Methods and systems for user activated automated searching

• US 7,308,439 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Slingshot Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Hyperthink LLC
• Inventors: Baird, Bruce R., Zollinger, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, ISAAC M
• Application Number:
  US09/875,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20020188603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,379 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707200-206, 707100-1041, 7155011-508
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• 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: Y10S 707/914 Video
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/915 Image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/916 Audio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for automating a search over a network such as the Internet. A user selects data such as text from within an application. The selected data is activated and a search is performed without the user having to leave the application. The search is performed while the user is continuing within the application. When the search is complete, the search results are made available to the user within the application from which the search was initiated. In one embodiment, the data is pre-searched and the results are cached such that the results are already available should the user desire. The present invention is particularly suited to integration with an operating system such that the methods of the present invention are thereby available to all applications. Alternatively, the present invention can be specific to a particular application.

Claims

1. In a system having at least one application, a computer implemented method for executing a search from within an application, the computer implemented method comprising:

selecting one or more search terms within a first application at a computer;

activating the one or more search terms within the first application;

performing a search based on the one or more search terms with a second application at the computer, wherein the second application is of a different type than the first application, and wherein the computer remains in a context of the first application without initiating display of the second application to a user; and

returning search results to the first application, wherein returning the search results generated by the second application to the first application further comprises at least one of;

copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

deleting a portion of the search results;

saving at least a portion of the search results;

or

displaying search results when a mouse arrow is moved over selected data in the first application.

2. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first application is selected from the group of:

image processor;

web browser;

text recognition;

email client; and

operating system.

3. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more search terms comprises automatically selecting the one or more search terms pursuant to pre-defined rules.

4. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of configuring the search.

5. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising searching according to a context of the one or more search terms.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the context comprises content found within a document opened by the first application and from which the one or more search terms are identified.

7. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the search results.

8. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of presenting the search results to the user without the user having to exit the first application.

9. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the search is performed without the user having to exit the first application.

10. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising manipulating, by a user, the search results within the first application.

11. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein a limit is placed on the number of search results to be returned.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search performed by the second application considers a profile of one or more users in performing the search.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search is performed prior to receiving any user input selecting the one or more search terms through the first application.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search results are automatically inserted into an interface of the first application.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first application is selected from the group of:

word processor and spreadsheet.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second application are integrated within an existing application.

18. In a computer system connected to a network, a computer implemented method for performing a search over the network by a user, the computer implemented method comprising:

selecting search data within a first application in the computer system;

activating the search data within the first application;

performing a search on the search data in the background with a second application, wherein the second application is of a different type than the first application, and wherein the user is not required to open the second application or view a window of the second application;

returning search results generated by the second application to the user within the first application, wherein the user views the search results within the first application, and wherein returning search results generated by the second application to the user within the first application further comprises at least one of;

copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

deleting at least a portion of the search results;

saving at least a portion of the search results;

or

displaying the search results when a user moves a mouse arrow over selected data in the first application.

19. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 18, wherein the search data comprises at least one of:

text;

a remote file;

an image;

a sound file, an MPEG file; and

metadata.

20. A computer implemented method as defined in claim 18, wherein the step of activating further comprises the step of configuring the search by selecting at least one search location.

21. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 18.

22. In a computer system that includes one or more applications that can each be activated by a user, a computer implemented method for performing a search from within an application without requiring the user to open a browser application, the computer implemented method comprising:

selecting search data within a context of a first application at a computer;

searching a network using a second application based on the selected search data, wherein the second application is of a different type than the first application, and wherein the second application operates in a background and is not displayed to the user, wherein the computer keeps a user in a context of the first application; and

presenting search results to the user within the context of the first application, wherein presenting the search results to the user further comprises at least one of;

copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

deleting at least a portion of the search results;

saving at least a portion of the search results;

or

displaying the search results when a user moves a mouse arrow over data in the first application.

23. Computer readable medium having instructions for performing the computer implemented method of claim 22.

24. In a computer system that includes applications that can be activated by a user, a computer implemented method for performing a search from within a first application, wherein the first application is of a type other than a browsing application, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying search data that has been selected in the first application, the search data including text;

activating the search data by providing the selected search data to a second application comprising a browsing application, wherein the browsing application performs a search on a computer network using the search data and without initiating display of an interface of the browsing application to a user;

receiving search results from the browsing application; and

presenting the search results in a context of the first application, wherein the user is not required to switch from the browsing application to the first application;

wherein presenting the search results further comprises at least one of;

copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;

deleting at least a portion of the search results;

saving at least a portion of the search results;

or

displaying the search results when a user moves a mouse arrow over data in the first application.

25. Computer readable medium having instructions for performing the computer implemented method of claim 24.