Methods and systems for dynamically rearranging search results into hierarchically organized concept clusters

Abstract

Methods of and systems for dynamically rearranging search results into hierarchically organized concept clusters are provided. A method of searching for and presenting content items as an arrangement of conceptual clusters to facilitate further search and navigation on a display-constrained device includes providing a set of content items and receiving incremental input to incrementally identify search terms for content items. Content items are selected and grouped into sets based on how the incremental input matches various metadata associated with the content items. The selected content items are grouped into explicit conceptual clusters and user-implied conceptual clusters based on metadata in common to the selected content items. The clustered content items are presented according to the conceptual clusters into which they are grouped.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method comprising:
 receiving a search input comprising a first search component and a second search component;   identifying a first subset of content items corresponding to the first search component;   identifying a second subset of content items corresponding to the second search component;   identifying an attribute associated with a first content item from the first subset of content items and a second content item from the second subset of content items;   generating an identifier corresponding to the attribute; and   generating for display at least one of the identifier or a first listing for the first content item and a second listing for the second content item.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection of the identifier, and in response to receiving a user selection of the identifier, generating for display the first content item and the second content item.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining a number of results to be displayed on a display device based on a type of the display device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a number of content items in the first subset of content items and the second subset of content items;   determining whether the number of content items exceeds the number of results to be displayed on the display device; and   in response to determining that the number of content items exceeds the number of results to be displayed on the display device, generating for display the identifier.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , in response to determining that the number of content items does not exceed the number of results to be displayed on the display device, generating for display the first listing and the second listing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising associating, in response to identifying the attribute, the first content item and the second content item with the identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying a third content item corresponding to both the first search component and the second search component; and   generating for display a third listing for the third content item.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first search component and the second search component are both related to a same concept. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the identifier corresponds to the concept. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the first subset of content items comprises determining that the first search component matches metadata associated with each content item of the first set of content items. 
     
     
         12 . A system comprising control circuitry configured to:
 receive a search input comprising a first search component and a second search component;   identify a first subset of content items corresponding to the first search component;   identify a second subset of content items corresponding to the second search component;   identify an attribute associated with a first content item from the first subset of content items and a second content item from the second subset of content items;   generate an identifier corresponding to the attribute; and   generate for display at least one of the identifier or a first listing for the first content item and a second listing for the second content item.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a user selection of the identifier, and in response to receiving a user selection of the identifier, generating for display the first content item and the second content item.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine a number of results to be displayed on a display device based on a type of the display device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 determine a number of content items in the first subset of content items and the second subset of content items;   determine whether the number of content items exceeds the number of results to be displayed on the display device; and   in response to determining that the number of content items exceeds the number of results to be displayed on the display device, generate for display the identifier.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when determining that the number of content items does not exceed the number of results to be displayed on the display device, to genreate for display the first listing and the second listing. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to associate, in response to identifying the attribute, the first content item and the second content item with the identifier. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 identify a third content item corresponding to both the first search component and the second search component; and   generate for display a third listing for the third content item.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first search component and the second search component are both related to a same concept in a hierarchy of concept clusters. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the identifier corresponds to the concept. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein identifying the first subset of content items comprises determining that the first search component matches metadata associated with each content item of the first set of content items.