PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8631348-B2
Application Number: US-95035907-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Search drop down menu method and apparatus

Abstract:
User interface for searching for data are described. In one embodiment, a method, which involves a user interface for searching, includes displaying on a display device a search input region and displaying, immediately adjacent to the search input region, a user interface object which, if selected, cause the display of a menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search. The search input region can be configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A machine implemented method comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a search input region, the search input region being configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device; 
 displaying, within the search input region, a single user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a single menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of a plurality of selectable parameter search options to configure how to perform the search; and 
 increasing the bounded area of the search input region by ceasing the displaying of the user interface object within the search input region in response to entry of a predetermined length of text in the search input region. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a border around the search input region, wherein the border surrounds the user interface object. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the menu, when displayed, extends beyond the border which is substantially rectangular, and wherein the border defines a visual content of the search input region. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the menu comprises at least one of:
 (a) a specification of at least one location to search; 
 (b) a specification of a file attribute to search, the file attribute comprising at least one of file type, file name, date of creation, date of modification, permissions information, user comments associated with a file, and metadata associated with a file; and 
 (c) an advanced option which when selected causes the presentation of a user interface allowing the selection of a plurality of search criteria. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the specification of at least one location is a list of a plurality of locations in the menu and the specification of a file attribute is a list of a plurality of file attributes. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the search input region appears empty before a user enters a search query in the search input region. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user interface object appears to be within the search input region. 
     
     
       8. The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the menu is not displayable while ceasing the displaying of the user interface object within the search input region, and wherein the certain amount predefined length of text exceeds a size of the search input region. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single user interface object is displayed adjacent to a menu bar at an edge of a border of a screen of the display device. 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory machine readable medium containing executable program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause a method to be performed, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a search input region, the search input region being configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device; and 
 displaying, within the search input region, a single user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a single menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of a plurality of selectable search parameter options to configure how to perform the search; and 
 increasing the bounded area of the search input region by ceasing the displaying of the user interface object within the search input region in response to entry of a predefined length of text in the search input region. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory medium of  claim 10 , wherein the method further comprising displaying a border around the search input region wherein the border surrounds the user interface object. 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory medium of  claim 11 , wherein the menu, when displayed, extends beyond the border which is substantially rectangular, and wherein the border defines a visual content of the search input region. 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory medium of  claim 12  wherein the menu comprises at least one of:
 (a) a specification of at least one location to search; 
 (b) a specification of a file attribute to search, the file attribute comprising at least one of file type, file name, date of creation, date of modification, permissions information, user comments associated with a file, and metadata associated with a file; and 
 (c) an advanced option which when selected causes the presentation of a user interface allowing the selection of a plurality of search criteria. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory medium of  claim 13 , wherein the specification of at least one location is a list of a plurality of locations in the menu and the specification of a file attribute is a list of a plurality of file attributes. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory medium of  claim 14 , wherein the search input region appears empty before a user enters a search query in the search input region. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory medium of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface object appears to be within the search input region. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory medium as in  claim 10 , wherein the menu is not displayable while ceasing the displaying of the user interface object within the search input region and wherein the predefined length of text exceeds a size of the search input region. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory medium as in  claim 10 , wherein the single user interface object is displayed adjacent to a menu bar at an edge of a border of a screen of the display device. 
     
     
       19. A data processing system comprising:
 means for displaying, on a display device, a search input region, the search input region being configured to receive an input for a search of data on a data processing system coupled to the display device; and 
 means for displaying, within the search input region, a single user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a single menu, disposed adjacent to the user interface object, of a plurality of selectable search parameter options to configure how to perform the search; and 
 means for increasing the bounded area of the search input region by ceasing the displaying of the user interface object within the search input region in response to entry of a predefined length of text in the search input region. 
 
     
     
