Application searching method, electronic equipment, computer readable storage medium and product

Abstract

The invention discloses an application searching method, electronic equipment, a computer readable storage medium and a product, and relates to the technical field of terminals, the method comprises the following steps: in response to an application searching operation, determining a selected similar application in terminal equipment; outputting selectable search dimensions of similar applications, and taking the selected selectable search dimensions as application search dimensions; and searching candidate applications associated with the similar applications from all installed applications of the terminal equipment based on the application searching dimensions of the similar applications, and outputting the candidate applications. According to the application, when the application is searched, the user only needs to select the similar application according to the impression, the application can be searched, the user does not need to remember the accurate information of the application needing to be used, the threshold and difficulty of the application search are reduced, and the user can still search the application according to the fuzzy impression under the condition that the user forgets the accurate information of the application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of terminal technology, and in particular to an application search method, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium, and product. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing abundance of applications available, mobile smart devices often have a large number of apps installed. While these apps enrich users' learning and work, they also increase the difficulty for users to remember app names, icons, and storage locations. Currently, although some devices offer application search functions to help users quickly find the applications they want, in practice, when a user wants to find a specific application on their device, they may not remember the exact information about the application, such as its name. In this case, the user cannot use the search function to find the application based on its exact information, thus still failing to find the desired application on their device, resulting in difficulties in application search. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this application is to provide an application search method, electronic device, computer-readable storage medium, and product, which aims to solve the technical problem of difficulty in finding applications when users forget the accurate information about the applications.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides an application search method, which includes:

[0005] In response to an application search operation, identify the selected similar applications on the terminal device;

[0006] Output the optional search dimensions for the similar applications, and use the selected optional search dimension as the application search dimension;

[0007] Based on the application search dimension of the similar applications, candidate applications associated with the similar applications are searched from the installed applications of the terminal device, and the candidate applications are output.

[0008] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also provides an electronic device, which includes: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, implements the application search method as described above.

[0009] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the application search method described above.

[0010] In addition, to achieve the above objectives, this application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the application search method described above.

[0011] This application provides an application search method, electronic device, storage medium, and product. In this embodiment, in response to an application search operation, selected similar applications in a terminal device are determined; optional search dimensions for the similar applications are output, and the selected optional search dimensions are used as application search dimensions; based on the application search dimensions of the similar applications, candidate applications associated with the similar applications are searched from the installed applications of the terminal device, and the candidate applications are output. That is, in this embodiment, a user can perform an application search operation to select similar applications in the terminal device based on their vague impression of the application they need. After the terminal device determines the similar applications based on the user's application search operation, it outputs optional search dimensions for selection, and the selected optional search dimensions are the application search dimensions. Then, based on the application search dimensions of the similar applications, candidate applications related to the similar applications are searched from the installed applications, and the candidate applications are output, thereby helping the user find the application they want to use. Understandably, in this application, when searching for applications, users only need to select similar applications based on their memory to search for applications, without needing to remember the exact information of the applications they need to use. This lowers the threshold and difficulty of application search, allowing users to search for applications based on vague memories even if they forget the exact information of the applications, thus making it more convenient for users to use their terminal devices. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the search method applied in this application;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first interaction scenario in the search method applied in this application;

[0016] Figure 3This is a diagram of the first display scene in the first interactive scenario of the search method applied in this application;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a diagram of the second display scene under the first interactive scenario in the search method applied in this application;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a diagram of the third display scenario under the first interactive scenario in the search method applied in this application;

[0019] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second interaction scenario in the search method applied in this application;

[0020] Figure 7 This is a first display scene diagram under the second interactive scenario in the search method applied in this application;

[0021] Figure 8 This is a diagram of the second display scene in the second interactive scenario of the search method applied in this application;

[0022] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the third interaction scenario in the search method applied in this application;

[0023] Figure 10 This is a diagram of the first display scene in the third interactive scenario of the search method applied in this application;

[0024] Figure 11 This is a diagram of the second display scene in the third interactive scenario of the search method applied in this application;

[0025] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the second embodiment of the search method applied in this application;

[0026] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of the hardware operating environment involved in the search method applied in the embodiments of this application.

[0027] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0029] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the technical solutions of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0030] With the increasing abundance of applications available today, mobile smart devices often have a large number of apps installed. While these apps enrich users' learning and work, they also increase the difficulty for users to remember app names, icons, and storage locations. Currently, some devices offer application search functions to help users quickly find the applications they want. However, most traditional search functions require users to remember accurate application information. In actual use, when a user wants to find a specific application on their device, they may not remember the exact information, such as the application name. In this case, the user cannot use the search function that relies on accurate application information, thus still failing to find the desired application on their device, resulting in application search difficulties.

[0031] The main solution of this application is as follows: in response to an application search operation, the selected similar applications in the terminal device are determined; the optional search dimensions of the similar applications are output, and the selected optional search dimensions are used as the application search dimensions; based on the application search dimensions of the similar applications, candidate applications associated with the similar applications are searched from the installed applications of the terminal device, and the candidate applications are output.

[0032] In this embodiment, a user can perform an application search operation based on a vague impression of the application they need to use, selecting similar applications on the terminal device. After identifying similar applications based on the user's search, the terminal device outputs optional search dimensions for selection. The selected optional search dimension becomes the application search dimension. Based on these dimensions, candidate applications related to the similar application are found from among the installed applications, and these candidate applications are output, thus helping the user find the desired application. It is understood that in this application, the application search only requires the user to select similar applications based on their memory, without requiring the user to remember the exact information of the application. This lowers the barrier and difficulty of application search, allowing users to search for applications based on a vague impression even if they forget the exact information, thus facilitating the use of the terminal device.

