CN101421732A - User Distributed Search Results - Google Patents

Abstract

A general distributed search system allows a user to find search results and distribute the search results to users with whom the user communicates. The search results may be easily distributed by the user via a simple interface that allows the search results to be easily added to the user's content. The system can automatically refine a search query entered by a user or search results received from a search component. The system may also automatically generate a search query.

Description

User Distributed Search Results

technical field

The present disclosure relates generally to content creation and, more particularly, to enhancing user-created content with search results.

Background technique

In an increasingly networked world, users frequently use online sources to create and exchange information. Email, instant messaging (IM), message boards, websites, and blogs are all existing communication technologies through which users can create and distribute content to other users. Often, in the process of creating such content, users may wish to refer to other online sources of information. For example, a user authoring an email can use a browser to navigate to a web page that the user wishes to reference in the email, copy a link (such as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL)) from the browser to the Clipboard, and then copy the link from Clipboard to paste into email. In this way, a user can create an email message that contains a link that is accessible by the end reader of the email.

A search engine is a popular tool by which a user enters a search query describing information of interest and receives back documents or links to documents related to the search query. Typically, when "researching" content for email messages, IM messages, message board posts, website posts, or blog posts, a user may use one or more search engines to perform one or more searches to locate online documents related to the content . The user can then copy the link into the document using the methods described above for copying and pasting links into documents. This process for annotating user-created content can be tedious, difficult for the average user to perform, and often results in text links in the final content that can be difficult to read.

Therefore, there is a need to improve the content creation process described above.

Contents of the invention

One aspect relates to a content creation system comprising: a first interface for facilitating a user to compose a message; and a second interface for receiving a search query, displaying search results related to the search query, and receiving a selection of the search results from the user, The content creation system automatically incorporates at least a portion of the selected ones of the search results into the message in the first interface in response to the selection.

In addition, the first interface and the second interface may be displayed close to each other at the same time.

Additionally, content creation systems may include email applications, instant messaging applications, blog post creation applications, applications for posting messages to Internet message boards, or website creation applications.

Additionally, the first interface can be configured to facilitate user annotation of selected ones of the search results.

Additionally, selected search results can include maps.

Additionally, at least a portion of the selected search results that are automatically incorporated into the message may include an image, address, phone number, or price of the product.

Additionally, the content creation system may further include logic to automatically generate a search query based on the content of the message.

Additionally, logic to automatically generate a search query may include logic to implement entity recognition techniques for messages.

Additionally, the logic to automatically generate a search query may generate a search query when an entity returned by the logic implementing entity recognition matches predetermined criteria.

Additionally, the logic implementing entity recognition technology can be trained to recognize products or locations in messages.

Additionally, the logic implementing entity recognition technology can be trained to take into account the type of content creation system a user is using.

Additionally, the content creation system may further include logic to automatically modify search queries.

Additionally, the logic to automatically modify the search query can modify the search query based on the type of content creation system.

Additionally, the logic to automatically modify the search query may modify the search query based on information related to the user of the content creation system.

Furthermore, the logic to automatically modify the search query may modify the search query based on information related to the intended recipients of the message being created by the user of the content creation system.

Another aspect relates to a method comprising: providing a messaging interface configured to facilitate a user composing a message; receiving a search query; initiating a search based on the search query; receiving results of the search; displaying the results of the search in an interface associated with the messaging interface , the displayed results of the search each include selection objects; receiving a selection of the selection objects from the user; and associating the results of the search corresponding to the selected ones of the selection objects with a message in the message interface .

Additionally, the interface associated with the message interface can include a sidebar displayed in the message interface.

Additionally, associating the results of the search corresponding to the selected ones of the selections with the message may further include automatically incorporating at least a portion of the results of the search corresponding to the selected ones of the selections into the message .

Additionally, initiating a search can include transmitting a search query to multiple search services that return one or more search result types.

Additionally, the number of search services to which the search query is transmitted may be user selectable.

Additionally, receiving a search query can include automatically generating a search query based on the message.

Additionally, automatically generating the search query based on the message may include using entity recognition techniques to generate the search query based on the message.

Additionally, entity recognition technology can be trained to recognize products or locations in messages.

Additionally, automatically generating a search query can include generating a search query in response to a triggering event.

Additionally, triggering events may include specific user behavior or a period of user inactivity.

Additionally, the method can include automatically modifying the search query.

Additionally, automatically modifying the search query can include modifying the search query based on the type of content creation system implemented by the messaging interface.

Additionally, automatically modifying the search query can include modifying the search query based on information related to the user.

Furthermore, automatically modifying the search query can include modifying the search query based on information related to the intended recipient of the message the user is creating.

Yet another aspect relates to a system comprising: a plurality of search services, each operable to receive a search request, perform a search based on the search request to generate search results, and transmit the search results. The system may also include programming objects operable to receive a search request and a search query used to implement the search request; invoke one or more of the search services to perform the search request; receive search results communicated from the plurality of search services; The user displays one or more of the search results; receives a selection of one or more of the search results; and incorporates at least a portion of the selected one or more of the search results into the user's composition in response to the received selection. news.

Additionally, the programmatic object can be further operable to automatically modify the received search query based on information related to the user.

