Method and system for displaying search results

• US 8,572,111 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Law Office of R. Alan Burnett
• Original Assignee: Masterfile Corporation
• Inventors: McDonald, John Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, FARHAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/602,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 420 Days
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Methods and systems related to the display of primary and secondary search results are provided. Search results are displayed to the user without requiring the user to perform any tasks to view the entire set of search results. The user may then request secondary searches based on the displayed primary search results through performing a single action. Secondary search results are displayed along with the primary search results.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of displaying search results in a search and display window, the method comprising:

a) receiving a primary search query from a user;

b) determining a primary search result using a processor executing the primary search query;

c) displaying a plurality of primary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the primary search result, the plurality of primary electronic representations being displayed in a primary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each primary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the primary search result;

d) receiving a secondary search query, wherein the secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the primary electronic representations;

e) determining a secondary search result using the processor executing the secondary search query, wherein at least a portion of the data in the primary search result is different from the data in the secondary search result, wherein the secondary search result is determined by one of;

(i) a visual similarity search on the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation, and (ii) a metadata similarity search based on metadata associated with the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation; and

f) displaying a plurality of secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the secondary search result, the plurality of secondary electronic representations being displayed in a secondary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each secondary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the secondary search result;

wherein the plurality of primary electronic representations and the plurality of secondary electronic representations are visible at the same time; and

wherein the data in the primary search result is unchanged by display of the secondary search result.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

displaying the primary electronic representation selected by the user in a feature portion of the search and display window.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

displaying each primary electronic representation selected by the user in a selection history portion of the search and display window.

4. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a subsequent secondary search query; and

determining a subsequent secondary search result.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequent secondary search query comprises a user selection of another one of the plurality of primary electronic representations.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the subsequent secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the plurality of secondary electronic representations.

7. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:

displaying a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent second secondary search result, wherein the plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations are displayed in a preview secondary search results portion of the secondary search results portion of the search and display window.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying each primary electronic representation and each secondary electronic representation selected by the user in the selection history portion of the search and display window.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

receiving a selection of one of the primary or secondary electronic representations displayed in the selection history portion;

and

displaying a previous search result associated with the selection.

10. The method of claim 4, the method further comprising:

displaying the plurality of secondary electronic representations and the plurality of the primary electronic representations in the primary search result portion of the search and display window; and

displaying a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent secondary search result, wherein the plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations are displayed in the secondary search results portion of the search and display window.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises:

displaying a first subset of the primary search result for a predetermined amount of time; and

displaying a next subset of the primary search result after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary search result is determined using a primary search algorithm, and the secondary search result is determined using a secondary search algorithm.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the primary search algorithm and the secondary search algorithm is customizable by the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is image data, and wherein the primary and secondary electronic representations are thumbnail images.

15. A system for displaying search results in a search and display window, the system comprising:

a database for storing data in a memory;

a display adapted to display the search and display window; and

a processor configured to;

receive a primary search query;

determine a primary search result by executing the primary search query;

display a plurality of primary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in a primary search result, the plurality of primary electronic representations being displayed in a primary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each primary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the primary search result;

receive a secondary search query, wherein the secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the primary electronic representations;

determine a secondary search result by executing the secondary search query, wherein at least a portion of the data in the primary search result is different from the data in the secondary search result, wherein the secondary search result is determined by one of;

(i) a visual similarity search on the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation, and (ii) a metadata similarity search based on metadata associated with the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation; and

display a plurality of secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the secondary search result, the plurality of secondary electronic representations being displayed in a secondary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each secondary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the secondary search result, wherein the plurality of primary electronic representations and the plurality of secondary electronic representations are visible at the same time; and

wherein the data in the primary search result is unchanged by display of the secondary search result.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display the primary electronic representation selected by the user in a feature portion of the search and display window.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display each primary electronic representation selected by the user in a selection history portion of the search and display window.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a subsequent secondary search query; and

determine a subsequent secondary search result by executing a subsequent secondary search query.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one subsequent secondary search term comprises a user selection of another one of the plurality of primary electronic representations.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one subsequent secondary search term comprises a user selection of one of the plurality of secondary electronic representations.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent second secondary search result, wherein the plurality of subsequent electronic representations is displayed in a preview secondary search results portion of the secondary search results portion of the search and display window.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display each primary electronic representation and each secondary electronic representation selected by the user in the selection history portion of the search and display window.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a selection of one of the primary or secondary electronic representations displayed in the selection history portion; and

display a previous search result associated with the selection.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display the plurality of secondary electronic representations and the plurality of the primary electronic representations in the primary search result portion of the search and display window; and

display a plurality of subsequent secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the subsequent secondary search result in the secondary search results portion.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a first subset of the primary search result for a predetermined amount of time;

display a next subset of the primary search result after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

26. The system of claim 15, wherein the primary search result is determined using a primary search algorithm, and the secondary search result is determined using a secondary search algorithm.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein at least one of the primary search algorithm and the secondary search algorithm is customizable by the user.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein the data is image data, and wherein the primary and secondary electronic representations are thumbnail images.

29. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions for performing a method of displaying search results in a search and display window, the method comprising:

a) receiving a primary search query from a user;

b) determining a primary search result using a processor executing a primary search query;

c) displaying a plurality of primary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the primary search result, the plurality of primary electronic representations being displayed in a primary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each primary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the primary search result;

d) receiving a secondary search query, wherein the secondary search query comprises a user selection of one of the primary electronic representations;

e) determining a secondary search result using the processor executing the secondary search query, wherein at least a portion of the data in the primary search result is different from the data in the secondary search result, wherein the secondary search result is determined by one of;

(i) a visual similarity search on the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation, and (ii) a metadata similarity search based on metadata associated with the data item represented by the selected primary electronic representation; and

f) displaying a plurality of secondary electronic representations representing at least a subset of data in the secondary search result, the plurality of secondary electronic representations being displayed in a secondary search results portion of the search and display window, wherein each secondary electronic representation represents a corresponding data item in the secondary search result;

wherein the plurality of primary electronic representations and the plurality of secondary electronic representations are visible at the same time; and

wherein the data in the primary search result is unchanged by display of the secondary search result.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the data is image data, and wherein the primary and secondary electronic representations are thumbnail images.