Adaptive search using social graph information

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for returning accurate and relevant search results in an online platform. In some aspects, the process of the disclosed technology may include the following steps: displaying a first set of search results, the first set of search results including a first plurality of media content items arranged in descending order of relevance based on search frequency; receiving a first character input from a user of a user device, the first character input defining the first character in a search query; and updating the first set of search results to a second set of search results based on the first character input, the second set of search results including at least one media content item that is not included in the first set of search results and can be consumed by the user. Systems and machine-readable media are also provided.

Description

Background Art 1. Technical Field

[0002] Aspects of the present technology relate to ways of returning search results based on a search query, and in particular, to returning and organizing content items returned in a search based on contextual information.

[0003] 2. Introduction

[0004] The rapid growth of the Internet and the subsequent development of online gaming systems have led to significant changes in the number and types of collaborative activities that online users engage in. In addition to online gaming, providers offer music, movies, social networking streams, and other media for consumption through dedicated applications (e.g., "apps") executed on personal computing platforms (e.g., console systems, personal computers, smartphones, and / or tablet devices, etc.). Content items provided to online users can often be searched using online stores that provide a content item search function. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] Certain features of the present technology are set forth in the appended claims. However, the accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding, illustrate the disclosed aspects and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present technology. In the drawings:

[0006] Figure 1 An example environment is shown in which some aspects of the technology may be implemented.

[0007] Figure 2 An example display of an online store through which a user may initiate a search for content items is shown in accordance with some aspects of the present invention.

[0008] FIG. 3A to FIG. 3B A graphical display that may be provided to a user during entry of a search query according to some aspects of the technology is shown, including metadata tags that provide additional information for adjacently displayed items.

[0009] Figure 3C An example display provided in response to a user selection of a content item returned in a search is shown in accordance with some aspects of the technology.

[0010] Figure 4 An example process that may be used to perform a search in accordance with some aspects of the technology is shown.

[0011] Figure 5 Examples of hardware components for implementing a user device, such as a game console system, are shown, which may be used to implement some aspects of the disclosed technology.

[0012] Figure 6An example of a network device that can be used to implement some aspects of the technology is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of different configurations of the disclosed technology and is not intended to represent the only configuration in which the technology can be practiced. The accompanying drawings are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a more comprehensive understanding of the technology. However, it will be clear and understood that the technology is not limited to the specific details set forth herein and can be practiced without these details. In some cases, structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid blurring the concepts of the present technology.

[0014] More and more online transactions for downloadable content items (such as movies, music, software and video games) are performed. Such transactions generally involve, for example, searching, selecting, purchasing and downloading content items from an online store or e-commerce portal. For gaming networks, processor-based devices (such as game consoles, smart phones, personal computers, tablet computers, etc.) can be used to search, select and download content items, such as games, movies and / or music, through user interaction with online stores. These computing devices (e.g., user devices) often provide search input and selection options through the display of an on-screen keyboard (OSK) and an associated list of search results that enumerates available (downloadable) content items.

[0015] Due to the many challenges in processing user search queries, there is a need in the art to provide search systems and intuitive displays that improve accuracy, relevance, and ease of use. Aspects of the disclosed technology meet this need by providing systems, methods, and computer-readable media that provide solutions for improving search accuracy and display relevance based on content item popularity and social graph information.

[0016] As discussed in further detail below, aspects of the technology provide adaptive search results that are displayed while receiving user input related to a search query. In some aspects, search results returned in response to a search query can be organized in order of decreasing relevance based on popularity (such as the number of purchases or downloads in an online store across various user segments). In other aspects, social graph information of a searching user can be used to provide improved relevance and ranking, for example, by prioritizing items that the user's online friends or social acquaintances are obsessed with.

[0017] Figure 1An example environment 100 is shown in which an online store can be used to receive search queries, perform searches, and rank and return multiple content items as search results. The environment 100 includes a network 102 that allows communication between a media delivery system 104, a third-party provider 106, and users 108, 110, and 112, for example, via corresponding computing devices 108A, 110A, and 112A. The store 105 includes a search module 105A, a shopping cart module 105B, and a social analysis module 105C, which provide the functionality required to process search queries and rank / display search results, including display and user-selectable options, according to some aspects of the technology.

