Searching command enhancements

• US 20070214122A1
• Filed: 02/01/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bala, Aravind
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A user can access a searching component that allows the user to enter search terms to search for commands associated with a computer program. Some specific embodiments pertain to methods for supporting user access to the searching component, to methods for processing search terms submitted by the user, and to methods for guiding the user in terms of their formulation and selection queries. Methods for generating, organizing and manipulating the search results are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of locating a command to perform a desired task in an application, the method comprising:

providing a command store that contains an indication of commands associated with the application;

receiving a command query;

identifying possible commands in the command store based on the command query; and

returning the possible commands in a user selectable form such that the possible commands can be selected by a user for execution in order to perform the desired task.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an input indicative of a desire to launch a command search user interface component; and

responding to the input by initiating a display of the command search user interface component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving an input comprises receiving a signal indicative of one or more keyboard key strokes.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising terminating display of the command search user interface component after a command selected from the command search user interface component has been executed.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving an input comprises receiving a voice-activated command.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising pre-processing the command query before identifying the possible commands.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a command search index that maps multiple forms of a potential command query to the same possible commands in the command store.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises organizing the possible commands based on one or more biasing criteria.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting the user with an alternate command query.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting the user with a proposed query clarification.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising returning an alternate query in a user selectable form such that the alternate query can be selected by the user for execution of an alternate command search.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises returning the possible commands at least partially broken down by categories.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises adjusting the format of text incorporated into a possible command to be consistent with a characteristic of the command query.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises returning a possible command that includes an adjustable component pre-adjusted to be consistent with a characteristic of the command query.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises returning at least a portion of the possible commands in a gallery format.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying that the command query contains a request for an item of data; and

providing the item of data as part of the returned possible commands.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a pinning input that represents a selection of a possible commands from a user interface where the possible commands are displayed, wherein the pinning input also associates the selected possible command with a target user interface component that is outside of the user interface component where the possible commands are displayed; and

creating, within the target user interface component, a selectable link to a command functionality associated with the selected possible command.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an alternate name input; and

configuring a possible command to be displayed with the alternate name.

19. A system for locating a command to perform a task, the system comprising a searching component configured to receive a search request, and to identify a plurality of possible commands based on the search request, and to return the possible commands in user selectable form, wherein the possible commands are at least partially broken down by corresponding categories.

20. A computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps of:

receiving a command search request;

searching a data store to identify a plurality of possible commands based on the command search request; and

returning a list of the plurality of possible commands as user actuable graphical user interface elements, ordered so as to account for at least one rank biasing factor indicative of the command selection history of one or more users.