×

Method and system for unified searching across and within multiple documents

  • US 8,296,294 B2
  • Filed: 05/23/2008
  • Issued: 10/23/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A user-interface method of searching among multiple documents and searching for subsections within individual documents using a single search interface on an input-constrained user device having a screen and a keypad, the method comprising:

  • displaying, in a first portion of the screen, a user interface text input component operable to receive search query input entered using the keypad;

    receiving search query input entered into the text input component by a user of the device;

    receiving, responsive to the received query input, a set of document index section indicators, wherein each document index section indicator uniquely identifies a specific point within a document associated with a subsection within said document, and wherein the subsection associated with the specific point matches at least a portion of the query input;

    receiving, responsive to the received query input, a set of document pointers, where each pointer uniquely identifies a document;

    displaying, in a second portion of the screen, said document index section indicators and document pointers;

    receiving browse actions from the user to browse through and to select one of said document index section indicators and document pointers;

    displaying, if a document index section indicator is selected, the identified document, beginning at the identified point within said document so that the user is presented with the subsection within said document that is relatively more relevant to the query input without having to first scan through one or more other subsections within said document that are relatively less relevant to the query input, or displaying, if a document pointer is selected, the beginning of the identified document;

    setting, responsive to the document selection, a query context that includes at least one document context associated with the selected document, wherein the document context represents an attribute of the selected document;

    subsequent to displaying the selected document, receiving subsequent search query input entered into the text input component by the user of the device; and

    displaying, responsive to the subsequent search query input and the set query context, a set of document index section indicators for the selected document in the second portion of the screen.

View all claims
  • 12 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×