[0033] It should be noted that the executing entity in this embodiment may include, but is not limited to, mobile terminals such as smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, digital broadcast receivers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PADs (Portable App Displays), and PMPs (Portable Media Players), as well as fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers, or any electronic device capable of performing the above functions. This embodiment does not specifically limit the scope of the embodiments. The following description uses a terminal device as the executing entity to illustrate this embodiment and the subsequent embodiments.

[0034] To better understand the technical solution of this application, a detailed description will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the first embodiment of the search method used in this application.

[0036] This application proposes an application search method according to a first embodiment, the application search method including steps S100 to S300:

[0037] Step S100: In response to the application search operation, identify the selected similar applications in the terminal device;

[0038] For example, a terminal device can respond to a user's application search operation by selecting the chosen application from its installed applications as similar applications. This process can be used when a user wants to find a target application but cannot remember its exact location, thus using the terminal device's application search function. It's worth noting that before the user's application search operation, a search function activation operation can be performed to trigger the terminal device to launch the application search function. After activation, the user can select an installed application on the terminal device that is similar to the target application based on their memory of it. The application search operation is then used to identify similar applications. For the terminal device, after activating the application search function, the selected installed application can be used as a similar application.

[0039] Step S200: Output the optional search dimensions of the similar applications, and use the selected optional search dimensions as the application search dimensions;

[0040] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the application's search dimension options will be increased to obtain more search information, thereby improving the accuracy of the application's search.

[0041] For example, after identifying similar applications, the terminal device can output optional search dimensions for the user to choose from. The selected optional search dimension will then be used as the application search dimension for the corresponding similar application. The specific optional search dimensions can be set by technical personnel according to actual needs; for example, optional search dimensions may include icons, application functions, etc. One application scenario is that a user selects an installed application as a similar application, and the terminal device then outputs the optional search dimensions for that similar application. For instance, if the user feels that the icon of the similar application is similar to the icon of the target application, they can select the dimension corresponding to the icon from the optional search dimensions as the application search dimension for that similar application. It is worth noting that in practical applications, a single similar application can have multiple different application search dimensions, and different similar applications can have different search dimensions.

[0042] Step S300: Based on the application search dimension of the similar applications, search for candidate applications associated with the similar applications from the installed applications of the terminal device, and output the candidate applications.

[0043] For example, after determining the application search dimensions for similar applications, the terminal device then searches for and associates candidate applications among its installed applications based on these dimensions. It's important to note that during the search process, the terminal device can calculate the similarity between each installed application and similar applications using the application search dimensions, obtaining a score for each installed application. In cases with multiple similar applications or multiple application search dimensions, the scores of any installed application can be summed to obtain a comprehensive score. Candidate applications associated with similar applications are then selected based on this comprehensive score; consequently, a higher comprehensive score increases the probability of being selected as a candidate application. After determining the candidate applications, the terminal device outputs the found applications, such as displaying them on the terminal device's interface, allowing the user to find their desired target application. It's understood that the candidate applications are found by the terminal device based on the user's selected applications and search dimensions; therefore, the user has a high probability of finding their target application among the candidate applications.

[0044] In this embodiment, the terminal device responds to an application search operation by determining the selected similar applications on the terminal device; outputting the optional search dimensions of the similar applications, and using the selected optional search dimensions as the application search dimensions; and searching for candidate applications associated with the similar applications from among the installed applications on the terminal device based on the application search dimensions of the similar applications, and outputting the candidate applications. That is, in this embodiment, the user can perform an application search operation to select similar applications on the terminal device based on their vague impression of the application they need to use. After determining the similar applications based on the user's application search operation, the terminal device outputs the optional search dimensions of the similar applications for selection, and the selected optional search dimensions are the application search dimensions. Then, based on the application search dimensions of the similar applications, it searches for candidate applications related to the similar applications from among the installed applications and outputs the candidate applications, thereby helping the user find the application they want to use. Understandably, in this application, when searching for applications, users only need to select similar applications based on their memory to search for applications, without needing to remember the exact information of the applications they need to use. This lowers the threshold and difficulty of application search, allowing users to search for applications based on vague memories even if they forget the exact information of the applications, thus making it more convenient for users to use their terminal devices.

[0045] In one feasible implementation, the application search dimensions include at least one of the following: application usage association dimension, application location dimension, icon element dimension, application layout dimension, application usage duration dimension, application usage frequency dimension, application usage time dimension, and application installation time dimension.

[0046] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the application search dimensions may include one or more of the following: application usage association dimension, application location dimension, icon element dimension, application layout dimension, application usage duration dimension, application usage frequency dimension, application usage time dimension, and application installation time dimension. In practical applications, technicians can also add other similar application search dimension types based on the above-mentioned application search dimension types, which will not be elaborated here.

[0047] For example, the application usage association dimension refers to the relationship between the selected similar applications and the target application during use; that is, the target application may be used while using the similar applications. The degree of association in the usage association dimension can be measured in various ways, such as the duration of background coexistence within a unit of time. The longer the background coexistence within a unit of time, the higher the application usage association is likely to be. It can also be expressed as the switching relationship between the foreground and background. Users can define the level of association according to their own situation. For example, if application A is launched, then application B is launched (application A is switched to the background or exited), then application C is launched (application B is switched to the background or exited, and so on). If a launch sequence is ABCDE, then applications A, B, D, and E are associated with application C, and the closer the launch order, the higher the association. If a user feels that similar applications are frequently used simultaneously with or switched between with the target application, the user can select the application usage association dimension.

