Patent ID: 7856434

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for modifying the results of a search performed in a collection of items by a search and navigation system, the method comprising: receiving a query from a user interface; determining a navigation state based on the received query, the navigation state being one of a plurality of navigation states which are defined by expressions of attribute-value pairs, such that for a first navigation state and a second navigation state, there are multiple paths of intermediate navigation states connecting the first navigation state and the second navigation state, and one method of navigation through the intermediate navigation states is achieved by a user interface that accepts both selecting and deselecting of any of the attribute-value pairs in an expression corresponding to the first navigation state to obtain an expression corresponding to the second navigation state or one of the intermediate navigation states, each selection and deselection forming a new query; retrieving, from the collection, items associated with the navigation state to form a set of unmodified search results, the set of unmodified search results having an arrangement for presentation to the user; applying a rule filter to a set of rules, prior to evaluation of a trigger for each rule, each rule comprising the trigger, an action, and metadata, and the rule filter comprising a metadata expression, wherein the applying of the rule filter to the set of rules comprises: evaluating the metadata expression of the rule filter based on the metadata of each rule; and passing rules for which the metadata expression of the rule filter evaluates as logical true; evaluating the trigger of each rule passed by the rule filter; executing the action of each rule for which the trigger of the rule evaluates as logical true, to modify the unmodified search results to form modified search results; and presenting the modified search results via the user interface.