Predictive Generation of Search Suggestions

Abstract

A method of generating search suggestions includes receiving an indication of a current location of the user device. After a user accesses a search function on the user device and before the user submits a search request, the method includes determining search results associated with locations in proximity to the current location of the user device, using query log data indicating selections of past search results by users after presentation of the past search results in response to respective past queries. The method also includes determining relative positioning of the search results based on the number of users that selected each search result, determining categories associated with the search results, grouping the search results by the determined categories; and sending the grouped search results and the one or more categories associated with the search results to the user device for display according to the determined relative positioning.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating search suggestions, the method comprising:
 receiving, by one or more processors from a user device, an indication of a current location of the user device;   after a user accesses a search function on the user device and before the user submits a search request, determining search results associated with locations in proximity to the current location of the user device, using query log data indicating selections of past search results by users after presentation of the past search results in response to respective past queries, by the one or more processors;   determining, by the one or more processors, relative positioning of the search results based on the number of users that selected each search result;   determining, by the one or more processors, categories associated with the search results;   grouping, by the one or more processors, the search results by the determined categories; and   sending the grouped search results and the one or more categories associated with the search results to the user device for display according to the determined relative positioning.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining search results associated with locations in proximity to the current location of the user device further comprises using at least one of user profile data or user social graph data together with the current location of the user device to determine the search results. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each search result references a document, the document being associated with a second location in proximity to the current location of the user device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a query suggestion based on the current location of the user device; and   sending the query suggestion to the user device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining the query suggestion based on the current location of the user device further comprises using at least one of user profile data, social graph data or query log data together with the current location of the user device to determine the query suggestion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining query suggestions based on the current location of the user device comprises:
 identifying queries submitted by prior users in proximity to the current location of the user device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining query suggestions based on the current location comprises further comprises:
 obtaining a user profile associated with a user of the user device; and   using information obtained from the user profile to identify queries submitted by prior users near the current location of the user device.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein determining query suggestions comprises:
 identifying queries previously submitted by the user.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining one or more subcategories of the categories associated with the search results; and   sending the one or more subcategories to the user device.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the grouped search results comprises sending the search results grouped by category. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a search category associated with at least one of the search results;   grouping the search results associated with the search category; and   providing the search category together with the search results associated with the search category to the user.   
     
     
         12 . A system comprising:
 one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
 receiving an indication of a current location of the user device, 
 after a user accesses a search function on the user device and before the user submits a search request, determining search results associated with locations in proximity to the current location of the user device, using query log data indicating selections of past search results by users after presentation of the past search results in response to respective past queries, by the one or more processors, 
 determining relative positioning of the search results based on the number of users that selected each search result, 
 determining categories associated with the search results, 
 grouping, by the one or more processors, the search results by the determined categories, and 
 sending the grouped search results and the one or more categories associated with the search results to the user device for display according to the determined relative positioning. 
   
     
     
         13 . The system  12 , wherein determining search results associated with locations in proximity to the current location of the user device further comprises using at least one of user profile data or user social graph data together with the current location of the user device to determine the search results. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each search result references a document, the document being associated with a second location in proximity to the current location of the user device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 determining a query suggestion based on the current location of the user device; and   sending the query suggestion to the user device.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein determining the query suggestion based on the current location of the user device further comprises using at least one of user profile data, social graph data or query log data together with the current location of the user device to determine the query suggestion. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein determining query suggestions based on the current location of the user device comprises:
 identifying queries submitted by prior users in proximity to the current location of the user device.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein determining query suggestions based on the current location comprises further comprises:
 obtaining a user profile associated with a user of the user device; and   using information obtained from the user profile to identify queries submitted by prior users near the current location of the user device.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein determining query suggestions comprises:
 identifying queries previously submitted by the user.   
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 providing, on a user device, an interactive search function with a search query input field;   after a user accesses the search function on the user device, sending from the user device a first location of the user device;   receiving, at one or more processors, the first location from the user device;   determining, by one or more processors and prior to receiving a search request, search results associated with locations in proximity to the first location, wherein the search results are determined using query log data of previously submitted queries, wherein the query log data indicates selections of search results by users after presentation of the search results;   determining relative positioning of the search results based on the number of users that selected each search result;   determining categories associated with the search results;   grouping the search results by the determined categories;   sending the grouped search results and the one or more categories associated with the search results to the user device for display according to the determined relative positioning;   receiving, with the user device, the grouped search results;   displaying, on the user device, the grouped search results in the determined relative positioning under the query input field.