Method and system for searching for digital assets

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program to identify digital assets, the computer program including instructions to perform a method comprising:

• receiving, at a computing system, a first search query from a user system for locating at least one digital asset from a database of digital assets,
• wherein each digital asset in the database of digital assets is associated with at least one keyword, and
• wherein each associated keyword is part of a structured vocabulary of hierarchically organized keywords maintained by the computing system;
• determining a first set of digital assets from the database of digital assets, wherein each digital asset in the first set of digital assets is associated with a keyword equivalent to or synonymous with the first search query;
• determining a first set of suggested keywords from the structured vocabulary, wherein each suggested keyword in the first set of suggested keywords has a relationship in the hierarchical organization to the first search query, the relationship existing prior to receiving the first search query;
• transmitting the first set of digital assets and the first set of suggested keywords to the user system;
• receiving, at the computing system, a refinement selection from the user system, wherein the refinement selection comprises a refinement digital asset from the first set of digital assets or a refinement keyword from the first set of suggested keywords;
• generating a refined search query based on the search query and the refinement selection;
• determining a second set of digital assets from the database of digital assets, wherein each digital asset in the second set of digital assets is associated with a keyword equivalent to or synonymous with the refined search query;
• determining a second set of suggested keywords from the structured vocabulary, wherein each suggested keyword in the second set of suggested keywords has a relationship in the hierarchical organization to the refined search query, the relationship existing prior to receiving the refined search query;
• and
• transmitting the second set of digital assets and the second set of suggested keywords to the user system.

A computer system for providing digital assets in response to searches for digital assets, the system comprising:

• a database;
• and
• a server computer coupled to the database and executing instructions that, when executed:
• store multiple keywords, wherein each keyword is part of a structured vocabulary of hierarchically organized keywords;
• and
• store multiple digital assets, wherein each digital asset is associated with at least one keyword;
• receive a first search query from a user system for locating at least one digital asset from the database of digital assets;
• determine a first set of digital assets from the database of digital assets, wherein each digital asset in the first set of digital assets is associated with a keyword equivalent to or synonymous with the first search query;
• determine a first set of suggested keywords from the structured vocabulary, wherein each suggested keyword in the first set of suggested keywords has a relationship in the hierarchical organization to the first search query, the relationship existing prior to receiving the first search query;
• transmit the first set of digital assets and the first set of suggested keywords to the user system;
• receive a refinement selection from the user system, wherein the refinement selection comprises a refinement digital asset from the first set of digital assets or a refinement keyword from the first set of suggested keywords;
• generate a refined search query based on the search query and the refinement selection;
• determine a second set of digital assets from the database of digital assets, wherein each digital asset in the second set of digital assets is associated with a keyword equivalent to or synonymous with the refined search query;
• determine a second set of suggested keywords from the structured vocabulary, wherein each suggested keyword in the second set of suggested keywords has a relationship in the hierarchical organization to the refined search query, the relationship existing prior to receiving the refined search query;
• and
• transmit the second set of digital assets and the second set of suggested keywords to the user system.