Graphical user interfaces for information retrieval systems
First Claim
1. An online legal research system comprising:
- a plurality of databases containing legal documents;
a subscriber database having data structures associated with corresponding users of the system, each data structure being logically associated with user selected or defined content, and being associated with a user data file comprising one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits;
a server, comprising a processor and a memory, in electrical communication with the databases and configured;
to provide by the server one or more portions of a graphical user interface to one or more client access devices, the one or more portions including a user search interface comprising a set of pre-search filter input boxes designed to delimit databases from the plurality of databases and an expandable user text entry box for receiving text defining a query;
prior to running a search based on the query, to automatically identify and select by the server an appropriate at least one database based at least in part on inputs received via the user search interface and not on a set of query results, the appropriate database identified from a plurality of databases, wherein the appropriate at least one database from the plurality of databases is selected based on a predictive text analysis of a set of inputs received via the set of pre-search filter input boxes, the inputs comprising textual input entered by the user from the pre-search filter input boxes;
wherein the predictive text analysis is based in part on the one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits stored in the user data file and accessed by the server from the data structures in the subscriber database; and
to automatically search by the server an appropriate at least one of the databases from the plurality of databases in response to the query without the user identifying the at least one database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present inventors devised, among other things, an online legal research system with improved user controls. One exemplary system allows users to enter a query in a query input region that automatically expands to accommodate the length of the query field. The exemplary system also responds to the query by automatically directing it to an appropriate database, saving the user from having to choose among the myriad databases within the system. The exemplary system also provides user-specific folders for not only selected documents or excerpts from documents, but also annotating these documents with notes. The system enables the user to determine whether to make the notes private or publicly available.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An online legal research system comprising:
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a plurality of databases containing legal documents; a subscriber database having data structures associated with corresponding users of the system, each data structure being logically associated with user selected or defined content, and being associated with a user data file comprising one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits; a server, comprising a processor and a memory, in electrical communication with the databases and configured; to provide by the server one or more portions of a graphical user interface to one or more client access devices, the one or more portions including a user search interface comprising a set of pre-search filter input boxes designed to delimit databases from the plurality of databases and an expandable user text entry box for receiving text defining a query; prior to running a search based on the query, to automatically identify and select by the server an appropriate at least one database based at least in part on inputs received via the user search interface and not on a set of query results, the appropriate database identified from a plurality of databases, wherein the appropriate at least one database from the plurality of databases is selected based on a predictive text analysis of a set of inputs received via the set of pre-search filter input boxes, the inputs comprising textual input entered by the user from the pre-search filter input boxes; wherein the predictive text analysis is based in part on the one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits stored in the user data file and accessed by the server from the data structures in the subscriber database; and to automatically search by the server an appropriate at least one of the databases from the plurality of databases in response to the query without the user identifying the at least one database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for an online legal research system, the method comprising:
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storing data structures associated with corresponding users in a subscriber database, each data structure being logically associated with user selected or defined content, and being associated with a user data file comprising one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits; providing a graphical user interface including a user search interface having a set of pre-search filter input boxes designed to delimit databases from the plurality of databases and a text entry box for defining a query; expanding the box in response to receiving text defining a query; prior to running a search based on the query, automatically identifying and selecting an appropriate at least one database based at least in part on inputs received via the user search interface and not on a set of query results, the appropriate database identified from a plurality of databases, wherein the appropriate at least one database from the plurality of databases is selected based on a predictive text analysis of a set of inputs received via the set of pre-search filter input boxes, the inputs comprising textual input entered by the user from the pre-search filter input boxes; wherein the predictive text analysis is based in part on the one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits stored in the user data file and accessed from the data structures in the subscriber database; and automatically searching an appropriate at least one database from the plurality of databases of the legal research system in response to the query without the user identifying the at least one database. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory machine readable medium that stores instructions to be executed by a machine, the instructions when executed causing the machine to:
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store data structures associated with corresponding users in a subscriber database, each data structure being logically associated with user selected or defined content, and being associated with a user data file comprising one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits; provide one or more portions of a graphical user interface to one or more client access devices, the one or more portions including a user search interface comprising a set of pre-search filter input boxes designed to delimit databases from the plurality of databases and an expandable user text entry box for receiving text defining a query; prior to running a search based on the query, automatically identifying and selecting an appropriate at least one database based at least in part on inputs received via the user search interface and not on a set of query results, the appropriate database identified from a plurality of databases, wherein the appropriate at least one database from the plurality of databases is selected based on a predictive text analysis of a set of inputs received via the set of pre-search filter input boxes, the inputs comprising textual input entered by the user from the pre-search filter input boxes; wherein the predictive text analysis is based in part on the one or more of predictive text data, user preferences, or user usage habits stored in the user data file and accessed from the data structures in the subscriber database; and automatically search an appropriate at least one database from the plurality of databases containing legal documents in response to the query without the user identifying the at least one database. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification