Search Tool Using Multiple Different Search Engine Types Across Different Data Sets

• US 20080033926A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vorchik, David G. De, Lerner, Matthew R., Matthews, David A., Sechrest, Stuart, Zou, Song, Anderson, Bret P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,323,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a search tool that utilizes multiple different search engines. The individual search engines are configured to conduct searches in different ways across a search space that includes different types of data sets. In at least some embodiments, the type of search engine that is utilized is a function of characteristics of the data set(s) that is (are) to be searched. In search spaces that include different types of data sets, combining and mixing different search engines to collectively search the search space can provide a desirably fast and robust user experience.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving user search input;

responsive to said receiving, selecting a first search engine to conduct a search across a data set comprising part of a search space;

responsive to said receiving, selecting at least one other search engine to conduct a search across another data set comprising part of the search space;

using said search engines to conduct a search of the search space; and

presenting results of the search to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said acts of selecting are performed as a function of a data set'"'"'s size.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said acts of searching are conducted on a user'"'"'s computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the search engines comprises a search engine configured to conduct a linear search.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the search engines comprises a search engine configured to conduct an index search.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the search engines comprises a search engine configured to conduct a linear search and another of the search engines comprises a search engine configured to conduct an index search.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said acts of using and presenting can be performed on a letter-by-letter basis.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting a start menu user interface having a search tool being configured to utilize multiple different search engines individual ones of which being configured to conduct different types of searches;

receiving, via the search tool, user search input;

responsive to said receiving, selecting a first search engine to conduct a search across one or more data sets;

responsive to said receiving, selecting at least a second search engine to conduct a search across one or more data sets;

using said search engines to conduct a search; and

displaying search results to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said one or more data sets searched by the first search engine are different from said one or more data sets searched by the second search engine.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said first search engine comprises a search engine configured to conduct a linear search.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said second search engine comprises a search engine configured to conduct an index search.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said acts of selecting are performed as a function of the size of a data set to be searched.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said acts of using and displaying can be performed on a letter-by-letter basis.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising changing a search engine type associated with a data set when a characteristic of that data set changes.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising changing a search engine for conducting a search based on a query string length entered by the user.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the act of displaying comprises displaying search results in defined groups.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said defined groups include programs, web-related items, files, and communications.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, implement a search tool comprising:

multiple different search engines individual ones of which being configured to be selected and used to conduct different types of searches across different types of data sets,

wherein the search tool is configured to select a search engine as a function of a data set size.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the search tool is configured to display search results to a user on a letter-by-letter basis.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the search tool comprises part of a start menu.