Metadata Filtering for Web Search Result Refinement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in effectively filtering and navigating through large volumes of web search results, as existing search engines lack efficient mechanisms for refining search outcomes based on metadata attributes and values.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that extracts metadata attributes and values from web search results, allowing users to select and filter these attributes and values, thereby drilling down into specific search results through a series of interactive steps, utilizing modules for extraction, presentation, selection, filtering, and display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If web search engines return large amounts of data to satisfy user search criteria, then the completeness of search results is improved, but the difficulty of viewing and navigating the results increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large set of search results by extracting and organizing metadata attributes (such as file type, date, author, etc.) from each result. This segmentation allows the results to be divided into manageable categories, making navigation easier while preserving the complete result set. Users can filter results by specific metadata attributes to view subsets of interest without losing access to the full results collection.
2Device complexity
If web search engines provide basic search functionality, then the simplicity of the search system is maintained, but the ability to refine and filter results is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by extracting and organizing metadata attributes from search results before presenting them to the user. This pre-processing step prepares the results for potential filtering operations, enabling users to refine their search results based on various metadata criteria without requiring complex real-time processing during the filtering phase.
3Reliability
If users manually review large numbers of search results to find relevant information, then the thoroughness of information retrieval is improved, but the time required to complete the search task increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by allowing users to select and filter results based on metadata attributes, immediately updating the displayed results to show only those matching the selected criteria. This feedback mechanism enables users to quickly assess whether filtered results meet their needs and adjust their filtering criteria accordingly, reducing the time required to find relevant information while maintaining thoroughness.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for filtering search results is disclosed herein. A method for filtering search results may extract metadata attributes and associated attribute values from web search results. The method includes presenting the extracted metadata attributes to a user for selection by the user and receiving input from the user indicating a selected metadata attribute. The method includes presenting attribute values associated with the selected metadata attribute to the user for selection by the user and receiving input from the user indicating a selected attribute value. The method includes filtering the web search results based on the selected attribute value. Each entry in the filtered web search results includes the selected attribute value. The method includes displaying a filtered results list to the user where the filtered results list includes the filtered web search results.