Presenting search term refinements

An article comprising a computer-readable storage device, the computer readable storage device comprising instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a first search query;
• obtaining a first set of suggested search query refinements responsive to the first search query;
• and
• generating a first spoke graph structure processable to present a visual representation of the first search query and at least a portion of the first set of suggested search query refinements, the first search query being represented by a first node in the visual representation and the portion of the first set of suggested search query refinements represented by an individual spoke in the visual representation, wherein each of the individual spokes in the visual representation is associated with a link corresponding to a new search query based on a corresponding search query refinement;
• providing the first spoke graph structure for presentation in response to the first search query;
• receiving an indication that one of the links associated with a particular individual spoke associated with the corresponding search query refinement from the visual representation of the first spoke graph structure is selected by a user, wherein the selected search query refinement corresponds to a second search query;
• obtaining a second set of search query refinements based on the second search query;
• generating a second spoke graph structure processable to present a visual representation of the second search query and at least a portion of the second set of search query refinements based on the second search query, the second search query being represented by a second node in the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure and each portion of the second set of search query refinements represented by an individual spoke in the visual representation of the second graph structure, wherein each of the individual spokes in the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure is associated with a link for submitting a new search query based on a corresponding search query refinement, and wherein activating the link associated with the individual spokes in the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure is operable to submit a second search query based on the corresponding search query refinement;
• and
• providing the second spoke graph structure for presentation in response to the selection of the individual spoke, wherein the second spoke graph structure is to be presented adjacent to an updated version of the first spoke graph structure, wherein the particular individual spoke associated with the corresponding search query refinement selected by the user is removed from the first spoke graph structure, and wherein providing the second spoke graph structure for presentation comprises combining the updated version of the first spoke graph structure with the second spoke graph structure into a consolidated spoke graph structure, where the visual representation of the consolidated spoke graph structure presents the visual representation of the updated version of the first spoke graph structure connected to the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure by an edge between the first node of the updated version of the first spoke graph structure and the second node of the second spoke graph structure, and further wherein providing the second spoke graph structure for presentation comprises providing the consolidated spoke graph structure for presentation.

A system comprising:

• one or more search engine servers adapted to obtain search results associated with a first search query;
• one or more search refinement servers adapted to obtain a first set of suggested refinements associated with the first search query;
• and
• one or more search results servers adapted to:
• generate a first spoke graph structure processable to present a visual representation of the first search query and at least a portion of the first set of suggested refinements associated with the first search query, the first search query represented by a first node in the visual representation and the portion of the first set of suggested search query refinements represented by an individual spoke in the visual representation, wherein each of the individual spokes in the visual representation is associated with a link corresponding to a new search query based on a corresponding search query refinement;
• the one or more search engine servers further adapted to receive an indication that one of the links associated with a particular individual spoke associated with the corresponding search query refinement from a presented visual representation of the first spoke graph structure is selected by a user, wherein the selected search query refinement corresponds to a second search query, the one or more search engine servers further adapted to obtain a second set of search query refinements based on the second search query;
• the one or more search refinement servers further adapted to obtain a second set of suggested refinements associated with the first search query;
• and
• the one or more search results servers further adapted to:
• generate a second spoke graph structure processable to present a visual representation of the second search query and at least a portion of the second set of search query refinements based on the second search query, the second search query being represented by a second node in the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure and each portion of the second set of search query refinements represented by an individual spoke in the visual representation of the second graph structure, wherein each of the individual spokes in the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure is associated with a link corresponding to a new search query based on a corresponding search query refinement;
• and
• provide the second spoke graph structure for presentation in response to the selection of the individual spoke, wherein the second spoke graph structure is to be presented adjacent to an updated version of the first spoke graph structure where the updated version of the first spoke structure removes the particular individual spoke associated with the search query refinement selected by the user from the previously generated first spoke structure, and wherein the updated version of the first spoke graph structure is connected to the second spoke graph structure by an edge between the first node of the updated version of the first spoke graph structure and the second node of the second spoke graph structure, and wherein providing the second spoke graph structure for presentation comprises combining the updated version of the first spoke graph structure with the second spoke graph structure into a consolidated spoke graph structure, where the visual representation of the consolidated spoke graph structure presents the visual representation of the updated version of the first spoke graph structure connected to the visual representation of the second spoke graph structure by an edge between the first node of the updated version of the first spoke graph structure and the second node of the second spoke graph structure, and further wherein providing the second spoke graph structure for presentation comprises providing the consolidated spoke graph structure for presentation.