Method and System for Unified Searching and Incremental Searching Across and Within Multiple Documents

Abstract

A user-interface system and method for searching among multiple documents and searching for subsections within individual documents using a single search interface on an input-constrained user device having a screen and a keypad.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A method for searching media, the method comprising:
 receiving a first search query;   receiving user selection of a first query result generated based on the first search query;   setting, responsive to the user selection, a query context associated with the selected first query result; and   in response to receiving a second search query, generating for display a second query result based on the second search query and the query context.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising receiving a set of document index section indicators responsive to the received first search query, wherein each document index section indicator specifically identifies a point within an associated document. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising generating for display a document index section indicator of the set of document index section indicators as the first query result. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising generating for display, in response to receiving the user selection of the document index section indicator, the associated document beginning at the identified point. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the received set of document index section indicators point to documents that have been previously selected by the user. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving a set of document pointers responsive to the received first search query, wherein each document pointer specifically identifies a document; and   generating for display a document pointer of the set of document pointers as the first query result.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising generating for display an identified document corresponding to the first query result selected by the user. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising generating for display the query context prior to receiving the second search query. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the query context is the first query result. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first search query and the second search query are received from an overloaded keyboard. 
     
     
         27 . A system for searching media, the system comprising:
 processing circuitry configured to:   receive a first search query;   receive user selection of a first query result; and   receive a second search query;
 generate the first query result based on the first search query; 
 set a query context associated with the selected first query result responsive to receiving the user selection; and 
   display circuitry configured to generate for display a second query result based on the second search query and the query context in response to the user input circuitry receiving the second search query.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive a set of document index section indicators responsive to the received first search query, wherein each document index section indicator specifically identifies a point within an associated document. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate for display a document index section indicator of the set of document index section indicators as the first query result. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate for display, in response to receiving the user selection of the document index section indicator, the associated document beginning at the identified point. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the received set of document index section indicators point to documents that have been previously selected by the user. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive a set of document pointers responsive to the received first search query, wherein each document pointer specifically identifies a document, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate for display a document pointer of the set of document pointers as the first query result. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate for display an identified document corresponding to the first query result selected by the user. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate for display the query context prior to receiving the second search query. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the query context is the first query result. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive the first search query and the second search query from an overloaded keyboard.