Abstract: A method of providing a task assistant is described. The task assistant is designed to receive input from a user through multimodal input including a plurality of speech input, typing input, and touch input, determine the meaning of the input, and determining whether there is a context based on prior interactions with the user. The method further to generate an interpreted input based on a combination of the input and the context, and providing a formatted query to an application. The method further to receive data from the application in response to the formatted query, and provide a response to the user through multimodal output including a plurality of: speech output, text output, non-speech audio output, haptic output, and visual non-text output. The method further to update the context based on the interpreted input.

Abstract: A method of providing a task assistant to provide an interface to an application is described. The method comprises receiving input from a user through multimodal input including a plurality of speech input, typing input, and touch input, interpreting the input, and providing a formatted query to the application, receiving data from the application in response to the query, and providing a response to the user through multimodal output including a plurality of: speech output, text output, non-speech audio output, haptic output, and visual non-text output.

Abstract: The present invention provides a contact searching method, including: receiving first input of a user; selecting a first grapheme from a first graphemes sequence according to the first input, the first graphemes sequence being displayed on a display; where the first graphemes sequence is associated with an initial unit of characters in multiple contact labels; receiving second input of the user; selecting a second grapheme from a second graphemes sequence according to the second input, the second graphemes sequence being displayed on the display, and the second graphemes sequence being associated with a secondary unit of characters in the multiple contact labels; and searching for and displaying a contact label on the display, where contact label is matched with the first grapheme and the second grapheme.

Abstract: A method, system and controller is provided for searching a database containing data items with a user via a user interface, the method comprising the steps of specifying an initial search subset of some or all of the data items in the database (1201); identifying representatives of each of a number of data categories in the search subset (1203); displaying the representatives on the user interface (1204); selecting one or more of the representatives (1205); specifying a refined search subset of data items in the search subset within the data categories corresponding to the selected representatives (1207); and repeating the steps of identifying and displaying representatives for the refined search subset.

Abstract: An approach is provided for generating a multi-dimensional input. A user interface platform causes, at least in part, a mapping of one or more parameters, one or more representations of the one or more parameters, or a combination thereof onto one or more respective surface segments of at least one three-dimensional icon. The user interface platform then causes, at least in part, a rendering of the at least one three-dimensional icon in a user interface. The user interface platform then determines one or more manipulations of the at least one three-dimensional icon in the user interface, and processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more manipulations to determine one or more weighting values for the one or more parameters.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for query modification. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an original query including a first limitation. First search results responsive to a modified query are obtained, where the first limitation has been omitted from the modified query. One or more common characteristics shared by two or more resources are identified. Each of the two or more resources corresponds to a different highly-ranked result of the first search results. A second modified query including the original query and a second limitation representing the one or more common characteristics is generated. Second search results responsive to the second modified query are obtained. The second search results are provided in a response to the original query.

Abstract: Architecture for completing search queries by using artificial intelligence based schemes to infer search intentions of users. Partial queries are completed dynamically in real time. Additionally, search aliasing can also be employed. Custom tuning can be performed based on at least query inputs in the form of text, graffiti, images, handwriting, voice, audio, and video signals. Natural language processing occurs, along with handwriting recognition and slang recognition. The system includes a classifier that receives a partial query as input, accesses a query database based on contents of the query input, and infers an intended search goal from query information stored on the query database. A query formulation engine receives search information associated with the intended search goal and generates a completed formal query for execution.

Abstract: A method, device, and computer program product are provided for regular expression learning is provided. An initial regular expression may be received from a user. The initial regular expression is executed over a database. Positive matches and negative matches are labeled. The initial regular expression and the labeled positive and negative matches are input in a transformation process. The transformation process may iteratively execute character class restrictions, quantifier restrictions, negative lookaheads on the initial regular expression to transform the initial regular expression into the pool of candidate regular expressions. The transformation process may execute, one at a time, the character class restrictions, quantifier restrictions, the negative lookaheads. A candidate regular expression is selected from the pool of candidate regular expressions, where the selected candidate regular expression has a best F-Measure out of the pool of candidate regular expressions.

