Command searching enhancements

Abstract

A user can access a searching component that allows the user to enter search terms to search for commands associated with a computer program. Some specific embodiments pertain to methods for supporting user access to the searching component, to methods for processing search terms submitted by the user, and to methods for guiding the user in terms of their formulation and selection queries. Methods for generating, organizing and manipulating the search results are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a first user input indicative of a task to be performed in an application;   generating a command query that includes a search term based on the first user input;   accessing a command store that stores indications of executable commands associated with the application;   identifying, using a computer processor, a set of executable commands based on the search term and the indications in the command store, wherein each executable command in the set of executable commands corresponds to a different task in the application;   rendering a user output that indicates the identified set of executable commands in a user selectable form, such that each executable command in the set can be selected by the user for execution in order to perform the corresponding task;   receiving a second user input;   based on the second user input, selecting one of the executable commands in the set of executable commands; and   automatically executing the selected command by performing the task corresponding to the selected command in the application.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the first user input comprises:
 receiving a speech input from the user; and   performing speech recognition on the speech input to obtain a speech recognition result; and   generating the search term based on the speech recognition result.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein rendering the user output comprises:
 audibly rendering indications of the set of executable commands.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein receiving the second user input comprises:
 receiving a second speech input from the user.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an input indicative of a user request to generate a command search user interface component;   responding to the user request by generating the command search user interface component; and   receiving the first user input using the command search user interface component.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the set of executable commands is displayed within the command search user interface component. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , and further comprising:
 receiving an additional user input; and   terminating display of the command search user interface component in response to the additional user input.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-processing the first user input to identify an additional search term, wherein the command query is generated to include the additional search term, the additional search term being based on the first user input but not explicitly defined by the first user input. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 accessing a command search index that maps multiple forms of a potential command query to a same set of executable commands in the command store; and   identifying the set of executable commands based on the command search index.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein rendering the user output comprises:
 identifying a plurality of executable commands returned from the command store based on the search term;   ranking the plurality of executable commands based on a biasing criterion; and   rendering the plurality of executable commands based on the ranking.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing the command query to identify an alternate command query that is based on, but different from, the command query;   rendering the alternate command query to the user;   receiving a user selection of the alternative command query; and   identifying the set of executable commands based on the alternative command query.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing the command query to identify a proposed query modification;   rendering the proposed query modification to the user;   receiving a user selection of the proposed query modification;   based on the user selection, modifying the command query based on the proposed query modification; and   identifying the set of executable commands based on the modified command query.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying a set of executable commands comprises:
 searching the command store using a search engine that is trained with prior probabilities of commands.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 identifying a characteristic of the command query; and   formatting the rendering of at least one the executable commands so as to be consistent with the characteristic of the command query.   
     
     
         15 . A computing system comprising:
 a processor; and   memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, wherein the instructions configure the computing system to:
 identify a command search request that includes a search term indicative of a task to be performed in an application; 
 identify an application context indicative of the application for which the task is to be performed; 
 identify a plurality of possible commands based on the command search request and the application context, each possible command having a corresponding task in the application; 
 render a user output that indicates the plurality of possible commands in a user selectable form; 
 receive a user input; 
 based on the user input, select a command from the plurality of possible commands; and 
 automatically executing the selected command by performing the task corresponding to the selected command in the application. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computing system of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions configure the computing device to:
 receive a first speech input from the user;   perform speech recognition on the first speech input to obtain a speech recognition result;   generate the command search request based on the speech recognition result; and   audibly render indications of the plurality of possible commands; and   wherein the user input comprises a second speech input.   
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a command search request;   searching a data store, using a computer processor, to identify a plurality of possible commands based on the command search request;   identifying a rank biasing factor indicative of a command selection history of one or more users;   generating a ranked list of possible commands by ranking the plurality of possible commands based on the rank biasing factor; and   rendering the ranked list of the plurality of possible commands.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein the rank biasing factor is based on at least one of:
 when commands in the list were most recently selected;   a data item indicative of a period of, or point in, time; or   a log of user activity.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving a command search request comprises:
 receiving a speech input from a user; and   performing speech recognition on the speech input to obtain a speech recognition result; and   generating the command search request based on the speech recognition result.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein rendering the ranked list of the plurality of possible commands comprises audibly rendering indications of the plurality of possible commands in an order that is based on the ranked list, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a second speech input from the user;   based on the second speech input, selecting one of the commands in the plurality of possible commands; and   automatically executing the selected command by performing the task corresponding to the selected command in the application.