Search and find using expanded search scope

• US 7,627,561 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hartwell, Aaron, Pell, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mina; Fatima P
• Application Number:
  US11/430,416
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/104.1, 715/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3325 Reformulation based on results of preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/334 Query execution G06F16/335 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A search and find user interface is provided that is integrated with a data indexing engine to allow efficient and high-speed data search and retrieval across data storage folders associated with a given software module or associated with a number of disparate software modules. An expanded form of the search and find user interface is provided for advanced searching. Where searching is required beyond a present search scope, an automatic “upscoping” mechanism is provided for expanding a search to data storage folders outside a current data storage folder on which an initial search is executed.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method for providing a search and find functionality in a software module, the method comprising:

displaying, on an output device, a navigation pane within a user interface, the navigation pane containing a selectable control associated with a parent data folder that contains a first set of data items and a selectable control associated with a child data folder that contains a second set of data items, wherein the second set of data items is a subset of the first set of data items;

receiving, at the computing device, folder selection input that indicates that a user has selected the selectable control associated with the child data folder in the navigation pane;

displaying, on the output device, a search and find user interface that includes a search criterion text box;

receiving, at the computing device, a search criterion in the search criterion text box;

after the computing device receives the folder selection input and the search criterion, executing, at the computing device, a first search query that identifies a first result set that consists of data items in the second set of data items that match the search criterion;

displaying, within the user interface on the output device, a list of the data items in the first result set;

after displaying the list of the data items in the first result set, receiving, at the computing device, upscoping input that indicates that the user wants to search the parent data folder and child data folders of the parent data folder for data items that match the search criterion; and

in response to receiving the upscoping input and without receiving the search criterion for a second time,

automatically executing, at the computing device, a second search query that identifies a second result set that consists of data items in the first set of data items that match the search criterion, and

displaying, within the user interface on the output device, a list of the data items in the second result set;

displaying, on the output device, a selected data item in the first result set such that portions of the selected data item that match the search criterion are highlighted; and

displaying, on the output device, a narrow bar vertically along an edge of the list of data items in the second result set that visually clarifies to the user that the user is looking at a filtered set of search results.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1,

wherein receiving the upscoping input comprises receiving a selection of the selectable control associated with the parent data folder.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises displaying, on the output device, a progress indicator that provides an animation during any active search operation for indicating a progression of the active search operation.

4. A method of providing an expanded search and find functionality in a software module, the method comprising:

displaying, on an output device, a navigation pane within a user interface, the navigation pane containing a selectable control associated with a parent data folder that contains a first set of data items and a selectable control associated with a child data folder that contains a second set of data items, wherein the second set of data items is a subset of the first set of data items;

receiving, at a computing device, folder selection input that indicates that a user has selected the selectable control associated with the child data folder in the navigation pane;

displaying, on the output device, a search and find user interface that includes a menu of properties of the data items;

receiving, at the computing device, property selection input that indicates a selected property from the menu of properties;

displaying, on the output device, a search criterion text box contained in the search and find user interface;

receiving, at the computing device, a search criterion in the search criterion text box;

after the computing device receives the folder selection input and the search criterion, executing, at the computing device, a first search query that identifies a first result set that consists of data items in the second set of data items, wherein the selected property of each of the data items in the first result set match the search criterion;

displaying, within the user interface on the output device, a list of the data items in the first result set;

after displaying the list of the data items in the first result set, receiving, at the computing device, upscoping input that indicates that the user wants to search the parent data folder and child data folders of the parent data folder for data items that match the search criterion; and

in response to receiving the upscoping input and without receiving the search criterion for a second time,

automatically executing, at the computing device, a second search query that identifies a second result set that consists of data items in the first set of data items, wherein the selected property of each of the data items in the second result set match the search criterion, and

displaying, within the user interface on the output device, a list of the data items in the second result set;

wherein if information contained in the search query is present in a displayed portion of a data first result set, highlighting the information contained in the search query that is present in the displayed portion; and

displaying on the output device, a narrow bar vertically along an edge of the list of data items in the second result set that visually clarifies to the user that the user is looking at a filtered set of search results.

5. The method of claim 4,

wherein receiving the upscoping input comprises receiving a selection of the selectable control associated with the parent data folder.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying, on the output device, a menu of selectable search criteria for the search criteria text box that allows a selection of the search criterion.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises displaying, on the output device, within the search and find user interface, a search query text box for receiving free form entry of the search query.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

constructing the search query from any search criteria entered into the search criteria text box; and

automatically entering the search query into the search query text box.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises receiving an indication of an initiation of the first search query as automatically entered into the search query text box.

8. A computing device comprising:

a processing unit capable of processing instructions;

an output device;

an input device; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to;

display, on the output device, a navigation pane within a user interface, the navigation pane containing a selectable control associated with a parent mail folder that contains a first set of electronic mail items and a selectable control associated with a child mail folder that contains a second set of electronic mail items, wherein the second set of electronic mail items is a subset of the first set of electronic mail items;

receive, from the input device, folder selection input that indicates that a user has selected the selectable control associated with the child data folder in the navigation pane;

display, on the output device, a search and find user interface that includes a menu of properties of the data items;

receive, from the input device, property selection input that indicates a selected property from the menu of properties;

display, on the output device, a search criterion text box contained in the search and find user interface;

receive, from the input device, a search criterion in the search criterion text box;

after receiving the folder selection input and the search criterion, execute a first search query that identifies a first result set that consists of all electronic mail items in the second set of electronic mail items that have values of the selected property that match the search criterion;

display, within the user interface on the output device, a list of the electronic mail items in the first result set;

after displaying the list of the electronic mail items in the first result set, receive, from the input device, upscoping input that indicates that the user wants to search the parent mail folder and child mail folders of the parent mail folder for electronic mail items that have values of the selected property that match the search criterion; and

in response to receiving the upscoping input and without receiving the search criterion for a second time,

automatically execute a second search query that identifies a second result set that consists of all electronic mail items in the first set of electronic mail items that have values of the selected property that match the search criterion, and

display, within the user interface on the output device, a list of the electronic mail items in the second result set;

displaying, on the output device, a selected data item in the first result set such that portions of the selected data item that match the search criterion are highlighted; and

displaying, on the output device, a narrow bar vertically along an edge of the list of data items in the second result set that visually clarifies to the user that the user is looking at a filtered set of search results.