Operating system program launch menu search

• US 20060218503A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lerner, Matthew R., Matthews, David A., Stabb, Charles W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/779
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An operating system program launch menu, such as a Start menu, provides various mechanisms for a user to quickly and efficiently locate and launch desired data items such as programs, data files, storage locations, and the like. A search box within the program launch menu may be used to quickly locate programs, documents, communications, and other data items. An auto-complete feature may be used, e.g., when the user restricts the locations searched for the user-entered search text. A most commonly used program list may include programs based on various criteria including both frequency of use and recent use, thereby always including a most recently used item. An all programs view may display programs and documents in a hosted-tree view within the original confines of the program launch menu, thereby negating the need to open sub-menus on top of a large portion of the desktop displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. A method for locating selectable items stored on a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving user input to display a program launch menu; and

responsive to the receiving step, displaying the program launch menu comprising a search text input interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a user selecting a Start button, and wherein the program launch menu comprises a Start menu.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying search results within a predefined area of the program launch menu, wherein the search results comprise selectable items matching text input received from a user via the search text input interface.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically performing a new search based on each additional text character input by the user into the search text input interface without clearing contents of the sear text input interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the performing step comprises detecting that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a last received text input character.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the displaying step comprises arranging the search results into one or more groups according to a type of each matching selectable item.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the groups comprise at least two groups from a set of groups comprising programs, files, Internet locations, and communications.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the selectable items match the text input when metadata of the selectable item contains the text input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the metadata comprises an item name.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the metadata comprises an item author.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the selectable items match the text input when contents of the selectable item contain the text input.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising ordering items within each group based on a modification date/time of each item.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising ordering items within each group based on how each item matches the text input.

14. The method of claim 3, further comprising automatically providing selection focus to a top search result.

15. One or more computer readable media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform the method of claim 1.

16-20. -20. (canceled)

21. One or more computer readable media storing computer executable instructions for performing a method for locating selectable items stored on a computer system, said method comprising steps of:

displaying a graphical user interface comprising a taskbar having a Start button;

receiving user input selecting the Start button; and

responsive to the receiving step, displaying a program launch menu comprising a plurality of selectable items, each representative of an application program, and the program launch menu comprising a search text input interface.

22. The computer readable media of claim 21, wherein said method further comprises steps of:

receiving user input via the search text input box; and

displaying search results within a predefined area of the program launch menu, wherein the search results comprise selectable items matching the user input.

23. The computer readable media of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises steps of:

detecting that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since a text input character has been received in the search text input box; and

responsive to the detecting step, automatically performing a new search based on all text in the search text input box.

24. One or more computer readable media storing computer executable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to provide a graphical user interface comprising:

a start button which, upon selection by a user, causes the computer to display a program launch menu,

wherein the program launch menu comprises, when initially displayed responsive to user selection of the Start button, a plurality of selectable items, each selectable item corresponding to an application program, and further comprising a search text input box, and

wherein the program launch menu comprises, subsequent to a user inputting text in the search text input box, search results displayed within a predefined area of the program launch menu, wherein the search results comprise selectable items based on the user input.

25. The computer readable media of claim 24, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the user interface to provide a selection focus to a first search result having a top relevance to the user input.