# US 10,120,958 B1 · Automatic disambiguation assistance for similar items in a set > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,120,958 B1 - Document ID: US10120958B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/396,451 - Filed: 2016-12-31 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-31 - Assignees: Allscripts Software, LLC - Applicants: Allscripts Software, LLC - Inventors: Todd Michael Eischeid; Mary S. Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10120958B1 ## CPC - G06F 16/3322: {using system suggestions (G06F16/3325 takes precedence)} - G06F 16/334: Query execution (filtering based on additional data G06F16/335) - G06F 16/338: Presentation of query results - G06F 16/90344: {by using string matching techniques} - G06F 16/9038: Presentation of query results - G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques - G06F 16/9535: Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation - G06F 16/9538: Presentation of query results - G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method includes calculating, for each unique pair of search results of a plurality of search results, a first similarity value; automatically determining that the determined first similarity value for one or more of the unique pairs exceeds a similarity value threshold; iterating through similarity value calculations, until a similarity value is recalculated for each of the one or more unique pairs for which the first similarity value exceeded the similarity value threshold; and displaying the plurality of search results, each search result including display of data corresponding to default fields, and data corresponding to any looked up field that was necessary to cause a recalculated similarity value to fall below a threshold similarity value for any unique pair that search result belongs to. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: (a) receiving, via one or more input devices associated with an electronic device, input corresponding to a search string for a search query; (b) retrieving, based on the search string for the search query, a plurality of search results; (c) automatically determining, based on configuration settings, one or more default data fields to be displayed by default for each of the search results, (d) automatically determining a respective set of data fields to display for each of the search results, such determining including (i) automatically calculating, utilizing a first search result of the plurality of search results and a second search result of the plurality of search results, a first similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields, (ii) automatically calculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and a third search result of the plurality of search results, a second similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the third search result based on the display of the default data fields, (iii) automatically calculating, utilizing the second search result of the plurality of search results and the third search result of the plurality of search results, a third similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the second search result and the third search result based on the display of the default data fields, (iv) automatically determining that the determined first similarity value exceeds a similarity value threshold, (v) in response to determining that the determined first similarity value exceeds a similarity value threshold, determining one or more additional data fields to display for the first and second results to avoid user confusion by (A) looking up, based on configuration settings, a first next field to utilize in similarity value calculations, (B) automatically recalculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and the second search result of the plurality of search results, a fourth similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields and the first next field, and (C) automatically determining that the determined fourth similarity value exceeds the similarity value threshold; (D) looking up, based on configuration settings, a second next field to utilize in similarity value calculations, (E) automatically recalculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and the second search result of the plurality of search results, a fifth similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields and the second next field, and (F) automatically determining that the determined fifth similarity value does not exceed the similarity value threshold; (e) displaying, via a display associated with the electronic device, the plurality of search results, each displayed search result displaying data for one or more data fields based on the determined respective set of data fields to display for that search result, including (i) displaying, for the first search result, data for the default data fields and data for the second next field, but not data for the first next field, (ii) displaying, for the second search result, data for the default data fields and data for the second next field, but not data for the first next field, (iii) displaying, for the third search result, data for the default data fields but not data for the second next field or first next field; (f) wherein, with the exception of the default fields, each displayed search result does not include display of extraneous data corresponding to fields that were not necessary to cause a recalculated similarity value to fall below a threshold similarity value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a tablet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a phone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a laptop. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a desktop computer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices comprise a mouse. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices comprise a touchpad. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices comprise a keyboard. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices comprise a trackball. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices comprise a camera. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices comprise a touchscreen. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a touchscreen. