Method for providing multi-variable dynamic search results visualizations

• US 7,421,421 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wattenberg, Martin M., Schirmer, Andrew L., Newbold, David L., Bolin, Michael, Oral, Tolga
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Wilson
• Application Number:
  US10/910,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707/100, 707/101
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A system and method are provided for enabling a user to search for documents that the user has previously viewed on its local machine. The system includes three main components: the desktop integration module, the index module, and the graphical user interface module. The desktop integration module is an application which monitors documents with which the user interacts for predetermined events, and obtains content data and metadata from the monitored documents. The index module indexes the content data and metadata received from the desktop integration module. The graphical user interface module then permits a user to utilize the desktop integration module and index module by allowing a user to search for a document.

Claims

1. A method, executable by a processor, for enabling a user to search for one or more documents the user has previously accessed, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface comprising;

a search entry field;

a calendar that enables a user to select one or more days that specify a time period within which said one or more documents were previously accessed by the user; and

a search results portion for displaying documents matching said search criteria;

accepting input of one or more keywords specifying a search criteria into said search entry field;

searching an index of documents previously accessed by the user for one or more documents matching said search criteria, wherein said index is created by monitoring each time the user accesses a document; and

presenting the user with a list of documents in said search results portion, said list including documents the user previously accessed during the time period and which correspond to the search criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing indicia on said calendar to indicate one or more dates on which said documents meeting said search criteria have been accessed.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting one or more search filters wherein said filters restrict search to documents of one or more selected document types.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting a sorting menu enabling said documents meeting said search criteria to be sorted and displayed according to one or more predetermined categories.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said one or more predetermined categories include at least one of a document name, document relevance, date of last access, or document type.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing indicia on said calendar to indicate one or more dates on which said documents matching said search criteria were first accessed.