[0018] It should be understood that the architecture of environment 100 is intended to conceptually illustrate various functional components that can be used to implement an online shopping environment with search functionality. However, a greater or lesser number of hardware and / or software components may be deployed. For example, media delivery system 104 may include multiple computing devices (e.g., servers) as part of a network (e.g., an online gaming network), or as part of a distributed computing system (such as a cloud data center).

[0019] Users / players 108, 110, and 112 are intended to help illustrate technical aspects related to multi-user, multi-player environments, and various other social network aspects. However, more users or players may be included without departing from the technical scope. Additionally, online store 105 is intended to conceptually illustrate various systems and software components (modules) that may be used to implement various aspects of online search. However, additional systems or software (such as one or more databases, search modules, or content item repositories) may be used to perform such implementations.

[0020] The media delivery system 104 may be configured to facilitate the search, selection, purchase, and delivery of various media content items, such as video games, movies, music, television programs, or application programs (“apps”). In some aspects, content items are provided to the media delivery system by a third party 106, such as a game developer or studio. Content items available to the media delivery system 104 may be provided to any customer, user, or player by accessing the media delivery system 104, such as through a game console system, a personal computer, and / or a portable device, such as a tablet computer or a smartphone device.

[0021] Typically, before selection and purchase of a content item can be completed, a user's search for the item must be successfully processed. A user-entered search query for one or more content items may be processed by the online store 105 using several modules including a search module 105A, a shopping cart module 105B, and a social analysis module 105C.

[0022] The search module 105A can provide the logic and user interface required to receive search queries and identify and rank search results displayed to the user. The search module 105A can also provide the processing and logic necessary to make potential search query recommendations to the user (such as by recommending search terms related to product names, content item types and / or product names, etc.). In some aspects, the search module 105A works in conjunction with the social analysis module 105C to provide item information based on the social relationships of the user / customer. For example, the search module 105A can utilize the social analysis module 105C to provide metadata tags or other indications of the relationships of the search user based on the purchase history of online connections. As discussed in further detail below, in conjunction with the social analysis module 105C, the search module 105A can provide content item recommendations based on various factors, including information about how many relationships of the user have purchased or been involved in a particular content item.

[0023] Figure 2 An exemplary graphical display 200 of an online store is shown that provides selectable user options to facilitate the purchase of content items. Purchasable content items may include any type of downloadable media content, such as movies, music, games, and / or software (such as apps), etc. The graphical display 200 is displayed by a user device associated with a user or customer of the online store. For example, the graphical display 200 may be provided for display by a game console system, a personal computer (PC), a smart phone, a tablet computer, or other mobile device associated with a user.

[0024] Graphic display 200 includes selectable icons that provide various user-selectable options related to the search and selection of content items, such as for rent or purchase. In the illustrated example, graphical display 200 includes a call to action (CTA) search icon 202, a shopping cart icon 204, and project browser displays 206, 208. Search icon 202 provides selectable options to initiate a product search. For example, search icon 202 can be selected by a user via a user device (e.g., a console gaming system) to initiate a search for various content items (such as video games or movies, etc.). Shopping cart icon 204 can provide selectable user options to facilitate access to an online shopping cart, for example, which displays the merchandise that a user previously selected to purchase. In some aspects, the shopping cart accessible by shopping cart icon 204 can be a persistent shopping cart that is configured to retain merchandise selected in a previous browsing session.

[0025] The project browser displays 206, 208 provide a graphical display of various content items and purchase options available within the online store. In the example shown, the project browser display 206 indicates a plurality of titles available for rental, subscription, and / or purchase. For example, the project browser display 206 contains Title 1, Title 2, Title 3, and Title 4, which represent media content items available for streaming or downloading, such as video games, movies, television series, etc. The project browser display 206 may also indicate options for displaying promotions available through the online store, such as an icon providing access to a "buy one get one free" promotional item in a promotion for a specified time period, such as a season (summer). Similarly, the project browser display 308 provides icons indicating various offers for different content items.

[0026] The project browser display 208 provides icons to facilitate access to content items that are part of an "extended game sale" or for content item rental options for different time periods (such as 12 months, 3 months, or 1 month, for example). Icons representing content item titles may also provide price information, indications of recent price changes, and / or sales information for content item packages (e.g., "a collection of 2 movies"). It should be understood that the project browser displays 206, 208 may provide virtually any type of information related to the sale or promotion of content items or content packages without departing from the scope of the present invention. In some aspects, a user may, for example, select one or more content items displayed in the project browser displays 206, 208 to add the selected title to an online shopping cart. In the illustrated example, Title 1 is selected, for example, by a user associated with a client device.

