Dynamically updated quick searches and strategies
First Claim
1. A method for efficiently accessing search results in response to input of text characters into a computing device, comprising the steps of:
- (a) enabling a user to input text characters indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(b) in response to the text characters that are input, populating a display with at least one of a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches, each list with which the display is populated being dynamically updated as successive text characters are input, so that the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches change to correspond to the text characters that have been input, key words included in each list beginning with said text characters;
(c) if at least said one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches is displayed, enabling the user to make a selection from at least said one thereof that appears most likely to provide the search results desired; and
(d) displaying search results from the selection made by the user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In response to characters entered within a Find dialog box, a minifind window is dynamically updated to provide corresponding search strategies and quick matches from content search data that are being searched. The search strategies and quick matches that are listed are dynamically updated as the user inputs additional characters in the Find dialog box. At any time, the user can initiate a full text search to populate a search results pane, based upon the characters input, by selecting a Go control or pressing the Enter key. Alternatively, the user can select one of the quick matches or search strategies, to populate the search results pane with corresponding items obtained from the content search data, which are most likely to relate to the information desired by the user. This approach is applicable to finding information in almost any data accessed locally, or over a network.
190 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method for efficiently accessing search results in response to input of text characters into a computing device, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) enabling a user to input text characters indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(b) in response to the text characters that are input, populating a display with at least one of a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches, each list with which the display is populated being dynamically updated as successive text characters are input, so that the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches change to correspond to the text characters that have been input, key words included in each list beginning with said text characters;
(c) if at least said one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches is displayed, enabling the user to make a selection from at least said one thereof that appears most likely to provide the search results desired; and
(d) displaying search results from the selection made by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A memory medium having machine executable instructions for carrying out a plurality of functions, including:
-
(a) enabling a user to input text characters indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(b) in response to the text characters that are input, displaying at least one of a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches, each list that is displayed being dynamically updated as successive text characters are input, so that the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches change in response to the text characters that have been input, key words included in each list beginning with said text characters;
(c) if at least said one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches is displayed, enabling the user to make a selection from at least said one thereof that appears most likely to provide the search results desired; and
(d) displaying search results from the selection made by the user.
-
-
13. A computer-implemented method for efficiently accessing search results in a data source in response to input of text characters, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) enabling a user to input text characters that are indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(b) in response to the text characters that are input, displaying both a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches;
(c) dynamically updating each list as successive text characters are input, so that content in the list of proposed search strategies and content in the list of proposed quick matches change to correspond to the text characters that have been input, key words included in the content of each list beginning with said text characters;
(d) enabling the user to make a selection from one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches that appears most relevant to accessing the search results desired; and
(e) displaying search results from the selection made by the user.
-
-
14. A memory medium having machine executable instructions for carrying out a plurality of functions, including:
-
(a) enabling a user to input text characters that are indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(b) in response to the text characters that are input, displaying both a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches;
(c) dynamically updating each list as successive text characters are input, so that content in the list of proposed search strategies and content in the list of proposed quick matches change to correspond to the text characters that have been input, key words included in the content of each list beginning with said text characters;
(d) enabling the user to make a selection from one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches that appears most relevant to accessing the search results desired; and
(e) displaying search results from the selection made by the user.
-
-
15. A system for efficiently accessing search results in response to input of text characters, comprising:
-
(a) a user input device enabling input of text characters;
(b) a display;
(c) a data content that is searchable;
(d) a memory in which machine instructions are stored; and
(e) a processor that is coupled to the user input device, to the display, to the data content, and to the memory, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including;
(i) enabling a user to input text characters on the user input device that are indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(ii) in response to the text characters that are input, populating the display with at least one of a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches, each list with which the display is populated being dynamically updated as successive text characters are input, so that the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches change to correspond to the text characters that have been input, key words included in each list beginning with said text characters;
(iii) if at least said one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches is displayed, enabling the user to make a selection from at least said one thereof that appears most likely to provide the search results desired;
(iv) searching the data content using the selection; and
(v) displaying search results on the display that are from the data content and are based upon the selection made by the user. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A system for efficiently accessing search results in response to input of text characters, comprising:
-
(a) a user input device enabling input of text characters;
(b) a display;
(c) a data content that is searchable;
(d) a memory in which machine instructions are stored; and
(e) a processor that is coupled to the user input device, to the display, to the data content, and to the memory, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including;
(i) enabling a user to input text characters into the computing device using the user input device that are indicative of a search topic for which search results are desired;
(ii) in response to the text characters that are input, displaying both a list of proposed search strategies and a list of proposed quick matches on the display;
(iii) dynamically updating each list on the display as successive text characters are input, so that entries in the list of proposed search strategies and entries in the list of proposed quick matches change to correspond to the text characters that have been input, key words included in the entries of each list beginning with said text characters;
(iv) enabling the user to make a selection from one of the list of proposed search strategies and the list of proposed quick matches that appears most relevant to accessing the search results desired;
(v) searching the data content using the selection; and
(vi) displaying search results from the data content that are based on the selection made by the user.
-
Specification