SEARCH DROP DOWN MENU METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20090144658A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Arrouye, Yan, Petri, Jonah
• Granted Patent: US 8,631,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156

Abstract

User interface for searching for data are described. In one embodiment, a method, which involves a user interface for searching, includes displaying on a display device a search input region and displaying, immediately adjacent to the search input region, a user interface object which, if selected, cause the display of a menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search. The search input region can be configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method comprising:

displaying, on a display device, a search input region, the search input region being configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device; and

displaying, immediately adjacent to the search input region, a user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a border around the search input region, wherein the border surrounds the user interface object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the menu, when displayed, extends beyond the border which is substantially rectangular, and wherein the border defines a visual content of the search input region.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface object appears to be within the search input region.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the menu comprises at least one of:

(a) a specification of at least one location to search;

(b) a specification of a file attribute to search, the file attribute comprising at least one of file type, file name, date of creation, date of modification, permissions information, user comments associated with a file, and metadata associated with a file; and

(c) an advanced option which when selected causes the presentation of a user interface allowing the selection of a plurality of search criteria.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the specification of at least one location is a list of a plurality of locations in the menu and the specification of a file attribute is a list of a plurality of file attributes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the search input region appears empty before a user enters a search query in the search input region.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface object appears to be within the search input region.

18. The method as in claim 1, further comprising ceasing the displaying of the user interface object immediately adjacent to the search input region in response to entry of text in the search input region.

19. The method as in claim 18, wherein the ceasing occurs in response to entry of a certain amount of text in the search input region.

20. The method as in claim 19, wherein the menu is not displayable while ceasing the displaying of the user interface object immediately adjacent to the search input region, and wherein the certain amount of text exceeds a size of the search input region.

9. A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause a method to be performed, the method comprising:

displaying, on a display device, a search input region, the search input region being configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device; and

displaying, immediately adjacent to the search input region, a user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprising displaying a border around the search input region wherein the border surrounds the user interface object.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the menu, when displayed, extends beyond the border which is substantially rectangular, and wherein the border defines a visual content of the search input region.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the user interface object appears to be within the search input region.

13. The medium of claim 11 wherein the menu comprises at least one of:

(a) a specification of at least one location to search;

(b) a specification of a file attribute to search, the file attribute comprising at least one of file type, file name, date of creation, date of modification, permissions information, user comments associated with a file, and metadata associated with a file; and

(c) an advanced option which when selected causes the presentation of a user interface allowing the selection of a plurality of search criteria.

14. The medium of claim 13, wherein the specification of at least one location is a list of a plurality of locations in the menu and the specification of a file attribute is a list of a plurality of file attributes.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein the search input region appears empty before a user enters a search query in the search input region.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the user interface object appears to be within the search input region.

21. The medium as in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises ceasing the displaying of the user interface object immediately adjacent to the search input region in response to entry of text in the search input region.

22. The medium as in claim 21, wherein the ceasing occurs in response to entry of a certain amount of text in the search input region.

23. The medium as in claim 22, wherein the menu is not displayable while ceasing the displaying of the user interface object immediately adjacent to the search input region and wherein the certain amount of text exceeds a size of the search input region.

17. A data processing system comprising:

means for displaying, on a display device, a search input region, the search input region being configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device; and

means for displaying, immediately adjacent to the search input region, a user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search.