System and method to implement a persistent and dismissible search center frame

A method, comprising:

• displaying a search tool bar including a search icon;
• displaying a search center pane after a user selects the search icon to begin a user session, the search center pane including a search frame and a results frame;
• selecting a search category from a plurality of search categories based on user input provided via the search frame;
• receiving a search keyword specified by the user;
• selecting a search index specifying one or more documents for which the search index was created;
• applying access control visibility rules to the search index;
• performing, using the search index, a full-text search on the one or more documents for data records matching the search category and the search keyword;
• displaying in the results frame a list of data records from the one or more documents that matches the search category and the search keyword;
• and
• caching the data records listed in the results frame to maintain persistency of the data records until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.

A machine-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

• displaying a search tool bar including a search icon;
• displaying a search center pane after a user selects the search icon to begin a user session, the search center pane including a search frame, the search frame including a close button;
• selecting a search category from a plurality of search categories based on user input provided via the search frame;
• receiving a search keyword specified by the user;
• selecting a search index specifying one or more documents for which the search index was created;
• applying access control visibility rules to the search index;
• performing, using the search index, a full-text search on the one or more documents for data records matching the search category and the search keyword;
• caching the data records matching the search category and the search keyword until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.

A system comprising:

• means for displaying a search center pane after a user selects a search icon from a search tool bar to begin a user session, the search center pane including a search frame, the search frame including a close button;
• means for selecting a search category from a plurality of search categories based on user input provided via the search frame;
• means for receiving a search keyword specified by the user, means for selecting a search index specifying one or more documents for which the search index was created;
• means for applying access control visibility rules to the search index;
• means for performing, using the search index, a full-text search on the one or more documents for data records matching the search category and the search keyword;
• and
• means for caching the data records matching the search category and the search keyword to maintain persistency of the data records until the user selects the close button to terminate the user session.