Expanded Text Excerpt for Search Result Snippets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Search engines often provide insufficient information in snippets, making it difficult for users to make informed decisions about which search results to select due to the short length of the text excerpts.
Innovation Solution
The system provides an expanded text excerpt that includes additional context from the search result document, such as text before and after the original snippet, allowing users to make more informed decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If search engines provide short snippets for search results, then the search results are concise and easy to scan, but users cannot make informed decisions about which results to select
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the text excerpt into a preview portion (displayed in search results) and a full text portion (displayed upon selection). This allows the search results to remain concise for easy scanning while providing comprehensive information when needed, resolving the contradiction between brevity and information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic display mechanism where the text excerpt transitions from a truncated preview state in search results to a full text state when the user selects a result. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to optimize for scanning efficiency in the initial view and for information completeness upon user interest, eliminating the need to choose between the two states.
2Productivity
If search engines display only truncated text excerpts, then the search result list is compact and readable, but users must click through to read full content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by displaying a truncated preview of the text excerpt in the search results list, allowing users to quickly assess relevance without accessing the full text. When users select a result, the system then retrieves and displays the full text. This preliminary preview mechanism maintains presentation efficiency while providing a clear path to full content access, reducing unnecessary time consumption.
3Loss of information
If search engines provide comprehensive text excerpts, then users have sufficient information to make decisions, but the search result list becomes lengthy and difficult to navigate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the text information into a compact preview portion displayed in search results and a comprehensive full text portion displayed upon selection. This segmentation maintains information completeness for users who need it while keeping the search result list compact and easy to navigate, as only essential preview information is displayed initially.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a dynamic display approach where the text excerpt expands from a truncated preview to full text only when the user selects a specific result. This dynamic behavior ensures that the search result list remains concise and easy to navigate, while providing comprehensive information on demand, thus resolving the contradiction between information completeness and navigation ease.
Data Source
AI summary
A system provides a list of search results, where one of the search results in the list of search results includes a snippet from a corresponding search result document. The system receives selection of the snippet and provides an expanded snippet based on the selection of the snippet. The expanded snippet includes the snippet and other text from a subset of the search result document.