USER INTERFACE FOR SEARCHING REFERENCED INFORMATION
The present invention involves a method and associated software program and computing system that employ a user interface for searching information referenced on a display of the computing system. When the computing system displays on a display device an on-display reference to a body of information accessible to the computing system, then, when an on-display indicator of an input device to the computing system coincides with at least a first portion of the on display reference, a least a second portion of the on display reference is automatically replaced by a search box configured for searching the body of information. The method is directed to the sparing use and decluttering of precious on-display screen area of display devices.
1 . A computing system, comprising:
at least one memory device, at least one of the at least one memory device storing a body of information;
at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory device and having access to the body of information;
a display device in communication with the at least one processor;
a first user input means for interfacing with the display device and being in communication with the at least one processor;
a computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of software instructions; and
a first retrieval means in communication with the at least one processor and configured for retrieving at least one of the plurality of software instructions from the computer-readable storage medium,
wherein the at least one processor is configured for retrieving the at least one of the plurality of software instructions from the computer-readable storage medium via the first retrieval means and storing the software instructions in the at least one memory device; and
wherein the software instructions when executed by the at least one processor cause the computing system to:
display on the display device an on-display reference to the body of information and an on-display indicator representing the first input means; and
replace at least a first portion of the on-display reference with a search box configured for receiving alphanumeric search information when an on-display indicator of the at least a first user input means to the computing system designates the on-display reference on the display device.
2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the search box is configured for receiving the alphanumeric search information from a second user input means.
3 . The computing system of claim 2 , wherein the first user input means is a digital mouse and the second input means is a digital keyboard.
4 . The computing system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second user input means are the same means and the second input means is a digital keyboard.
5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium has further software instructions stored thereon which when executed by the at least one processor cause the computing system to:
conduct a search for the alphanumeric search information within the body of information;
receive search results in response to the alphanumeric search information received in the search box; and
present the search results on the display device.
6 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the body of information is at least one of a database, a body of alphanumeric text, a collection of graphics images, and a collection of data file names.
7 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the on-display reference is at least one of alphanumeric text, a graphics image and a tab.
8 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the on-display indicator is a graphic indicator relocatable on the display device by the first input means.
9 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the designating of the on-display reference by the on-display indicator comprises the on-display indicator hovering over the on-display reference without selecting the on-display reference.
10 . The computing system of claim 5 , wherein the on-display reference includes a plurality of subject references associated with a subset of the body of information, each of the subject references associated with a subset of the body of information, and the search conducted for the alphanumeric information is conducted within the subset designated when the on-display indicator of the at least a first user input means to the computing system designates one of the plurality of subject references.
11 . A computer-readable storage medium, with software instructions stored thereon, which when executed by at least one processor of a computing system with access to a body of information, cause the computing system to:
display on a display device in communication with the computing system an on-display reference to the body of information; and
replace at least a first portion of the on-display reference with a search box configured for receiving alphanumeric search information when an on-display indicator of a first user input means to the computing system designates the on-display reference.
12 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , with further software instructions stored thereon which when executed by the at least one processor cause the computing system to:
display the alphanumeric search information in the search box when the alphanumeric search information is input by a user into the computing system via a second user input means;
conduct a search for the alphanumeric search information within the body of information;
receive search results in response to the alphanumeric search information received in the search box; and
present the search results on the display device.
13 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the body of information is at least one of a database, a body of alphanumeric text, a collection of graphics images, and a collection of data file names.
14 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the on-display reference is at least one of alphanumeric text, a graphics image and a tab.
15 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the on-display indicator is a graphic indicator relocatable on the display device by the first input means.
16 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first user input means is a digital mouse and the second input means is a digital keyboard.
17 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , with further software instructions stored thereon which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to display the on-display reference including a plurality of subject references, each of the subject references being associated with a subset of the body of information, and cause the computing system to search for the alphanumeric information within the subset designated when the on-display indicator of the at least a first user input means to the computing system designates one of the plurality of subject references.
18 . A method for searching a body of information accessible to a computing system, the method comprising:
operating the computing system to display on a display device in communication with the computing device an on-display reference to the body of information;
operating a first user input means to the computing system to cause an on-display indicator of the first input means to designate the on-display reference; and
automatically replacing at least a portion of the on-display reference with a search box configured for receiving alphanumeric search information when the on-display indicator designates the on-display reference.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
conducting a search for the alphanumeric search information within the body of information;
receiving search results in response to the alphanumeric search information received in the search box; and
presenting the search results on the display device.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the conducting the search for the alphanumeric search information within the body of information comprises at least one of conducting a search for the alphanumeric search information within a database, within a body of alphanumeric text, among a collection of graphics images, and among a collection of data file names.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the conducting the search for the alphanumeric search information within the body of information comprises entering the alphanumeric search information into the computing system via a second user input means and displaying the alphanumeric search information in the search box.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein entering the alphanumeric search information into the computing system comprises entering the search information into the computing system via a digital keyboard.
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein operating the first user input means comprises operating a digital mouse.
24 . The method of claim 18 , wherein operating the computing system to display the on-display reference comprises operating the computing system to display at least one of alphanumeric text, a graphics image and a tab.
25 . The method of claim 18 , wherein operating the first input means to cause the on-display indicator to designate the on-display reference comprises operating the first input means to cause a graphic indicator relocatable on the display device by the first input means to designate the on-display reference.
26 . The method of claim 19 , the on-display reference includes a plurality of subject references associated with a subset of the body of information, each of the subject references associated with a subset of the body of information, and the search is conducted for the alphanumeric information is conducted within the subset designated when the on-display indicator of the at least a first user input means to the computing system designates one of the plurality of subject references.
27 . A graphic user interface for searching a body of information by means of a computing system having a display device and a first user input means, the graphic user interface displayed on the display device and comprising:
an on-display reference to the body of information;
an on-display indicator of the first user input means; and
a search box for receiving alphanumeric search input,
wherein the computing system is configured for replacing the on-display reference at least in part by the search box when the on-display indicator designates the on-display reference on the display device.
28 . The graphic user interface of claim 27 , wherein the computing system is configured for displaying within the search box a cursor associated with a second user input means, the cursor indicating a location for entering alphanumeric information by means of the second input means.
29 . The graphic user interface of claim 28 , wherein the first input means is a digital mouse and the second input means is a digital keyboard.
30 . The graphic user interface of claim 28 , wherein the first input means and the second input means are the same input means and the first input means is a digital keyboard.
31 . The graphic user interface of claim 27 , wherein the computing system is configured for displaying a plurality of subject references, each of the subject references associated with a subset of the body of information, and the search conducted for the alphanumeric information is conducted within the subset designated when the on-display indicator of the at least a first user input means to the computing system designates one of the plurality of subject references.