[0048] Application location refers to the position of the icon on the screen. The interface may vary slightly across different devices. Generally, a screen has 4*6=24 icon positions, and a file has 3*4 icon positions per screen. Location similarity means that the icon position of the selected similar application (on the screen or within a folder) is similar to the icon position of the target application. To determine the degree of similarity, positions surrounding the similar application's icon position are considered as candidates. (The central position has the highest similarity; the further away from the central position, the lower the similarity). For example, if the applications in the first and second rows of the user's current screen are applications A, B, C, D and a, b, c, d respectively, and application A is considered a similar application, then any application on each page that shares the same position as applications A, B, and a is likely the target application, and so on. If the user feels that the similar application's position is closely similar to the target application, the user can select the application location dimension.

[0049] The icon element dimension refers to the app's icon. The similarity determined by the icon element dimension refers to the overall similarity between the two app icons, including but not limited to patterns, colors, and shapes. If a user feels that the icons of similar apps are more similar to the target app, the user can select the app icon element dimension.

[0050] The application layout dimension refers to the graphic representation of an application's interface and surrounding icons. This dimension measures the similarity between two applications. For example, if icon A is present in the first position of the third row on the current screen of a terminal device, there is no icon in the fourth row, and icons B and C are present at the beginning and end of the fifth row respectively (no icons in other positions), and the user selects one of these three icons, then in the application layout dimension, the similar application's layout characteristic is a right-angled triangle shape, or a specific position on this right-angled triangle shape. If the user feels that the layout of the page containing the similar application is similar to the layout of the target application's page, the user can select the application layout dimension.

[0051] The application usage duration dimension refers to the total duration of application use. The application usage frequency dimension refers to the number of times the application is clicked or launched by the user. The application usage time dimension refers to applications used simultaneously at a specific moment or time period. The application installation time dimension refers to the time the application was installed. Similarly, users can choose application search dimensions based on the similarities between similar applications and the target application.

[0052] Furthermore, it should be noted that this embodiment also supports modifying the completed selection results. After the step of determining the selected similar applications in the terminal device in response to the application search operation, the method further includes: outputting the application search dimension in response to the preset query modification operation; selecting similar applications under the selected dimension in the application search dimension as applications to be removed in response to the dimension selection operation; and removing the applications to be removed in response to the sliding operation on the applications to be removed.

[0053] For example, the aforementioned preset query modification operation can be a long-press operation on an interactive element. Users can long-press an interactive element to trigger the terminal device to output the selected application search dimensions, such as the previously selected application icon element dimension and application usage association dimension. The terminal device will then output and display the application icon element dimension and application usage association dimension (other dimensions will not be displayed). If the user wants to view or adjust applications in a certain dimension, they only need to slide their finger to the corresponding dimension (i.e., the dimension selection operation mentioned above). The selected applications in that dimension will then pop up around it, i.e., applications to be removed. If the user wants to remove an application from a certain dimension, they only need to slide their finger to the pop-up application icon and then release it (i.e., the sliding operation for applications to be removed mentioned above), thus removing the application and completing the modification.

[0054] In one feasible implementation, the terminal device interface is provided with interactive elements, and the step of determining the selected similar application in the terminal device in response to the application search operation includes step S110:

[0055] Step S110: When the application search operation is a preset drag-and-drop search operation and the dragged object of the preset drag-and-drop search operation is the interactive element, the similar application is determined based on the position of the dragged interactive element in the terminal device interface.

[0056] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the terminal device's interface can include interactive elements, which can manifest as a floating ball or cursor, etc., without specific limitations. The interactive elements can be permanently displayed on the interface, or they can be hidden normally and then activated via voice, a physical button, or other means, before being displayed on the interface. Users can launch the application search function by clicking the interactive element and selecting similar applications. After selection, double-clicking the interactive element can initiate a further application filtering search.

[0057] For example, the application search operation described above is the operation performed by the user during the selection of similar applications. This application search operation can be a preset drag-and-drop search operation. When the dragged object of the preset drag-and-drop search operation is the aforementioned interactive element, similar applications can be determined by the position of the interactive element on the terminal device interface after dragging. For example, the installed application whose icon and the interactive element are closest to each other on the terminal device interface can be considered a similar application, or the installed application corresponding to the icon covered by the interactive element when it stops can be considered a similar application (similar applications can be determined after a preset dwell time). (See reference...) Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the first interactive scenario in this application. Figure 2 For the desktop interface of the terminal device, there is an interactive element called floating ball A. Users can select similar applications by dragging floating ball A. For example, the installed applications corresponding to the icons covered under floating ball A can be selected as similar applications.

[0058] Optionally, the type of similar application includes a first type of similar application determined by the position of the interactive element, and the step of outputting the optional search dimension of the similar application includes step S210:

[0059] Step S210: For any one of the first type of similar applications, display the optional search dimensions of the first type of similar applications in the preset range around the corresponding icon of the first type of similar application, the preset range around the interactive element, or the side menu bar of the terminal device.

[0060] It should be noted that similar applications identified through different methods may be displayed in different ways with different search dimensions. In this embodiment, the type of similar application determined by the position of the interactive element is classified as the first type of similar application.

[0061] For example, similar applications of the same type display optional search dimensions in essentially the same way; therefore, this embodiment will use one of them as an example for explanation. For any one of the first type of similar applications, the optional search dimensions of the first type of similar application are displayed within a preset range around the corresponding icon, a preset range around the interactive element, or the side menu bar of the terminal device. The preset range can be set by technical personnel according to their needs.

