Patent ID: 8869070

Claim:
A computer implemented method for a handwriting-initiated search wherein the computer implemented method is executed on a multifunctional device, the computer implemented method comprising: receiving a user input on a touch sensitive input unit of the multifunctional device; determining whether the received user input is a handwriting input on the touch sensitive input unit, wherein the handwriting input is differentiated from a selection of a Graphic User Interface (GUI) object, wherein the user input is received in an area of the touch sensitive input unit that does not exclusively receive handwriting inputs; and wherein the user input is determined to be a handwriting input when more than one GUI objects that are unrelated to an input of handwriting are contacted as a result of the user input; upon determination of the handwriting input: processing the handwriting input to determine one or more matching characters; conducting a search over two or more databases based on the one or more matching characters, wherein the two or more databases include at least two different types of data; obtaining search results from the conducted search; and presenting the search results, wherein the presented search results are selectable by the user for performing an action associated with a search result.