System and method to implement a persistent and dismissible search center frame

• US 20030088545A1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Subramaniam, Pavitra, Ying, Jian-Jung, Zoss, Jason, Caltabiano, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 6,782,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes displaying a search center pane after a user selects a search icon from a search tool bar to begin a user session. The search center pane includes a search frame. The search frame includes a close button. The method also includes selecting a search category from a dropdown list of search categories in the search frame. The method further includes entering a search keyword. In addition, the method includes searching a database for data records matching the search category and the search keyword. Furthermore, the method includes caching the data records matching the search category and the search keyword to maintain persistency of the data records until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying a search center pane after a user selects a search icon from a search tool bar to begin a user session, the search center pane including a search frame, the search frame including a close button;

selecting a search category from a dropdown list of search categories in the search frame;

entering a search keyword;

searching a database for data records matching the search category and the search keyword; and

caching the data records matching the search category and the search keyword to maintain persistency of the data records until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a results frame in the search center pane; and

displaying in the results frame a list of data records matching the search category and the search keyword.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a content area frame in the search center pane for viewing content of a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a search index; and

searching a database for data records from the search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing a results frame in the search center pane; and

displaying a list of data records from the search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a content area frame in the search center pane for viewing content of a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a search index specifying an attached document; and

performing a full-text search on the attached document for data records matching the search category and the search keyword.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a results frame in the search center pane; and

displaying a list of data records in the attached document that matches the search category and the search keyword.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a content area frame in the search center pane for viewing content of a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

10. A method, comprising:

displaying a search tool bar including a search icon;

displaying a search center pane after a user selects the search icon to begin a user session, the search center pane including a search frame and a results frame;

selecting a search category from a dropdown list of search categories in the search frame;

entering a search keyword;

searching a database for data records matching the search category and the search keyword;

displaying in the results frame a list of data records matching the search category and the search keyword; and

caching the data records listed in the results frame to maintain persistency of the data records until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a content area in the search frame;

selecting a data record from the list of data records displayed in the results frame; and

displaying content of the data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a search index; and

searching a database for data records from the search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying a list of data records from the search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a content area in the search frame;

selecting a data record from the list of data records displayed in the results frame; and

displaying content of the data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a search index specifying an attached document; and

performing a full-text search on the attached document for data records matching the search category and the search keyword.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying a list of data records in the attached document that matches the search category and the search keyword.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

providing a content area in the search frame;

selecting a data record from the list of data records displayed in the results frame; and

displaying content of the data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

18. A system, comprising:

a search frame including a list of search categories and a keyword box to enter a search keyword, the search frame including a close button;

a result frame to display a list of data records matching the search keyword and a search category selected from the list of search categories displayed in the search frame;

a business service to cache the data records displayed in the result frame to maintain persistency of the data records until the close button is selected to terminate a user session; and

a content area frame to display a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the result frame.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the search frame displays a list of search indices and an search index selected from the list of search indices; and

the result frame displays a list of data records in the selected search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein:

the search frame displays a list of search indices and an search index selected from the list of search indices, the selected search index specifying an attached document; and

the result frame displays a list of data records in the attached document that matches the search category and the search keyword after a full-text search is performed on the attached document.

21. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

displaying a search tool bar including a search icon;

displaying a search center pane after a user selects the search icon to begin a user session, the search center pane including a search frame, the search frame including a close button;

selecting a search category from a dropdown list of search categories in the search frame;

entering a search keyword;

searching a database for data records matching the search category and the search keyword;

caching the data records matching the search category and the search keyword until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

providing a results frame in the search center pane; and

displaying in the results frame a list of data records matching the search category and the search keyword.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a content area frame in the search center pane for viewing content of a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting a search index; and

searching a database for data records from the search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

providing a results frame in the search center pane; and

displaying a list of data records from the search index that matches the search category and the search keyword.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising:

providing a content area frame in the search center pane for viewing content of a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting a search index specifying an attached document; and

performing a full-text search on the attached document for data records matching the search category and the search keyword.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising:

providing a results frame in the search center pane; and

displaying a list of data records in the attached document that matches the search category and the search keyword.

29. The machine-readable medium of claim 28, further comprising:

providing a content area frame in the search center pane for viewing content of a data record selected from the list of data records displayed in the results frame.