Description of drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and together with the description explain the invention. In the picture,

1A-1C are diagrams that provide a conceptual overview of concepts related to distributed search results for users;

Figure 2 is a diagram of an exemplary system in which concepts consistent with the principles of the invention may be implemented;

Figure 3 is an exemplary diagram of the client or server shown in Figure 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary operations consistent with a user distributed search;

5 is a diagram of an exemplary email interface;

6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary email message annotated to include search results from a local search engine;

Figure 7 is an exemplary interface illustrating the application of user distributed search to a message board environment;

Fig. 8 is an exemplary interface showing the application of user's distributed search to instant message conversation;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary interface illustrating application of a user distributed search to a blogging tool;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components in a user distributed search system;

11 is a flowchart illustrating additional exemplary operations consistent with user distributed searches;

12 is an exemplary interface illustrating an application of user distributed search in which search results are automatically obtained;

13 is a flowchart illustrating additional exemplary operations consistent with user distributed searches;

Figure 14 is an exemplary email interface showing refinement of a search query; and

15 is a flowchart illustrating additional exemplary operations consistent with user distributed searches.

Detailed ways

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The detailed description does not limit the invention.

review

An implementation consistent with the principles of the invention involves allowing a user to distribute search results (possibly including advertisements) to users with whom the user communicates. Users can easily distribute search results via a simple interface that allows search results to be added to the user's content with a single mouse click (or other intuitive gesture or command). In some implementations, when including search results in a user's content, search results can be automatically formatted to create high-quality links within the content.

1A-1C are diagrams that provide a conceptual overview of the concepts described herein. In this example, assume that a user ("Arthur") is responding to an email from a friend ("Mark") requesting information about camera lenses. 1A is a diagram showing an exemplary email 110 in which Arthur responds with a short message informing Mark that he told Mark that the lens is "100mm F2.8". Email 110 illustrates a typical user email in response to a question. FIG. 1B is a diagram showing another exemplary email labeled email 120 in which Arthur responds with the same message informing Mark that he informed Mark of the footage. Additionally, in email 120 , Arthur pastes into email 120 a link 125 to the comment referencing the shot. As can be seen by the text of link 125, link 125 is a long link of text containing multiple words that convey very little information and probably mean nothing to Mark. Email 120 illustrates another typical user email in response to a question.

FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating an exemplary email 130 in which Arthur responds to Mark's email using the tools described herein. In contrast to emails 110 and 120, email 130 may include multiple links and/or content 140 inserted by Arthur when creating the email, in addition to the same text response 135 from Arthur to Mark. Link/content 140 may be information automatically generated by an email program used by Arthur in response to Arthur entering a search query such as "Canon 100mm macro lens". As shown, links/content 140 includes: two images 141, two links 142 returned from a general web search engine; an advertisement 143 returned from an advertising search engine; and a link to a local Company Links 144. Arthur may have selected to use each of the links/content 140 by, for example, a single mouse click on the graphical buttons associated with each of the results of the search query.

As can be appreciated from FIGS. 1A-1C , the workflow illustrated by email 110 and 120 is suboptimal for both readers and email authors. Conversely, email 130 ( FIG. 1C ) will likely be considered a "higher fidelity" communication than email 110 or 120 . Email 130 includes a number of links to documents that are themselves readable and explicitly selected by the author of the email.

systematic review

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary system 200 in which concepts consistent with the principles of the invention may be implemented. System 200 may include multiple clients 210 that may connect to a server such as server 220 -A, 220 -B or 230 via network 240 . Network 240 may include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a telephone network such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN), an intranet, the Internet, or a combination of networks. For simplicity, two clients 210 and three servers 220-A, 220-B, and 230 are shown connected to network 240 . In fact, there may be many more clients and/or servers. Also, in some instances, a client can perform one or more functions of a server, and a server can perform one or more functions of a client.

Client 210 may include a device such as a personal computer, laptop computer, wireless telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or another type of computing or communication device. A user of client 210 may access or receive information from server 220 -A, 220 -B or 230 .

Client 210 may include software, such as web browser 215 , for interacting with network 240 . Browser programs are well known and widely available in the art. When a browser or browser program is discussed herein, these terms are intended to refer to any program that allows a user to view documents (or web documents), whether the browser program is a stand-alone program or an embedded program, such as included as part of an operating system browser program.

Client 210 may also include a local content creation component 218 . Local content creation component 218 may include one or more software applications designed to assist users in generating content. For example, in the context of email, local content creation component 218 may include an email application for composing, sending, and reading email. In the context of instant messaging, the local content creation component 218 may include a client IM program for composing, sending, and reading instant messages. In alternative implementations, the local content creation component 218 may be embodied as other content creation applications, such as applications designed to help users create blog posts, design or edit websites, or post to message boards.

In some cases, a user of client 210 may create content using a networked application that uses server 230 instead of or in addition to using local content creation component 218 . More specifically, the server 230 may include a content creation component 235 that may provide content creation services to the client 210 . For example, server 230 may provide email services to client 210, such as by providing a web interface through which a user of client 210 may compose, send, and read email messages using browser 215. In the context of instant messaging, content creation component 235 may be a server-side portion of an IM application and may interface with a client-side IM application contained by native content creation component 218 . In alternative implementations, content creation component 235 may be embodied as other web-based content creation applications, such as applications designed to help users create blog posts, design or edit websites, or post to message boards.

