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US 7,444,348 B2Granted
System for enhancing a query interface
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsKaren E. Fries, John M. Tippett, Jeffrey Richter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for enhancing searching of a network has an architecture that supports a search tool component capable of soliciting a search query from a user and of invoking an instance of an Internet browser in which to display search results. A further embodiment of the invention providing at least one search option suggesting changing at least one search parameter and at least one option allowing the user to indicate that their search was successful.
Claims12
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising:
- a search tool component soliciting a search query from a user, selecting a search area where a search based on the search query is to be performed, invoking an instance of a network browser component after receiving the search query in order to transmit the search query, wherein the instance of the network browser component was not open before receiving the search query, generating a uniform resource locator based on the search area and the search query, and passing the uniform resource locator to the network browser component;
- and
- a network browser component invoked by the search tool component, receiving a uniform resource locator from the search tool component, using the uniform resource locator to pass the search query to the search area, receiving search results from the search area, and displaying the search results in a browser window that is independent of the search tool component.
A method comprising:
- in a search tool component soliciting a search query from a user, selecting a search area where a search based on the search query is to be performed, invoking an instance of a network browser component after receiving the search query in order to transmit the search query, wherein the instance of the network browser component was not open before receiving the search query, generating a uniform resource locator based on the search area and the search query, and passing the uniform resource locator to the network browser component;
- and
- in a network browser component invoked by the search tool component, receiving a uniform resource locator from the search tool component, using the uniform resource locator to pass the search query to the search area, receiving search results from the search area, and displaying the search results in a browser window that is independent of the search tool component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.