Search toolbar

A method for providing a search system interface, the method comprising:

• displaying a toolbar having a plurality of search fields;
• submitting a sample query to a website having search functionality, thereby transmitting to the website a plurality of HTTP packets containing the sample query;
• analyzing the plurality of HTTP packets to determine an HTTP POST syntax used by the website to receive a search query;
• and
• adding a new search field to the toolbar, wherein the new search field is configured to submit a search query entered therein to the website using the HTTP POST syntax, thereby causing the website the generate search results based on the search query.

A method for providing a search system interface, the method comprising:

• displaying a toolbar having a plurality of dialogue boxes;
• submitting a sample query to a website having search functionality, thereby causing the website to generate a webpage listing search results based on the sample query, wherein the webpage has a uniform resource locator;
• analyzing the uniform resource locator to determine a syntax used by the website to generate search results;
• and
• adding a new dialogue box to the toolbar, wherein the new dialogue box is configured to submit a search query entered therein to the website using the syntax, thereby causing the website to generate search results based on the search query.

A search apparatus, comprising:

• a toolbar that is not associated with an application window or a system menu bar, the toolbar including a plurality of search interfaces that are displayed simultaneously with each other, including (a) a website search interface having an associated website search dialogue box and a website search history list, and (b) a local search interface having an associated local search dialogue box and a local search history list;
• and
• a computer configured to:
• incrementally search a search history list as characters are entered into a search interface corresponding to the search history list;
• submit a search query entered into the website search dialogue box to a website associated with the website search dialogue box, wherein the website is accessed via a computer network;
• and
• perform a search on a local storage device based on a search query entered into the local search dialogue box, wherein the local storage device forms a part of the computer.

A toolbar application including program code stored on a computer in computer readable memory, the program code configured to:

• display a control panel listing a plurality of user selectable information sources;
• at least partially cause a toolbar to be added to a user interface of an application, the application distributed separately from the toolbar application, wherein the toolbar includes
• a quantity of search dialogue fields that is based on a quantity of information sources selected by the user in the control panel, wherein each of the search dialogue fields corresponds to one of the quantity of information sources selected by the user in the control panel, and
• a preferences menu though which the control panel is accessible;
• and
• cause a search to be performed on an information source using a term entered into the corresponding search dialogue field.

A toolbar apparatus including program code stored in computer readable memory, the program code configured to:

• at least partially cause a toolbar to be displayed on a user terminal, wherein the toolbar includes a dialogue field associated with a control panel that includes a plurality of user selectable search engines;
• determine whether a text entered into the dialogue field is a search term or a command;
• if the text entered in the dialogue field is not a command, cause the text to be transmitted to a search engine selected by the user from the control panel;
• and
• if the text entered in the dialogue field is a command, cause the command to be executed.