Method and system for performing searches in a multi-tenant database environment

• US 9,411,907 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Kimberlin, Susan, Sebata-Dempster, Yurika
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US12/980,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 707/727, 707/732, 707/767
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90332 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems

Abstract

Techniques for searching in a multitenant database environment. A graphical user interface is provided that includes a search functionality for searching a database within a multitenant database environment. The multitenant environment includes data for multiple client entities, each identified by a tenant identifier (ID) having one of one or more associated users. Users of the client identities can only access data identified by their tenant ID. The multitenant environment is at least a hosted database provided by an entity separate from the client entities, and provides on-demand database service to the client entities. Suggested search results are provided in response to user-generated search query input. The suggested search results are based on monitored usage patterns corresponding to a user and are refined in response to subsequent user-generated search query input. Search results are provided based on the user-generated search query input and/or a user selection from the suggested search results.

Claims

1. A method for performing a search operation in a multitenant database environment, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface on a display of an electronic computing device, wherein the graphical user interface includes a search functionality for searching a database within a multitenant database environment, wherein

the multitenant environment includes data for multiple client entities, each identified by a tenant identifier (ID) having one of one or more users associated with the tenant ID,

users of each of multiple client identities can only access data identified by a tenant ID associated with the respective client entity, and

the multitenant environment is at least a hosted database provided by an entity separate from the client entities, and provides on-demand database service to the client entities;

maintaining, for a plurality of users corresponding to one or more tenants of the multitenant environment, a list of most recently used records for a plurality of database object types;

providing suggested search results via the graphical user interface in response to a user-generated partial search query input by performing one or more anticipated searches based on the user-generated partial search query, wherein the suggested search results are derived from database objects that match the user-generated partial search query input and include database records of multiple object types that have been recently edited by a user generating the user-generated partial search query input by utilizing the list of most recently used records corresponding to the user, the suggested search results being grouped by database object type, and further wherein the suggested search results also include content from one or more real-time feeds comprising at least one social media feed within the multitenant environment of at least one other user from the same client entity as the user;

refining the suggested search results in response to subsequent user-generated search query input by performing one or more subsequent anticipated searches based on the subsequent user-generated search query input, the refined suggested search results also based on multiple object types that have been recently edited by a user generating the subsequent user-generated search query input by utilizing the list of most recently used records corresponding to the user, the suggested search results being grouped by database object type, and further wherein the suggested search results also include content from one or more real-time feeds comprising at least one social media feed within the multitenant environment of at least one other user from the same client entity as the user; and

providing search results in the graphical user interface based on the user-generated search query input and/or a user selection from the suggested search results.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is identified by a session cookie.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is identified by at least a username and password combination.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing additional suggested search results in response to user-generated search query input based on previous searches corresponding to a user;

refining the additional suggested search results in response to subsequent user-generated search query input; and

providing search results in the graphical user interface based on the user-generated search query input and/or a user selection from the suggested search results.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the previous searches comprise most recently performed searches by the user corresponding to one or more record types.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the search results are grouped by object type.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the suggested search results comprise links to objects so that selection of a suggested search result avoids performing the corresponding search.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable non-transitory medium, having stored thereon instructions to cause one or more processors to perform a search operation in a multitenant database environment, the instructions comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

provide a graphical user interface on a display of an electronic computing device, wherein the graphical user interface includes a search functionality for searching a database within a multitenant database environment, wherein

the multitenant environment includes data for multiple client entities, each identified by a tenant identifier (ID) having one of one or more users associated with the tenant ID,

users of each of multiple client identities can only access data identified by a tenant ID associated with the respective client entity, and

the multitenant environment is at least a hosted database provided by an entity separate from the client entities, and provides on-demand database service to the client entities;

maintain, for a plurality of users corresponding to one or more tenants of the multitenant environment, a list of most recently used records for a plurality of database object types;

provide suggested search results via the graphical user interface in response to a user-generated partial search query input by performing one or more anticipated searches based on the user-generated partial search query, wherein the suggested search results are derived from database objects that match the user-generated partial search query input and include database records of multiple object types that have been recently edited by a user generating the user-generated partial search query input by utilizing the list of most recently used records corresponding to the user, the suggested search results being grouped by database object type, and further wherein the suggested search results also include content from one or more real-time feeds comprising at least one social media feed within the multitenant environment of at least one other user from the same client entity as the user;

refine the suggested search results in response to subsequent user-generated search query input by performing one or more subsequent anticipated searches based on the subsequent user-generated search query input, the refined suggested search results also based on multiple object types that have been recently edited by a user generating the subsequent user-generated search query input by utilizing the list of most recently used records corresponding to the user, the suggested search results being grouped by database object type, and further wherein the suggested search results also include content from one or more real-time feeds comprising at least one social media feed within the multitenant environment of at least one other user from the same client entity as the user; and

provide search results in the graphical user interface based on the user-generated search query input and/or a user selection from the suggested search results.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein the user is identified by a session cookie.

10. The article of claim 8 wherein the user is identified by at least a username and password combination.

11. The article of claim 8 further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

provide additional suggested search results in response to user-generated search query input based on previous searches corresponding to a user;

refine the additional suggested search results in response to subsequent user-generated search query input; and

provide search results in the graphical user interface based on the user-generated search query input and/or a user selection from the suggested search results.

12. The article of claim 11 wherein the previous searches comprise most recently performed searches by the user corresponding to one or more record types.

13. The article of claim 8 wherein the search results are grouped by object type.

14. The article of claim 8 wherein the suggested search results comprise links to objects so that selection of a suggested search result avoids performing the corresponding search.