In the illustrated implementation, servers 220-A and 220-B can generally provide web services, such as search services, to clients 210 or to server 230 via web service components 225-A and 225-B. For example, web service component 225-A may include a search engine connected to network 240 designed to index documents, such as web pages. In this implementation, in response to a search query received from a client or other server in system 200, web service component 225-A can return links to documents determined by web service component 225-A to be relevant to the search query. The network service component 225-A is a general web search engine, and can also be a dedicated web search engine, such as returning general web search results, image search results, video search results, local search results, geographic search results, product search results, and included search results , e-mail search results, blog search results, message group search results, news search results, digitized content search results, local web search results (such as desktop search or corporate web search), or advertising search engines. The operation of search engines is known in the art and will not be further described here. Additionally, in some implementations, the search results may include a history of previous search results viewed by the user. In other words, users can choose to view a history of their search results.

In some implementations, one or more of the web service components 225 can serve advertisements. For example, assume that web service component 225-B of server 220-B is an advertisement server. Server 220-B may receive requests for advertisements from other servers or from clients. Advertisements returned by server 220-B to the requesting server or client may be advertisements related to search queries, documents, or other data.

Although shown in FIG. 2 as a single device, servers 220-A, 220-B, and 230 may each be implemented, for example, as a single computing device or as multiple distributed computing devices. Also, in some implementations, the functionality of multiple servers, such as servers 220-B and 230, may be combined into a single server or a single group of distributed computing devices.

Exemplary Computing Device Architecture

FIG. 3 is an example diagram of a computing device 300 , such as client 210 or one of servers 220 or 230 . The computing device 300 may include a bus 310 , a processor 320 , a main memory 330 , a read only memory (ROM) 340 , a storage device 350 , an input device 360 , an output device 370 , and a communication interface 380 . Bus 310 may include paths that allow communication between components of computing device 300 .

Processor 320 may include any type of processor, microprocessor, or processing logic that interprets and executes instructions. Main memory 330 may include random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that may store information and instructions for execution by processor 320 . ROM 340 may include a ROM device or another type of static storage device that may store static information and instructions for use by processor 320 . Storage device 350 may include magnetic and/or optical recording media and their corresponding drives.

Input devices 360 may include mechanisms that allow a user to enter information into computing device 300 , such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice recognition and/or biometric mechanisms, and the like. Output devices 370 may include conventional mechanisms for outputting information to a user, including displays, printers, speakers, and the like. Communication interface 380 may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables computing device 300 to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface 380 may include a mechanism to communicate with another device or system via a network, such as network 240 .

Web service component 225 and content creation component 235 in servers 220-A, 220-B, and 230, respectively, may be implemented in software and stored in a computer-readable medium such as memory 330. A computer-readable medium may be defined as one or more physical or logical storage devices and/or carrier waves.

Software instructions defining web service component 225 and content creation component 235 may be read into memory 330 from another computer-readable medium, such as data storage device 350 , or from another device via communication interface 380 . Software instructions contained in memory 330 cause processor 320 to perform processes that will be described later. Alternatively, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement processes consistent with the invention. Thus, implementations consistent with the principles of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

User Distributed Search Results

Consistent with aspects of the present invention, users generating content can easily incorporate search results and/or advertisements into their content creation workflows, such as utilizing either or both of content creation component 235 or native content creation component 218. author-created content. The amalgamation of search results and/or advertisements in the manner described herein will be referred to as User Distributed Search (UDS).

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating exemplary operations consistent with UDS. A user may begin by opening a content creation application for the type of content the user wants to create (act 401). For the exemplary operation shown in FIG. 4, assume that the user is composing an email using a web-based email application. That is, assume that content creation component 235 provides web-based email services to users via browser 215 .

Content creation component 235 can provide a graphical interface including the UDS portion (act 402). FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exemplary email interface 500 . Email interface 500 may include fields such as a "To:" field 502, a "Subject:" field 504, and a message field 506 in which a user may compose an email message in a typical manner. Additionally, in this implementation, interface 500 includes UDS sidebar 510 . In some implementations, UDS sidebar 510 may be presented as a graphical window, toolbar, or other element of interface 500 that a user may optionally display for viewing or hide from view. As shown, UDS sidebar 510 includes a search query field 520 and a plurality of search results sections 522-528. In this example, search results sections 522 - 528 include: image results section 522 , local search results section 524 , general web search results section 526 , and advertisement results section 528 . Optional graphical buttons, such as arrow 530, may allow the user to hide or view each of the search results sections 522-528. As shown, results in local search results section 524 ("local results") are hidden when search results sections 522, 526, and 528 are selected to display search results. In some implementations, a user of the email application is able to customize which search results sections are displayed in UDS sidebar 510 .

At some point while composing the email, the user may enter a search query into search query field 520 (act 403). In some implementations, instead of a user manually entering a search, a search query can be automatically generated and/or executed, such as by generating a search query based on what the user enters, or can be semi-automatically generated and/or executed, such as by A pointing device "hovering" over a term or selection allows a search to be performed (403). In response, the content creation component 235 can communicate the search query to each of the appropriate web service components 235 . In this example, the content creation component 235 can transmit the search query to three web service components 235 implementing an image search engine, a local web search engine, and a general web search engine, respectively. The content creation component 235 can also pass the search query to another web search component 235 that implements an advertisement server. The search results returned from each of these four "search objects" may then be shown to the user (act 404). In some implementations, a user can select one of the search results to view the underlying document in a separate browser window.

As shown in the example of FIG. 5 , the user enters the search query "Canon Macro Lens" into the search query field 520 . The returned search results include a number of images 540 related to the search, a number of related websites 542 related to the search, and advertisements 544 related to the search. Each of the returned search results may include a link or other graphical selection object that allows the user to select a search result to include in the message being composed. In this implementation, a "Save" link 550 is displayed below each search result.

The user may decide to include one or more of the search results in the email (act 405). The user can do so by simply selecting the appropriate save link 550, which causes the content creation component 235 to copy the corresponding search results into an email. In response, content creation system 235 may write the selected results to an email, such as to message field 506 of the email (act 406). As shown, in this example, the user has selected two images 560, two general web results 561, an advertisement 562, and a local search result 563 to include in the email being composed. In one implementation, the results can be automatically placed under the message field 506 in the email. In other implementations, the content creation component 235 can allow the user to control the placement of the results in the email, such as by graphically dragging different results to different locations in the email. For example, a user can make an image or other portion of text the anchor text of a link referencing the search result by dragging the search result onto the image or other portion of text. The content creation component 235 may allow the user to implement other editorial controls, such as providing the user with the ability to annotate search results or add an indication of the search query used to generate the search results.

In some implementations, in addition to writing the selected results to the email by the content creation component 235, the content creation component may additionally copy the selected results to other locations such as the "clipboard" of the operating system. Whether to also copy the results to the clipboard can be a user selectable option. The user can then paste the results into other applications if desired.

The user may continue to edit the content, enter or refine search queries, and select results for the content until the user is ready to send or post the content (acts 407 and 408). In the example of FIG. 5, the user may enter a "send email" command when the user is ready to send an email. The email may appear as email 130 (FIG. 1C) when the recipient receives the email. The recipient of the email can conveniently view the web page corresponding to the link by selecting the link. Specifically, a link implicitly under an image search result may take the user to the web page hosting the image.

As can be seen from FIG. 5, the selected results 560-563 are organized in a visually appealing manner compared to links that are typically pasted into emails between users, such as link 125 (FIG. 1B). Formatting and thus providing higher quality content than typical links that users typically paste into content, such as link 125 of FIG. 1B . More particularly, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 5 , links related to search results may include actual links to search results, short excerpts of text that may be selected based on terms in the search query, and corresponding The domain of the result. Furthermore, users can select selected results via a simple process, such as by a single mouse click on link 550 or by a "drag and drop" selection operation associated with link 550, thereby enabling even relatively inexperienced of computer users offer the ability to enhance their content with search results.

6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary email message annotated using UDS to include search results from a local search engine. In this example, email message 600 is an email message related to a book club meeting. The sender of the email message is informing the other members of the book club that the meeting place has been turned into a local restaurant ("Cafe Del Sol"). To back up the message, the sender added two search results from a local search engine. The first result 602 references a webpage discussing restaurants. The second result 604 links to a local search engine results web page 610 that includes a map 615 showing the location of the restaurant. As shown in this example, a user can quickly add to an email a link to valuable information, such as a link to a map of the location mentioned in the email. In some implementations, the alternative search result is a link to a map, the search result could be an image of a map sent embedded within an email message, another type of image, an address, a phone number, or a product sent embedded within an email message s price.

advertise

In some implementations, some form of credit may be given to the content creator who placed the ad link in their content if the reader of the ad selects the ad link. The credit may be monetary or take some other form. Due to the high likelihood that the advertisements that content creators incorporate into their content are relevant and/or likely to be viewed by readers, a number of different business models are possible. For example, advertisers may be charged a commission or charged based on a different rate schedule for advertisements distributed via the UDS.

Additional exemplary implementation of UDS

The above description of UDS is primarily in the context of sending email content. As previously mentioned, UDS can also be applied to other forms of content creation. Figures 7-9 illustrate other additional applications of UDS.

Fig. 7 is an exemplary interface showing the application of UDS in a message board environment. Web message boards can generally be defined as tools for conducting discussions on the web. Message boards are typically organized into topics in which users post messages related to appropriate topics.

In FIG. 7 , an exemplary message board interface 700 , such as that presented through browser 215 , is presented to a user. As shown in interface 700, a first user has posted a message 710 asking for advice related to bicycle cranks. The second user responds with message 715 . With UDS, the poster supplements the message 715 with a plurality of search results 720 . Search results 720 include an image 725 of the crank in question, an ad 730 for the bicycle shop mentioned in message 715 , a link 735 to the website of the company that produced the crank, and a link 740 to a local dealer for the crank. Through UDS, users responding to message 710 are able to effectively supplement the text of message 715 with their specific selections as links relevant to the topic in question.

Fig. 8 is an exemplary interface showing the application of UDS in an instant messaging session. Instant messaging can generally be defined as the act of instant communication between two or more people over a network such as the Internet.

In FIG. 8, a user is presented with an exemplary instant messaging interface 800, such as that presented by a local content creation component 218 executing at client 210 (eg, an IM client). The instant message interface 800 includes a message display part 810 through which a transmitted instant message is displayed, a message area 820 in which a user can input a message that the user is about to transmit, and a UDS interface 830 . In this example, two participants in the conversation (Mark and Cindy) are discussing possible vineyards to visit. With UDS, each user has selectively augmented its message with links relevant to the particular vineyard in question. In this manner, UDS interface 830 may improve the quality of instant messaging sessions by, for example, allowing users to search from within IM interface 800 and easily share selected links from the search with other users.

Fig. 9 is an exemplary interface showing the application of UDS in a blog authoring tool. A blog (short for weblog or web log) is a website in which entries are posted regularly and usually displayed in reverse chronological order.

