IP Library Patent Application 13311869
Patent Application
App. No. 13/311,869

SOCIAL NETWORK POWERED QUERY SUGGESTIONS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
13/311,869
Abstract

Automatic suggestion for search query formulation is facilitated by considering social network information. A plurality of search queries can be identified as a function of a partial search query specified by a user and search history of one or more social network contacts of the user. Subsequently, these identified queries can be ranked to aid determination of a subset of the identified queries to suggest for query completion. Further, query suggestions resulting from a social network contact can be annotated to set them apart from other query suggestions.

Claims (25)

1 . A method of facilitating search, comprising:

employing at least one processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored in memory to perform the following acts:

identifying one or more search queries as a function of a partial search query specified by a user, prior to initiating execution of a search, and search activity of one or more social contacts of the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries based on whether a social contact selected a search result provided as a result of execution of a corresponding one of the one or more search queries.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries based on a number of social contacts that selected a search result produced as a function of a particular suggested search query.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries as a function of closeness of social contacts.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprises ranking the one or more search queries as a function of expertise of the one or more social contacts.

6 . The method of claim 1 further comprises annotating the one or more queries with information that identifies social contacts that performed the one or more queries.

7 . The method of claim 6 further comprises annotating the one or more search queries with pictures that identify the social contacts.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprises identifying the one or more search queries as a function of user search history.

9 . The method of claim 1 further comprises identifying the search queries as a function of query context.

10 . A system that facilitates search, comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, the processor configured to execute the following computer-executable components stored in the memory:

a first component configured to identify a plurality of suggested queries as a function of a portion of a query specified by a user, prior initiating search execution, and queries performed by one or more social network contacts of the user.

11 . The system of claim 10 further comprises a second component configured to rank the suggested queries based on behavior of the social network contacts with respect to the queries performed thereby.

12 . The system of claim 11 further comprises a third component configured to annotate the suggested queries performed by the one or more social network contacts.

13 . The system of claim 12 , the third component is configured to annotated at least one of the suggested queries with a picture of one or more the social network contacts that performed a respective query.

14 . The system of claim 10 further comprises a second component configured to record search interactions of a plurality of users.

15 . The system of claim 10 , the first component is configured to identify the plurality of suggested queries as a function of an identified subset of the social network contacts.

16 . The system of claim 10 the first component identifies the suggested queries as a function of search history of the user.

17 . A computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that enables at least one processor to perform the following acts:

identifying at least one search query submitted by at least one social network contact of a search engine user as a function of a partial search query specified by the user prior to initiation of a search with a complete search query.

18 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprises communicating the at least one search query to the user.

19 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprises annotating the at least one search query with information identifying the social contact.

20 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprises ranking the at least one search query as a function of behavior of the at least one social contact.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034544/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2011
From: SCHECHTER, MICHAEL A.; ALI, MAHBUBUL A.; HUMRICHOUSER, BRIAN D.; LATUSKIEWICZ, MAREK; MOK, YI LANG; VAIDYA, MIHIR A.
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027377/0318 →