Patent ID: 8135737

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for performing a search, the method comprising: receiving a search query including multiple terms; identifying a combination of terms within the search query, the combination of terms within the search query including at least two terms of the search query; accessing information related to categories of search queries, wherein the accessed information comprises a plurality of terms related to the categories of search queries; comparing the combination of terms within the search query with the accessed information related to categories of search queries; based on comparison results, identifying a subset of the categories as being related to the search query; selecting from the identified subset of the categories a category that has been previously selected most often among the identified subset of the categories; prompting a user to select at least one term from the plurality of terms related to the selected category; creating an updated search query comprising at least one term present in the received search query and the at least one selected term; performing a search for the updated search query based on the identified subset of categories; wherein identifying the combination of terms within the search query includes: identifying a first combination of terms within the search query, the first combination of terms within the search query including at least two terms of the search query; and identifying a second combination of terms within the search query, the second combination of terms within the search query including at least two terms of the search query and the second combination of terms being in an order different than the order of terms in the first combination of terms; comparing the combination of terms within the search query with the accessed information related to categories of search queries includes: comparing the first combination of terms within the search query with the accessed information related to categories of search queries; and comparing the second combination of terms within the search query with the accessed information related to categories of search queries; and identifying the subset of the categories as being related to the search query includes identifying a subset of the categories as being related to the search query based on the comparison of the first combination of terms within the search query with the accessed information related to categories of search queries and the comparison of the second combination of terms within the search query with the accessed information related to categories of search queries.