In FIG. 9 , a user is presented with an exemplary interface 900 of a blogging tool, such as a web-based blogging tool implemented by content creation component 235 or a locally executing blogging tool implemented by local content creation component 218 . Interface 900 can include a blog authoring portion 910 in which bloggers can enter and edit blog posts. UDS interface 920 allows bloggers to enter search queries and receive search results in a manner similar to UDS sidebar 510 (FIG. 5). The blogger selected search results may be displayed in results section 930 of interface 900 . When the blogger is ready to publish a post, the "Publish Post" button 940 may cause the text entered by the blogger in section 910 and the search results selected by the blogger in results section 930 to be published to the blogger's blog as a single blog post.

Additional details of an exemplary implementation of UDS

It should be appreciated that the UDS described above can be implemented using a number of different programming and hardware techniques. A high-level description of an exemplary implementation will now be given.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components in a UDS system. As shown in FIG. 10 , client 210 communicates with UDS engine 1037 at application server 230 , which may in turn communicate with search services 1040 -A through 1040 -N at one or more servers 220 . In this implementation, portions of content applications such as email applications may be web-based applications that are delivered to browser 215 on an as-needed basis. At the browser 215, the email application may include, for example, a JavaScript object 1016 that interfaces with a user interface portion 1017 based on, for example, HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) provided from the JavaScript application 1016. data to provide the final user interface displayed in the browser 215.

User interface portion 1017 and JavaScript object 1016 work together to reduce the start-stop nature of traditional browser-based web applications, because JavaScript object 1016 adds a client that can handle many user interactions with user interface portion 1017 layer. Instead of loading a web page at the beginning of a user session, browser 215 may load JavaScript application 1016 from server 230 (or alternatively from a local cache). JavaScript object 1016 may be responsible for rendering the interface seen by the user and communicating with content creation components of server 230 on behalf of the user.

JavaScript object 1016 may be a dynamic configuration object that allows dynamic selection of which web service, such as which search service 1040, to use. The JavaScript object 1016 can implement a number of different functions on the client side 210 . For example, JavaScript object 1016 may allow the interface to be placed where desired in the client display. Additionally, the JavaScript object 1016 may implement a search control object that limits search results to a small number of highly relevant results per search. The search control object can annotate each search result with an element that, when clicked, allows the user to save the search result to the content creation interface.

In some implementations, JavaScript object 1016 may be an object designed to be easily integrated into existing web-based JavaScript applications, thereby providing a convenient application programming interface (API) through which programmers can incorporate UDS into their program.

UDS engine 1037 may provide an interface to JavaScript objects 1016 . In response to the JavaScript object 1016, the UDS interface can annotate the search request, perform the search through the appropriate search service 1040-A through 1040-N, and serialize the results of the search. In response to requests from UDS engine 1037, search services 1040-A through 1040-N may return search results such as web-based general search results, image results, etc., or return relevant advertisements.

Automatic generation of search results

In the above UDS, the search results are mainly described as being obtained based on the search query entered by the user. In an alternative implementation, the UDS may automatically generate search queries and perform potential searches using the automatically generated search queries.

Referring back to FIG. 4, in act 403, a search query may be entered by a user or automatically generated. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing additional details that may be associated with action 403 . In particular, as shown in Figure 11, a search query may be generated based on a search query received from a user (act 1101) or based on the automatic generation of a search query (acts 1102-1104).

In act 1101, a search query can be received from a user. As previously mentioned, this action may be based on the user typing a search query into a search query field, such as search query field 520 . Alternatively, in some implementations, instead of the user typing a search query, the user may select search terms in other manners, such as by "hovering" over the term or selecting with a graphical pointing device.

Instead of waiting for the user to provide a search query, the UDS may automatically generate the search query based on entity recognition techniques (act 1102 ), for example, performed using content entered by the user or content associated with the content creation application 218/235. Entity recognition techniques are generally known in the art and may include, for example, techniques designed to identify entities, such as products, locations, organizations, or any other entity that is apt to be the subject of a search. Entity recognition techniques can be based on grammatical patterns or statistical models of language. In one possible implementation, entity recognition techniques may be specifically employed to locate terms corresponding to goods or terms defining addresses such as postal addresses.

If the entity identified in act 1102 is determined to be sufficiently relevant for the search to be performed, the entity may be submitted as a search query to the appropriate web service component 225 (acts 1103 and 1104). In some implementations, if multiple entities are received, the entities may be combined and submitted as a single search query, submitted as multiple separate search queries, or filtered to remove the remaining entities before combining the remaining entities into the search query. Eliminate less relevant entities. In some implementations, the UDS system may submit the determined entities to only certain ones of the web service components 225 based on the type of entity. For example, addresses can be submitted to the Mapping or Local Search web services, while items can be submitted to the Shopping and Advertising web services. Referring back to FIG. 4, the returned search results may then be displayed on the UDS interface and potentially selected by the user and incorporated into the content the user is creating (acts 405-407) as previously described. .

In some implementations, entity recognition techniques may additionally take into account the environment associated with a particular content creation component 218/235 or the state of the content creation component 218/235 being used by the user. For example, an entity recognition technique applied to a message board content creation component may favor looking for words in the content that are related to the topic of the message board. As another example, an entity recognition technique applied to a blogging tool could favor looking for words in the content that are related to the general topic of the blog (e.g., if the blog is a computer software blog, the entity recognition technique could favor locating words related to computer software words).

