Apple's summary

The present invention provides a search capability to allow a user to easily locate an item in a computer system, including for example a data item, preference control, file, folder, control, or other system resource associated with a search result. In one embodiment, a user enters a search term (or a portion thereof) in a search field associated with one or more resource types that may be searched. The user may be presented with a pop-up menu containing a list of likely matches. The user selects the desired data item, preference control, or other resource from the pop-up menu, and the corresponding document, preference pane, or other resource or container containing the selected item is displayed.

In one aspect, as the user enters the search term (or portion thereof, certain icons within a preferences window or other set of container items are highlighted automatically. Specifically, those icons that represent containers containing items that match the search term (such as files containing the term, or preference panes having controls that match the search term) are highlighted. These results may be updated dynamically as the user continues to enter his search criteria.

In one aspect, different types of highlighting are used depending on the degree of certainty as to which preference pane, or container, is likely to contain the correct match. When there is relative uncertainty as to which data item, control, or resource is being sought, icons for preference panes, or containers, containing the search term are highlighted using a first type of highlighting. When sufficient search term input has been provided that yields greater certainty as to which item is being sought (for example, if only one preference pane, or container, contains a matching control), a second, more prominent type of highlighting is used.

By highlighting icons and items in this manner, the present invention provides a training mechanism that allows a user to learn, over time, where to find various data items, preference controls, and/or other resources. In one embodiment, this training mechanism is implemented in a manner that is relatively innocuous, in that it does not interfere with the user's normal operation of the system; the user is free to ignore the highlighting if he or she wishes, and simply to enter search terms (or portions thereof) and select from the pop-up menu that appears.

In one aspect, the pop-up menu results are updated, and highlights appear and disappear, automatically as the user types in the search field. Thus, the user need not hit Enter, or any other key, to activate the search and highlight functionality of the present invention.
The functionality of the present invention is not limited to preference controls. As described in more detail below, the present invention can be implemented in any context where it is desirable to dynamically highlight icons or locations in response to a search term, while the search term is being entered. For example, the present invention can be implemented in a file manager, where folders or directory icons are dynamically highlighted based on whether they contain files that match the search term (or portion thereof). Alternatively, the highlighting techniques described herein can be used in any application, situation, or context, regardless of whether the highlighting is performed in response to entry of a search term.

In one aspect, the present invention searches for alternative terms as well as literal matches. Common misspellings, descriptive text, and/or alternative terminologies are associated with controls, so that if the user enters a search term that is misspelled or that uses alternative terminology, a match is still indicated.

Spotlight on other devices

The patent point #31 states that "In one embodiment, the present invention is implemented in a conventional personal computer system, such as an iMac, Power Mac, or PowerBook, (available from Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), running an operating system such as MacOS X (also available from Apple Computer, Inc.). It will be recognized that the invention may be implemented on other devices as well, such as handhelds, personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile telephones, consumer electronics devices, and the like,

Notice

Macsimum News presents only a brief summary of patents with associated graphic(s) for journalistic news purposes as each such patent application and/or grant is revealed by the U.S. Patent & Trade Office. Readers are cautioned that the full text of any patent applications and/or grants should be read in its entirety for further details.

The inventors listed on the patent are Maxym I. Runov, Bas Ording, Steve Ko, Gregory N. Christie and Kevin Tiene. Bas Ording is a long standing Apple engineers also credited lately in respect to Apple's EU patent for '[url=http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/apple_files_eu_patent_for_single_layer_mode_for_viewing_overlapping_objects/]ingle-layer mode for viewing overlapping objects."[/url]

For more details, see patent [url=http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=3&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=%22Apple+Computer%22&OS="Apple+Computer"&RS="Apple+Computer"]20060101347[/url]. In December 2005 Apple released another Spotlight patent that Macsimum covered under [url=http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/b/]"Apple's Spotlight patent revealed."[/url]

neo@macsimumnews.com