# US 10,372,738 B2 · Speculative search result on a not-yet-submitted search query

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- Number: US 10,372,738 B2
- Document ID: US10372738B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/203,554
- Filed: 2016-07-06
- Published: 2016-10-27
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2005-08-24
- Assignees: Jollify Management Limited
- Applicants: Jollify Management Limited
- Inventors: Stephen L Hood; Ralph Rabbat; Mihir Shah; Adam Durfee; Alastair Gourlay; Peter Anick; Richard Kasperski; Oliver Thomas Bayley; Ashley Woodman Hall; Shyam Kapur; John Thrall
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372738B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/3338: {Query expansion}
- G06F 16/00: Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
- G06F 16/332: Query formulation
- G06F 16/3322: {using system suggestions (G06F16/3325 takes precedence)}
- G06F 16/3329: Natural language query formulation
- G06F 16/3331: Query processing
- G06F 16/334: Query execution (filtering based on additional data G06F16/335)
- G06F 16/90324: {using system suggestions}
- G06F 16/9038: Presentation of query results
- G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques
- G06F 16/953: Querying, e.g. by the use of web search engines
- G06F 16/9566: {URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links}
- Y10S 707/99933: Query processing, i.e. searching
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Providing a speculative search result for a search query prior to completion of the search query is described. In response to receiving a search query from a client node, a speculative search result is provided to the client node for the search query prior to receiving an indication from the client node that said search query is completely formed. The speculative search result may be displayed on the same web page on the client node as the search query, while the search query is being entered by the user. As the user further enters the search query, a new speculative search result may be provided to the user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
detecting each character entered into a search box displayed on a screen of a client device;
after each character has been entered into the search box, determining, at the client device, whether one or more of the characters entered into the search box satisfy a criterion to initiate a speculative search;
when one or more of the characters entered into the search box satisfy the criterion to initiate a speculative search, and prior to a user instructing the client device to return search results, transmitting the characters entered into the search box onto a network as a search query to a search engine;
receiving, at the client device, one or more speculative search results in response to the search query; and
displaying the one or more speculative search results on the screen of the client device along with the search box and the characters entered into the search box.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete;
forwarding a complete search query to the search engine; and
receiving, at the client device, search results from the search engine based on the complete search query.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete comprises clicking a search button at the client device.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete comprises entering a carriage return at the client device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein characters entered into the search box include letters, numbers, and spaces.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
selecting, at the client device, a first speculative search result from the one or more speculative search results; and
displaying, at the client device, one or more updated speculative search results based on the first speculative search result.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a pre-defined search result in response to the search query, wherein the search query exactly matches the pre-defined search result; and
displaying the pre-defined search result along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a pre-defined search result in response to the search query, wherein the search query nearly matches the pre-defined search result; and
displaying the pre-defined search result along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a navigational link in response to the search query, wherein the search query is associated with the navigational link; and
displaying the navigational link along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the navigational link comprises a URL.

### Claim 11

A device for searching, comprising:
a user input device;
a display device; and
a processor, communicatively coupled to the user input device and the display device, the processor to:
display a search box on the display device;
detect each character entered into the search box;
after each character has been entered into the search box, determine whether one or more of the characters entered into the search box satisfy a criterion to initiate a speculative search;
when one or more of the characters entered into the search box satisfy the criterion to initiate a speculative search, and prior to a user instructing the client device to return search results, transmit the characters entered into the search box onto a network as a search query to a search engine;
receive one or more speculative search results in response to the search query; and
display the one or more speculative search results on the screen of the client device along with the search box and the characters entered into the search box.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to:
indicate to the search engine that the search query is complete;
forward a complete search query to a search engine; and
receive search results from the search engine based on the complete search query.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete comprises clicking a search button at the client device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete comprises entering a carriage return at the client device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein characters entered into the search box include letters, numbers, and spaces.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
selecting, at the client device, a first speculative search result from the one or more speculative search results; and
displaying, at the client device, one or more updated speculative search results based on the first speculative search result.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a pre-defined search result in response to the search query, wherein the search query exactly matches the pre-defined search result; and
displaying the pre-defined search result along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a pre-defined search result in response to the search query, wherein the search query nearly matches the pre-defined search result; and
displaying the pre-defined search result along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a navigational link in response to the search query, wherein the search query is associated with the navigational link; and
displaying the navigational link along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the navigational link comprises a URL.

### Claim 21

A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage device and comprising instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method for initiating a speculative search, the method comprising:
displaying a search box at a client device;
detecting, at the client device, each character entered into the search box;
after each character has been entered into the search box, determining, at the client device, whether one or more of the characters entered into the search box satisfy a criterion to initiate a speculative search;
when one or more of the characters entered into the search box satisfy the criterion to initiate a speculative search, and prior to a user instructing the client device to return search results, transmitting the characters entered into the search box onto a network as a search query to a search engine;
receiving, at the client device, one or more speculative search results in response to the search query; and
display the one or more speculative search results on the screen of the client device along with the search box and the characters entered into the search box.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete;
forwarding a complete search query to the search engine; and
receiving, at the client device, search results from the search engine based on the complete search query.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete comprises clicking a search button at the client device.

### Claim 24 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the indicating, at the client device, that the search query is complete comprises entering a carriage return at the client device.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein characters entered into the search box include letters, numbers, and spaces.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
selecting, at the client device, a first speculative search result from the one or more speculative search results; and
displaying, at the client device, one or more updated speculative search results based on the first speculative search result.

### Claim 27 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a pre-defined search result in response to the search query, wherein the search query exactly matches the pre-defined search result; and
displaying the pre-defined search result along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 28 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a pre-defined search result in response to the search query, wherein the search query nearly matches the pre-defined search result; and
displaying the pre-defined search result along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 29 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, further comprising:
receiving, at the client device, a navigational link in response to the search query, wherein the search query is associated with the navigational link; and
displaying the navigational link along with the search query on the screen of the client device.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the navigational link comprises a URL.