Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Rajeev Kumar Chand

Sander M Viegers

Feridoon Malekzadeh

Brook John Durant

Eric Paul Bennett

Shree Lakshmi Rao

Peter Bailey

Deana Rae Fuller

Javier Garcia Flynn

Keith Alan Regier

Zachary Gutt

Toan Huynh

Andres De Vivanco Castro Mendivil

Shree Lakshmi Jayachandra Rao

Rodrigo Moreira Silveira

Stephanie S Horstmanshof

Marcela Sobrinho Pereira

Robert James Barber

Sarah K Berrier

Faisal Nasim

Craig J Miller

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing images having zoomspots are provided. In embodiments, an interactive image is provided. Such an interactive image includes a zoomspot that, if selected, results in a magnified portion of the interactive image corresponding with the zoomspot. Subsequently, an indication of a selection of the zoomspot is received. In response thereto, the magnified portion of the interactive image corresponding with the zoomspot is automatically presented. The magnified portion can be presented in accordance with a predetermined location of the interactive image and a predetermined quality.

Providing images with zoomspots

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media exposing video user interface elements associated with search engine homepages are provided. Upon receiving a request for presentation of a search engine homepage, a video file is transmitted for presentation as the background for the search engine homepage. The video file includes a plurality of sequentially-arranged frames, a portion of which contain the same content, making such portion appear as a static image upon play of the video file, and a portion of which contain content which differs, such that such portion has visually discernable movement upon play of the video file. After a predetermined amount of time, play of the video file is initiated. As only portions of the background content include visually discernable movement, a user's attention is attracted to such portions of the background. Upon user interaction with such portions, additional information about the background content may be presented.

Video user interface elements on search engine homepages

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for enabling immersive, interactive desktop image presentation are provided. Upon receiving a request for presentation of a background image of a search engine home page as a desktop image, the background image is transmitted for presentation on a desktop associated with a computing device. In embodiments, the background image, and likewise the desktop image, permits user interaction therewith. For instance, a user may zoom into the image, pan around the image or otherwise interact with enabled regions of the background and/or desktop image that offer additional content and/or navigate the user to another location where additional information may be found. In this way, the user is provided an immersive, interactive experience with the image whether at the search engine home page, the desktop, or both.

Enabling immersive, interactive desktop image presentation

Display screen with animated graphical user interface

Display screen with graphical user interface

Methods and computer-readable media for determining relevant search categories, such as images, videos, news, health, maps, products, etc., and subcategories that are associated with the search categories based on a query submitted by a user on a search page and displaying the relevant search categories and subcategories on an initial search results page. A query may be inputted by a user and may be received. A set of suggested refinement links, which may include search categories and subcategories, may be identified as being relevant to the query. Further, the subcategories, when selected, may return narrower search results than when a selection is made of a search category. Additionally, the initial search results page may be generated and may include the set of suggested refinement links determined to be relevant to the query, as well as search results.

Relevant navigation with deep links into query

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for presenting interactive images associated with a search engine in association with a search engine results page (SERP) are provided. Upon receiving a search query at a search engine, it is determined that the search query content has a related interactive image associated with the search engine. An interactive image may be associated with the search engine, for instance, by having been previously presented as a background image for a search engine home page. A link to the interactive image may be presented as a search result on the SERP, the interactive image may be automatically presented as a background image of the SERP, or the interactive image may be determined to be related to an algorithmically-derived search result and a visual indicator thereof may be presented in association with the search result.

Presenting interactive images with search results

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for presenting video as at least a portion of the background of search engine home pages are provided. Upon receiving a request for presentation of a search engine home page, a static image is transmitted for presentation as at least a portion of the background for the search engine home page. Also transmitted is a video file. The static image may or may not be associated with the video file. After a predetermined amount of time, play of the video file is initiated without user action, the video file replacing the static image as at least a portion of the background of the search engine home page. In this way, the user receives a seamless transition from a static image to a video presentation and is provided a rich, immersive experience at the search engine home page.

Presenting video as a background on a search engine home page

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

Rajeev Kumar Chand