Providing results to parameterless search queries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11675794-B2
Application number	US-202017066988-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2020
Priority date	Aug 30, 2010
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes receiving a parameterless search request, which was provided to a mobile computing device, for information that is relevant to a user of the mobile computing device. The method also includes, in response to the received parameterless search request, identifying with a digital computer system one or more results that are determined to be relevant to the user of the mobile computing device based upon a current context of the mobile computing device. The method further includes providing the results for display to a user of the mobile computing device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a computing system, a current context based on sensor data generated by one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are local to a mobile computing device of a user or remote to the mobile computing device of the user;
in response to determining the current context:
identifying, by the computing system, one or more previous contexts that match the current context;

inferring, by the computing system, based at least in part on the current context matching one or more of the previous contexts, one or more parameters for a search query;
executing, by the computing system, the search query that includes one or more of the inferred parameters to identify one or more search results determined to be relevant to the user; and
causing, by the computing system, one or more of the results to be provided to the user at the mobile computing device of the user or an additional computing device of the user, wherein one or more of the results are provided through one or more of: audibly via a speaker subsystem or visually via a display.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current context includes at least one or more of: a current location, a current time of day, or a current day of week.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the current context indicates that the user is driving to a particular location.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein inferring the one or more parameters for the search query comprises inferring traffic conditions along a route from the current location to the particular location are relevant to the user.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein inferring the one or more parameters for the search query comprises inferring one or more terms for a location-based search that is relevant to the particular location.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein identifying the one or more previous contexts that match the current context comprises:
determining the one or more previous contexts have a threshold degree of similarity to one or more of: the current location, the current time of day, or the day of week.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein inferring the one or more parameters for the search query comprises inferring one or more terms for a location-based search that is relevant to the current location.

8. A computing system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
determine a current context based on sensor data generated by one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are local to a mobile computing device of a user or remote to the mobile computing device of the user;
in response to determining the current context:
identify one or more previous contexts that match the current context;

infer based at least in part on the current context matching one or more of the previous contexts, one or more parameters for a search query;
execute the search query that includes one or more of the inferred parameters to identify one or more search results determined to be relevant to the user; and
cause one or more of the results to be provided to the user at the mobile computing device of the user or an additional computing device of the user, wherein one or more of the results are provided through one or more of: audibly via a speaker subsystem or visually via a display.

9. The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the current context includes at least one or more of: a current location, a current time of day, or a current day of week.

10. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the current context indicates that the user is driving to a particular location.

11. The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to infer the one or more parameters for the search query comprise instructions to infer traffic conditions along a route from the current location to the particular location are relevant to the user.

12. The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to infer the one or more parameters for the search query comprise instructions to infer one or more terms for a location-based search that is relevant to the particular location.

13. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to identify the one or more previous contexts that match the current context comprise instructions to:
determine the one or more previous contexts have a threshold degree of similarity to one or more of: the current location, the current time of day, or the day of week.

14. The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions to infer the one or more parameters for the search query comprise instructions to infer one or more terms for a location-based search that is relevant to the current location.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to execute the instructions, the instructions causing the at least one processor to:
determine, by a computing system, a current context based on sensor data generated by one or more sensors, wherein the one or more sensors are local to a mobile computing device of a user or remote to the mobile computing device of the user;
in response to determining the current context:
identify, by the computing system, one or more previous contexts that match the current context;

infer, by the computing system, based at least in part on the current context matching one or more of the previous contexts, one or more parameters for a search query;
execute, by the computing system, the search query that includes one or more of the inferred parameters to identify one or more search results determined to be relevant to the user; and
cause, by the computing system, one or more of the results to be provided to the user at the mobile computing device of the user or an additional computing device of the user, wherein one or more of the results are provided through one or more of: audibly via a speaker subsystem or visually via a display.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the current context includes at least one or more of: a current location, a current time of day, or a current day of week.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the current context indicates that the user is driving to a particular location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to infer the one or more parameters for the search query comprise instructions to infer traffic conditions along a route from the current location to the particular location are relevant to the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions to infer the one or more parameters for the search query comprise instructions to infer one or more terms for a location-based search that is relevant to the particular location.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions to identify the one or more previous contexts that match the current context comprise instructions to:
determine the one or more previous contexts have a threshold degree of similarity to one or more of: the current location, the current time of day, or the day of week.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Agarwal Sumit
• Gundotra Vivek Paul
• Nicolaou Alexander

Classifications

• G01C21/20 Primary

  Instruments for performing navigational calculations (G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06F16/2457

  with adaptation to user needs · CPC title

• G06F16/29

  Geographical information databases · CPC title

• G06F16/24575 Primary

  using context · CPC title

• G01C21/3691

  Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions (arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09) · CPC title