Actions 1102-1104 may be performed in real time (or near real time) as the user types or edits content. In this way, potentially relevant search results can be dynamically updated and displayed to the user without interrupting the user's workflow. In other implementations, actions 1102-1104 can be performed in response to a triggering event. Possible examples of such triggering events include: when the user opens the compose interface, such as when the user selects the "Reply" button in an email interface, or when the user initiates a spell check operation (or other operation); Interval user inactivity, such as when a period of time elapses during which the content creation application 218/235 does not receive input from the user.

FIG. 12 is an example interface 1200 illustrating an application of a user distributed search in which search results are automatically obtained. Interface 1200 is an email interface similar to email interface 500 (FIG. 5). Specifically, interface 1200 may include a "To:" field 502, a "Subject:" field 504, and a message field 506 in which a user may compose an email message in a typical manner. Additionally, interface 1200 may include selected search results 560-563 as previously described.

However, in contrast to the example shown in FIG. 5 , where UDS sidebar 510 provides user-selectable search results, UDS sidebar 1210 may include multiple sidebars that appear in the interface Shown in 1200 are an automatically generated results section (sidebar) 1211 and a user generated results section (sidebar) 1212 . User generated results section 1212 may function similar to UDS sidebar 510 . That is, a user may enter a search query into search box 1220 and view the results of the search in one or more search results sections 1222 and 1224 .

Auto-generated results section 1211 may include search results automatically generated by the UDS (acts 1102-1104). Results may be generated by the UDS system in real-time or near real-time as content is created by a user (eg, by typing in content). The automatically generated results section 1211 may include a search query section 1240 and a search results section 1245 in which the search query automatically generated by the UDS (act 1102) is shown. Search results section 1245 may include search results for the automatically generated query shown in search query section 1240 . In this example, search results section 1245 includes image results section 1246 and general web search results section 1247 . Graphical arrow buttons may allow the user to hide or view each of the search results sections. As shown, the results in the image results section 1246 ("image results") are hidden and the general web search results section 1247 is selected to display the search results.

Whether to display automatically generated search results section 1211 and/or user generated search results section 1212 in interface 1200 may be user configurable. In the example of interface 1200, search results sections 1211 and 1212 include "close" buttons 1250 and 1251, respectively, operable to remove the respective results section 1211 or 1212 from the UDS interface. With these buttons the user can disable the automatic generation of search queries.

In addition to being closable by the user, search results sections 1211 and 1212 may include an option to allow search results sections to be detached from interface 1200 . In other words, the user can cause the search results sections 1211 and 1212 to become separate windows within the graphical interface.

In an alternate implementation, instead of presenting the user with an interface including multiple sidebars as shown in interface 1200, the UDS may present the user with a single sidebar through which the user is shown both manual The entered search query in turn shows the user an automatically generated search query. For example, the UDS system can automatically generate a search query and display the results to the user as long as the user does not manually enter the search query. When a user has manually entered a search query, the system can refrain from automatically generating additional search queries. Also, the user is able to disable the automatic portion of the search generation.

Furthermore, in some alternative implementations, the UDS may automatically generate search queries as described above but may not automatically submit the search queries to web service component 325 . Alternatively, the UDS may display the search query, eg, in search query section 1240 . Users may submit automatically generated search queries to one or more of the web service components 225 if they are interested.

Refinement of UDS search results

Utilizing the above-mentioned UDS system, the search results are presented to the user based on the search query input by the user or automatically generated based on the entity recognition technology. In an alternate implementation, the search results or search query may be further refined by the UDS system before being presented to the user.

Referring back to FIG. 4, in act 403, a search query may be entered by a user or automatically generated. In response, the content creation component 235 can communicate the search query to each of the appropriate web service components 235, and can then show the user the search results returned from each of the web service components (act 404).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating additional exemplary operations that may be associated with act 404 . The UDS system may refine the search query obtained in act 403 (act 1302). In general, a UDS can refine a search query by modifying the search query with the goal of exploiting increased relevancy of the search results. Refinement of a search query does not necessarily mean narrowing the search query to return fewer search results; in some cases, the refined search query may return more search results than the original search query, and in one implementation, may The search query is refined to include additional information related to the particular type of content creation application 218/235. For example, if the content creation application 218/235 is an application designed to facilitate posting to a message board, the content creation application 218/235 may automatically add terms related to the topic of the message board to the search query. For example, when a user is adding a post to the message board "rec.bicycles.tech," the UDS system can modify the user-entered UDS search query (or the automatically generated UDS search query) to include terms related to message boards. In some implementations, whether the UDS system adds terms to refine the search query may be based on the specificity of the received search query. For example, if a received search query contains many terms or if it contains relatively rare terms, the UDS may refrain from additional narrowing of the search query, while search queries determined by the UDS to be particularly broad may be refined.

In addition to refining the search query to include additional information relevant to a particular type of content creation application 218/235, the content creation application 218/235 may be based on a particular user of the content creation application 218/235 or based on messages created with the content creation application 218/235 being sent to The user refines the search query (act 1302).

As an example of refining a search query based on the user of the content creation application 218/235 or based on the user to whom the message is addressed, consider the exemplary email message shown in FIG. 14 . In email message 1400, the sender of the email message is notifying the recipient of the email of a local restaurant ("Cafe Del Sol") that they will meet. To support the message, the sender adds search results 1460 from a local search engine selected from local results 1445 . In implementations consistent with aspects of the invention, the search results may be based on a search query that is automatically refined to include references to the location of the sender of the email message or the location of the recipient of the email message. For example, local search results 1461 may link to a local search engine results web page that includes a map showing the location of restaurants relative to the location of the recipient of the email message. If the recipient of the email message is using the same email platform as the sender, the email recipient's location can be known from information entered by the recipient when registering for the email account. As another example, local search results 1445 may include search results based on multiple local searches, such as a local search based on a sender's location refinement and a recipient's location refined local search.

