Mechanism for facilitating improved searching

• US 10,120,914 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 11/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Vogt, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Misir, Dave
• Application Number:
  US14/207,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20140279749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 706 12, 707 72, 707767, 707722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Improved integrated search techniques. A request for performance of a search for objects is received within a multi-tenant database environment having a plurality of tenants each having individual tenant information. A query is generated in response to the request. The query is specialized based on tenant information corresponding to a tenant from which the request originates. The tenant information is retrieved from the multi-tenant database environment. The query is performed on information stored in the multi-tenant database environment. Results of the query are presented to a user in a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for a search of objects within a multi-tenant database environment having a plurality of tenants each having individual tenant information, wherein the request is in response to input via a graphical user interface;

presenting, via the graphical user interface, a search screen having shortcut lists organized by type and based on aggregation across multiple users of individual tenants of the multi-tenant database environment, wherein the types include one or more tasks or application commands, frequently opened database objects, frequently edited database objects, frequently viewed database objects, wherein one or more shortcut lists provide access to one or more objects of the type within a corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of an object via the graphical user interface;

generating, with one or more processors, a multi-tenant database environment operation in response to a selection from the one or more shortcut lists, wherein the operation is specialized based on tenant information corresponding to the aggregation across multiple users of a tenant from which the request originates and is performed on the one or more objects of the type within the corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of an object via the graphical user interface, and wherein the aggregation tenant information is retrieved from the multi-tenant database environment;

performing, with the one or more processors, the operation on the one or more objects of the type within the corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of the object via the graphical user interface on information stored in a database of the multi-tenant database environment, wherein the selection of the object causes the operation or application commands to be performed without further navigation to another screen or application commands; and

presenting results of the operation in the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises aggregating queries across multiple organizations in the multitenant database environment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises aggregating queries across multiple groups in the multitenant database environment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises customizing the query utilizing machine learning based on user behavior and user research.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises customizing the query utilizing heuristics based on user behavior and user research.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises optimizing the query based on user-specific trending topics.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises limiting the query to temporally-specific results based on temporal terms in the request.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein specializing the query comprises providing a shortcut to a function in response to a term in the request.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions capable of, when executed by one or more processors, providing a multitenant environment to:

receive a request for a search of objects within a multi-tenant database environment having a plurality of tenants each having individual tenant information, wherein the request is in response to input via a graphical user interface;

present, via the graphical user interface, a search screen having shortcut lists organized by type and based on aggregation across multiple users of individual tenants of the multi-tenant database environment, wherein the types include one or more tasks or application commands, frequently opened database objects, frequently edited database objects, frequently viewed database objects, wherein one or more shortcut lists provide access to one or more objects of the type within a corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of an object via the graphical user interface;

generate, with one or more processors, a multi-tenant database environment operation in response to a selection from the one or more shortcut lists, wherein the operation is specialized based on tenant information corresponding to the aggregation across multiple users of a tenant from which the request originates and is performed on the one or more objects of the type within the corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of an object via the graphical user interface, and wherein the aggregation tenant information is retrieved from the multi-tenant database environment;

perform, with the one or more processors, the operation on the one or more objects of the type within the corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of the object via the graphical user interface on information stored in a database of the multi-tenant database environment, wherein the selection of the object causes the operation or application commands to be performed without further navigation to another screen or application commands; and

present results of the operation in the graphical user interface.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises aggregating queries across multiple organizations in the multitenant database environment.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises aggregating queries across multiple groups in the multitenant database environment.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises customizing the query utilizing machine learning based on user behavior and user research.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises customizing the query utilizing heuristics based on user behavior and user research.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises optimizing the query based on user-specific trending topics.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises limiting the query to temporally-specific results based on temporal terms in the request.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein specializing the query comprises providing a shortcut to a function in response to a term in the request.

17. A system comprising:

at least one memory device;

one or more processors coupled with the at least one memory device, the one or more processors to receive a request for a search of objects within a multi-tenant database environment having a plurality of tenants each having individual tenant information, wherein the request is in response to input via a graphical user interface, to present, via the graphical user interface, a search screen having shortcut lists organized by type and based on aggregation across multiple users of individual tenants of the multi-tenant database environment, wherein the types include one or more tasks or application commands, frequently opened database objects, frequently edited database objects, frequently viewed database objects, wherein one or more shortcut lists provide access to one or more objects of the type within a corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of an object via the graphical user interface, to generate, with one or more processors, a multi-tenant database environment operation in response to a selection from the one or more shortcut lists, wherein the operation is specialized based on tenant information corresponding to the aggregation across multiple users of a tenant from which the request originates and is performed on the one or more objects of the type within the corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of an object via the graphical user interface, and wherein the aggregation tenant information is retrieved from the multi-tenant database environment, to perform, with the one or more processors, the operation on the one or more objects of the type within the corresponding shortcut list in response to selection of the object via the graphical user interface on information stored in a database of the multi-tenant database environment, wherein the selection of the object causes the operation or application commands to be performed without further navigation to another screen or application commands, and to present results of the operation in the graphical user interface.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein specializing the query comprises aggregating queries across multiple organizations in the multitenant database environment.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein specializing the query comprises aggregating queries across multiple groups in the multitenant database environment.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein specializing the query comprises customizing the query utilizing machine learning based on user behavior and user research.