Multi-directional auto-complete menu

• US 8,332,748 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Karam, Joseph F
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mills, Frank D
• Application Number:
  US12/604,382
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 715/246, 715/780, 715/785
• US Class Current: 715/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3338 Query expansion

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques completing a user entry in an entry field displayed on a user interface of a computing device. An entry field is displayed on a display of a computing device. In response to a user entering at least one character into the entry field, two or more distinct auto-complete menus are displayed. Each auto-complete menu is included in a separate display element, and each auto-complete menu contains suggestions that correspond to the current at least one character in the entry field. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching search query results is also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for completing a user entry in an entry field displayed on a user interface of a computing device, the method comprising:

displaying an entry field on a display of a computing device;

receiving user input of at least one character entered into the entry field;

responsive to receiving the user input of the at least one character entered into the entry field, generating two or more suggestions for two or more completed search terms based at least in part on the at least one character;

categorizing the two or more suggestions into at least two categories of suggestions; and

displaying at least a first and a second distinct auto-complete menu so that each auto-complete menu is included in a separate display element adjacent to the entry field, wherein the first auto-complete menu is positioned in a first direction relative to the entry field and the second auto-complete menu is positioned in a second direction relative to the entry field, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein each auto-complete menu contains a different category of suggestions that correspond to the at least one character in the entry field, and wherein each auto-complete menu is accessible through a single keystroke user input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one additional character entry into the entry field; and

updating the auto-complete menus to display increasingly relevant suggestions, based on the at least one character and the at least one additional character in the entry field.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of a suggestion in one of the auto-complete menus to complete the user entry in the entry field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the category of suggestions depend on an application, executed by the computing device, in which the entry field is used.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the categories of suggestions include one or more of:

contact entries, suggested search queries, spelling corrections, computing device applications, computing system preferences, document names, folder names, email messages, to-do items, image names, bookmarks, and media file names.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least a third auto-complete menu as a separate menu at a distance from the entry field.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each auto-complete menu is accessible through the single keystroke by a user when the entry field is in focus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each auto-complete menu is accessible through a keyboard shortcut by a user when the entry field is in focus.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of an auto-complete menu;

in response to receiving the user selection, splitting the selected auto-complete menu into two or more sub-menus, each sub-menu containing a sub-category of suggestions to the suggestions in the auto-complete menu; and

receiving a user selection of a suggestion in one of the sub-menus to complete the user entry in the entry field.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least a third and a fourth distinct auto-complete menu so that each auto-complete menu is included in a separate display element adjacent to the entry field, wherein the third auto-complete menu is positioned in a third direction relative to the entry field approximately 90 degrees rotated from the first direction, and the fourth auto-complete menu is positioned in a fourth direction relative to the entry field is substantially opposite the third direction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first through fourth auto-complete menus are accessible through a different one of four directional keyboard arrows when the entry field is in focus.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input is a first user input, and wherein each of the at least first and second distinct auto-complete menus is displayed in a defined configuration for the first user input, the method further comprising:

receiving a second user input of at least one second character entered into the entry field;

responsive to receiving the second user input, generating two or more suggestions for two or more completed search terms based at least in part on the at least one second character entered into the entry field;

categorizing the two or more suggestions into the at least two categories of suggestions; and

displaying the two categories of suggestions in the at least first and second distinct auto-complete menus in the defined configuration.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

pre-fetching search results corresponding to the two or more suggestions.

14. A computer-implemented method for pre-fetching search query results corresponding to a user entry in a search query box displayed on a user interface of a computing device, the method comprising:

providing a search query box for accepting search terms from a user;

in response to a user entering at least one character into the search query box, generating two or more suggestions for one or more completed search terms;

pre-fetching search results corresponding to the two or more suggestions;

categorizing the search results into at least a first set and a second set; and

displaying the first result set in a first display results box adjacent to and positioned in a first direction perpendicular to a first side of the search query box used for entering the search query; and

displaying the second result set in a second display results box adjacent to and positioned in a second direction perpendicular to a second, different side of the search query box and parallel to the first side of the search query box, wherein each display results box is accessible through a single keystroke user input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each display results box has a unique type, and wherein each unique type of the display result boxes is determined based on an application, executed by the computing device, in which the search query box is used.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first direction is left of the search query box and the second direction is above the search query box.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first direction locates the first display results box above the search query box and the second direction locates the second display results box right of the search query box.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first direction locates the first display results box left of the search query box and the second direction locates the second display results box below the search query box.

19. A computer program product, stored on a non-transitory machine-readable medium, for completing a user entry in an entry field displayed on a user interface of a computing device, comprising instructions operable to cause a computer to:

display an entry field on a display of a computing device;

receiving a user input that provides at least one character into the entry field;

categorizing suggestions that correspond to the at least one character in the entry field into one of at least two categories; and

in response to the user input, display two or more distinct auto-complete menus so that each auto-complete menu is included in a separate display element adjacent to the entry field, wherein at least two of the auto-complete menus are positioned in at least two different directions direction approximately parallel to a different side of the entry field, wherein the at least two different directions are perpendicular to each other, wherein each auto-complete menu contains one of the at least two categories of suggestions, and wherein the two or more auto-complete menus are accessible through a single keystroke user input.