Universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system
DC CAFCFirst Claim
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1. A method for locating information in a network using a computer, comprising:
- receiving by the computer an inputted information descriptor from a user-input device;
providing said information descriptor received from the user-input device to a plurality of heuristic modules, wherein;
each heuristic module corresponds to a respective area of search and employs a different, predetermined heuristic algorithm corresponding to said respective area to search the area for information that corresponds to the received information descriptor, andthe search areas include storage media accessible by the computer;
searching by the heuristic modules, based on the received information descriptor, the respective areas of search using the predetermined heuristic algorithms corresponding to each respective area of search;
providing at least one candidate item of information located by the heuristic modules as a result of said searching; and
displaying by the computer a representation of said candidate item of information on a display device.
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Abstract
The present invention provides convenient access to items of information that are related to various descriptors input by a user, by means of a unitary interface which is capable of accessing information in a variety of locations, through a number of different techniques. Using a plurality of heuristic algorithms to operate upon information descriptors input by the user, the present invention locates and displays candidate items of information for selection and/or retrieval. Thus, the advantages of a search engine can be exploited, while listing only relevant object candidate items of information.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for locating information in a network using a computer, comprising:
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receiving by the computer an inputted information descriptor from a user-input device; providing said information descriptor received from the user-input device to a plurality of heuristic modules, wherein; each heuristic module corresponds to a respective area of search and employs a different, predetermined heuristic algorithm corresponding to said respective area to search the area for information that corresponds to the received information descriptor, and the search areas include storage media accessible by the computer; searching by the heuristic modules, based on the received information descriptor, the respective areas of search using the predetermined heuristic algorithms corresponding to each respective area of search; providing at least one candidate item of information located by the heuristic modules as a result of said searching; and displaying by the computer a representation of said candidate item of information on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 16, 17)
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6. An apparatus for locating information in a network, comprising:
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an interface module configured to receive an inputted information descriptor from a user-input device; a plurality of heuristic modules configured to search for information that corresponds to the received information descriptor, wherein; each heuristic module corresponds to a respective area of search and employs a different, predetermined heuristic algorithm corresponding to said respective area, and the search areas include storage media accessible by the apparatus; and a display module configured to display one or more candidate items of information located by the plurality of heuristic modules on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 19)
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11. A computer-readable medium on which a program executable by a processing unit is recorded, the program, when executed by the processing, controlling a computer to perform the steps of:
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receiving by the computer an inputted information descriptor from a user-input device; providing the information descriptor received from the user-input device to a plurality of heuristic modules, wherein; each heuristic module corresponds to a respective area of search and employs a different, predetermined heuristic algorithm corresponding to said respective area to search the area for information that corresponds to the received information descriptor, and the search areas include storage media accessible by the computer; searching by the heuristic modules, based on the received information descriptor, the respective areas of search using the predetermined heuristic algorithms corresponding to each respective area of search; providing at least one candidate item of information located by the heuristic modules as a result of said searching; and displaying the at least one candidate item of information located by the plurality of heuristic modules on a display device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21)
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Specification