Context Sensitive Searching Front End

Abstract

A context sensitive searching front-end is disclosed for use in a deposition or trial proceeding wherein a computer aided transcription terminal provides real-time transcribed text down-line to attorney terminals. The terminals may thereafter use the transcribed text and any other text currently being displayed to formulate searches with little or no typing interaction required. Other text which may be used as a basis for searching includes communications from other attorney terminals, from artificial intelligence objection messages, and personal notes. Searching may be conducted on natural language or boolean front-ends which provide virtually instant feed-back as to the value of a search formulation before and after any “searching” actually occurs. Graphing of search results, including individual search word contribution, is provided for modification and selection of the documents to be reviewed. Library selection for searching is provided by analyzing the context from which the search originated, and from the actual words selected for searching. A database structure is also disclosed for providing backward referencing into the actual locations of search words without having to search the text files.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A method for performing a search via an electronic device, the method comprising:
 first receiving input from a user to initiate a search;   providing on a display a drop down menu comprising a plurality of options to assist in the search;   second receiving input from the user selecting one of the plurality of options;   generating, in response to the second receiving, a search request;   performing a search based on the search request to produce search results; and   presenting via the display the search results.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the search request comprises selected text used as search text. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the generating the search request comprises extracting selected text to be used as search text. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the generating, the performing, and the presenting are performed automatically in response to the second receiving, without further input from the user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving, in response to input from a user, a display request associated with at least a portion of the search results; and 
 presenting via the display, text associated with the display request. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the performing the search based on the search request to produce search results comprises performing a database search of at least one database to produce the search results. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing the database search of the at least one database comprises:
 for each database searched, accessing a database indexing system corresponding to the database; and   producing, based upon the database indexing system access, a database reference as the search results.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the performing the search based on the search request to produce search results comprises attributing greater significance to some words in the search text than other words in the search text. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the performing the search based on the search request to produce search results comprises performing a natural language search using the search text. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising presenting via the display the search results in a list format. 
     
     
         15 . A method for performing a search via an electronic device, the method comprising:
 first receiving input from a user to initiate a search;   providing on a display a drop down menu comprising a plurality of options to assist in the search;   second receiving input from the user selecting one of the plurality of options;   automatically, in response to the second receiving:
 generating a search request comprising search text; 
 performing a search based on the search text to produce search results; and 
 presenting via the display the search results. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claims 15  wherein the search text comprises selected text. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the generating the search request comprises extracting selected text to be used as the search text. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 receiving, in response to input from a user, a display request associated with at least a portion of the search results; and 
 presenting via the display, text associated with the display request. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the performing the search based on the search request to produce search results comprises performing a database search of at least one database to produce the search results. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein performing the database search of the at least one database comprises:
 for each database searched, accessing a database indexing system corresponding to the database; and   producing, based upon the database indexing system access, a database reference as the search results.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the performing the search based on the search request to produce search results comprises attributing greater significance to some words in the search text than other words in the search text. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the performing the search comprises performing a natural language search using the search text. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising presenting via the display the search results in a list format. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein automatically comprises without further input from the user. 
     
     
         25 . A system for use by a user to search at least one database, the system comprising:
 at least one electronic device interface operable to:
 first receive input from a user to initiate a search; 
 provide on a display a drop down menu comprising a plurality of options to assist in the search; 
 second receive input from the user selecting one of the plurality of options; 
 generate, in response to the second receiving, a search request; 
 cause performance of a search based on the search request, to produce search results; and 
 present via the display the search results. 
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the search request comprises selected text used as search text. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to generate the search request by being operable to extract selected text to be used as search text. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to perform the generating, the causing and the presenting automatically in response to the second receiving, without further input from the user. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the at least one electronic device interface is further operable to:
 receive, in response to input from a user, a display request associated with at least a portion of the search results; and 
 present via the display, text associated with the display request. 
 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein at least one electronic device interface is operable to cause the performance of the search by being operable to cause performance of a database search of at least one database to produce the search results. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to cause performance of the database search of the at least one database by being operable to:
 for each database searched, cause access of a database indexing system corresponding to the database; and   produce, based upon the database indexing system access, a database reference as the search results.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the search results are identified by attributing greater significance to some words in the search text than other words in the search text. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein at least one electronic device interface is operable to cause performance of the search by being operable to cause the performance of a natural language search using the search text. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to present via the display the search results in a list format. 
     
     
         35 . A system for use by a user to search at least one database, the system comprising:
 at least one electronic device interface operable to:
 first receive input from a user to initiate a search; 
 provide on a display a drop down menu comprising a plurality of options to assist in the search; 
 second receive input from the user selecting one of the plurality of options; 
 automatically, in response to the second receiving:
 generate a search request comprising search text; 
 cause performance of a search based on the search text, to produce search results; and 
 present via the display the search results. 
 
   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the search request comprises selected text used as the search text. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to generate the search request by being operable to extract selected text to be used as the search text. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the at least one electronic device interface is further operable to:
 receive, in response to input from a user, a display request associated with at least a portion of the search results; and 
 present via the display, text associated with the display request. 
 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein at least one electronic device interface is operable to cause the performance of the search by being operable to cause performance of a database search of at least one database to produce the search results. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to cause performance of the database search of the at least one database by being operable to:
 for each database searched, cause access of a database indexing system corresponding to the database; and   produce, based upon the database indexing system access, a database reference as the search results.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the search results are identified by attributing greater significance to some words in the search text than other words in the search text. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein at least one electronic device interface is operable to cause performance of the search by being operable to cause the performance of a natural language search using the search text. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one electronic device interface is operable to present via the display the search results in a list format. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein automatically comprises without further input from the user.