System and method for providing multi-variable dynamic search results visualizations

• US 20060031220A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• 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
• Granted Patent: US 7,421,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 graphical user interface that enables a user to search for documents the user has previously accessed, the graphical user interface comprising:

a search entry field for accepting one or more keywords specifying a search criteria to search for among a plurality of previously accessed documents;

a calendar for selecting one or more dates that specify a time period within which said plurality of documents may have been accessed;

a search results portion that provides a list of documents to the user, said list including documents that the user previously accessed during the time period and that match the search criteria, wherein each document listing includes a document name and one or more of a date said document was accessed, and a location where said document is stored; and

a histogram of said matching documents and all documents the user has accessed, wherein said matching documents are displayed in a different graphical format.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein said calendar includes indicia highlighting a day on which said matching documents were first accessed.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein said calendar includes indicia highlighting each one or more days on which said matching documents were accessed.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1 further comprising one or more search filters wherein said search filters restrict searching to documents of one or more selected document types.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 1 further comprising a sorting menu enabling said matching documents to be sorted and displayed according to one or more predetermined categories.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 5 wherein said one or more predetermined categories include at least one of a document name, document relevance, date of last access, and document type.

7. A computer implemented method 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 for selecting one or more days that specify a time period within which said one or more documents may have been accessed; 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 previously accessed documents 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 that match the search criteria.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7 further comprising providing indicia on said calendar to indicate one or more dates on which said documents meeting said search criteria have been accessed.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7 further comprising:

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

10. The computer implemented method of claim 7 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.