As another example of refining a search query based on a user of the content creation application 218/235, the UDS system may generate an explicit or implicit profile of the user and use this profile when refining search results. The profile may be based on, for example, the user's past searches or explicit profile or preference information entered by the user.

As yet another example of refining a search query, a UDS system may refine a search query by modifying individual terms within the search query, such as by adding synonyms for terms already in the search query, by extracting Stemming, or by replacing or suggesting spelling corrections to words in the search query.

The search query refined in act 1302 can be submitted to an appropriate web service component (act 1303). The search results received back from the web search component can then be presented to the user (acts 1304 and 1305). As previously described, a user may select certain of these search results, such as search result 1445, and include them in the document.

Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating additional exemplary operations that may be associated with act 404, consistent with alternative embodiments. The content creation component 218/235 can submit the search query obtained in act 403 to the appropriate web service component 225 (act 1502). Content creation component 218/235 can receive search results (act 1503). The content creation component 218/235 can refine the received search results by, for example, ranking or filtering the search results (act 1504). This refinement may be performed with the goal of increasing the relevance of the search results presented to the user. Typically, refining search results will involve modifying or re-evaluating the order of relevance of the search results. Typically, search results higher in the order of relevance are the results that are presented first or most prominently to the user.

In one implementation, additional information related to a particular type of content creation application 218/235 may be used to refine the search results. For example, if the content creation component 218/235 is an application designed to facilitate posting to message boards, and the particular message board being posted to is the message board "rec.bicycles.tech," the content creation application 235 can pass the results to Refine the search results by ranking to emphasize more bike-related results or by removing (filtering) irrelevant bike-related results.

In another possible implementation, the search results may be refined based on information related to the user of the content creation application 218/235 or based on information related to the intended recipient of the content. As an example of this, consider that a profile created by or for a user includes a range of interests of the user. Profiles can be used as a basis for re-ranking search results. In other possible implementations, other information, such as, for a message board post, geographic information related to the message board post, may be used to refine the search results.

The refined search results may then be presented to the user (act 1505).

additional concept

A user's selection of a search result when creating content may provide an indication that the selected search result is relevant to the search query. For example, user-selected search results may be used as part of a reputation network. Typically, reputation networks somehow quantify a reputation or score regarding a user's professional experience in some category or topic. In the context of UDS, if a particular user incorporates a large number of search results into content and said search results are frequently selected by readers of the content, this may be an indication that the user is an "expert" on a subject matter related to the content, and may increase Its reputation score for that topic. This application may be particularly relevant to content applications such as message boards, where message boards are typically categorized by topic.

More generally, with respect to reputation, gestures of selection results can be fed back into the system to affect, for example, the raw result ranking, the raw value of the ad, the raw reputation of the user performing the selection, or the raw reputation of the application using the UDS. These raw reputation results can be used, for example, to modify implicit search engine-used document or ad rankings.

In particular, advertisements presented through UDS may represent advertisements with a higher likelihood of being clicked through and may therefore be more valuable to advertisers. These advertisements may, for example, cost more than other advertisements or be offered on different terms than other advertisements. In some implementations, revenue or other benefits derived from advertisements selected by the content creator may be shared with the content creator in some way. In some cases, the fact that an end user selects an ad can be used in some way to modify the reputation of the content creator who selected the ad.

Furthermore, in some implementations, content with user-selected search results may additionally be automatically modified or supplemented, such as by adding additional links to advertisements or products determined to be relevant to the selected search results. As an example of this, consider including an advertisement of a merchant in an email message by the creator of the email message. It may be desirable to include additional advertisements from the merchant in the email, such as an advertisement from the merchant related to offering free shipping. These additional or subsequent advertisements may be displayed within the message itself or as advertisements presented to the user via a different channel. For example, if the recipient of the email message is viewing the email message using a web-based email application, a subsequent advertisement may be displayed outside of the message itself, such as is commonly used in web-based email applications to present advertisements to its users section of your browser.

Furthermore, in some implementations, instead of having the search performed by a web service component (eg, a web search engine), a UDS search query field such as search query field 520 (FIG. 5) can perform other types of local or web searches. For example, search queries may alternatively or additionally be submitted to a local (eg, desktop) search service or to a search service integrated within the content creation application. For example, a web email content creation application may include a search service that allows users to search for previously sent or received emails. In this case, the UDS search query field can additionally use the search service of the content creation application.

in conclusion

The foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention has provided illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention.

Additionally, while series of acts have been described with respect to Figures 4, 11, 13, and 15, the order of acts may be varied in other implementations consistent with the invention. Furthermore, non-dependent actions can be implemented in parallel.

It will also be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the aspects of the invention described above may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware and hardware in the implementations shown in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement aspects consistent with the principles of the invention does not limit the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of aspects of the invention are described without reference to specific software code - it being understood that one of ordinary skill in the art will, based on the description herein, be able to design software and control hardware to implement the described aspects.

Additionally, some portions of the invention may be implemented as "logic" or "components" that perform one or more functions. This logic may comprise hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software such as an application specific integrated circuit or field programmable gate array.

