Graphic Query Suggestion Display Method

• US 20120278355A1
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kritt, Barry A., Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3323 using document space presentation or visualization, e.g. category, hierarchy or range presentation and selection

Abstract

A method which generates at a user'"'"'s computer system a display which graphically shows the relationships among a core query and one or more suggested related queries in a search conducted through an online search engine. The display preferably is a set of partially overlapping geometric figures such as circles, with the size of each circle indicating the number of resources found by the search queries and the overlap indicating commonality between a core query and a suggested related query.

Claims

1. Method comprising:

responding to entry of a core search query into a search program by a computer system user by displaying to the user a plurality of geometric figures including a core figure representing results delivered by the search program for the core search query and a secondary figure representing results delivered for a suggested related query;

determining the relative sizes of the displayed figures from the number of results delivered by the search program for the core search query and the suggested query; and

responding to the system user pointing a screen cursor to a displayed figure by displaying the results delivered by the search program for the query represented by the figure to which the cursor points.

2. Method according to claim 1 wherein the displayed geometric figures are circles.

3. Method according to claim 1 wherein the displayed figures define areas of overlap within which the results delivered are for the core search query and the suggested query.

4. Method according to claim 1 wherein the response to entry of the search query includes displaying a plurality of secondary figures representing a plurality of suggested related queries.

5. Method according to claim 4 wherein the displayed figures define a plurality of areas of overlap within each of which the results delivered are for the core search query and a suggested query.

6. Method according to claim 5 further comprising responding to the system user pointing a screen cursor to an area of overlap by displaying results delivered by the search program for the queries represented by the area to which the cursor points.

7. Method according to claim 5 further comprising responding to the system user pointing a screen cursor to a plurality of selected areas of overlap by displaying results delivered by the search program for the alternative queries represented by the areas selected.

8. Method according to claim 5 further comprising responding to the system user pointing a screen cursor to an area of overlap outside of the core query figure by displaying results delivered by the search program which exclude the core query.

9. Method according to claim 1 further comprising enabling the system user to identify search query results as recommendations to social networking programs.