Dynamic Menus for Multi-Prefix Interactive Searches Using Predictive Text to Yield Targeted Advertisements

Abstract

The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques (including predictive text techniques to facilitate the generation of targeted ads) that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained computing devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth.

1 . A method for conducting an interactive multi-tier search of a database of content items across at least one of a plurality of channels, each channel representing a category of content items within the database, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving a user selection of at least one of a plurality of search channels, wherein the user's search is limited to the at least one of the plurality of search channels;   (c) receiving individual keystrokes as they are entered by the user into a mobile device, and in response to each individual keystroke conducting a prefix search for matching items within the database that contain words having a prefix matching a cumulative total of the individual keystrokes; and   (e) delivering the matching item list and a plurality of B-Menu entries to the mobile device for display to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a telephone contact information in the matching item list immediately useable by the mobile device, with at least one selectable link associated with the telephone contact information being displayed to the user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a location information in the matching item list immediately useable by the mobile device, with at least one selectable link associated with the location information being displayed to the user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a price information in the matching item list immediately useable by the mobile device, with at least one selectable link associated with the price information being displayed to the user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a purchasing information in the matching item list, with at least one selectable link associated with the purchasing information being displayed to the user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a scheduling information in the matching item list, with at least one selectable link associated with the scheduling information being displayed to the user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a popularity ranking, wherein at least a portion of the matching items in the matching item list are sorted based on a popularity ranking of the matching items. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the matching item list which comprises a positional ranking, wherein at least a portion of the matching items in the matching item list are sorted based on a positional ranking of the matching items. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the matching items in the matching item list are sorted based on data in a viewing history of the user's mobile device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving GPS data about a location from the mobile device, the GPS data comprising a current geographic location of the mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving GPS data about a location from the mobile device, the GPS data comprising a geographic location entered into the mobile device by the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries includes at least one targeted advertisement relevant to at least one of the matching items. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one targeted advertisement is updated in response to each individual keystroke as it is entered by the user into the mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . A method for conducting an interactive multi-tier search of a database of content items across at least one of a plurality of channels, each channel representing a category of content items within the database, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving a user selection of at least one of a plurality of search channels, wherein the user's search is limited to the at least one of the plurality of search channels;   (b) receiving location data from a computing device;   (c) receiving individual alphanumeric keystrokes of a search query as they are entered by the user into the computing device, and in response to each individual alphanumeric keystroke conducting a prefix search for matching items within the database that contain words having a prefix matching the search query entered by the user;   (d) generating a results list comprising at least a portion of the matching items and a plurality of B-Menu entries, at least a portion of the matching items in the results list sorted based on the location data from the computing device; and   (e) delivering the results list to the computing device for display to the user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries identifies a matching item in the results list comprising telephone contact information, with at least one selectable link associated with the telephone contact information being displayed to the user of the computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries comprises a link to at least one targeted advertisement relevant to at least one of the matching items in the results list. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of B-Menu entries comprises a link to at least one targeted advertisement that is relevant to a plurality of the matching items in the results list. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the link to the at least one targeted advertisement is updated in response to each individual keystroke as it is entered by the user into the computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the location data comprises a current geographic location of the computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the location data comprises a geographic location entered into the computing device by the user.