[0027] Additionally, the user may search for other content items in the store to add to the shopping cart 204, for example, by navigating to a search menu provided in response to the user's selection of the search icon 202. Figure 3A Graphical features associated with the initiation of an example search process are described in detail.

[0028] Figure 3A An example graphical display 300A is shown that is provided at the beginning of a content item search. Display 300A includes a screen interface 302A that provides an on-screen keyboard and a search query input box. In the display example shown, screen interface 302A includes a CTA "Search by Title" displayed in the query input box. It should be understood that screen interface 302A may provide different character input options and / or different CTAs without departing from the scope of the present technology.

[0029] Display 300A also provides a default (first) set of search results 304A, which is indicated by the title "Today's Hot Searches". In this example, the first set of search results 304A represents a list of the most frequently searched content items in the past 24 hours, which are arranged in descending order of search frequency. That is, title 1 is associated with the highest search frequency among online store users, while title 3 is associated with the lowest relative search frequency among the displayed items. It should be understood that the first set of search results 304A can include a greater (or lesser) number of items. In addition, the frequency counts of the displayed items can be calculated differently depending on the desired implementation.

[0030] For example, the first set of search results 304A may indicate a list of content items that were most frequently searched and / or purchased over other durations, such as the past year, month, or week. In some aspects, the most frequently searched items may be global popularity calculated over all available times for the related items. As discussed in further detail below, the search results may also be arranged in an order based on social graph information, such as based on purchase or play frequency by online acquaintances of the searching user.

[0031] Additionally, the arrangement of the graphical display 300A and the transitions and animations when entering / leaving the display 300A may be different. For example, the OSK and / or the first set of search results 304A may be provided in other areas of the display area provided by the display 300A. Additionally, when the first set of search results 304A is loading, the loading process may be animated with a slight wireframe to indicate the items that are about to be displayed.

[0032] Figure 3B An example of a graphical display 300B provided after receiving one or more character inputs from a user device according to some aspects of the technology is shown. In the illustrated example, in response to the user input of the characters "hor" provided to the screen interface 302B, a second set of search results 304B is displayed. In this example, the search results 304B include an indication of the number of results returned in response to the search query, namely 178.

[0033] With the user entering a search query, the content items displayed in search results 304B may be updated after each subsequent character is entered. In some embodiments, the results may be based on a measure of relevance relative to the characters / search query entered, and may be arranged based on social graph information. For example, if both Title 5 and Title 6 are determined to be highly relevant relative to a partially (or fully) entered search query, the items may be ranked based on social graph information (e.g., based on the frequency with which one or more of the user's online friends or acquaintances engage with the item). In the example shown, Title 5 may be ranked higher than Title 6 in search results 304B if Title 5 has greater engagement by members of the user's social network.

[0034] In response to character input received as part of a search query, screen interface 302B may also provide a display of suggested search terms available for user selection. Figure 3B In the example of FIG. 302B , the terms "horn," "horse," "horror," "horizontal," and "horses" are provided as suggested search terms. The user uses any of the suggested search terms and replaces the search query with that term. For example, the user's selection of "horse" in screen interface 302B may provide the entire string as the submitted search query.

[0035] In some aspects, metadata tags can be displayed adjacent to one or more content items returned in the search results, e.g., to provide additional information about the related items. Figure 3B In the example shown, the search results 304B returned in response to the input of the character "hor" include Title 5, Title 6, and Title 1 (ranked separately). Title 5 is displayed near metadata tag 306, which indicates social graph information about the item, that is, four friends of the user play Title 5 content item. Title 6 is displayed near metadata tag 307, which indicates the type of Title 6 content item (e.g., "horror"). It should be understood that a greater (or lesser) number of metadata tags can be used to enhance one or more content items returned in search results 304B. In addition, depending on the desired implementation, metadata information can be used to perform different relevance rankings. For example, highly relevant types can be considered more relevant in the search result list compared to social relevance information. In such a case, Title 6 can be ranked higher than Title 5 in search results 304B.

[0036] Selection of a content item provided in search results 304B may cause display of product information for the selected content item. An animated transition between the display of search results 304B and the selected content item may be implemented. For example, the background color of the graphic display 300B may be converted based on the color theme of the selected title.