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a monitor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the display comprises a keyboard. ### Claim 15 One or more non-transitory computer readable media containing computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising: (a) receiving, via one or more input devices associated with an electronic device, input corresponding to a search string for a search query; (b) retrieving, based on the search string for the search query, a plurality of search results; (c) automatically determining, based on configuration settings, one or more default data fields to be displayed by default for each of the search results, (d) automatically determining a respective set of data fields to display for each of the search results, such determining including (i) automatically calculating, utilizing a first search result of the plurality of search results and a second search result of the plurality of search results, a first similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields, (ii) automatically calculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and a third search result of the plurality of search results, a second similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the third search result based on the display of the default data fields, (iii) automatically calculating, utilizing the second search result of the plurality of search results and the third search result of the plurality of search results, a third similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the second search result and the third search result based on the display of the default data fields, (iv) automatically determining that the determined first similarity value exceeds a similarity value threshold, (v) in response to determining that the determined first similarity value exceeds a similarity value threshold, determining one or more additional data fields to display for the first and second results to avoid user confusion by (A) looking up, based on configuration settings, a first next field to utilize in similarity value calculations, (B) automatically recalculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and the second search result of the plurality of search results, a fourth similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields and the first next field, and (C) automatically determining that the determined fourth similarity value exceeds the similarity value threshold; (D) looking up, based on configuration settings, a second next field to utilize in similarity value calculations, (E) automatically recalculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and the second search result of the plurality of search results, a fifth similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields and the second next field, and (F) automatically determining that the determined fifth similarity value does not exceed the similarity value threshold; (e) displaying, via a display associated with the electronic device, the plurality of search results, each displayed search result displaying data for one or more data fields based on the determined respective set of data fields to display for that search result, including (i) displaying, for the first search result, data for the default data fields and data for the second next field, but not data for the first next field, (ii) displaying, for the second search result, data for the default data fields and data for the second next field, but not data for the first next field, (iii) displaying, for the third search result, data for the default data fields but not data for the second next field or first next field; (f) wherein, with the exception of the default fields, each displayed search result does not include display of extraneous data corresponding to fields that were not necessary to cause a recalculated similarity value to fall below a threshold similarity value. ### Claim 16 A system including an electronic device and software loaded thereon configured to perform a method comprising: (a) receiving, via one or more input devices associated with the electronic device, input corresponding to a search string for a search query; (b) retrieving, based on the search string for the search query, a plurality of search results; (c) automatically determining, based on configuration settings, one or more default data fields to be displayed by default for each of the search results, (d) automatically determining a respective set of data fields to display for each of the search results, such determining including (i) automatically calculating, utilizing a first search result of the plurality of search results and a second search result of the plurality of search results, a first similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields, (ii) automatically calculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and a third search result of the plurality of search results, a second similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the third search result based on the display of the default data fields, (iii) automatically calculating, utilizing the second search result of the plurality of search results and the third search result of the plurality of search results, a third similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the second search result and the third search result based on the display of the default data fields, (iv) automatically determining that the determined first similarity value exceeds a similarity value threshold, (v) in response to determining that the determined first similarity value exceeds a similarity value threshold, determining one or more additional data fields to display for the first and second results to avoid user confusion by (A) looking up, based on configuration settings, a first next field to utilize in similarity value calculations, (B) automatically recalculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and the second search result of the plurality of search results, a fourth similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields and the first next field, and (C) automatically determining that the determined fourth similarity value exceeds the similarity value threshold; (D) looking up, based on configuration settings, a second next field to utilize in similarity value calculations, (E) automatically recalculating, utilizing the first search result of the plurality of search results and the second search result of the plurality of search results, a fifth similarity value representing a likelihood of user confusion between the first search result and the second search result based on the display of the default data fields and the second next field, and (F) automatically determining that the determined fifth similarity value does not exceed the similarity value threshold; (e) displaying, via a display associated with the electronic device, the plurality of search results, each displayed search result displaying data for one or more data fields based on the determined respective set of data fields to display for that search result, including (i) displaying, for the first search result, data for the default data fields and data for the second next field, but not data for the first next field, (ii) displaying, for the second search result, data for the default data fields and data for the second next field, but not data for the first next field, (iii) displaying, for the third search result, data for the default data fields but not data for the second next field or first next field; (f) wherein, with the exception of the default fields, each displayed search result does not include display of extraneous data corresponding to fields that were not necessary to cause a recalculated similarity value to fall below a threshold similarity value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a tablet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a phone. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a laptop. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the electronic device comprises a desktop computer.