Multi-step image search system with selected search text augmentation

Abstract

An image search engine server having an image search engine that performs image searches based on a search term that is augmented by a built-in thesaurus and/or a dictionary. For a thesaurus-based algorithm, the approach is to send a query back to the user, who can select the image search domain, sub-domain, and other hierarchical search refinements from one or more dropdown menus. The items in the dropdown menus that the user selects during the “query back” are used to augment the search string entered by the user to better refine the image search. If the user entered search string is a single string of dictionary word or words or the dictionary mode is elected, then synonyms for that search string are used to generate the augmented search string for the final context-based search operation. The result is improved image search results.

1 . An image search system that communicatively couples with a plurality of client devices that deliver a corresponding plurality of original search strings, the image search system comprising:
 a processing infrastructure that receives from a first device of the plurality of client devices of a first user a first search string for searching image related text, the image related text being gathered through a web crawling process;   the processing infrastructure identifies, using the first search string, both first augmenting text and second augmenting text, the first augmenting text providing a first contextual meaning associated with the first search string, and second augmenting text providing a second contextual meaning associated with the first search string, the first contextual meaning being different from the second contextual meaning;   an interface through which the processing infrastructure communicates to enable the first device to make a first visual presentation to the first user, the first visual presentation comprising an offer of both the first contextual meaning and the second contextual meaning; and   the processing infrastructure, responding to an indication received through the interface of a selection of the first contextual meaning but not the second context meaning, uses both the first search string and the first augmenting text to gather first search results which includes a plurality of images.   
     
     
         2 . The image search system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first augmenting text comprises first thesaurus content; and   the second augmenting text comprises second thesaurus content.   
     
     
         3 . The image search system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first augmenting text comprises first dictionary content; and   the second augmenting text comprises second dictionary content.   
     
     
         4 . The image search system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first augmenting text comprises dictionary content; and   the second augmenting text comprises thesaurus con tent   
     
     
         5 . The image search system of  claim 1 , wherein the search results are limited by at least one adult filter parameter. 
     
     
         6 . The image search system of  claim 1 , the processing infrastructure, responding to an indication received. through the interface of a selection of the second contextual meaning but not the first context meaning, uses both the first search string and the second augmenting text to gather second search results which includes a plurality of images. 
     
     
         7 . An image search system that communicatively couples with a plurality of client devices that deliver a corresponding plurality of original search strings, the image search system comprising:
 a processing infrastructure that receives from a first device of the plurality of client devices of a first user a first search string for searching image related text, the image related text being gathered through a web crawling process;   the processing infrastructure identifies, using the first search string, both first context meaning and a second context meaning, the first context meaning being different from the second context meaning;   an interface through which the processing infrastructure communicates to enable the first device to make a first visual presentation to the first user, the first visual presentation comprising an offer to select one of the first context meaning and the second context meaning; and   the processing infrastructure, responding to an indication received through the interface of a selection of the first context meaning but not the second context meaning, gathers and delivers to the first device first search results that correspond. to the first context meaning, the first search results including a plurality of images.   
     
     
         8 . The image search system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first context meaning based upon first thesaurus content; and   the second context meaning based. upon second. thesaurus content.   
     
     
         9 . The image search system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first context meaning based upon first dictionary content; and   the second context meaning based upon second dictionary content.   
     
     
         10 . The image search system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first context meaning based upon dictionary content; and   the second context meaning based upon thesaurus content.   
     
     
         11 . The image search system of  claim 7 , wherein the search results are limited by at least one adult filter parameter. 
     
     
         12 . The image search system of  claim 7 , the processing infrastructure, responding to an indication received through the interface of a selection of the second context meaning but not the first context meaning, gathers and delivers to the first device second search results that correspond to the second context meaning, the second search results including a plurality of images. 
     
     
         13 . A search system that communicatively couples with a plurality of client devices that deliver a corresponding plurality of original search strings, the search system comprising:
 a processing infrastructure that receives from a first device of the plurality of client devices of a first user a first search string for searching text, the text being gathered through a web crawling process;   the processing infrastructure identifies, using the first search string, both first context meaning and a second context meaning, the first context meaning being different from the second con text meaning;   an interface through which the processing infrastructure communicates to enable the first device to make a first visual presentation to the first user, the first visual presentation comprising an offer to select at least one of the first context meaning and the second context meaning; and   the processing infrastructure, responding to an indication received through the interface of a selection of the first context meaning, gathers and delivers to the first device first search results that correspond to the first context meaning.   
     
     
         14 . The search system of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the search results comprising a plurality of images. 
     
     
         15 . The search system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first context meaning based upon first thesaurus consent; and   the second context meaning based upon second thesaurus content.   
     
     
         16 . The search system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first context meaning based upon first dictionary con tent; and   the second context meaning based upon second dictionary content.   
     
     
         17 . The search system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first context meaning based upon dictionary content; and   the second context meaning based upon thesaurus content.   
     
     
         18 . The search system of  claim 13 , wherein the search results are limited by at least one adult filter parameter. 
     
     
         19 . The search system of  claim 13 , the processing infrastructure, responding to an indication received through the interface of a selection of the second context meaning, gathers and delivers to the first device second search results that correspond to the second context meaning. 
     
     
         20 . A method performed by a search system that communicatively couples with a plurality of client devices that deliver a corresponding plurality of search strings, the method comprising:
 receiving a first search string from a first device of the plurality of Client devices of a first user;   identifying, using the first search string, a first contextual meaning and a second contextual meaning, the first contextual meaning being different from the second contextual meaning;   delivering to support an offer to choose between the first contextual meaning and the second contextual meaning to the first device for presentation to the first user;   receiving choice data that indicates that the first user chose the first contextual meaning over the second contextual meaning;   responding to the choice data by preparing first search results based at least in part on the first contextual meaning; and   delivering the first search results to the first device.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the search results comprising a plurality of images, 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first contextual meaning based upon first thesaurus content; and   the second contextual meaning based upon second thesaurus content.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first contextual meaning based upon first dictionary content; and   the second contextual meaning based upon second dictionary content.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the first contextual meaning based upon dictionary content; and   the second contextual meaning based upon thesaurus content.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising limiting the search results by at least one adult filter parameter.