METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR CONTENT SEARCH ON A DEVICE

• US 20100070482A1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kankainen, Mikko Tapio, Punaganti Venkata, Murali-Krishna, Partanen, Jussi-Pekka, Luoma, Kristian
• Application Number:
  US12/209,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20100070482A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Content search on a device involves receiving a search request at a search engine of a device. The search request is associated with a search category. In response to the search request, a plug-in module of the search engine is selected based at least in part on a search category of the request. An extensible markup-language-formatted definition document is received from the plug-in module. The definition document includes an arrangement of data particular to the search category. A results document is formed based on the definition document and sent from the search engine to a search result renderer operating concurrently on the device with the search engine.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

searching a content repository of a user device in response to a search request received at the user device, the search request being associated with a search category;

selecting, in response to the search request, a plug-in module of a search engine based at least in part on the search category;

receiving, from the plug-in module, an extensible markup-language-formatted definition document that includes an arrangement of data particular to the search category;

forming a results document based on a result of the search and the definition document; and

sending the results document to a search result renderer operating concurrently on the user device with the search engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in module interfaces with the search engine via a plug-in interface that provides on-demand extension of search functionality of the search engine by the dynamic addition of multiple plug-in modules each associated with different search categories.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the arrangement of data in the definition document comprises at least one of layouts, structures, and actions particular to the search category handled by the selected plug-in.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the arrangement of data in the definition document comprises the layouts, the structures, and the actions particular to the search category handled by the selected plug-in.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the search request comprises a user-initiated request for a content search.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the search request comprises a system event for initial population of a search database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the search database comprises at least two results pools, wherein the results pools are each directed to different search categories.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a change in at least one of the result pools; and

signaling the change to the search result renderer to update search results rendered to the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading the plug-in module via a network in response to the search request.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading the definition document via a network in response to at least one of the receiving of the search request and a non-user-initiated system event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plug-in module searches the content repository in response to the search request.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a data interface capable of accessing a content repository of a user terminal;

a processor coupled to the data interface; and

memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory instructions that cause the processor to,

search the content repository in response to a search request received at the user terminal, the search request being associated with a search category;

select, in response to the search request, a plug-in module based at least in part on the search category;

receive, from the plug-in module, an extensible markup language formatted definition document that includes an arrangement of data particular to the search category;

form a results document based on a result of the search and the definition document; and

send the results document to a search result renderer operating concurrently on the user terminal with the instructions.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plug-in module interfaces with the search engine via a plug-in interface that provides on-demand extension of search functionality of the search engine by the dynamic addition of multiple plug-in modules each associated with different search categories.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the arrangement of data in the definition document comprises at least one of layouts, structures, and actions particular to the search category handled by the selected plug-in.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the search request comprises a system event of the user terminal for initial population of a search database.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the search database comprises one or more results pools, wherein the results pools are each capable of being directed to different search categories.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

detect a change in at least one of the result pools; and

signal the change to the search result renderer to update search results rendered to the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to download the plug-in module via a network in response to the search request.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to download the definition document in response to at least one of the receiving of the search request and a non-user-initiated system event.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plug-in module searches the content repository in response to the search request.

21. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions which are executable by an apparatus for performing steps that include;

searching a content repository of the apparatus in response to receiving a search request at the apparatus, the search request being associated with a search category;

selecting, in response to the search request, a plug-in module of the search engine based at least in part on the search category;

receiving, from the plug-in module, an extensible markup-language-formatted definition document that includes an arrangement of data particular to the search category;

forming a results document based on a result of the search and the definition document; and

sending the results document from the search engine to a search result renderer operating concurrently on the apparatus with the search engine.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for searching a content repository of a user terminal in response to a search request received from the user terminal, the search request being associated with a search category;

means for selecting, in response to the search request, a plug-in module of a search engine based at least in part on the search category;

means for receiving, from the plug-in module in response to the plug-in module searching the content repository, an extensible markup language formatted definition document that includes an arrangement of data particular to the search category;

means for forming a results document based on a result of the search and the definition document; and

means for sending the results document from the search engine to a search result renderer of the user terminal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for storing one or more results pools, wherein the results pools are each capable of being directed to different search categories

means for detecting a change in at least one of the result pools; and

means for signaling the change to the search result renderer to update the search results rendered to the user.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising at least one of:

means for downloading the plug-in module via a network in response to the search request; and

means for downloading the definition document via a network in response to receiving the search request in response to at least one of the receiving of the search request and a non-user-initiated system event.