Searching for commands to execute in applications

• US 20070214425A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bala, Aravind, Fries, Karen
• Granted Patent: US 7,925,975 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• 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. The most likely commands are provided to the user, and a command can be selected for execution.

Claims

1. A method of identifying commands in an application, comprising:

receiving a search request indicative of a desired task to be performed with the application;

identifying possible commands in the application based on the search request; and

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

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying possible commands comprises:

receiving a context input indicative of a context of the application and identifying the possible commands based on the context input.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein returning the possible commands comprises:

returning the possible commands in ranked order based on a score calculated for each possible command indicative of how likely it is that the possible command can be used to perform the desired task.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises:

displaying a user actuable interface element, for each possible command, that can be actuated by the user through a graphical user interface to perform the possible command.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving a search request comprises:

displaying a text entry mechanism; and

receiving a text entry indicative of the search request.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein returning the possible commands in a user selectable form comprises:

displaying a user actuable interface element, for each possible command, that can be actuated by the user through a graphical user interface to perform the possible command; and

displaying an associated command identifier, associated with each user actuable interface element, wherein the command identifier can be entered in the text entry mechanism to perform the possible command.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying possible commands and returning the possible commands are performed after each character received in the text entry mechanism.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the score is calculated for each possible command identified after each character received in the text entry mechanism.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying the possible commands is performed by a search component in a platform that supports a plurality of different applications.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a search request comprises:

receiving a speech input indicative of the search request.

11. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

returning tutorial assistance in executing a selected command response to receiving a user selection of a possible command.

12. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

conducting additional dialog to disambiguate a command is response to receiving a user selection of a possible command.

13. A system for locating a command to perform a task in any of a plurality of different applications, comprising:

a searching component configured to receive a search request and a current context of an application in which the command is to be executed and to identify a plurality of possible commands based on the search request and the context, and to return the possible commands in user selectable form,

such that a selected command can be executed.

14. The system of claim 13 and further comprising:

a platform supporting the plurality of different applications, the platform including the searching component.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the platform and the searching component reside on a client device.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of different applications reside on a client device and further comprising:

a server connectable to the client device, the server including the searching component.

17. The system of claim 13 and further comprising:

a server including one or more of the different applications and the searching component, the one or more applications being accessible by one or more client devices.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the searching component is accessible by a mobile device.

19. The system of claim 13 and further comprising:

a command data store, searchable by the searching component and storing a command records indicative of commands for the plurality of different applications.

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;

receiving context information indicative of a current context of an application for which a command is sought;

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

returning a list of the plurality of possible commands as user actuable graphical user interface elements, ordered according to a relationship between the possible commands and the search request and the context information.