[0062] For example, refer to Figure 3 This is a diagram of the first display scene in the first interactive scenario of this application. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the surrounding area of ​​the first category of similar applications, determined by the interactive element floating ball A, displays selectable search dimensions, namely dimension 1 to dimension N. (Refer to...) Figure 4 This is a diagram of the second display scene under the first interactive scenario in this application. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the area surrounding the interactive element floating ball A displays selectable search dimensions, from dimension 1 to dimension N. (See reference...) Figure 5 This is a diagram of the third display scene under the first interactive scenario in this application. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the side menu bar of the terminal device displays the available search dimensions for the first category of similar applications. It should be noted that in actual applications, the position of the side menu bar can be set by technical personnel; for example, it can be on the left or right side of the interface, etc., without specific restrictions here. Furthermore, when selecting dimensions, users can choose by swiping. For example, in scenarios where available search dimensions are displayed within a preset range around the interactive element, the user can slide their finger towards the application icon element's dimension, and then the options for other dimensions will dim. Releasing the finger indicates that the selection is complete. During the selection process, if the user wants to change the current dimension selection, they only need to slide their finger back to the center area of ​​the interactive element and then slide it towards the desired dimension. If the user decides not to select the currently selected application, they only need to slide their finger back to the center area of ​​the floating ball and release their finger (without dimension selection information, this is equivalent to defaulting to abandoning the selected application).

[0063] In one feasible implementation, the step of determining the selected similar application in the terminal device in response to the application search operation further includes steps S121 to S122:

[0064] Step S121: When the application search operation is a preset drag-and-drop search operation and the dragged object of the preset drag-and-drop search operation is an icon in the interface, the application selection area is output on the terminal device interface.

[0065] Step S122: The application corresponding to the icon dragged to the selected area of ​​the application is designated as the similar application.

[0066] For example, in this embodiment, the drag-and-drop object for the aforementioned preset drag-and-drop search operation can be an interactive element, or it can be an icon. Furthermore, when the drag-and-drop object is an icon, the terminal device can display a selected application area on the interface, and the application corresponding to the icon dragged into the selected application area will be considered a similar application by the terminal device. (Refer to...) Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second interactive scenario in this application. Figure 6 As shown, users can drag icons from the interface to the selected area of ​​the application, and the icons dragged to the selected area of ​​the application will be recognized as similar applications by the terminal device.

[0067] Optionally, the type of similar application includes a second type of similar application determined by the selected region of the application, and the step of outputting the optional search dimensions of the similar applications further includes step S220:

[0068] Step S220: For any of the second type of similar applications, after the second type of similar application is dragged to the selected area of ​​the application, the optional search dimensions of the second type of similar application are displayed in a preset range around the corresponding icon of the second type of similar application, or in the side menu bar of the terminal device.

[0069] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the type of similar application determined by applying the selected region is the second type of similar application.

[0070] For example, when any of the second-category similar applications is dragged to the selected application area, the available search dimensions for the second-category similar applications can be displayed within a preset range around the corresponding icon of the second-category similar application in the selected application area, or in the side menu bar of the terminal device. (Refer to...) Figure 7 This is a first display scene diagram under the second interactive scenario in this application, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the area surrounding the icon of the second type of similar application in the selected application region displays selectable search dimensions, i.e., dimension 1 to dimension n. (Refer to...) Figure 8 This is a diagram of the second display scene under the second interactive scenario in this application. For example... Figure 8 As shown, after a second type of similar application is dragged to the application selection area, a side menu bar will pop up on the side of the terminal device interface, and the optional search dimensions for the second type of similar applications, namely dimension 1 to dimension n, will be displayed in the side menu bar.

[0071] In one feasible implementation, the step of determining the selected similar application in the terminal device in response to the application search operation further includes step S130:

[0072] Step S130: When the application search operation is a preset selected search operation, enter the application selection mode, and in the application selection mode, select the application corresponding to the selected icon in the terminal device interface as the similar application.

[0073] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the application search operation can be either a preset drag-and-drop search operation or a preset selection search operation. When the application search operation is a preset selection search operation, the terminal device will enter application selection mode. In application selection mode, for the terminal device, selecting (e.g., clicking) an icon will not launch the application corresponding to the icon; instead, it will treat the application as a similar application. (Refer to...) Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the third interactive scenario in this application. As shown in Figure 9, in application selection mode, the application icon on the terminal device can present a different visual effect than usual. For example, in application selection mode, an additional filter can be added to the application icon on the terminal device to differentiate it from the normal state. The specific filter can be set by the technician according to actual needs, and no specific restrictions are imposed here. Furthermore, the application corresponding to the icon selected by the user in application selection mode is considered a similar application.

[0074] Optionally, the type of similar application includes a third type of similar application determined in the application selection mode, and the step of outputting the optional search dimensions of the similar applications further includes step S230:

[0075] Step S230: For any of the third type of similar applications, after the third type of similar application is selected, the optional search dimensions of the third type of similar application are displayed in the preset range around the corresponding icon of the third type of similar application or in the side menu bar of the terminal device.

[0076] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the type of similar application determined in the application selection mode is the third type of similar application.

