Intelligent results based on database queries

• US 9,075,868 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2013
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mehanna, Lara, Hasan, Shawkat, Vandermolen, Harmannus, Campbell, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Swearingen, Jeffrey R
• Application Number:
  US13/766,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24553 of query operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols

Abstract

Information may be presented to a user by using a first application to receive a character stream of one or more noncompletion characters. The noncompletion characters indicate that additional characters may be received. The character stream is exchanged with a host that analyzes the character stream to generate results that are responsive to the user'"'"'s predicted interest. Results are received and displayed so that the user may select one of the results to launch a code segment related to the selected result.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a character stream of non-completion characters input by a user;

initiating, using at least one processor, a search query of one or more databases using the character stream of non-completion characters; and

displaying one or more search results from the search query prior to input of a completion character by the user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of the one or more databases from the user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising analyzing the character stream to determine a predicted interest of the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising selecting the one or more databases based on the predicted interest of the user.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising performing the search query using the predicted interest of the user.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising performing the search query using the character stream of non-completion characters and the predicted interest of the user.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional non-completion characters input by the user as part of the character stream; and

modifying the search query based on the additional non-completion characters.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more databases comprise one or more of a mapping database, a messaging database, a directory services database, a yellow pages database, a financial database, a public database, a customer database, a marketing database, a technical database, or a operational support database.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the completion character is a carriage return.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the character stream of non-completion characters in an address line of a web browser.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the character stream of non-completion characters in a text entry field of a web page loaded by a web browser.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a character stream of non-completion characters input by a user;

initiating a search query of one or more databases using the character stream of non-completion characters; and

displaying one or more search results from the search query prior to input of a completion character by the user.

13. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of analyzing the character stream to determine a predicted interest of the user.

14. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of selecting the one or more databases based on the predicted interest of the user.

15. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of receiving a selection of the one or more databases from the user.

16. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more databases comprise one or more of a mapping database, a messaging database, a directory services database, a yellow pages database, a financial database, a public database, a customer database, a marketing database, a technical database, or a operational support database.

17. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the completion character is a carriage return.

18. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of receiving the character stream of non-completion characters in an address line of a web browser.

19. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of receiving the character stream of non-completion characters in a text entry field of a web page loaded by a web browser.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, at a server, a search query associated with a character stream of non-completion characters input by a user at a client computing device;

polling, using at least one processor, one or more databases using the search query; and

sending one or more search results related to the search query to the client computing device prior to receipt of a completion character being input by the user at the client computing device.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising determining a predicted interest of the user based on the character stream of non-completion characters.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising generating the one or more search results using the predicted interest of the user.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising redirecting the search query to the one or more databases based on the predicted interest of the user.

24. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising receiving one or more database results in response to polling the one or more databases.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

synchronizing the one or more database results; and

identifying the one or more database results of high relevance to generate the one or more search results.

26. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the client computing device is a mobile device.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the mobile device is a wireless phone.

28. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the one or more databases comprise one or more of a mapping database, a messaging database, a directory services database, a yellow pages database, a financial database, a public database, a customer database, a marketing database, a technical database, or a operational support database.

29. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the completion character is a carriage return.

30. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising receiving the character stream of non-completion characters from an address line of a web browser.

31. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising receiving the character stream of non-completion characters from a text entry field of a web page loaded by a web browser.

32. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving, at a server, a search query associated with a character stream of non-completion characters input by a user at a client computing device;

polling one or more databases using the search query; and

sending one or more search results related to the search query to the client computing device prior to receipt of a completion character being input by the user at the client computing device.

33. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 32, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of determining a predicted interest of the user based on the character stream of non-completion characters.

34. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 33, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of generating the one or more search results using the predicted interest of the user.

35. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of redirecting the search query to the one or more databases based on the predicted interest of the user.

36. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of receiving one or more database results in response to polling the one or more databases.

37. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 36, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the steps of:

synchronizing the one or more database results; and

identifying the one or more database results of high relevance to generate the one or more search results.

38. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 35, wherein the client computing device is a mobile device.

39. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 38, wherein the mobile device is a wireless phone.

40. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 35, wherein the one or more databases comprise one or more of a mapping database, a messaging database, a directory services database, a yellow pages database, a financial database, a public database, a customer database, a marketing database, a technical database, or a operational support database.

41. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 35, wherein the completion character is a carriage return.

42. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of receiving the character stream of non-completion characters from an address line of a web browser.

43. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform the step of receiving the character stream of non-completion characters from a text entry field of a web page loaded by a web browser.