[0037] Figure 3C An example display provided after selecting Title 1 in graphic display 300B is shown. That is, Figure 3CA graphical display 300C is shown that provides additional information about a selected content item (i.e., Title 1). Graphic display 300C includes various information items, such as information displays 310, 311, 312, 314, 316, and 318 that provide additional information about the selected content item (Title 1). Information display 310 provides an indication of the title (e.g., "Title 1"), as well as the version associated with the selected item, such as "Standard Edition". Information display 311 indicates a sales offer (e.g., "Full Game"), release date information (e.g., March 7, 2017), and a user rating. Information display 312 indicates a price option (e.g., "$59.99") if the user wishes to proceed with the purchase and "Buy Now". Information displays 314, 316, and 318 may provide additional information, including a maturity rating, a selectable option for further detail expansion, and an indication of the space required for downloading the content item of Title 1, respectively. It should be understood that different information displays may be used to indicate other aspects or features of the selected content item without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 An example process 400 for implementing content item search according to some aspects of the technology is shown. The process 400 begins at step 402, where a first set of (default) search results are displayed. The first set of default search results may include content items that can be used on an online platform (such as the above Figure 1 The first set of search results may include a list of the most frequently searched or downloaded items relative to a given time period.

[0039] Providing an initial indication of the most frequently searched items can enable users to easily find desired items without having to enter a search query. In addition, by providing an indication of the most frequent search results, users can be informed of current trends in content item consumption across the platform. In step 404, one or more character inputs are received from a user device, for example, defining at least a portion of a search query to be entered.

[0040] At step 406, the displayed search results are updated simultaneously with each additional character input received from the user. That is, based on part (or all) of the search query input, the first set of search results is updated to a second set of search results. The second set of search results displays one or more content items in a list of decreasing relevance, which may be determined based on any number of factors, including, but not limited to, type, social graph information, purchase frequency associated with the item, and / or the purchasing history of the searching user.

[0041] In step 408, a contextual tag is displayed adjacent to at least one of the media content items. The contextual tag may provide the user with additional information about the associated content item, such as type information and / or social relevance information. Figure 3B For example, contextual (metadata) tags can be used to provide an indication of specific content items that a user's friends have purchased or "liked." In this way, contextual tags can be used not only to rank search results based on relevance, but also to provide useful information that users can consider when making selection and purchasing decisions.

[0042] Figure 5 An example of an electronic system that can be used to implement some aspects of the present technology is shown. In particular, Figure 5 is an exemplary user device 500, such as a game console system, which a user may use to browse an online store to purchase and download various content items.

[0043] The user device 500 may include Figure 4 It should be noted that these elements are exemplary and that other embodiments may incorporate more or fewer elements than those shown. Figure 4 , the user device 500 includes a main memory 502, a central processing unit (CPU) 504, at least one vector unit 506, a graphics processing unit 508, an input / output (I / O) processor 510, an I / O processor memory 512, a controller interface 514, a memory card 516, a universal serial bus (USB) interface 518, an IEEE 1394 interface 520, and an auxiliary (AUX) interface 522 for connecting a tracking device 524, although other bus standards and interfaces may also be used. The user device 500 also includes an operating system read-only memory (OS ROM) 526, a sound processing unit 528, an optical disk control unit 530, and a hard disk drive 532 connected to the I / O processor 510 via a bus 534. The user device 500 also includes at least one tracking device 524.

[0044] Tracking device 524 can be a camera that includes eye tracking capabilities. The camera can be integrated into a peripheral device or attached to user device 500 as a peripheral device. In some embodiments of the eye tracking device, infrared non-collimated light is reflected from the eye and sensed by a camera or optical sensor. This information is then analyzed to extract eye rotation from changes in reflection. Camera-based trackers focus on one or both eyes and record their movement when an observer observes a certain stimulus. Camera-based eye trackers use the center of the pupil and light to generate a corneal reflection (CR). The vector between the pupil center and the CR can be used to calculate the gaze point on the surface or gaze direction. Before using the eye tracker, a simple calibration of the observer is usually required.

[0045] Alternatively, more sensitive trackers use reflections from the front of the cornea and the back of the eye's lens as features to track over time. Even more sensitive trackers image features from inside the eye, including retinal blood vessels, and follow these features as the eye rotates. Most eye tracking devices use a sampling rate of at least 30Hz, but 50 / 60Hz is most common. Some tracking devices run at up to 1250Hz, which is necessary to capture details of very fast eye movements.