[0077] For example, for any one of the third-category similar applications, after the third-category similar application is selected, the selectable search dimensions for the third-category similar application can be displayed within a preset range around the corresponding icon of the third-category similar application, or in the side menu bar of the terminal device. (Refer to...) Figure 10 This is the first display scene diagram under the third interactive scenario in this application. For example... Figure 10 As shown, the available search dimensions, from dimension 1 to dimension n, are displayed around the selected third category of similar applications. (See reference...) Figure 11 This is a second display scene diagram under the third interactive scenario in this application. For example... Figure 11 The side menu bar of the terminal device interface displays the optional search dimensions for the third type of similar applications, namely dimension 1 to dimension n.

[0078] Reference Figure 12 This is a second embodiment of the search method proposed in the first embodiment of this application. For parts in this embodiment that are the same as or similar to those in the above embodiments, please refer to the above embodiments; they will not be repeated here.

[0079] The step of searching for candidate applications associated with the similar applications from the installed applications of the terminal device based on the application search dimension of the similar applications includes steps S310 to S320:

[0080] Step S310: Determine the similarity between each installed application on the terminal device and the similar applications based on the application search dimension;

[0081] Step S320: Based on each similarity, filter out the candidate applications associated with the similar applications from each of the installed applications.

[0082] For example, when filtering candidate applications, a terminal device can compare similar applications with each installed application based on the application search dimension to obtain the similarity between the similar application and the installed application on that application search dimension. When there are multiple application search dimensions or multiple similar applications, the similarity scores obtained by an installed application on different application search dimensions or with different similar applications can be accumulated to obtain a comprehensive similarity score. The comprehensive similarity score of the installed applications then serves as the basis for filtering candidate applications. For instance, the installed applications with the highest comprehensive similarity scores can be sorted and selected as candidate applications from a predetermined number of installed applications.

[0083] To illustrate the content of this solution, we will now explain it in the context of a specific scenario.

[0084] If a user selects only one application search dimension during the search, then 12 candidate applications will be filtered based on similarity from highest to lowest for that dimension (the number of applications filtered can be set by technical personnel according to actual needs; if there are not 12, the actual number will be displayed. Users can set a similarity threshold, and only applications with similarity exceeding this threshold will be filtered). It is worth noting that if some dimensions allow users to provide multiple similar applications, such as the icon element dimension, if a user feels that the icons of n applications are similar to the icon of the target application, then a filter can be performed based on the icon of each similar application to obtain n*12 similar icons. Then, from these n*12 icons (after deduplication can be performed first), the 12 most similar ones will be selected as the final 12 recommended candidate applications for the icon element dimension.

[0085] Regarding the algorithm for selecting the 12 most similar applications, assuming the user feels that the target application is similar to both application A and application B in terms of icon similarity, then 24 applications that are similar to application A and application B are selected according to their similarity scores, respectively, and named A1, A2, ..., A24, B1, B2, ..., B24. The first-ranked application has a score of 24 points, the second-ranked application has a score of 23 points, and so on. Then, the top 12 applications with the highest cumulative scores among these 48 (with duplicates) applications are selected as the final candidate applications.

[0086] If a user selects multiple dimensions, say y dimensions, then 12n applications are recommended for each dimension (n is the number of similar applications). Then, from these y*12n (duplicate) applications, the 12 applications with the highest scores are selected as the final candidate applications recommended to the user.

[0087] In one feasible implementation, the step of determining the similarity between each installed application in the terminal device and the similar applications based on the application search dimension includes steps S311 to S312:

[0088] Step S311: For any one of the installed applications, determine the comparison features of the installed application and the search features of the similar applications based on the application search dimension.

[0089] Step S312: Calculate the similarity between the installed application and the similar application based on the search features and the comparison features.

[0090] It should be noted that since the process of generating the similarity of each installed application is basically the same, this embodiment will use one of the installed applications as an example for explanation.

[0091] For example, for any one of the installed applications, the terminal device determines the comparison features of the installed application from the application search dimension of similar applications, and determines the search features of similar applications from the application search dimension of similar applications. It is worth noting that different comparison features and search features can be determined for different application search dimensions. For example, if the application search dimension is the icon element dimension, then the comparison feature is the icon of the installed application, and the search feature is the icon of the similar application; if the application search dimension is the installation time dimension, then the comparison feature is the installation time of the installed application, and the search feature is the installation time of the similar application. Therefore, the specific comparison features and search features will not be elaborated here.

[0092] After determining the comparison features of the installed application and the search features of similar applications, the similarity between the installed application and the similar applications is calculated based on these features. The calculation method for similarity is determined by the content of the comparison and search features. For example, if the application search dimension is the icon element dimension, the comparison feature is the icon of the installed application, and the search feature is the icon of the similar application, the similarity between the two icons can be calculated using an image similarity algorithm, thus obtaining the similarity between the installed application and the similar application in the icon element dimension. If the application search dimension is the installation time dimension, the comparison feature is the installation time of the installed application, and the search feature is the installation time of the similar application, then the similarity between the installed application and the similar application can be determined by the difference between their installation times (difference is inversely proportional to similarity), thus obtaining the similarity between the installed application and the similar application in the installation time dimension.

[0093] In one feasible implementation, the step of determining the comparison features of the installed application and the search features of the similar application based on the application search dimension includes steps S301 to S305:

[0094] Step S301: When the application search dimension includes the application usage association dimension, the comparison feature includes a first associated application of the installed application, and the search feature includes a second associated application of the similar application. The first associated application is an application that runs in parallel with or is used alternately with the installed application, and the second associated application is an application that runs in parallel with or is used alternately with the similar application; or...

