Suggesting related search queries during web browsing

• US 9,015,148 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: White, Ryen William, Rounthwaite, Robert, Cucerzan, Silviu-Petru
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DEBBIE M
• Application Number:
  US12/563,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,038 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707803-804
• US Class Current: 707/721
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence

Abstract

Described is the presenting of suggested queries for web pages that are not search engine results pages, based upon the URL and/or content of a currently displayed page. The suggested query set may be dynamically extracted (locally or remotely) based upon the content of the web page, and/or obtained from a data store of per-URL suggested query sets, e.g., generated from historical logs. Also described are various techniques for generating suggested queries, and user interface mechanisms that display and allow interaction with suggested queries.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method comprising:

displaying a web page that is not a search engine result page;

generating a suggested query set based upon an identity of the web page being displayed, or content of the web page being displayed, or both an identity of the web page being displayed and content of the web page being displayed, the suggested query set comprising one or more related search queries operative for selection in a search by a search engine; and

displaying the suggested query set on a display of a computing device having at least one processor including presenting the suggested query via a drop down menu on a browser component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the suggested query set comprises executing client-side code.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, sending an identifier of the web page, or the content of the web page, or both the identifier and content, to a remote suggested query generator, and receiving the suggested query set in response.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, sending a uniform resource locator (URL) of the page to a remote source, and receiving the suggested query set in response.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, processing log data to generate the suggested query set, and maintaining data corresponding to the suggested query set in association with data corresponding to the URL in a data store.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, determining the suggested query set based at least in part on historical data corresponding to a user'"'"'s prior interaction with a web browser.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the suggested query set comprises generating one or more suggested queries based on proximity within a search-related log data of the web page.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the browser component comprises a toolbar button.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying the suggested query set comprises presenting a suggested query in conjunction with an icon that represents additional information with respect to that suggested query.

10. In a computing environment, a system comprising:

a web browser configured to display web pages; and

a suggestion presentation mechanism coupled to the web browser to display one or more suggested queries that are generated, via at least one processor, based upon content of a web page being displayed, including when the web browser is not displaying a search engine results page, the one or more suggested queries comprising one or more search queries associated with historical browsing behavior within a time window corresponding to the web page.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising, a suggestion generator configured to generate the one or more suggested queries based on proximity within a search-related log data of the web page.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the web browser sends a uniform resource locator (URL) to a remote source, or sends the content to a remote source, or sends both a URL and the content to a remote source, and receives the suggested queries in response.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising, means for processing at least one search-related log to generate suggested queries for web pages.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for processing the content of a web page to generate the one or more suggested queries for that web page.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the suggestion presentation mechanism comprises a client-side add-in to the web browser.

16. In a computing environment, a system comprising at least one processor to execute a user interface module, the user interface module comprising, one part of the user interface module configured to display a web page, and an interactive part of the user interface module configured to generate one or more suggested search queries that are associated with the web page, including when the web page is not a search results web page, the other part being interactive to select a suggested search query when at least one suggested search query is available and to select another query based upon another web page within a same browsing session as the web page when no suggested search query is available, wherein the interactive part comprises a browser component that when interacted with displays one or more suggested search queries for selection.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the browser component, when interacted with, provides a drop down menu that displays one or more suggested search queries for selection by further interaction.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the browser component comprises a toolbar button.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the drop down menu includes an icon associated with text of a suggested search query, the icon communicating information regarding that search query in addition to the text.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the interactive part corresponds to a search box that is populated with at least one suggested search query when at least one suggested search query is available for the web page.