Search Result Facet Expansion and Attribute Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Search result filtering by user-selectable facets can unintentionally omit items of interest to users, as only items with selected attributes are displayed, potentially hiding relevant items without those attributes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that records user facet selection history to rank and prioritize popular facets, automatically displays associated attributes with search results, and removes infrequently selected facets, allowing for personalized content and targeted advertising based on user behavior data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If search results are filtered by user-selectable facets, then the search results can be organized by specific attributes, but items without the selected attribute are unintentionally omitted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the search results display into two parts: a filtered view showing items matching the selected facet, and an expanded view showing additional items with related attributes. This allows users to organize search results by attributes while preserving access to items that may not match the selected facet but are still relevant based on their relationships to matched items.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested structure where expanded item information is contained within or adjacent to the search result items. When a user selects a facet, the system expands the display to include additional items and their related attributes in a nested manner, allowing multiple levels of information disclosure without requiring separate pages or views.
2Loss of information
If additional item information is displayed, then users have more detailed views, but the space occupied by each search result item increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic display adjustment where the amount of information shown for each search result item changes based on user interactions. Initially, items display minimal information to conserve space, but when users select facets or expand views, additional information is dynamically revealed. This allows the system to adapt the display area occupied by each item based on user needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional search result display to a multi-dimensional information structure. By organizing additional item information in expanded sections or side panels rather than increasing the primary search result area, the system adds information depth without proportionally increasing the horizontal space occupied by each basic search result item.
3Ease of operation
If facets are selected to filter search results, then items can be organized by attributes, but the original search results may be lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-computing and storing relationships between items and facets before the user interacts with the search results. This allows the system to quickly expand and show related items when users select facets, without requiring time-consuming real-time calculations. The pre-established item relationships enable flexible navigation while maintaining efficient filtering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where user selections of facets provide information about user interests and search patterns. This feedback is used to dynamically adjust the search result display, showing related items and attributes that may be of interest to the user. The system learns from user behavior to improve subsequent search result organization and expansion.
Data Source
AI summary
Displaying item attributes may include receiving, from a client device, a search query, providing, for display to a user, a network page containing search result items relevant to the received query and selectable facets, where each selectable facet corresponds to an attribute associated with at least one of the search result items, and, in response to a selection of one of the selectable facets, identifying each of the search result items that is associated with the attribute corresponding to the selected facet, and causing the attributes corresponding the selected facet to be exposed for each of the identified search result items. The identified search results are retained with exposed attributes.