Abstract: A non-standard and standard clause detection system imports raw input data or contractual documents, and extracts non-standard and standard clauses that are semantically linked. One embodiment of a disclosed configuration is a system and a method for identifying non-standard and standard clauses in contractual documents. The system and the method comprise of generating a primary policy and a secondary policy, obtaining a first feature data set by applying the primary policy to a semantic language evaluator, and obtaining a second feature data set by applying the secondary policy to the semantic language evaluator. The first feature data set obtained is the aggregation of the standard clauses used in the document. Furthermore, the second feature data set encompasses the first feature data set, thus the difference between the first feature data set and the second feature data set is the aggregation of the non-standard clauses.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus, including computer program products, for providing fresh related search suggestions in response to a user submitted query are presented. In one implementation, a plurality of prior queries are selected wherein each of the prior queries was submitted as a search query a number of times during a recent time period and satisfies a criterion. For each of the prior queries, the prior is selected as a candidate query based on one or more of: a determination that search results responsive to the prior query include a number of news results that satisfy a second threshold, and relevance data indicative of user behavior relative to the search results responsive to the prior query. In response to receiving a user query, one or more candidate queries are selected that match the user query.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for automatically receiving and displaying search results without navigating from a currently displayed webpage. A web browser stores is integrated with a search toolbar for receiving a search query and transmitting the query to a search engine. A search query may be transmitted and search results received and displayed without navigating from a currently displayed webpage. The toolbar causes to be displayed a search window above and at least partially overlapping the currently displayed webpage, the search window including the search results.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for allocating advertising budgets. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a set of candidate keywords specifying targeting keywords for content items. Each targeting keyword can be a phrase to be matched for a content item to be eligible to be provided in response to a content item request. For each of the targeting keywords, a probability distribution specifying likelihoods of specified user actions occurring in response to a content item is received. Based on the probability distributions, a set of final keywords with which distribution of the content items will be controlled is selected, the set of final keywords being one or more keywords for which a likelihood of a specified outcome occurring exceeds a threshold likelihood. The set of final keywords is a set which a total cost of distributing the content items is below a specified value.

Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying information based on matching information to a query based on an index value are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for identifying information entered by a user includes computing an numeric index value, receiving input, calculating a query value, comparing the query value to the index value, and displaying items from the dataset.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for posting questions from search queries. In some implementations, a method includes identifying a plurality of different questions previously searched. The previously-searched questions each include a word indicating a question. The previously-searched questions are filtered to remove one or more specified words included with the question word. At least a subset of the plurality of previously-searched questions that can be used to generate a canonical form after removing the one or more specified words are determined. The subset of previously-searched questions are ranked based, at least in part, on a frequency of submission of each previously-submitted search query in the subset. A particular one of the previously-submitted search queries in the subset is identified as representative of the subset of previously-submitted search queries based on the ranking.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and utilizing content is described. Content is generated which includes a query and a response to the query. A primary query may be used to generate a plurality of variant queries which may be matched to a request. A content owner or curator may review a query, a response, and/or alternate queries, and may provide access to media which may be used to generate queries and responses.

Abstract: An information processing device may include a control unit to control movement of an image related to content within a predetermined area of a display, and a display format of the image based on at least one of a category of the content to which the image is related or meta-information corresponding to the content to which the image is related.

Abstract: A method for performing file search using a control computer receives an initial query expression from a client computer, divides the initial query expression into one or more keywords, determines related terms corresponding to each keyword, merges the keywords and the related terms to obtain an updated query expression, and generates search results according to the updated query expression. The method further calculates relevance scores among a plurality of documents in the search results and the updated query expression, ranks the documents in the search results according to the relevance scores, and displays the documents in the search results with the ranked order.

Abstract: Target word recognition includes: obtaining a candidate word set and corresponding characteristic computation data, the candidate word set comprising text data, and characteristic computation data being associated with the candidate word set; performing segmentation of the characteristic computation data to generate a plurality of text segments; combining the plurality of text segments to form a text data combination set; determining an intersection of the candidate word set and the text data combination set, the intersection comprising a plurality of text data combinations; determining a plurality of designated characteristic values for the plurality of text data combinations; based at least in part on the plurality of designated characteristic values and according to at least a criterion, recognizing among the plurality of text data combinations target words whose characteristic values fulfill the criterion.

Abstract: Data is combined from multiple independent data stores, and is then queried using a data correlation engine. Contemplated engines preferably keep track of previously run correlations, and then makes those correlations available to clinicians for their own use. For example, a preferred system might provide a listing of correlations run by other clinicians in a particular medical specialty, or a particular community, whether geographic or otherwise. In another example, a preferred system might provide a listing of correlations sorted by popularity, so that the most frequently accessed correlations appear near the top of the list. In any case a clinician could simply view the list, and check off which correlations he/she would like to have run for his/her practice, or practice community.

Abstract: Methods and systems of defining product attributes may involve receiving a search query and extracting a user expectation from the search query. In addition, an attribute may be defined for a product based on the user expectation. In one example, consumer generated content such as forum content, review content, blog content and social networking content, is used to define the attribute.

Abstract: A search query is received. Personal information for a user is then determined. A search is performed in a general subdomain of general content using the search query. For example, the general subdomain of general content may be a WWW search. Then, a vertical subdomain is determined based on the personal information. A search is then performed in the vertical subdomain of specialized content using the search query. The search performed in the general subdomain and the search performed in the vertical subdomain generate general search results and vertical search results. The results may be combined and outputted to a client.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for enabling communication between networked users based on search queries and common characteristics is disclosed. Particular embodiments relate to receiving a search query from a first user and establishing a communication link between the first user and a second user based on the first user's search query. Particular embodiments relate to receiving a first search query from a first user, receiving a second search query from a second user, determining if the first user and the second user fit within match criteria, and establishing a communication link between the first user and the second user if the first user and the second user fit within match criteria.

Abstract: A system determines ranking scores for objects based on “virtual” links defined for the objects. A link-based ranking score may then be calculated for the objects based on the virtual links. In one implementation, the virtual links are determined based on a metric of content-based similarity between the objects.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus include presenting an initial set of names to a user. The user selects a set of names from those presented. An Interactive Evolutionary Algorithm (IEA) extracts features of each selected name from a database of names and features to form a feature set. The IEA forms a set of match features that are chosen from the feature set according to a priority function and/or weighting of the features, either of which may vary in succeeding iterations. The IEA searches the database to obtain a candidate set of names, where each name has features matching the match features. One or more names is chosen from the candidate set and added into a presentation set of names. The IEA may repeat the formation of the match features, candidate set, and selection of one or more names from the candidate set until the new presentation set is complete.

Abstract: A system and method for bringing potentially interesting web content to a user's attention in a faster and more interesting way. Embodiments are directed towards selecting for display at a client device news or facts that are relevant to a user's categorization of topics of interest or historical topics of interest. Topics maybe classified by a topic classifier and placed into different categories. Actions of the user on the client device are used to drive the interest content.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing autocomplete suggestions. Some implementations are directed to methods and apparatus for generating additional suggestions for provided multiple term autocomplete suggestions and determining additional suggestion scores for the additional suggestions. Like entries among the additional suggestions and the autocomplete suggestions may be identified and each similar grouping of the like entries combined into a consolidated entry. A combined consolidated score for each consolidated entry may be determined based on one or more of the additional suggestion scores and any of the autocomplete scores of the like entries combined into the consolidated entry.

Abstract: A collection of items may be categorized according to a category hierarchy. A search of the items may be explicitly associated with a particular category in the hierarchy or else unassociated. A set of refinements may be available, for example, to help narrow the search. Refinements may be applicable to items in linked categories. Refinements may be surfaced based at least in part on linked categories associated with the search. Refinements may be surfaced when the search is unassociated with a particular category. For example, a possibly relevant set of categories may be determined. Refinements may be surfaced according to a variety of ordering criteria.

Abstract: A search system and method for searching for electronic documents, and providing a search result in response to a search query. In one embodiment, the search system includes a processor, a user interface module adapted to receive a search query from a user that includes a search query term, a search engine that electronically searches for electronic documents that satisfy the search query term, and a query processing module that identifies at least one alternative term for the search query term, and provides the alternative term to the user interface module for display to the user, and also provides the alternative term to the search engine to search for electronic documents that satisfy the alternative term.

Abstract: A received query is modified by identifying one or more words or phrases in the query that have known associations with stored data upon which the query can be executed, determining whether each of the one or more words or phrases is associated with an attribute name corresponding to stored data, determining whether each of the one or more words or phrases is associated with any constraints regarding an attribute name, determining whether each of the one or more words or phrases is associated with a rule regarding structure or syntax of the query, substituting any determined attribute names into the query for each of the respective associated one or more words or phrases, adding any determined constraints to the query limiting a determined attribute name, and applying any determined rules associated with the one or more words or phrases.

