LANGUAGE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES AND GENERAL SEARCH ENGINES

• US 20130325833A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: JING, KUN, GUAN, HONGCHAO, SHI, JIN
• Granted Patent: US 9,070,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04

Abstract

Methods, computer systems, and computer-readable storage media for determining that a user of a general search engine has intent to not only view search results in a native language on a general search engine results page, but also to have non-native language learning opportunities presented on the general search engine results page. The non-native language learning opportunities include a set of search results drawn from a non-native language document source and presented in the non-native language. Other opportunities include a non-native language dictionary definition of a received search query, a non-native language translation of the search query, and on-demand translation tools available on the general search engine results page.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage devices having embodied thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a general search engine, perform a method for a native language user to learn a non-native language on a general search engine results page, the method comprising:

receiving a first search query from a user, the first search query comprising at least one or more words comprised of characters or symbols associated with the native language;

determining that the user has implicit intent to learn the non-native language;

accessing a data store having documents in the native language and identifying a first set of native language documents associated with the first search query;

accessing a data store having documents in the non-native language and identifying a second set of non-native language documents associated with the first search query; and

simultaneously presenting the first and second sets of documents as a first and a second set of search results on the general search engine results page, the first and second sets of search results presented in the native language and the non-native language.

2. The devices of claim 1, wherein the determining that the user has implicit intent to learn the non-native language comprises at least one of:

receiving an indication that the user has initiated a bilingual mode on the general search engine results page;

determining that the user has utilized a language learning portal in association with the non-native language at a point previous in time to the receiving of the first search query from the user;

or

determining that the first search query further comprises one or more words comprised of characters associated with the non-native language.

3. The devices of claim 2, wherein the bilingual mode is initiated subsequent to the user selecting a bilingual mode option presented on the general search engine results page.

4. The devices of claim 2, wherein the native language was also utilized in association with the language learning portal.

5. The devices of claim 2, further comprising:

translating the first search query into a second search query, the second search query including one or more words composed only of characters associated with the non-native language; and

presenting the second search query on the general search engine results page.

6. The devices of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a dictionary definition of the first search query on the general search engine results page, the dictionary definition presented in the non-native language.

7. The devices of claim 6, further comprising:

presenting a selectable icon in association with the dictionary definition of the first search query;

receiving a selection of the selectable icon; and

initiating play of an audio pronunciation of the first search query in the non-native language.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. One or more computer storage devices having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, present a graphical user interface (GUI) associated with a general search engine results page that simultaneously displays search results in a native language and search results in a non-native language, the graphical user interface comprising:

a search query input area on the general search engine results page configured to receive a first search query inputted by a user;

a bilingual search result area configured to present a first set of search results in the non-native language, the first set of search results associated with the first search query, the first set of search results comprising identifiers associated with a first plurality of documents in the non-native language; and

a native language search result area configured to present a second set of search results in the native language, the second set of search results associated with the first search query, the second set of search results comprising identifiers associated with a second plurality of documents in the native language.

11. The GUI of claim 10, wherein the bilingual search result area is further configured to present a translation of the first set of search results in the native language.

12. The GUI of claim 11, further comprising:

a dictionary definition display area configured to present a dictionary definition of the first search query, the dictionary definition in the non-native language.

13. The GUI of claim 12, further comprising:

a translation result display area configured to present a translation of the first search query in the non-native language.

14. The GUI of claim 13, further comprising:

a bilingual mode selection area configured to present a selectable option, selection of the option initiating the presentation of the first set of search results in the bilingual search result area.

15. The GUI of claim 14, wherein de-selection of the option terminates the presentation of the first set of search results in the bilingual search result area.

16. The GUI of claim 14, wherein hovering over at least one non-native language word initiates the presentation of the word in the native language.

17. A computerized method carried out by a search engine running on one or more processors for a native language user to learn a non-native language on a general search engine results page, the method comprising:

receiving a first search query from a user, the first search query comprising at least one or more words comprised of characters in the native language;

determining that the user has implicit intent to learn the non-native language based upon, at least one of;

(1) receiving an indication that the user has initiated a bilingual mode option presented on the general search engine results page,

(2) determining that the user has utilized a language learning portal in association with the non-native language, or

(3) determining that the first search query further comprises one or more words comprised of characters in the non-native language;

translating the first search query into a second search query, the second search query comprised only of one or more words in the non-native language characters;

accessing a data store having documents in the native language and identifying a first set of native language documents associated with the first search query;

accessing a data store having documents in the non-native language and identifying a second set of non-native language documents associated with the second search query; and

simultaneously presenting the first and second sets of documents as a first and a second set of search results on the general search engine results page, the first and second sets of search results presented in the native language and the non-native language.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the native language is the primary language of the user.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)