[0046] Alternatively, a rangefinder camera can be used with the present invention to capture gestures made by the user and enable facial recognition. Rangefinder cameras are often used to capture and interpret specific gestures, allowing for hands-free control of entertainment systems. The technology can use infrared projectors, cameras, depth sensors, and microchips to track the movement of objects and individuals in three dimensions. The user device can also employ a variation of image-based three-dimensional reconstruction.

[0047] Tracking device 524 may include a microphone that is integrated into a peripheral device or attached as a peripheral device to user device 500 that captures voice data. The microphone may perform sound source localization and / or ambient noise suppression.

[0048] Alternatively, the tracking device 524 can be a controller for the user device 500. When pointed at an LED in a sensor near, attached to, or integrated into the console of the entertainment system, the controller can sense its position in 3D space using a combination of built-in accelerometers and infrared detection. This design allows the user to control the functions of the user device 500 through physical gestures as well as button presses. The controller is connected to the user device 500 using wireless technology that allows data exchange over short distances (e.g., 30 feet). The controller may additionally include a "rumble" feature (i.e., shaking of the controller during certain points in the game) and / or an internal speaker.

[0049] The controller may additionally or alternatively be designed to capture biometric readings using sensors in the remote control to record data including, for example, skin moisture, heart rate, and muscle movement.

[0050] As described above, user device 500 may be an electronic game console. Alternatively, user device 500 may be implemented as a general purpose computer, a set-top box, or a handheld gaming device. In addition, similar user devices may contain more or fewer operating components.

[0051] The CPU 504, the vector unit 506, the graphics processing unit 508, and the I / O processor 510 communicate via the system bus 536. In addition, the CPU 504 communicates with the main memory 502 via the dedicated bus 538, and the vector unit 506 and the graphics processing unit 508 can communicate via the dedicated bus 540. The CPU 504 executes programs stored in the OS ROM 526 and the main memory 502. The main memory 502 may contain pre-stored programs and programs transferred from a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or other optical disk (not shown) through the I / O processor 510 using the optical disk control unit 532. The I / O processor 510 mainly controls data exchange between various devices of the user device 500, including the CPU 504, the vector unit 506, the graphics processing unit 508, and the controller interface 514.

[0052] The graphics processing unit 508 executes graphics instructions received from the CPU 504 and the vector unit 506 to generate images for display on a display device (not shown). For example, the vector unit 506 may convert an object from three-dimensional coordinates to two-dimensional coordinates and send the two-dimensional coordinates to the graphics processing unit 508. In addition, the sound processing unit 530 executes instructions to generate sound signals, which are output to an audio device such as a speaker (not shown).

[0053] The user of the user device 500 provides instructions to the CPU 504 through the controller interface 514. For example, the user can instruct the CPU 504 to store certain information on the memory card 516, or instruct the user device 500 to perform a certain specified action.

[0054] Other devices may be connected to the user device 500 through the USB interface 518, the IEEE 1394 interface 520, and the AUX interface 522. Specifically, a tracking device 524 including a camera or a sensor may be connected to the user device 500 via the AUX interface 522, and a controller may be connected via the USB interface 518.

[0055] Figure 6 An example network device 610 is shown according to some embodiments. The network device 610 may be used to implement one or more servers or remote computing devices, such as those described above with respect to FIG. Figure 1 The media delivery system 104 discussed. The network device 610 includes a main central processing unit (CPU) 662, an interface 668, and a bus 615 (eg, a PCI bus).

[0056] When acting under the control of appropriate software or firmware, the CPU 662 is responsible for performing the functions necessary for the operation of the online content delivery platform. The CPU 662 preferably performs all of these functions under the control of software, which includes an operating system and any appropriate application modules, such as the shopping cart 105A, product recommendation module 105B and / or social analysis module 105C described above. The CPU 662 may include one or more processors 663, such as processors from the Motorola microprocessor family or the MIPS microprocessor family. In an alternative embodiment, the processor 663 is specially designed hardware for controlling the operation of the device 610. In a specific embodiment, the memory 661 (such as non-volatile RAM and / or ROM) also forms a part of the CPU 662. However, there are many different ways in which the memory can be coupled to the system.

