Performing Application-Specific Searches Using Touchscreen-Enabled Computing Devices

• US 20170083591A1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Quixey, Inc.
• Inventors: Francis, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,739,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided and include receiving, at a touchscreen of a user device, a user input from a user of the user device, the user input selecting an application (app) icon displayed at the touchscreen. The user device receives a search query from the user. In response to receiving the user input and the search query, the user device generates search results based on the search query, each search result specifying a state of a native app associated with the app icon. The user device displays the search results to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a touchscreen of a user device, a user input from a user of the user device, the user input selecting an application (app) icon displayed at the touchscreen;

receiving, at the user device, a search query from the user;

in response to receiving the user input and the search query, generating, using the user device, search results based on the search query, each search result specifying a state of a native app associated with the app icon; and

displaying, using the user device, the search results to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises one or more of a finger contact input and a pressure input with respect to the touchscreen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a momentary user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a prolonged user input having a time duration that is longer than a momentary user input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a predetermined user gesture with respect to the touchscreen.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the user input and the search query from the user comprises receiving the search query while receiving the user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the user input and the search query from the user comprises receiving the search query following receiving the user input.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the search query from the user comprises receiving the search query via voice input.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the search query from the user comprises receiving the search query via text input.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the search query from the user comprises:

providing, using the user device, a user prompt to the user; and

in response to providing the user prompt, receiving the search query from the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein providing the user prompt to the user comprises providing one or more of the following to the user:

a visual output at the touchscreen;

a sound output;

a voice command output; and

a vibration output.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the search results in response to receiving the user input and the search query comprises:

determining, using the user device, a storage location included on the user device and corresponding to the native app associated with the app icon;

performing, using the user device, a search of the storage location using the search query; and

generating, using the user device, the search results based on performing the search.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the search results in response to receiving the user input and the search query comprises:

determining, using the user device, an app programming interface (API) corresponding to the native app associated with the app icon;

querying, using the user device, the API using the search query; and

receiving, at the user device, the search results from the API in response to querying the API.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the search results in response to receiving the user input and the search query comprises:

transmitting, using the user device, the search query to a search system configured to generate search results in response to a received search query; and

receiving, at the user device, the search results from the search system in response to transmitting the search query.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, using the user device, an indication of the native app associated with the app icon to the search system, wherein receiving the search results from the search system comprises receiving the search results in response to transmitting the indication.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the search results in response to receiving the user input and the search query comprises:

launching, using the user device, the native app associated with the app icon; and

providing, using the user device, one or more commands to the launched native app, the one or more commands configured to cause the native app to generate the search results.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the search results include one or more app access mechanisms (AAMs), wherein each AAM references the native app associated with the app icon and indicates one or more operations for the native app to perform, and wherein the native app performing the one or more operations sets the native app into one of the one or more states within the native app.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the search results to the user comprises forwarding the search results for display as one or more user selectable links to a computing device other than the user device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the search results to the user comprises:

launching, using the user device, the native app associated with the app icon; and

displaying, using a graphical user interface (GUI) of the launched native app, the search results to the user as one or more user selectable links.

20. A computing device comprising:

a touchscreen configured to display an application (app) icon and receive a user input from a user of the computing device;

an input/output component configured to receive a search query from the user;

one or more memory components configured to store computer-readable instructions; and

one or more processing units configured to execute the computer-readable instructions, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the one or more processing units to;

receive the user input from the user at the touchscreen, the user input selecting the app icon displayed at the touchscreen;

receive the search query from the user using the input/output component;

in response to receiving the user input and the search query, generate one or more search results based on the search query, each search result specifying a state of a native app associated with the app icon; and

display the one or more search results to the user.