Visual search and three-dimensional results

Abstract

Methods, systems, graphical user interfaces, and computer-readable media for visually searching and exploring a set of objects are provided. A computer system executes a method that generates three-dimensional representations or two-dimensional representations for a set of objects in response to a user interaction with an interface that displays the three-dimensional representations or the two-dimensional representations. The interface includes filter controls, sorting controls, and classification controls, which are dynamically altered based on the content of a user query or the attributes of the objects in the three-dimensional representations or two-dimensional representations.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method to visually search and explore a set of objects, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, by a server, a query;   determining, by the server, whether to include a visual search link in a result set corresponding to the query;   generating a result set that includes a list of uniform resource locators and the visual search link when the user query is general or specific; and   transmitting the results and the visual search link to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the visual search link is configured to link to a three-dimensional interface or a two-dimensional interface having a collection of images corresponding to the set of objects that match the query. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface dynamically vary image sizes in the collection of images. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface dynamically vary metadata displayed in the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface dynamically vary controls included in the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface based on attributes of objects within the set of objects. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the controls refine, filter, categorize, or sort the set of objects. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein each image is associated with a subsequent query comprising metadata associated with the object corresponding to the image. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the subsequent query includes context information corresponding to the user and is executed in response to a click on the image. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , further comprising: receiving the subsequent query and generating a results page having uniform resource locators (URLS) associated with web pages or documents that contain the terms of the subsequent query. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the metadata is displayed on the three-dimensional interface or the two-dimensional interface when the image is subject to a hover action. 
     
     
         11 . A computing device that executes instruction to present a graphical user interface configured to visually search and explore a set of objects, the graphical user interface, comprising:
 a sorting control configured to reorganize the set of objects based on attributes shared by all of the objects within the set of objects;   a filtering control configured to reduce the number of objects in the set of objects based on the attributes of each object in the set of objects;   a classification control configured to reduce the number of objects in the set based on categories represented within the set of objects; and   the graphical user interface is configured to display images of objects that match a user query and to transition between a three-dimensional view and a two-dimensional view based on the number of objects that are within the set of objects.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the attributes include items that are frequently requested by a number of users. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the attributes include movie items and country of origin items that are related to the query. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11 , further comprising: a search box control that is automatically populated with a subsequent query corresponding to an object that is a subject of a hover action. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the subsequent query is executed when the object is a subject of a click action. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer-implemented method to visually search and explore a set of objects, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a query;   generating a result set that includes a list of uniform resource locators and a visual search link; and   transmitting the results and the visual search link to the user, wherein the visual search link is part of the result set having a set of images and attributes, wherein the set of images is rendered in a three-dimensional interface or a two-dimensional interface based on a number of images that are within the set of images:
 the two-dimensional interface is provided if the number of images is below a threshold and the user accesses the visual search link, and 
 the three-dimensional interface is provided if the number of images is above the threshold and the user accesses the visual search link. 
   
     
     
         17 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface dynamically vary image sizes in the collection of images. 
     
     
         18 . The media  claim 16 , wherein the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface dynamically vary metadata displayed in the three-dimensional interface and the two-dimensional interface. 
     
     
         19 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein a prominence of the visual search link varies based on a number images or a number of uniform resource locators in the set of results. 
     
     
         20 . The media of  claim 16 , wherein controls included in the three-dimensional interface or the two-dimensional interface are modified dynamically based on attributes of images within the set of images.