Methods, devices, and computer program products for limiting search scope based on navigation of a menu screen

An electronic device, comprising:

• a user interface configured to provide navigation of a menu screen;
• a memory configured to store application programs and databases associated therewith;
• a display configured to display a search field in the menu screen including a plurality of icons representing and operable to launch the respective application programs responsive to selection thereof, and configured to visually indicate one of the plurality of icons as an active icon responsive to navigation of the menu screen via the user interface;
• and
• a search module configured to limit a search scope to at least one database of a plurality of databases in response to visual indication of the one of the plurality of icons as the active icon, wherein the at least one database is associated with an application program represented by the active icon and configured to search the at least one database using the limited search scope responsive to entry of a search string including one or more alphanumeric characters in the search field, wherein the search module is configured to search at least one sub-database accessible by the database and associated with the application program represented by the active icon using the limited search scope,
• wherein the display is further configured to display at least one search result including the search string found in the at least one database, wherein displaying at least one search result comprises displaying a plurality of search results including the search string in an order that is based on the at least one database in which the plurality of search results were found and/or the application program represented by the active icon.

A computer program product providing a search function in a mobile terminal, the computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code that displays a search field in a menu screen including a plurality of icons representing and operable to launch respective application programs responsive to selection thereof;
• computer readable program code that visually indicates one of the plurality of icons as an active icon responsive to navigation of the menu screen;
• computer readable program code that limits a search scope to at least one database of a plurality of databases in response to visual indication of the one of the plurality of icons as the active icon, wherein the at least one database is associated with an application program represented by the active icon;
• computer readable program code that searches the at least one database using the limited search scope responsive to entry of a search string including one or more alphanumeric characters in the search field, wherein searching at least one database using the limited search scope comprises searching at least one sub-database accessible by the database and associated with the application program represented by the active icon;
• and
• computer readable program code that displays at least one search result including the search string found in the at least one database, wherein displaying at least one search result comprises displaying a plurality of search results including the search string in an order that is based on the at least one database in which the plurality of search results were found and/or the application program represented by the active icon.