Abstract: A text string may be captured when a user initiates a selection event in a web browser. In response to the selection event, the text string is derived from the selected element(s) in a rendered web page. The text string is automatically placed in a web-search text-entry field of the web browser without further instructions from the user. The user can modify the text string before querying a web-search engine.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating query refinements. In one implementation, a method includes dividing a search query into one or more n-grams; determining that each of the one or more n-grams represents a same concept, and in response to the determination: selecting one or more candidate refinement queries; determining one or more categories for the search query; determining one or more categories for each of the candidate refinement queries; determining a respective first score for each of the candidate refinement queries; and identifying as query refinements for the search query one or more of the candidate refinement queries based on the first scores.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product includes transmitting over a network a user's request for a history of a currency bill. A serial number, a location, a date and an indication of possession is transmitted, where the serial number is used in a partial matching search, and mistaken alpha characters of the serial number are included in the partial matching search. First results of the partial matching search are received. Further identifying information is transmitted, where the identifying information is used in a matching search of the first results. Second results of the matching search are received. Additional information regarding the currency bill is transmitted for inclusion in the database where the indication of possession at least, in part, determines entries. A notification request of a next finding of the currency bill is transmitted, where registration of the user is verified. The history of the currency bill is received.

Abstract: A method for accessing information in a replicated database includes receiving a request for information in a database. The request is associated with a table in the database. The table includes a plurality of identifiers each identifying a portion of the information in the table. The method also includes executing a logical structure associated with the table to produce a logical view of the table. The logical view contains at least a portion of the information from the table without containing the identifiers. The method further includes identifying the requested information in the logical view, and communicating the identified requested information in the logical view.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include methods and systems for domain name system (DNS) pre-caching. A method for DNS pre-caching is provided. The method includes receiving uniform resource locator (URL) hostnames for DNS pre-fetch resolution prior to a user hostname request for any of the URL hostnames. The method also includes making a DNS lookup call for at least one of the URL hostnames that are not cached by a DNS cache prior to the user hostname request. The method further includes discarding at least one IP address provided by a DNS resolver for the URL hostnames, wherein a resolution result for at least one of the URL hostnames is cached in the DNS cache in preparation for the user hostname request. A system for DNS pre-caching is provided. The system includes a renderer, an asynchronous DNS pre-fetcher and a hostname table.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for web-scale visual search capable of using a combination of visual input modalities are provided. An edgel index is created that includes shape-descriptors, including edgel-based representations, that correspond to each of a plurality of images. Each edgel-based representation includes pixels that depicts edges or boundary contours of an image and is created, at least in part, by segmenting the image into a plurality of image segments and performing a multi-phase contour detection on each segment.

Abstract: A search query is received from a single input field of a user interface. A keyword search is performed based on the search query to generate keyword search results. A natural language search is performed of a frequently-asked question (FAQ) database based on the search query to generate FAQ search results. The keyword search results and the FAQ search results are combined in a display page.

Abstract: Various embodiments enable information, in addition to textual information, to be presented to a user when the user enters a search query in a search box forming part of a user interface of an application. In one or more embodiments, a Web browser provides a search box in which a user can enter a search query. While the user is entering a search query, the Web browser can communicate with a third-party search provider to receive information, such as non-textual information, which can be presented to the user to assist in formulating their search query. The non-textual information can include images and other visual information of a non-textual nature.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer readable medium stores a program causing a computer to execute a process including accepting input of multiple search keywords; searching streaming data in which multiple pieces of character information about multiple users are managed in time series for the character information including one of the multiple search keywords; acquiring the character information within a predetermined time range with respect to the character information including the one of the multiple search keywords, among the other pieces of character information about the user who has posted the character information including the one of the multiple search keywords, as user data; searching the user data for the character information including the multiple search keywords other than the one search keyword; and outputting the character information within a predetermined time range with respect to the result of the search in the user data as output data.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that identifies a synonym for a query phrase in a manner that ensures that the synonym does not drop information from the query phrase. First, the system identifies a synonym for the query phrase and synonyms for sub-components of the query phrase. If the identified synonym for the query phrase is also a synonym for a subcomponent of the query phrase, the system does not use the identified synonym as a synonym for the query phrase.

Abstract: A technique including receiving a search query; identifying a first original query term based on the query; identifying a first expanded query term related to the first original query term; determining a first lexical distance between the first original query term and the first expanded query term; determining a first weight for the first expanded query term based on the determined first lexical distance; identifying a plurality of documents, from among a corpus of documents, as each relevant to the search query, the plurality of documents including a first document identified based on its inclusion of the first expanded query term; ranking the plurality of documents, with the ranking of the first document being based upon the calculated first weight; and generating a response to the search query identifying two or more of the plurality of documents, ordered according to the ranking.