[0095] Step S302, if the application search dimension includes the application installation time dimension, the comparison feature includes the installation time of the installed application, and the search feature includes the installation time of the similar applications; or,

[0096] Step S303: If the application search dimension includes the application usage time dimension, the comparison features include applications used in parallel during the last use of the installed application, and the search features include applications used in parallel during the last use of the similar applications; or,

[0097] Step S304: When the application search dimension includes the application location dimension, the comparison feature includes the relative position of the installed application's interface, and the search feature includes the relative position of the similar application's interface; or,

[0098] Step S305: When the application search dimension includes the application layout dimension, the comparison feature includes the graphic formed by the application in the interface where the installed application is located, and the search feature includes the graphic formed by the application in the interface where the similar application is located.

[0099] It should be noted that in practical applications, the search dimensions can include multiple types, and correspondingly, the comparison features and search features can also include multiple types.

[0100] For example, if the application search dimension includes the application usage association dimension, the comparison features of installed applications will include the first associated application of the installed application. The first associated application is an application that runs in parallel with or alternates with the installed application. For example, travel applications and ticketing applications are usually used simultaneously or alternately, and e-commerce applications and food delivery applications are usually used simultaneously or alternately with payment applications. It is worth noting that the first associated application can also include the installed application itself. The search features will then include the second associated application of the similar application. The second associated application is an application that runs in parallel with or alternates with the similar application. Similarly, the second associated application can also include the similar application itself. Furthermore, it should be noted that in practical applications, applications running in parallel or alternately can be identified by the terminal device through statistical analysis of the time interval between the start and stop of applications. Two applications with a time interval less than a preset threshold are considered to have a relationship of running in parallel or alternately.

[0101] If the application search dimension includes the application installation time dimension, the comparison features of installed applications will include the installation time of the installed application, such as a specific year, month, day, and hour. Similarly, the search features will include the installation time of similar applications.

[0102] If the application search dimension includes the application usage time dimension, then the comparison features of installed applications will include applications that were used in parallel with the installed application during its last use. Similarly, the search features of similar applications will include applications that were used in parallel with similar applications during their last use. Likewise, if the time interval between starting or closing two applications is less than a preset threshold, then the two applications can be considered to have a parallel usage relationship.

[0103] If the application search dimension includes the application location dimension, then the comparison features for installed applications will include the relative position of the installed application's interface, and the search features for similar applications will include the relative positions of the similar applications' interfaces. The relative position of the interface refers to the position of the application's corresponding icon within the interface, such as the y-th icon in the n-th row.

[0104] If the application search dimension includes the application layout dimension, then the comparison features of installed applications will include the graphic formed by the applications in the interface where the installed application is located, and the search features of similar applications will include the graphic formed by the applications in the interface where the similar applications are located. The graphic formed by the applications in the interface can be a graphic formed by the icons corresponding to all applications in the interface, or it can be a graphic formed by isolated icons in the interface. Isolated icons are those whose number of adjacent icons in the interface is less than a preset number.

[0105] Furthermore, to clearly illustrate this case, the application of the search solution in this application will be explained in a specific scenario, as detailed below:

[0106] 1: A user wants to use a certain application, but because their terminal device has too many applications downloaded, they can't remember where the target application is on the desktop. Then, they trigger the terminal device to pop up a floating ball (i.e., an interactive element) on the desktop through a pre-set interaction method.

[0107] 2: Once activated, the floating ball will be displayed on the desktop. When the user clicks the floating ball, it will enter the information search and input stage.

[0108] 3: If a user feels that an application on the current desktop is similar to the target application in a certain aspect, the user can drag the floating ball to the icon of that application.

[0109] 4: When the floating ball detects that its dwell time exceeds a threshold (e.g., 2 seconds), it begins to identify the application of its coverage area.

[0110] 5: Once the floating ball successfully identifies an application, the identified application and similar applications will be displayed in the center of the floating ball. Then, a dimension selection window will pop up around the floating ball (allowing you to choose the search dimension).

[0111] 6: Users select the dimension options that pop up when the floating ball appears, based on the similarity dimensions of similar applications and the target application.

[0112] 7: The user confirms whether the information currently entered is sufficient to quickly locate the application they want to find, and whether further input of similar dimension information of the target application is needed to find the application faster and more accurately.

[0113] 8: Users can check if there are other applications on the current desktop that are similar to the target application in a certain dimension, or users can swipe the desktop to the next screen to see if there are any applications that are similar to the target application in a certain dimension.

[0114] 9: The user confirms whether the previously entered information is correct.

[0115] 10: If a user feels that the application information they entered in a certain dimension is incorrect, they can modify it by long-pressing the floating ball.

[0116] 11: If the user feels that the input information is correct and sufficient, they can double-click the floating ball. At this point, the terminal device will search for the target application based on the user's input information using a preset algorithm.

[0117] 12: The terminal device selects the top 12 applications that may be the target application based on their matching degree (if there are fewer, the actual number will be displayed; users can also set a threshold, and only applications with similarity exceeding a certain threshold will be displayed) and pops them up around the floating ball for users to choose from (i.e., pop up candidate applications).

[0118] 13: When the pop-up icons contain the user's desired application, the user clicks the corresponding application to enter it. The application icon search process then ends, and all relevant data is cleared. Of course, in extreme cases where no application is found, the user can modify the previously entered dimension information or continue entering new dimension information.

[0119] The following is an explanation for a specific example scenario:

[0120] Scenario 1: Suppose a user is looking for the "Xiaotiancai" app, but can't recall the app's name. However, they vaguely remember that the app icon has a phone symbol in the middle, and users frequently use phone apps. Therefore, the user quickly drags the floating ball to the phone icon and selects the app icon element.

