US 9,542,438 B2Granted

Term complete

AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC

InventorsTimothy S. Paek, Bongshin Lee, Bo Thiesson

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Abstract

Real-time query expansion (RTQE) is a process of supplementing an original query with additional terms or expansion choices that are ranked according to some figure of merit and presented while users are still formulating their queries. As disclosed herein, individual terms may be combined and submitted as a phrase into a query. By building the phase term-by-term, users can compositionally formulate queries while maintaining the same benefits that other RTQE interfaces offer. To promote greater flexibility in its working environment, the number of terms that are presented on a display may be reduced. In place of some terms, placeholders may be used and expanded by the user when necessary. This allows phrases to be readily presented on small displays (e.g., hand-held devices).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

receiving user input identifying multiple first characters;
based at least on the multiple first characters identified by the user input, determining a first list of suggested first terms that start with the multiple first characters, other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters, and a second list of suggested second terms;
providing the first list of suggested first terms and the second list of suggested second terms for display on a display of a computing device, the first list being provided for display with a placeholder representing the other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters identified by the user input, the placeholder being provided for display within the first list of suggested first terms;
in at least one instance, receiving a user selection of the placeholder from the first list of suggested first terms that start with the multiple first characters;
responsive to receiving the user selection of the placeholder, causing the second list to be removed from the display and providing the other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters for display;
receiving a user acceptance of an individual other suggested first term;
and
responsive to receiving the user acceptance, adding the individual other suggested first term to a phrase.

5 more elements

A computing device comprising:

a processor;
and
a memory storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive, from a user, user input identifying multiple first characters;
based at least on the multiple first characters identified by the user input, determine a first list of suggested first terms that start with the multiple first characters, other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters, and a second list of suggested second terms;
cause a presentation of the first list of suggested first terms and the second list of suggested second terms to be shown to the user, the first list being presented with a placeholder representing the other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters identified by the user input, the placeholder being presented within the first list of suggested first terms;
in at least one instance, receive a user selection of the placeholder from the first list of suggested first terms that start with the multiple first characters;
responsive to receiving the user selection of the placeholder, cause the second list to be removed from the presentation and cause the other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters to be provided on the presentation;
receive a user acceptance of an individual other suggested first term;
and
responsive to receiving the user acceptance, add the individual other suggested first term to a phrase.

8 more elements

A handheld computing device, comprising:

a display;
a processor;
and
a memory storing processor-executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
receive user input identifying multiple first characters;
based at least on the multiple first characters identified by the user input, determine a first list of suggested first terms that start with the multiple first characters, other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters, and a second list of suggested second terms;
display the first list of suggested first terms and the second list of suggested second terms on the display, the first list being displayed with a placeholder representing the other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters identified by the user input, the placeholder being displayed within the first list of suggested first terms;
in at least one instance, receive a user selection of the placeholder from the first list of suggested first terms that start with the multiple first characters;
responsive to receiving the user selection of the placeholder, remove the second list from the display and display the other suggested first terms that also start with the multiple first characters;
receive a user acceptance of an individual other suggested first term;
and
responsive to receiving the user acceptance, add the individual other suggested first term to a phrase.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.