GUI BASED WEB SEARCH

• US 20080208819A1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Huang, Shen, Chen, Zheng, Sun, Jian-Tao, Wang, Min, Wang, Jian
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

An exemplary computer implemented graphics-based Web search system includes a search input control and a results presentation control where the search input control is configured to receive user input to establish a relationship between a query and one or more information tags associated with search results provided by a search engine in response to the query and wherein the results presentation control is configured to re-order the search results in response to the relationship. Such a system allows a user to define and refine search intent and enhance the user'"'"'s search experience. Various other exemplary systems, methods, devices, etc. are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer implemented graphics-based Web search system comprising:

a search input control; and

a results presentation control,

wherein the search input control is configured to receive user input to establish a relationship between a query and one or more information tags associated with search results provided by a search engine in response to the query and wherein the results presentation control is configured to re-order the search results in response to the relationship.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a feature to formulate a new search query based at least in part on the relationship.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the system issues and refines a user'"'"'s intention.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the relationship comprises a distance between a graphic and one or more of the information tags.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the relationship comprises a relationship defined by a Cartesian coordinate system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the search input control comprises a half-moon graphic.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the search input control comprises a mechanism for establishing a relationship between the query and a number of the information tags.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the mechanism comprises a distance between a query graphic and at least one of the information tags.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein a greater distance establishes a relationship between the query and a greater number of the information tags and wherein a lesser distance establishes a relationship between the query and a lesser number of the information tags.

10. A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving search results responsive to a search query;

based at least in part on the search results, generating information tags for graphical display adjacent to a control graphic configured to receive user input to express a user'"'"'s search intent with respect to the information tags;

receiving user input via the control graphic; and

based at least in part on the received user input, ranking the search results.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying the control graphic, the information tags adjacent to the control graphic and the search results.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising displaying the ranked search results in response to receiving the user input via the control graphic.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising repeating the receiving user input via the control graphic and repeating the ranking.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the ranking occurs dynamically with respect to the receiving.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising adjusting one or more display characteristics of one or more of the information tags in response to the receiving.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the adjusting comprises adjusting display color of one or more of the information tags.

17. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions to perform the method of claim 10.

18. A method, implemented at least in part by a computing device, the method comprising:

displaying information tags generated from ranked search results responsive to a search query;

receiving drag information from a user dragging a graphic relative to the displayed information tags;

responsive to the drag information, re-ranking the search results;

receiving drop information from a user dropping the graphic; and

in response to the drop information, reformulating the search query.

20. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions to perform the receiving drag information, the receiving drop information and the reformulating of claim 18.

19. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving ranked search results responsive to the reformulated search query.