Lightweight list collection
First Claim
1. At least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform steps, the steps comprising:
- displaying search results to a user, the search results having been obtained by, in response to inputting a first query by the user, searching both local storage of the computer for local data items that match the first query and searching one or more computers on the network for remote data items that match the first query, wherein some of the data items are documents and files, and wherein the search results comprise those remote and local data items that match the first query;
displaying a user interface with a user interface element whose activation by the user with reference to a data item in the displayed search results causes a determination to be made of whether a collection is open for editing and if not causes creation of a new collection which becomes the collection open for editing, the activation also causing the data item to be added to the collection open for editing, wherein the user uses the user interface to interact with the search results to author the collection open for editing, the collection, in accordance with the interaction is then comprised of references to various of the data items in the search results that were interactively selected by the user via the user interface element, wherein the user interface also allows the user to add to the collection a second query that becomes a member of the collection and allows the user to select from among collections previously created with the user interface an existing other collection to be added to the collection open for editing wherein any collection is permitted to contain another collection as a member thereof; and
persisting the collection on the computer such that when the collection is selected by the user the computer displays indicia of the data items referred to by the references in the collection, wherein when the collection is selected by the user the second query is automatically executed to search both the local storage and the one or more remote computers and any local or remote data items that match the second query are displayed with the data items previously selected by the user for inclusion in the collection, and where the other collection added to the collection is also displayed by running any queries therein and by displaying any collections therein.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described is a collection of search-related references authored from a set of search results, in which the collection may be persisted. Search results may be obtained via a federated search of multiple data sources (e.g., local files, the Internet, a corporate network/database). Search results may be presented as individual reference items or grouped into dynamic collection query reference sets, which may be added to the collection. A collection may also embed one or more other collections. Upon opening a collection, search results may be automatically updated by re-running any dynamic collection queries. The user authors the collection by selecting items from a search results interface and dropping or pasting the item reference into a collection interface, and/or by activating an item collection affordance associated with the item. Manual or automatic layout of collection item references is provided, such as to provide a tabular layout or a two-dimensional layout.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. At least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that when executed by a computer perform steps, the steps comprising:
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displaying search results to a user, the search results having been obtained by, in response to inputting a first query by the user, searching both local storage of the computer for local data items that match the first query and searching one or more computers on the network for remote data items that match the first query, wherein some of the data items are documents and files, and wherein the search results comprise those remote and local data items that match the first query; displaying a user interface with a user interface element whose activation by the user with reference to a data item in the displayed search results causes a determination to be made of whether a collection is open for editing and if not causes creation of a new collection which becomes the collection open for editing, the activation also causing the data item to be added to the collection open for editing, wherein the user uses the user interface to interact with the search results to author the collection open for editing, the collection, in accordance with the interaction is then comprised of references to various of the data items in the search results that were interactively selected by the user via the user interface element, wherein the user interface also allows the user to add to the collection a second query that becomes a member of the collection and allows the user to select from among collections previously created with the user interface an existing other collection to be added to the collection open for editing wherein any collection is permitted to contain another collection as a member thereof; and persisting the collection on the computer such that when the collection is selected by the user the computer displays indicia of the data items referred to by the references in the collection, wherein when the collection is selected by the user the second query is automatically executed to search both the local storage and the one or more remote computers and any local or remote data items that match the second query are displayed with the data items previously selected by the user for inclusion in the collection, and where the other collection added to the collection is also displayed by running any queries therein and by displaying any collections therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method performed by a computer, the method comprising:
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passing a first user-inputted query to a unified search process that collects references to local search results comprised of data items stored on the computer that match the query and that collects references to remote search results comprised of data items accessible via a network and which match the query, wherein some of the data items are documents and files; displaying a collection formed by a user interacting with a view of the data items in the search results, the collection including one or more single data item references comprised of various of the local and remote data items selected by the user from among the data items in the search results, one or more dynamic collection query reference sets comprising a query inputted by the user and stored as part of the collection, the view including a user interface element whose activation by the user with reference to a data item in a displayed list of the search results causes a determination to be made of whether a collection is open for editing and if not causes creation of the collection which becomes the collection open for editing, the activation also causing the data item to be added to the collection open for editing; and displaying a user interface including; a search results interface with which the user interacts and is able to select single data items and dynamic collection queries for inclusion of corresponding references in the collection, the dynamic collection queries comprising queries other than the first user-inputted query, and a collection interface with which the user interacts to view items in the collection, wherein when the user interacts with the user interface and selects the collection the data items to be viewed comprise the local and remote data items previously added to the collection by the user and dynamic data items found by performing the query corresponding to the dynamic collection query reference. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method performed by a computer, the method comprising:
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receiving a first query inputted by a user; passing the first query to a unified search process that collects references to local search results comprised of data items stored on the computer that match the first query and that collects references to remote search results comprised of data items accessible via a network and which match the first query, wherein some of the data items are documents and files; displaying the local search results and remote search results as a single search result set in a first user interface, where user input entered via a user interface element of the first user interface and directed to one of the local or remote data items causes a determination to be made of whether a collection is open for editing and if not causes creation of a new collection which becomes the collection open for editing, the activation also causing the data item to be added to the collection open for editing, and where user input directed to the first user interface selects various of the local and remote data items and adds them as members of the collection by adding references to the selected data items to the collection, the collection also including a dynamic query as a member comprised of a user-inputted second query, wherein the second query is not the first query; persistently storing the collection;
displaying indicia of a plurality of collections including the collection, and in response to the user selecting a displayed indicator of the collection, displaying in a second user interface graphical indicia of the members of the collection, the members including the local and remote data items having references in the collection, the members also including dynamic data items dynamically determined, upon selection of the collection by performing a search for data items that match the second query; andallowing the user to select any of the data items, including the local data items, the remote data items, and the dynamic data items, and in response to the selection either accessing the selecting data item or displaying information about the selected data item. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification