# US 10,769,215 B2 · Method, apparatus and computer program product providing an application integrated mobile device search solution using context information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,215 B2 - Document ID: US10769215B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/182,934 - Filed: 2005-07-14 - Published: 2007-01-18 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-14 - Assignees: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.a r.l. - Applicants: Murali Krishna Punaganti Venkata; Chand Malu - Inventors: Murali Krishna Punaganti Venkata; Chand Malu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769215B2 ## CPC - G06F 16/9535: Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation - G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques - G06F 16/9536: Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract The invention provides an apparatus, a method, a computer program product and an electronic device where, in accordance with the method there includes steps of implementing a search mediator function that is interposed between a plurality of applications and a plurality of search functions; and operating the search mediator function for receiving search queries from individual ones of the plurality of applications, forwarding received search queries to appropriate ones of the plurality of search functions, and providing search results to respective ones of the plurality of applications in accordance with at least application-specific search profiles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and memory for storing program instructions executable by the one or more processors, the program instructions arranged as: a plurality of applications, the memory also for storing at least one search profile specific to one or more of a plurality of applications, at least one of the plurality of applications including an application interworking consumer component; an application interworking provider component for providing search functionality to the application interworking consumer component of one of the plurality of applications; and a search platform comprised of a search mediator, said search mediator comprising: query encode/decode logic; result formatter logic; an application interworking interface configured to receive search queries from the plurality of applications in various formats, couple the query encode/decode logic and the result formatter logic to the application interworking provider component, and provide search results back to the at corresponding ones of the plurality of applications in the various formats, a search profile interface configured to couple the query encode/decode logic to the memory to receive a search profile from the plurality of applications; a plurality of search interfaces configured to couple the query encode/decode logic and the result formatter logic to a plurality of different search functions; and at least one memory interface configured to couple the query encode/decode logic to the memory; wherein the program instructions corresponding to the query encode/decode logic, when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform a plurality of operations comprising: receive a search query from one of the plurality of applications via the application interworking provider component; receive a search profile specific to the application; responsive to the search query, select a search function from among the plurality of different search functions; transform the search query into a format applicable to the selected search function; and route the received search query to the selected search function wherein either or both of the select and transform operations is performed based on the search profile of the application. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, said search mediator further comprising a UI interface configured to couple the query encode/decode logic to a user interface, to receive a search query from the user interface, and to provide search results to the user interface, and where the memory stores at least one user-specific search preference for use by said search mediator during at least one of responding to a received search query from the user interface and providing search results to the user interface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the program instructions corresponding to the result formatter logic, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: transform search results received from the selected search function, at least partially in accordance with the search profile for the application, into a search result format suitable for the application; and route the formatted search results to the application via the application interworking provider component. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further arranged to include a context engine providing context information for the plurality of applications; wherein the context information comprises sensor-related information and a current active profile for the application; and wherein either or both of the select and transform operations is performed based also on either or both of the sensor-related information and the current active profile for the application. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where the memory further stores meta-data; and wherein either or both of the select and transform operations is performed based also on the meta-data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where the memory further stores a search archive of one or more previously performed searches; and wherein either or both of the select and transform operations is performed based also on one or more previously performed searches from the search archive. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where said plurality of different search functions comprise a proximity search function operable to conduct a search within an area proximate to an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where said plurality of different search functions comprise a local search function that is related to a specified geographical area. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where said plurality of different search functions comprise an in-device search function associated with an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where said plurality of different search functions comprise a search provider reachable through a network external to an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, where the search provider is reachable at least partially through a wireless link. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, where the wireless link is comprised of a cellular communications wireless link. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The apparatus as in claim 11, where the wireless link is comprised of a short range wireless link. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where said plurality of different search functions comprise a world wide web (WWW) search provider. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where said plurality of search interfaces comprise a plurality of plug-in interfaces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus as in claim 15, where at least one search function comprises a plug-in search function provided by a party other than a party that provides an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said query encode/decode logic and said result formatter logic cooperate to provide asynchronous searching. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, embodied in a mobile station. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, where the memory is also for storing a profile of the apparatus comprising software and hardware configuration information of the apparatus; and wherein the either or both of the select and transform operations is performed based also on the profile of the apparatus. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the sensor-related information comprises one or more of near-by devices, temperature, ambient illumination, and location of the apparatus. ### Claim 21 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a program of instructions, the execution of which performs operations that implement a search platform, the operations comprising: implementing a search mediator function interposed between a plurality of applications and a plurality of search functions, at least one of the plurality of applications including an application interworking consumer component; and operating the search mediator function to: receive a search query from one of the plurality of applications in a corresponding format via an application interworking interface, each of the plurality of applications corresponding to a separate format; receive a search profile specific to the one of the plurality of applications; responsive to the search query, select one of the plurality of search functions; transform the search query into a format applicable to the selected search function; transform search results received from the selected search function to the format corresponding to the one of the plurality of applications in accordance with the search profile specific to the one of the plurality of applications; and application route the formatted search results to the application via the application interworking interface; wherein one or more of the select and transform operations is performed based on the search profile specific to the one of the plurality of applications. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where the search mediator function is further interposed between a user interface and the plurality of search functions, and where operating the search mediator function includes receiving a search query from the user interface, forwarding a received search query to an appropriate one of the plurality of search functions, and providing a corresponding search result to the user interface in accordance with at least a user-specific search profile. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, wherein operating the search mediator function further comprises receiving context information for the application, the context information comprising sensor-related information and a current active profile for the application; and wherein one or more of the select and transform operations is performed based also on either or both of the sensor-related information and the current active profile for the application. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where operating the search mediator function further comprises using meta-data; and wherein one or more of the select and transform operations is performed based also on the meta-data. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where operating the search mediator function further comprises using a search archive of one or more previously performed searches; and wherein one or more of the select and transform operations is performed based also on one or more previously performed searches from the search archive. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where said plurality of search functions comprise a proximity search function operable to conduct a search within an area proximate to an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where said plurality of search functions comprise a local search function related to a specified geographical area. ### Claim 28 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where said plurality of search functions comprise an in-device search function associated with an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where said plurality of search functions comprise a search provider reachable through a network external to an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The computer readable memory as in claim 29, where the search provider is reachable at least partially through a wireless link. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The computer readable memory as in claim 30, where the wireless link is comprised of a cellular communications wireless link. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The computer readable memory as in claim 30, where the wireless link is comprised of a short range wireless link. ### Claim 33 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where said plurality of search functions comprise a world wide web (WWW) search provider. ### Claim 34 (depends on 21) The computer readable memory as in claim 21, where said plurality of interfaces comprise a plurality of plug-in interfaces. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The computer readable memory as in claim 34, where at least one search function comprises a plug-in search function provided by a party other than a party that provides an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 36 (depends on 21) The computer readable medium as in claim 21, embodied in a mobile station. ### Claim 37 (depends on 21) The computer readable medium as in claim 21, wherein the sensor-related information comprises one or more of near-by devices, temperature, ambient illumination, and location of the apparatus. ### Claim 38 A method comprising: implementing, by an apparatus, a search mediator function interposed between a plurality of applications and a plurality of search functions, at least one of the plurality of applications including an application interworking consumer component; and operating, by the apparatus, the search mediator function to: receive a search query from one of the plurality of applications in a corresponding format via an application interworkinq interface, each of the plurality of applications corresponding to a separate format; receive search profiles specific to one or more of the plurality of applications; responsive to the search query from the one of the plurality of applications, select one of the plurality of search functions; transform the search query into a format applicable to the selected search function; transform search results received from the selected search function to the format corresponding to the one of the plurality of applications in accordance with a search profile specific to the one of the plurality of applications; and route the formatted search results to the application via the application interworking interface; wherein one or more of the select and transform operations is performed based on the search profile specific to the one of the plurality of applications. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method as in claim 38, further comprising interposing the search mediator function between a user interface and the plurality of search functions, and where operating the search mediator function includes receiving a search query from the user interface, forwarding a received search query to an appropriate one of the plurality of search functions, and providing a corresponding search result to the user interface in accordance with at least a user-specific search profile. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method as in claim 38, wherein the operating of the search mediator function further comprises receiving context information for the application, the context information comprising sensor-related information and a current active profile for the application; and wherein one or more of the select and transform operations is performed based also on the current active profile for the application, on meta-data and on one or more previously performed searches from a search archive. ### Claim 41 (depends on 38) The method as in claim 38, where the plurality of search functions comprise at least one of a proximity search function operable to conduct a search within an area proximate to an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied, an in-device search function associated with the electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied, a search provider reachable through a network external to the electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied, and a local search function related to a specified geographical area. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The method as in claim 41, where the search provider is reachable at least partially through a wireless link. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method as in claim 42, where the wireless link is comprised of a cellular communications wireless link. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The method as in claim 42, where the wireless link is comprised of a short range wireless link. ### Claim 45 (depends on 41) The method as in claim 41, where the search provider is embodied as a world wide web (WWW) search provider. ### Claim 46 (depends on 38) The method as in claim 38, where the plurality of interfaces comprise a plurality of plug-in interfaces. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The method as in claim 46, where at least one search function comprises a plug-in search function provided by a party other than a party that provides an electronic device wherein the search platform is embodied. ### Claim 48 (depends on 38) The method as in claim 38, where the method is implemented by a mobile station comprising the search mediator function. ### Claim 49 (depends on 38) The apparatus as in claim 38, wherein the sensor-related information comprises one or more of near-by devices, temperature, ambient illumination, and location of the apparatus.