Method and apparatus for generating a search query for a search engine

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting, by a processing system including a processor, access to a search engine by a user; obtaining a user model associated with the user; generating, by the processing system, a search query according to the user model; and presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface of the search engine, wherein the graphical user interface includes the search query field, and wherein the overlay includes the search query. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:   detecting access, by a user, to a first search engine, wherein the access causes a first search query field for the first search engine to be presented at a display coupled to the device;   populating the first search query field with a generated search query, wherein the generated search query is generated responsive to a user model associated with the user;   responsive to user interaction with the first search query field, submitting the generated search query to the first search engine;   submitting the generated search query to a plurality of search engines other than the first search engine;   comparing search results generated by the plurality of search engines to search results generated by the first search engine;   determining a bias of a search algorithm employed by the first search engine according to the comparing; and   adjusting the user model based on the bias, wherein the adjusting the user model is based on mitigating the bias.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
 presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface of the first search engine, wherein the graphical user interface includes the first search query field, wherein the overlay includes selectable links for a plurality of generated search queries; and   wherein the populating the first search query field with the generated search query comprises populating the first search query field with one of the plurality of generated search queries responsive to a selection of one of the selectable links.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface that includes the first search query field and a plurality of topics and subtopics of interest. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user model is further adjusted based on a history of generated search queries that were selected by the user, and wherein the populating the first search query field with the generated search query is via text at the display, audio signals, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user model is further adjusted based on a user activity, and wherein the user activity is based on a detected activity that the user is engaged in or has been engaged in within a particular time period prior to the detecting the access to the first search engine. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user model is generated based on current events, demographics of the user, search history of the user, and media consumption history of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the user model is further adjusted according to interaction of the user with search results returned by the first search engine for the generated search query, and wherein the interaction is determined by:
 determining search result access by the user to the search results returned by the first search engine and determining a consumption time associated with the search result access.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the generated search query is one of a plurality of generated search queries, wherein the populating the first search query field with the generated search query further comprises presenting selectable links for the plurality of generated search queries, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 populating the first search query field with a first generated search query of the plurality of generated search queries responsive to a first selection of one of the selectable links, wherein the populating the first search query field with the first generated search query facilitates the first search engine generating first search results;   populating the first search query field with a second generated search query of the plurality of generated search queries responsive to a second selection of another one of the selectable links, wherein the populating the first search query field with the second generated search query facilitates the first search engine generating second search results; and   presenting a portion of the first search results at the display in conjunction with a portion of the second search results.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface that includes the second search results, wherein the overlay includes the portion of the first search results. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 detecting, by a processing system including a processor, access by a user, to a first search engine, wherein the access causes a first search query field for the first search engine to be presented at a display coupled to the processing system;   populating, by the processing system, the first search query field with a generated search query, wherein the generated search query is generated responsive to a user model associated with the user;   responsive to user interaction with the first search query field, submitting, by the processing system, the generated search query to the first search engine;   submitting, by the processing system, the generated search query to a plurality of search engines other than the first search engine;   comparing, by the processing system, search results generated by the plurality of search engines to search results generated by the first search engine;   determining, by the processing system, a bias of a search algorithm employed by the first search engine according to the comparing; and   adjusting, by the processing system, the user model based on the bias, wherein the adjusting the user model is based on mitigating the bias.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface that includes the first search query field and a plurality of topics and subtopics of interest.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface of the first search engine, wherein the graphical user interface includes the first search query field, wherein the overlay includes selectable links for a plurality of generated search queries; and   wherein the populating the first search query field with the generated search query comprises populating the first search query field with one of the plurality of generated search queries responsive to a selection of one of the selectable links.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the generated search query is one of a plurality of generated search queries, and further comprising:
 presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface of the first search engine, wherein the overlay includes selectable links for the plurality of generated search queries;   populating, by the processing system, the first search query field with one of the plurality of generated search queries responsive to a selection of one of the selectable links.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 presenting a portion of other search results generated from another search query in the overlay in conjunction with a portion of search results generated from the generated search query.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a first entity that manages the first search engine is distinct from a second entity that manages the user model, and further comprising generating the generated search query based at least in part on an identity of the first entity. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the generating the generated search query is performed without having knowledge of factors employed by a search algorithm employed by the first search engine. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 detecting access, by a user, to a first search engine, wherein the access causes a first search query field for the first search engine to be presented at a display coupled to the processing system;   populating the first search query field with a generated search query, wherein the generated search query is generated responsive to a user model associated with the user;   responsive to user interaction with the first search query field, submitting the generated search query to the first search engine;   submitting the generated search query to a plurality of search engines other than the first search engine;   comparing search results generated by the plurality of search engines to search results generated by the first search engine;   determining a bias of a search algorithm employed by the first search engine according to the comparing; and   adjusting the user model based on the bias, wherein the adjusting the user model is based on mitigating the bias.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the generated search query is one of a plurality of generated search queries, wherein the populating the first search query field with the generated search query further comprises presenting an overlay on a graphical user interface, wherein the overlay includes selectable links for the plurality of generated search queries, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 populating the first search query field with one of the plurality of generated search queries responsive to a selection of one of the selectable links.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the user model is further adjusted according to interaction of the user with the search results returned by the first search engine. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the user model is further adjusted based on a user activity, and wherein the user activity is based on a detected activity that the user is engaged in or has been engaged in within a particular time period prior to the detecting the access to the first search engine.