Techniques for inline searching in an instant messenger environment
First Claim
1. A method for searching the Internet in an instant messaging environment, the method comprising:
- recognizing at least a portion of an instant message entered into an instant messaging application on a first client computer as a search query;
displaying the search query to the first user inline in an instant messaging window on the first client computer;
transmitting the search query to a search server, wherein the search server performs a web search based on the search query and retrieves search results; and
displaying at least one of the search results inline in the instant messaging window on the first client computer.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for performing inline searches in an instant messaging environment are provided. A user can implement a web search in an instant messaging window by entering a search query. A search query can be preceded by a predefined search trigger to identify the associated text as the search query. The search query is sent to an Internet search server, which processes the query and gathers search results. One or more of the search results is displayed inline in the instant messaging window to the sender and the recipient. The search result can be in XML or HTML format and can include graphics and hyperlinks.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for searching the Internet in an instant messaging environment, the method comprising:
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recognizing at least a portion of an instant message entered into an instant messaging application on a first client computer as a search query;
displaying the search query to the first user inline in an instant messaging window on the first client computer;
transmitting the search query to a search server, wherein the search server performs a web search based on the search query and retrieves search results; and
displaying at least one of the search results inline in the instant messaging window on the first client computer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer system that is configured to search the Internet in an instant messaging environment, the computer system comprising:
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a first instant messaging (IM) client that recognizes an instant message as including a search query and displays the search query inline in a first instant messaging window; and
an instant messaging (IM) server that transmits the search query received from the first IM client to a second IM client for display inline in a second instant messaging window on the second IM client, wherein a search server receives the search query, executes a search based on the search query, and retrieves search results, and wherein at least one of the search results is transmitted to the first IM client for display inline in the first instant messaging window, and to the second IM client for display inline in the second instant messaging window. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product for performing web searches in an instant messaging environment, the computer program product comprising:
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code for recognizing that an instant message entered by a first user into a first instant messaging application on a first client computer includes a search query;
code for displaying the search query inline in a first instant messaging window on the first client computer;
code for transmitting the search query to a search server, wherein the search server performs a search based on the search query and returns search results; and
code for displaying one or more of the search results inline in the first instant messaging window on the first client computer; and
a computer readable medium for storing the codes. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification