving a query character into a query input box of a client application;

accessing an Internet-based search service in realtime that returns search results based on the query character; and

suggesting additional query characters in a look-ahead manner, which additional query characters are presented to a user in association with the query character in response to receiving search results.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising accessing a local cache of most popular queries at least one of in addition to and alternatively to the act of accessing the Internet-based search service.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising at least one of the acts of:

suggesting a refined query based on the search results; and

suggesting a completed query based on the search results before all query characters are entered by the user.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising suggesting spelling corrections of a query spelling based on the search results.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

suggesting a correct spelling of URL query data and correcting URL query data based on URL search results; and

suggesting a URL to the user based on the URL search results.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing an answer to the query before the query is submitted.

20. A computer-executable system, comprising:

computer-implemented means for receiving query characters into a query input box of a client application;

computer-implemented means for accessing an Internet-based search service in realtime that returns search results based on the query characters; and

computer-implemented means for suggesting additional query characters in a look-ahead manner, which additional query characters are presented to a user in association with the query characters in response to receiving search results.