No element, act, or instruction used in the description of the invention should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless specifically stated otherwise. And, as used herein, an item without limitation is used to refer to one or more items. Where only one item is intended, the term "a" or similar language is used. Additionally, the phrase "based on" means "based at least in part on," unless expressly stated otherwise.

Claims (31)

1. content creation system comprises:

First interface is used to be convenient to user's Compose-message; And

Second contact surface, be used to receive search inquiry, the demonstration Search Results relevant with described search inquiry and receive selection to described Search Results from described user, described content creation system is integrated with at least a portion of the selected Search Results in the described Search Results in the described message in described first interface automatically in response to described selection.

2. content creation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first interface and described second contact surface are close to each other to be shown simultaneously.

3. content creation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said content creation system comprise e-mail applications, instant message application, blog post establishment application, are used for message is posted to the application or the website establishment application of the Internet message board.

4. content creation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first interface are configured to is convenient to the note of described user to the selected Search Results in the described Search Results.

5. content creation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein selected Search Results comprises map.

6. content creation system as claimed in claim 1, described at least a portion of wherein being integrated with the selected Search Results of described message automatically comprises the price of image, address, telephone number or product.

7. content creation system as claimed in claim 1 further comprises:

Be used for generating automatically the logic of described search inquiry based on the content of described message.

8. content creation system as claimed in claim 7, the described logic that wherein is used for generating automatically described search inquiry comprises:

Be used to realize logic to the Entity recognition technology of described message.

9. content creation system as claimed in claim 8, wherein: when the entity that returns when the described logic that is used to realize Entity recognition was complementary with predetermined standard, the described logic that is used for generating automatically described search inquiry generated described search inquiry.

10. content creation system as claimed in claim 8 is wherein to being used for realizing that the described logic of Entity recognition technology trains product or the position of discerning described message.

11. content creation system as claimed in claim 8 is wherein trained the type of the content creation system of considering that described user uses to the described logic that is used to realize the Entity recognition technology.

12. content creation system as claimed in claim 1 further comprises:

Be used for revising automatically the logic of described search inquiry.

13. content creation system as claimed in claim 12, the described logic that wherein is used for revising automatically described search inquiry is revised described search inquiry based on the type of described content creation system.

14. content creation system as claimed in claim 12 wherein is used for revising automatically the described logic of described search inquiry based on revising described search inquiry with the described user-dependent information of described content creation system.

15. content creation system as claimed in claim 12, the described logic that wherein is used for revising automatically described search inquiry is revised described search inquiry based on the relevant information of the expection recipient of the described message of just creating with the described user of described content creation system.

16. a method comprises:

The message interface that is configured to be convenient to user's Compose-message is provided;

Receive search inquiry;

Start search based on described search inquiry;

Receive the result of described search;

With interface that described message interface is associated in show the described result of described search, each all comprises alternative as a result for described search shown;

From the selection of described user's reception to described alternative; And

The corresponding described result of selected alternative with in the described alternative of described search is associated with described message in described message interface.

17. method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the described interface that is associated with described message interface comprises the sidebar that is presented in the described message interface.

18. method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the corresponding result of selected alternative with in the described alternative with described search is associated with described message and further comprises:

Automatically at least a portion of the corresponding described result of selected alternative with in the described alternative of described search is integrated with described message.

19. method as claimed in claim 16 wherein starts described search and comprises described search inquiry is sent to a plurality of search services that one or more Search Results types are returned in described a plurality of search services.

20. method as claimed in claim 19, described a plurality of search services that wherein said search inquiry is sent to are that described user is optional.

21. method as claimed in claim 16 wherein receives described search inquiry and comprises:

Automatically generate described search inquiry based on described message.

22. method as claimed in claim 21 wherein generates search inquiry automatically based on described message and comprises:

Use the Entity recognition technology to generate described search inquiry based on described message.

23. method as claimed in claim 22 is wherein trained product or the position of discerning in the described message to described Entity recognition technology.

24. method as claimed in claim 21 wherein automatically generates described search inquiry and comprises and generate described search inquiry in response to trigger event.

25. method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said trigger event comprise user's inactivity of specific user's behavior or a period of time.

26. method as claimed in claim 16 further comprises:

Automatically revise described search inquiry.

27. comprising based on the type of the content creation system of described message interface realization, method as claimed in claim 26, the described search inquiry of wherein automatic modification revise described search inquiry.

28. method as claimed in claim 26 is wherein revised described search inquiry automatically and is comprised based on revising described search inquiry with described user-dependent information.

29. method as claimed in claim 26 is wherein automatically revised described search inquiry and is comprised based on the relevant information of the expection recipient of the described message of just creating with described user and revise described search inquiry.

30. a system comprises:

A plurality of search services, each of described search service can operate receive searching request,

Based on described searching request carry out search with generate Search Results and

Transmit described Search Results; And

Programming object can be operated

Receive searching request and the search inquiry that is used for realizing described searching request;

Call the one or more of described search service to carry out described searching request;

The described Search Results that reception transmits from described a plurality of search services;

Show the one or more of described Search Results to the user;

Reception is to described one or more selection of described Search Results; And

In response to the selection that is received the selected one or more at least a portion in the described Search Results is integrated with the message that described user is just writing.

31. system as claimed in claim 30, wherein said programming object can further be operated based on revising the search inquiry that is received automatically with described user-dependent information.

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