[0057] The CPU 662 may be configured to execute instructions provided by one or more software modules, for example, to perform operations including: displaying a first set of search results, the first set of search results including a first plurality of media content items arranged in descending order of relevance based on search frequency; receiving a first character input from a user of a user device, the first character input defining a first character in a search query; updating the first set of search results to a second set of search results based on the first character input, the second set of search results including at least one media content item that is not included in the first set of search results and that can be consumed by the user, and wherein the second set of search results is displayed in descending order of relevance. In some aspects, the CPU 662 may also be configured to perform the following operations: displaying a contextual tag adjacent to at least one of the media content items, the contextual tag providing information about consumption of at least one of the media content items by one or more online friends of the user. In some aspects, displaying the plurality of media content items to the user in descending order of relevance also includes arranging each of the plurality of media content items in order of relevance based on an associated search frequency. In some aspects, displaying the plurality of media content items to the user in descending order of relevance also includes arranging each of the plurality of media content items in order of relevance based on a purchase history of one or more online friends of the user.

[0058] Interfaces 668 are usually provided as interface cards (sometimes referred to as "line cards"). Typically, they control the sending and receiving of data packets through the network, and sometimes support other peripheral devices used with the network device 610. The interfaces that can be provided are Ethernet interfaces, frame relay interfaces, cable interfaces, DSL interfaces, token ring interfaces, etc. In addition, various very high-speed interfaces can be provided, such as fast token ring interfaces, wireless interfaces, Ethernet interfaces, Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, ATM interfaces, HSSI interfaces, POS interfaces, FDDI interfaces, etc. Typically, these interfaces can include ports suitable for communicating with appropriate media. In some cases, they can also include independent processors, and in some cases also include volatile RAM. Independent processors can control communication-intensive tasks such as packet switching, media control and management. By providing separate processors for communication-intensive tasks, these interfaces allow the main microprocessor 662 to effectively perform routing calculations, network diagnostics, security functions, etc.

[0059] although Figure 5 The system shown is a specific network device of the present invention, but is by no means the only network device architecture on which the present invention can be implemented. For example, an architecture with a single processor that handles communications as well as routing calculations, etc. is often used. In addition, routers may also use other types of interfaces and media.

[0060] Regardless of the configuration of network device 610, it can employ one or more memories or memory modules (including memory 661) configured to store program instructions for general network operations and mechanisms for roaming, route optimization, and routing functions described herein. The program instructions can control, for example, the operation of an operating system and / or one or more application programs. The one or more memories can also be configured to store tables such as mobile binding, registration, and association tables, etc.

[0061] It should be understood that any particular order or hierarchy of the steps of the disclosed process is an illustration of an exemplary method. Based on design preferences, it should be understood that the particular order or hierarchy of the process steps can be rearranged, or only a part of the illustrated steps can be implemented. Some steps can be implemented simultaneously. For example, in some cases, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. In addition, the separation of each system component in the embodiment described above should not be understood as requiring this separation in all embodiments, and should be understood as the program components and systems described generally can be integrated together in a single software product or encapsulated in multiple software products.

[0062] The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Therefore, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to a singular element does not mean "one and only one", unless so explicitly stated, but rather "one or more".

[0063] Phrases such as "aspects" do not mean that this aspect is essential to the present technology or that this aspect applies to all configurations of the present technology. Disclosure about aspects may apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. Phrases such as aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. Phrases such as "configurations" do not mean that this configuration is essential to the present technology or that this configuration applies to all configurations of the present technology. Disclosure about configurations may apply to all configurations or one or more configurations. Phrases such as configurations may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa.