[0121] After the user completes the above selection process, they see a QQ Browser icon next to it, which reminds them that the background color of the Xiaotiancai icon is also similar to white. Therefore, the user drags the floating ball to the QQ Browser icon and selects the application icon element dimension.

[0122] The user then continued browsing other applications on the page and came across the "Smart Primary and Secondary School" application. Recalling that they installed the target application while dealing with their child's homework, the user dragged the floating ball over the "Smart Primary and Secondary School" application and selected the "application installation time" dimension.

[0123] At this point, the user feels they have located the Xiaotiancai app, and they have already entered all the information about the Xiaotiancai app into their mind. They then double-click to start the process of finding the target app.

[0124] Scenario 2: Suppose the user is looking for the Mafengwo app, but hasn't used it in a long time and doesn't remember what the app icon looks like. They only vaguely remember checking travel guides on the Mafengwo app before booking tickets through 12306.

[0125] The user first found the 12306 app icon and selected the app usage association dimension. After selecting that, they found the Qunar app, which reminded them that they also refer to Qunar when making travel plans. Their usage time and click frequency should be similar. Then, the user dragged the floating ball to Qunar and selected the app usage time and frequency dimension.

[0126] Additionally, the user recalled that the Mafengwo app was located in the bottom right corner of a desktop. So, the user selected the app currently in the same position on the desktop and then chose the app's location.

[0127] Finally, double-click the floating ball to perform a search.

[0128] Scenario 3: Suppose the user is looking for the Bilibili app, and this user likes to drag the icon into a certain shape. For example, they clearly remember that the Bilibili app's location on the desktop forms a 3x3 square layout with three other apps around it. That is, a 3x3 square with only four points around the perimeter and five empty points in the middle, and the Bilibili app is located at the top left point of the square.

[0129] If there are exactly four icons on the current desktop arranged in the corresponding position, the user can select these four icons and choose the application layout dimension. If the user remembers which point in the layout the target application is located at, they can also specify it.

[0130] If the current desktop does not have a matching arrangement of four icons, but has a close arrangement, the user can temporarily drag the current icons slightly to arrange the layout, then make a selection and complete the input.

[0131] After entering the information, the user double-clicks to start the search.

[0132] In addition, please refer to Figure 13 , Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of the hardware operating environment involved in the search method applied in the embodiments of this application.

[0133] This application also provides an electronic device, which includes: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, the instructions being executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform the application lookup method described above.

[0134] The following is for reference. Figure 13 The diagram illustrates a structural schematic of an electronic device suitable for implementing embodiments of this application. The electronic devices in these embodiments may include, but are not limited to, mobile terminals such as routers, mobile phones, laptops, digital broadcast receivers, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), PADs (Portable Applied Devices), PMPs (Portable Media Players), in-vehicle terminals (e.g., in-vehicle navigation terminals), and fixed terminals such as digital TVs and desktop computers. Figure 13 The electronic device shown is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of this application.

[0135] like Figure 13As shown, the electronic device may include a processing unit 1001 (e.g., a central processing unit, a graphics processing unit, etc.), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 1002 or a program loaded from a storage device 1003 into a random access memory (RAM) 1004. The RAM 1004 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the electronic device. The processing unit 1001, ROM 1002, and RAM 1004 are interconnected via a bus 1005. An input / output (I / O) interface 1006 is also connected to the bus. Typically, the following systems can be connected to I / O interface 1006: input devices 1007 including, for example, touchscreens, touchpads, keyboards, mice, image sensors, microphones, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.; output devices 1008 including, for example, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), speakers, vibrators, etc.; storage devices 1003 including, for example, magnetic tapes, hard disks, etc.; and communication devices 1009. Communication device 1009 allows the electronic device to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with other devices to exchange data. Although electronic devices with various systems are shown in the figures, it should be understood that it is not required to implement or possess all the systems shown. More or fewer systems may be implemented alternatively.

[0136] Specifically, according to the embodiments disclosed in this application, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this application include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication device, or installed from storage device 1003, or installed from ROM 1002. When the computer program is executed by processing device 1001, it performs the functions defined in the methods of the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0137] The electronic device provided in this application, employing the application search method described in the above embodiments, can solve the technical problem that related error correction schemes have limited error correction capabilities and are difficult to correct when there are a large number of data errors. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the electronic device provided in this application are the same as those of the application search method provided in the above embodiments, and other technical features of this electronic device are the same as those disclosed in the method of the previous embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0138] It should be understood that the various parts disclosed in this application can be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0139] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

[0140] In addition, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) stored thereon, the computer-readable program instructions being used to execute the application search method in the above embodiments.

[0141] The computer-readable storage medium provided in this application may be, for example, a USB flash drive, but is not limited to, electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, devices, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include, but are not limited to: electrical connections having one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fibers, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination thereof. In this embodiment, the computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, system, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable storage medium may be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wires, optical cables, RF (radio frequency), etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0142] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium may be included in an electronic device or may exist independently without being assembled into an electronic device.

[0143] The aforementioned computer-readable storage medium carries one or more programs that, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to: in response to an application lookup operation, determine a selected similar application in a terminal device; output optional lookup dimensions for the similar application, and use the selected optional lookup dimensions as the application lookup dimensions; and, based on the application lookup dimensions of the similar application, search for candidate applications associated with the similar application from among the installed applications of the terminal device, and output the candidate applications.