Abstract: A method of incrementally refining queries and updating query result lists without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of query submission. In the method, one or more query related character patterns are defined. Entry of query defining characters by a user is monitored to detect entry of a defined query related character pattern. The user is provided with one or more suggested query refinement options and an updated query result list each time a defined query related character pattern is detected. The query related character patterns may be a character pattern that indicates a word has been input by the user.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for enhancing the output of standard thesaurus databases. The user requires little knowledge of the meaning of a word for which he is seeking related words. The system requires at least one starter word, and it returns all synonyms regardless of meaning from multiple databases. The synonyms are then arranged in a two dimensional array, and sorted according to frequency. The user then scans the list, starting from the top, and selects one or more entries from the sorted frequency array, and the re-runs. After several cycles of running and selecting new entries, the related words having the highest relevance to the searcher will rise to top of the frequency array. The end result is a group of related words having one or more meanings, and also having a relationship to a single concept being sought by the user.

Abstract: Changes to a hierarchical organizational structure may be stored in different versions of a data structure depicting the hierarchical organizational structure. Each of these versions may include a validity period field representing a time period that the hierarchical organizational structure depicted in the version accurately reflects the organizational structure of the organization. Each of the versions may also be designated as active or inactive. In some instances, each of the versions may be designated as inactive except for a version that reflects the organizational structure of the organization at a particular time, which may change over time. Historical copies of versions may be stored and subsequently recalled to identify an organizational structure that was in effect at a particular time in the past. The recalled version may then be used to limit the results of a query to a selected node of the historical organizational structure.

Abstract: A system and method for providing search query refinements are presented. A stored query and a stored document are associated as a logical pairing. A weight is assigned to the logical pairing. The search query is issued and a set of search documents is produced. At least one search document is matched to at least one stored document. The stored query and the assigned weight associated with the matching at least one stored document are retrieved. At least one cluster is formed based on the stored query and the assigned weight associated with the matching at least one stored document. The stored query associated with the matching at least one stored document are scored for the at least one cluster relative to at least one other cluster. At least one such scored search query is suggested as a set of query refinements.

Abstract: A variety of computer based service that permit users to edit, compose, upload, or otherwise generate content also provide for the integration of sponsored media into presentations along with user-generated content. An exemplary service generates text based on user input, provides tags based on the text to a sponsored media repository, receives a sponsored media data structure in return, and formats sponsored media from the data structure for display to the user.

Abstract: A visual refinement interface enables users to adjust and/or refine search results by selecting results that match a user's interest, and displaying subsequent results that are closer to the selected items. Multiple result sets can be displayed concurrently such that the user can maintain context for the results. Further, the user can quickly go back to modify an earlier selection without having to navigate to a previous page, for example, and a single modification can cause several subsequent result sets to automatically change such that the user can quickly view dozens of new results, for example, simply by selecting at least one different result from a displayed result set. Prior result sets can be modified, such as by reducing the size or adjusting the placement of the sets, such that the user can easily determine the current set and the relatedness to previous results sets.

Abstract: An information retrieval system uses phrases to index, retrieve, organize and describe documents, analyzing documents and storing the results of the analysis as phrase data. Phrases are identified that predict the presence of other phrases in documents. Documents are the indexed according to their included phrases. Related phrases and phrase extensions are also identified. Changes to existing phrase data about a document collection submitted by a user is captured and analyzed, and the existing phrase data is updated to reflect the additional knowledge gained through the analysis.

Abstract: A search and find user interface is provided that is integrated with a data indexing engine to allow efficient and high-speed data search and retrieval across data storage folders associated with a given software module or associated with a number of disparate software modules. An expanded form of the search and find user interface is provided for advanced searching. Where searching is required beyond a present search scope, an automatic “upscoping” mechanism is provided for expanding a search to data storage folders outside a current data storage folder on which an initial search is executed.

Abstract: A user correlation system uses aggregated data and matching/comparison in order to assign an association score that determines likelihood that unique identifiers are associated with the same user.

Abstract: A searching device including a data storage unit that stores a plurality of pieces of data, each of which prescribes search terms respectively corresponding to a plurality of attributes of the piece of data; a character input unit that is configured to input characters that constitute an input search term one by one; and an attribute specifying screen display unit that, when a next character is input subsequently to a input character that has been input by the character input unit, displays an attribute specifying screen, including a corresponding attribute corresponding to at least one candidate of the input search term to be extracted from among the search terms by inputting the next character, configured such that the corresponding attribute is specified by a user.