Multi-dimensional Search Object for Real-time Query Refinement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users find it difficult to transition from a generic default search to an advanced search page where multiple criteria can be adjusted, making it challenging to refine search results effectively.
Innovation Solution
A user-manipulable object in a multi-dimensional space allows users to simultaneously adjust multiple search criteria, providing real-time updates to search results without changing the relative ordering, enabling refined search results through a kinesthetic and intuitive interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users navigate to an advanced search page to adjust multiple search criteria, then search result refinement capability is improved, but user operation complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms multiple independent search criteria adjustments into a single multi-dimensional object manipulation task. The object exists in a multi-dimensional space where each dimension corresponds to a search criterion, allowing users to adjust multiple parameters simultaneously through intuitive spatial interaction rather than navigating complex forms
Solution Approach 2:
A single user-manipulable object serves multiple functions: it represents the search query, controls the filter, and adjusts multiple search criteria simultaneously. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require separate controls for each criterion into one unified interface element
2Measurement precision
If users manually adjust each search criterion separately on an advanced search page, then search precision can be improved, but time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent criterion adjustments into a single object manipulation action. When users move the object in the multi-dimensional space, all relevant search criteria are adjusted simultaneously based on the object's position, eliminating the need to modify each criterion separately and significantly reducing the time required to refine search precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the relationships between object position coordinates and search criteria values. This preliminary configuration allows real-time automatic adjustment of multiple criteria whenever the object is moved, eliminating the need for users to manually configure each criterion's relationship and enabling immediate precision adjustments
3Ease of operation
If a generic default search is used, then ease of use is maintained, but search result relevance and focus deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a dynamic search interface where the object's position in multi-dimensional space dynamically determines the active search criteria. Users can easily maintain generic searches by keeping the object at default positions, or easily refine to specific searches by moving the object to different positions, all through the same intuitive interaction mode without switching between generic and advanced modes
Data Source
AI summary
A search query comprising a plurality of search terms is used to generate a plurality of search results. The search query, in its entirety, is represented by an object in multi-dimensional space. The multi-dimensional space comprises a plurality of dimensions to represent a plurality of search criteria, respectively. The object has a position in the multi-dimensional space based on values of the search criteria. The object is manipulated simultaneously in at least two dimensions of the multi-dimensional space to simultaneously modify respective values of at least two of the search criteria. The search results are filtered based on the modified values of the search criteria to produce a subset of the search results, and the subset is displayed.