[0144] Computer program code for performing the operations of this application can be written in one or more programming languages ​​or a combination thereof. These programming languages ​​include object-oriented programming languages—such as Java, SmallTalk, and C++—and conventional procedural programming languages—such as the "C" language or similar programming languages. The program code can be executed entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In cases involving remote computers, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network—including a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN)—or can be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0145] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0146] The modules described in the embodiments of this application can be implemented in software or hardware. The names of the modules do not necessarily limit the functionality of the unit itself.

[0147] The readable storage medium provided in this application is a computer-readable storage medium that stores computer-readable program instructions (i.e., a computer program) for executing the above-described application lookup method. This solves the technical problem that related error correction schemes have limited error correction capabilities and are difficult to perform error correction when the number of data errors is large. Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the computer-readable storage medium provided in this application are the same as those of the application lookup method provided in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0148] The above description is only a part of the embodiments of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. All equivalent structural transformations made under the technical concept of this application and using the contents of the specification and drawings of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An application search method characterized by comprising: The application searching method comprises: in response to an application searching operation, determining a selected similar application in a terminal device; outputting selectable searching dimensions of the similar application, and taking the selected selectable searching dimension as an application searching dimension; based on the application searching dimension of the similar application, searching for a candidate application associated with the similar application from each installed application of the terminal device, and outputting the candidate application.

2. The application search method of claim 1, wherein, The terminal device interface is provided with an interactive element, and the step of determining the selected similar application in the terminal device in response to the application searching operation comprises: in a case where the application searching operation is a preset drag searching operation, and a drag object of the preset drag searching operation is the interactive element, determining the similar application based on a position of the interactive element in the terminal device interface after being dragged.

3. The application search method of claim 2, wherein, The type of the similar application comprises a first type of similar application determined by the position of the interactive element, and the step of outputting the selectable searching dimension of the similar application comprises: for any one of the first type of similar application, the selectable searching dimension of the first type of similar application is displayed in a preset range around an icon corresponding to the first type of similar application, a preset range around the interactive element, or a side menu bar of the terminal device.

4. The application search method of claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the selected similar application in the terminal device in response to the application searching operation further comprises: in a case where the application searching operation is a preset drag searching operation, and a drag object of the preset drag searching operation is an icon in the interface, outputting an application selection area on the terminal device interface; taking an application corresponding to the icon dragged into the application selection area as the similar application.

5. The application search method of claim 4, wherein, The type of the similar application comprises a second type of similar application determined by the application selection area, and the step of outputting the selectable searching dimension of the similar application further comprises: for any one of the second type of similar application, after the second type of similar application is dragged to the application selection area, the selectable searching dimension of the second type of similar application is displayed in a preset range around an icon corresponding to the second type of similar application, or a side menu bar of the terminal device.

6. The application search method of claim 1, wherein, The step of determining the selected similar application in the terminal device in response to the application searching operation further comprises: in a case where the application searching operation is a preset selection searching operation, entering an application selection mode, and taking an application corresponding to a selected icon in the terminal device interface as the similar application in the application selection mode.

7. The application search method of claim 6, wherein, The type of the similar application comprises a third type of similar application determined in the application selection mode, and the step of outputting the selectable searching dimension of the similar application further comprises: for any one of the third type of similar application, after the third type of similar application is selected, the selectable searching dimension of the third type of similar application is displayed in a preset range around an icon corresponding to the third type of similar application, or a side menu bar of the terminal device.

8. The application search method of claim 1, wherein, The application search dimension comprises at least one of an application use association dimension, an application location dimension, an icon element dimension, an application layout dimension, an application use duration dimension, an application use frequency dimension, an application use time dimension, and an application installation time dimension.

9. The application search method of claim 1 or 8, wherein, The step of searching for the candidate application associated with the similar application from the installed applications of the terminal device based on the application search dimension of the similar application comprises: determining the similarity between each installed application in the terminal device and the similar application based on the application search dimension; screening the candidate application associated with the similar application from the installed applications based on the similarity.

10. The application search method of claim 9, wherein, The step of determining the similarity between each installed application in the terminal device and the similar application based on the application search dimension comprises: for any one of the installed applications, determining the comparison feature of the installed application and the search feature of the similar application based on the application search dimension; calculating the similarity between the installed application and the similar application according to the search feature and the comparison feature.

11. The application search method of claim 10, wherein, The step of determining the comparison feature of the installed application and the search feature of the similar application based on the application search dimension comprises: in the case that the application search dimension comprises the application use association dimension, the comparison feature comprises a first associated application of the installed application, and the search feature comprises a second associated application of the similar application, wherein the first associated application is an application running in parallel or switching with the installed application, and the second associated application is an application running in parallel or switching with the similar application; or, in the case that the application search dimension comprises the application installation time dimension, the comparison feature comprises the installation time of the installed application, and the search feature comprises the installation time of the similar application; or, in the case that the application search dimension comprises the application use time dimension, the comparison feature comprises an application used in parallel in the last use process of the installed application, and the search feature comprises an application used in parallel in the last use process of the similar application; or, in the case that the application search dimension comprises the application location dimension, the comparison feature comprises the interface relative position of the installed application, and the search feature comprises the interface relative position of the similar application; or, in the case that the application search dimension comprises the application layout dimension, the comparison feature comprises a graph of applications in the interface of the installed application, and the search feature comprises a graph of applications in the interface of the similar application.

12. An electronic device, comprising: The computer program is stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and when executed by the processor, implements the application search method according to any one of claims 1 to 11. The computer program is stored in the memory and executable on the processor, and when executed by the processor, implements the application search method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, ​ 14. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer program product comprises a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the application search method according to any one of claims 1 to 11. The computer program product comprises a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the application search method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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