Method and system to process a data search request

Abstract

Example systems and methods of processing a data search request are presented. In one example, a data search request including a plurality of constraints is received. Each of the plurality of constraints is of one of a plurality of constraint types. At least one of the plurality of constraints of a first constraint type is expanded to one or more constraints of at least one other constraint type. A plurality of search definitions is formulated utilizing the plurality of constraints. Each of the plurality of search definitions includes a unique constraint set excluding at least one of the plurality of constraints. A plurality of searches is performed using the plurality of search definitions to generate a plurality of search results. Data item counts corresponding to the search definitions are calculated. The data item counts and the corresponding search definitions are communicated to a client machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and   memory comprising modules including instructions executable by the at least one processor, the modules comprising:
 a query controller module to receive a data search request including a plurality of constraints, each of the plurality of constraints being of one of a plurality of constraint types; 
 a reduced constraint builder module to expand at least one of the plurality of constraints of a first constraint type to one or more constraints of at least one other constraint type, and to formulate a plurality of search definitions, each of the search definitions being formulated utilizing the plurality of constraints after expansion, each of the plurality of search definitions comprising a unique constraint set excluding at least one of the plurality of constraints after expansion; and 
 a search engine to perform a plurality of searches of a data source using the plurality of search definitions to generate a plurality of search results and to utilize the plurality of search results to calculate a plurality of counts of data items that respectively correspond to the plurality of search definitions; 
 the query controller module to communicate the plurality of counts of data items and the corresponding plurality of search definitions to a client machine. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , the data items representing a plurality of items available via an online marketplace, the data search request comprising a search request for at least one of the plurality of items available via the online marketplace. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the plurality of constraint types comprising a keyword constraint type, a keyword constraint of the keyword constraint type to identify data items that include descriptive text that matches the keyword constraint. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the plurality of constraint types comprising a category constraint type, a category constraint of the category constraint type to identify data items that belong to an item category that matches the category constraint. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the plurality of constraint types comprising a search parameter constraint type, a search parameter constraint of the search parameter constraint type to identify data items that include a parameter value that matches the parameter constraint, the parameter value characterizing the data items irrespective of item categories. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , the plurality of constraint types comprising an attribute constraint type, an attribute constraint of the attribute constraint type to identify data items that include an attribute value that matches the attribute constraint, the attribute value distinguishing the data items within a particular item category. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the first constraint type comprising a keyword constraint type, and the at least one other constraint type comprising at least one of a category constraint type, a search parameter constraint type, and an attribute constraint type. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , the first constraint type comprising a category constraint type, and the at least one other constraint type comprising at least one of a keyword constraint type, a search parameter constraint type, and an attribute constraint type. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , the first constraint type comprising a search parameter constraint type, and the at least one other constraint type comprising at least one of a category constraint type, a keyword constraint type, and an attribute constraint type. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , the first constraint type comprising an attribute constraint type, and the at least one other constraint type comprising at least one of a category constraint type, a keyword constraint type, and a search parameter constraint type. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , the reduced constraint builder module to expand the at least one of the plurality of constraints of the first constraint type to more than one constraint of one of the other constraint types. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , the reduced constraint builder module to expand the at least one of the plurality of constraints of the first constraint type to at least one constraint of more than one of the other constraint types. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , each of the plurality of search definitions being selectable by a user to display the data items associated with the selected search definition. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , the query controller module to communicate each search definition to identify at least one of the plurality of constraints that have been excluded from the respective search definition. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 receiving a data search request including a plurality of constraints, each of the plurality of constraints being of one of a plurality of constraint types;   expanding, using at least one processor of a machine, at least one of the plurality of constraints of a first constraint type to one or more constraints of at least one other constraint type;   formulating a plurality of search definitions utilizing the plurality of constraints after expansion, each of the plurality of search definitions comprising a unique constraint set excluding at least one of the plurality of constraints after expansion;   performing a plurality of searches of a data source using the plurality of search definitions to generate a plurality of search results;   calculating, utilizing the plurality of search results, a plurality of counts of data items that respectively correspond to the plurality of search definitions; and   communicating the plurality of counts of data items and the corresponding plurality of search definitions to a client machine.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , the first constraint type comprising a keyword constraint type, a keyword constraint of the keyword constraint type to identify data items that include descriptive text that matches the keyword constraint. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , the first constraint type comprising a category constraint type, a category constraint of the category constraint type to identify data items that belong to an item category that matches the category constraint. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , the first constraint type comprising a search parameter constraint type, a search parameter constraint of the search parameter constraint type to identify data items that include a parameter value that matches the parameter constraint, the parameter value characterizing the data items irrespective of item categories. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , the first constraint type comprising an attribute constraint type, an attribute constraint of the attribute constraint type to identify data items that include an attribute value that matches the attribute constraint, the attribute value distinguishing the data items within a particular item category. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a data search request including a plurality of constraints, each of the plurality of constraints being of one of a plurality of constraint types;   expanding at least one of the plurality of constraints of a first constraint type to one or more constraints of at least one other constraint type;   formulating a plurality of search definitions utilizing the plurality of constraints after expansion, each of the plurality of search definitions comprising a unique constraint set excluding at least one of the plurality of constraints after expansion;   performing a plurality of searches of a data source using the plurality of search definitions to generate a plurality of search results;   calculating, utilizing the plurality of search results, a plurality of counts of data items that respectively correspond to the plurality of search definitions; and   communicating the plurality of counts of data items and the corresponding plurality of search definitions to a client machine.