Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer software for generating a search query involve displaying a search query entry page that includes multiple fields for entry of search parameters. User input defining at least a portion of a search query for at least one of the fields is received. A formatted search query having a format associated with a predetermined search engine is dynamically generated based on the received user input, and the formatted search query is displayed.

Abstract: A system facilitates the display of thumbnail images containing images of websites related to a website currently being viewed by a user. The system may include several different components to provide the thumbnail images to the user, such as a graphical user interface, an input interface, and a processor. The graphical user interface may display a website for viewing by a user and the input interface may receive an input representative of a request for a related website. The processor may transmit the request for the related website to a search engine, and, in response, the processor may obtain a search result representative of the related website. Moreover, the search result may include several components, such as a related website image representative of the related website and a uniform resource locator (“URL”) representative of a location of the related website.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating action trails from web history are described. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a web content access history of a user, the content access history including one or more user actions, each user action being associated with a content item upon which the user action is performed and identifying one or more action trails from the content access history, each action trail including a sequence of user actions performed one content items relating to a topic. Identifying a particular action trail includes clustering the user actions into a series of segments using temporal criteria; calculating semantic similarities between the content items, and adding a segment of the series of segments to the action trail when the semantic similarities between the segment and another segment satisfy a similarity threshold.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for identifying entities that are related to an entity to which a search query is directed. One of the methods includes receiving a search query, wherein the search query has been determined to relate to a first entity of a first entity type, and wherein one or more entities of a second entity type have a relationship with the first entity; receiving search results for the search query; determining that a count of search results identifying a resource containing a reference to the first entity satisfies a first threshold value; determining that a count of search results identifying a resource having the second entity type as a relevant entity type satisfies a second threshold value; and transmitting information identifying the one or more entities of the second entity type as part of the response to the search query.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for receiving a first search query from a user device; receiving search results for the first search query provided by a search engine, wherein each of the search results identifies a respective resource; determining from the search results that the first search query relates to a first entity of a first entity type; determining that one or more entities of a second entity type have a predetermined relationship with the first entity; and transmitting information identifying the one or more entities of the second type to the user device as part of a response to the first search query.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage medium, for presenting search results. A method includes displaying a search engine results page in a first or a second presentation mode, wherein, in the first and in the second presentation modes, the search engine results page includes (i) a text region that displays textual information relating to one or more search results that are responsive to a search query and (ii) an image region, wherein, in the first presentation mode, the image region displays contextual information relating to two or more of the search results that are responsive to the search query, and wherein, in the second presentation mode, the image region displays contextual information relating to a single search result that is responsive to the search query; and receiving user input, then switching the search engine results page between the first and second presentation modes.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting a visual search history. Presentation data is received indicating that a resource has been presented by a user device, the resource having been presented in response to user interaction with a search result that referenced the resource. In response to receipt of the presentation data, an image of the resource is acquired. The acquired image is associated with a search query for which the search result was provided. In response to receipt of a request for a search history for the user device, the acquired image and the associated search query are displayed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for generating action trails from web history are described. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a web content access history of a user, the content access history including one or more user actions, each user action being associated with a content item upon which the user action is performed and identifying one or more action trails from the content access history, each action trail including a sequence of user actions performed one content items relating to a topic. Identifying a particular action trail includes clustering the user actions into a series of segments using temporal criteria; calculating semantic similarities between the content items, and adding a segment of the series of segments to the action trail when the semantic similarities between the segment and another segment satisfy a similarity threshold.

Abstract: A system facilitates the display of thumbnail images containing images of websites related to a website currently being viewed by a user. The system may include several different components to provide the thumbnail images to the user, such as a graphical user interface, an input interface, and a processor. The graphical user interface may display a website for viewing by a user and the input interface may receive an input representative of a request for a related website. The processor may transmit the request for the related website to a search engine, and, in response, the processor may obtain a search result representative of the related website. Moreover, the search result may include several components, such as a related website image representative of the related website and a uniform resource locator (“URL”) representative of a location of the related website.