Contextual Search by a Mobile Communications Device

• US 20100105370A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Wykes, David Henry, Holmes, Kathleen W., Friedman, Jonathan D., Apfel, Darren A., Kruzeniski, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 : for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 : Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 : from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

Contextual search by a mobile communications device is described. In an implementation, a search query is a received and a context is detected of a user interface currently being displayed on a display device of a mobile communications device. One or more search results are displayed on a display device of a search performed in the detected context using the search query.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a search query;

detecting a context of a user interface currently being displayed on a display device of a mobile communications device; and

displaying one or more search results on the display device of a search performed in the detected context using the search query.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein:

a search query input area is displayed in the user interface in response to selection of a dedicated physical key of a keyboard of the mobile communications device; and

the search query input area displays the search query in the user interface.

3. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the context is detected based on an application that is currently configuring the user interface.

4. A method as described in claim 3, wherein the context is detected based on a type of content associated with the application.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the search query is displayed in a search query input area of the user interface that is currently being displayed.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the context is music, contacts or location.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising if an input is detected to switch from the context to another context;

performing a search in the other context using the search query without manually reentering the search query.

8. A method as described in claim 7, wherein the input is a gesture detected through touchscreen functionality of the display device.

9. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising placing a telephone call using a telephone number included in at least one said search result.

10. A mobile communications device comprising a display device and one or more modules to:

cause display of one or more results on the display device of a search performed in a first context based on a search query; and

if a gesture is detected to switch from the first context to a second context, cause display of one or more results of a search performed in the second context based on the search query.

11. A mobile communications device as described in claim 10, wherein the gesture is detected through touchscreen functionality of the display device.

12. A mobile communications device as described in claim 10, wherein the first and second contexts are configured as columns that are switchable horizontally via a pan gesture.

13. A mobile communications device as described in claim 10, further comprising performing the search in the second context based on the search query in response to the detection of the gesture without manually reentering the search query.

14. A mobile communications device as described in claim 10, wherein at least one said result includes a telephone number and the one or more modules are further configured to place a telephone call using the telephone number.

15. A mobile communications device comprising a display device and one or more modules to:

display search results on the display device of a first search performed in a first context based on a search query; and

if an input is received via a button of the mobile communications device that indicates that a scope of the first search is to be expanded, perform a second search that includes a second context that was not part of the first search, the second search being performed without manual reentry of the search query.

16. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the button is a physical button on a keyboard that is selectable to navigate back through a user interface.

17. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the button is further selectable to close an application executed on a processor of the mobile communications device.

18. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the first search is for content that is local to the mobile communications device and the second search is for content that accessible to the mobile communications device via a network connection.

19. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the first and second searches involve telephone numbers.

20. A mobile communications device as described in claim 15, wherein the first context is user selectable through interaction with a user interface displayed on the display device.