[0064] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example or illustration.” Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tagging customized search results in an online platform, the method comprising: providing, to a user device, a display of a default set of search results including a first plurality of media content items arranged in descending order according to search frequency on the online platform; receiving a first character input from a user of the user device, the first character input defining a first character in a search query string; updating the display based on a search for the first character, the updated display including a set of search results, the set of search results including at least one media content item that is not included in the default set of search results and that is available for consumption by the user, and wherein the at least one media content item is included in the set of search results based on one or more media content items that are commonly played by the user and one or more online friends within the user's social graph; further updating the display as each of one or more subsequent characters is entered after the first character, wherein entry of each subsequent character updates a current set of characters in the search query string, and wherein each update to the display corresponds to the current set of characters in the search query string; as well as A contextual tag is provided within the updated display, the contextual tag corresponding to the at least one media content item in the set of search results and indicating consumption information of the at least one media content item by the one or more online friends within the social graph of the user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The search results are arranged in order of decreasing relevance based on the online friends' associated interaction frequencies.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The search results are arranged in order of decreasing relevance based on the online friends' purchase history.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: selecting a search term suggestion based on the first character input; as well as The search term suggestions are displayed to the user, wherein the search is performed based on user interaction with the displayed search terms and the search query is replaced with the displayed search terms.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the user device, an indication of a selection of the at least one media content item from the set of search results; as well as One or more other media content items related to the selected media content item are displayed, wherein the related media content items include at least one version upgrade item. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contextual tag indicates the consumption information as a number of the online friends within the social graph of the user who have interacted with the corresponding media content item. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the search comprises prioritizing one or more media items associated with a higher engagement level among the online friends, the engagement level being a frequency with which the online friends engage with media items. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the contextual tags enhance the updated display further based on metadata associated with the corresponding media content item.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: One or more additional character inputs are received and the display is updated with each additional character input, wherein each updated display includes a different set of search results.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Each of the set of search results is identified based on a respective measure of relevance to the first character, and each of the identified search results is ranked based on relevance to the social graph of the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein ranking each of the identified search results is further based on relevance to a purchase history of the user.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon, the instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for tagging customized search results in an online platform, the method comprising: providing, to a user device, a display of a default set of search results including a first plurality of media content items arranged in descending order according to search frequency on the online platform; receiving a first character input from a user of the user device, the first character input defining a first character in a search query string; updating the display based on a search for the first character, the updated display including a set of search results, the set of search results including at least one media content item that is not included in the default set of search results and that is available for consumption by the user, and wherein the at least one media content item is included in the set of search results based on one or more media content items that are commonly played by the user and one or more online friends within the user's social graph; further updating the display as each of one or more subsequent characters is entered after the first character, wherein entry of each subsequent character updates a current set of characters in the search query string, and wherein each update to the display corresponds to the current set of characters in the search query string; as well as A contextual tag is provided within the updated display, the contextual tag corresponding to the at least one media content item in the set of search results and indicating consumption information of the at least one media content item by the one or more online friends within the social graph of the user.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions executable to arrange the search results in order of decreasing relevance based on the associated interaction frequencies of the online friends.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions executable to arrange the search results in order of decreasing relevance based on the online friends' purchase history.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions executable to: selecting a search term suggestion based on the first character input; and The search term suggestions are displayed to the user, wherein the search is performed based on user interaction with the displayed search terms and the search query is replaced with the displayed search terms.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions executable to: receiving from the user device indicating a selection of the at least one media content item from the set of search results; and One or more other media content items related to the selected content item are displayed, and wherein the related media content items include at least one version upgrade item.

17. A system for tagging customized search results in an online platform, the system comprising: one or more processors; a network interface coupled to the processor, the network interface communicating with a user device via a communication network; and A computer-readable storage medium coupled to the processor, the computer-readable medium including instructions stored therein and executable by the processor to: providing, to the user device, a display of a default set of search results comprising a first plurality of media content items arranged in descending order according to search frequency on the online platform; receiving a first character input from a user of the user device, the first character input defining a first character in a search query string; updating the display based on a search for the first character, the updated display including a set of search results, the set of search results including at least one media content item that is not included in the default set of search results and that is available for consumption by the user, and wherein the at least one media content item is included in the set of search results based on one or more media content items that are commonly played by the user and one or more online friends within the user's social graph; as well as further updating the display as each of one or more subsequent characters is entered after the first character, wherein entry of each subsequent character updates a current set of characters in the search query string, and wherein each update to the display corresponds to the current set of characters in the search query string; as well as A contextual tag is provided within the updated display, the contextual tag corresponding to the at least one media content item in the set of search results and indicating consumption information of the at least one media content item by the one or more online friends within the social graph of the user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor executes further instructions to arrange the search results in order of decreasing relevance based on the online friends' associated interaction frequencies.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor executes further instructions to arrange the search results in order of decreasing relevance based on the online friends' purchase history.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor executes further instructions to: selecting a search term suggestion based on the first character input; and The search term suggestions are displayed to the user, wherein the search is performed based on user interaction with the displayed search terms and the search query is replaced with the displayed search terms.

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