       20. The data processing system of  claim 19 , wherein the single user interface object is displayed adjacent to a menu bar at an edge of a border of a screen of the display device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     Methods for managing data in a data processing system and apparatuses for managing data are described herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Modern data processing systems, such as general purpose computer systems, allow the users of such systems to create a variety of different types of data files. For example, a typical user of a data processing system may create text files with a word processing program such as Microsoft Word or may create an image file with an image processing program such as Adobe&#39;s Photoshop. Numerous other types of files are capable of being created or modified, edited, and otherwise used by one or more users for a typical data processing system The large number of the different types of files that can be created or modified can present a challenge to a typical user who is seeking to find a particular file which has been created. 
     Modern data processing systems often include a file management system which allows a user to place files in various directories or subdirectories (e.g. folders) and allows a user to give the file a name. Further, these file management systems often allow a user to find a file by searching for the file&#39;s name, or the date of creation, or the date of modification, or the type of file. An example of such a file management system is the Finder program which operates on Macintosh computers from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Another example of a file management system program is the Windows Explorer program which operates on the Windows operating system from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. Both the Finder program and the Windows Explorer program include a find command which allows a user to search for files by various criteria including a file name or a date of creation or a date of modification or the type of file. 
     These various search programs available today each provide a user interface in order to configure parameters to define the scope of a search. For example, referring to  FIG. 1A  which illustrates an exemplary search program containing a user interface object and search input region with a drop down menu in a user interface display according to the prior art.  FIG. 1A  includes portions of FIG. 14A of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005-0289109, which is incorporated by reference herein.  FIG. 1A  shows examples of a window in a graphical user interface file system, which runs on an operating system, such as a Macintosh operating system. This window shows the results of a particular search and also the ability to save and use a smart folder which saves a prior search. The window  1401  shown in  FIG. 1A  includes a display region  1403 , a user configurable region  1405 , a smart folder  1406 , a system specified region  1407 , an icon view button  1409 , a list view button  1410 , and a column view button  1411 . The window  1401  also includes a text entry region  1415  and a user interface object  1431 . The text entry region  1415  is used to input search terms and user interface object  1431  includes a drop down menu of prior/recent searches.  FIG. 1A  shows the activation of a menu by selecting the search button  1431 , causing a display of a menu having two entries  1433  and  1435 . Entry  1433  displays recently performed searches and/or other prior searches so that a user may merely recall a prior search by selecting the prior search and cause the prior search to be run again. The menu selection  1435  allows the user to clear the list of recent searches in the menu. 
     Window  1401  further includes location slice  1416  which may be used to specify the location for the search, which slice also includes a save button  1417 . Additional slices below the slice  1416  allow the user to specify further details with respect to the search, in this case specifying types of documents which are images which were last viewed this week. The user has set the search parameters in this manner by selecting the “kind” option from the pull down menu  1419  and by selecting the “images” type from the pull down menu  1420  and by selecting the “last viewed” option from pull down menu  1418  and by selecting “this week” from the pull down menu  1422 . The user has also selected “everywhere” by selecting the button  1421  so that the search will be performed on all disks and storage devices connected to this system. The results are shown within the display region  1403 . The user can then save the search query by selecting the “save” button  1417  and may name the saved search query as “this week&#39;s images” to produce the smart folder  1406  as shown in the user configurable portion  1405 . This allows the user to repeat this search at a later time by merely selecting the smart folder  1406  which causes the system to perform a new search again, and all data which matches the search criteria will be displayed within the display region  1403 . Thus, after several weeks, a repeating of this search by selecting the smart folder  1406  will produce an entirely different list if none of the files displayed in the display region  1403  of  FIG. 1A  are viewed in the last week from the time in which the next search is performed by selecting the smart folder  1406 . 
     However, many of the prior art search programs are overly complicated and include require entry of complex search strings and require the presentation of a complicated search menu in order to configure parameters to perform a search. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A search pull down menu method and apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the search pull down menu comprises a search input region configured to receive an input search string and a user interface object which, if selected, causes the display of a menu of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search. In another embodiment, the search pull down menu ceases to display the user interface object adjacent to the search input region in response to the entry of text in the search input region. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained from the following detailed description in conjunctions with the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  illustrates an exemplary search program containing a user interface object and search input region with a drop down menu in a user interface display according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 1B  illustrates an exemplary computer system upon which the methods of the present invention may be implemented. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates an exemplary user interface object and a search input region in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates an exemplary user interface object and a search input region with a drop down menu in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary user interface object and search input region with a hierarchical drop down menu in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary method for performing a search using a user interface object with drop down menu(s) according to one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates before and after snapshots of an exemplary user interface object and search input region with a drop down menu(s) in a user interface display according to another embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary method for performing a search using a user interface object with drop down menu(s) according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Throughout the description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the underlying principles of the present invention. 
     References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. When a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. 
     In the following description and claims, the terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended to be synonymous with each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” is used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still co-operate or interact with each other. 
     Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. 
     It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system&#39;s registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. 
     The invention also relates to apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored or transmitted in a machine-readable medium, such as, but is not limited to, a machine-readable storage medium (e.g., any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions), or a machine-readable transmission medium such as, but not limited to, any type of electrical, optical, acoustical or other form of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, etc.). 
     The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer system or other apparatus. Various general purpose systems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description below. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It will be appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the invention as described herein. 
     A method and apparatus for performing a search using a drop down menu of selectable search options to configure how to perform the search is described. As discussed above, prior art systems with drop down menus do not contain selectable search options to configure how to perform a search. Additionally, many of the prior art search programs are overly complicated and require entry of complex search strings and the presentation of a complicated search menu in order to configure parameters to perform a search. Accordingly, what is needed is a method and apparatus to quickly configure a search using selectable parameters in a simple drop down menu format. Such a method and apparatus may include a hierarchical drop down menu with a plurality of selectable search options combined with a text entry region to configure how the search is performed in one simple, user-friendly interface. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1B , which illustrates an exemplary computer system  100  upon which embodiments of the present invention can be implemented. Computer system  100  comprises front-side bus  101  and back-side bus  102  (or other communications hardware and software for communicating information) coupled to processor  109  for processing information. Front-side bus  101  is a data path which runs between the CPU and main memory (RAM). Front-side bus  101  also couples data storage device  107 , main memory  104 , and non-volatile memory  106  to processor  109 . Additionally, front-side bus  101  connects to an external bus coupling the processor to display controller and device  121 , video digitizing device  126 , cursor control device  123 , input-output (I/O) devices  122 , sound recording and playback devices  125 , and optional wireless transceivers  153 . Additionally, cache  148  is coupled to processor  109  via back-side bus  102 . A back-side bus, such as, back-side bus  102 , is the data path and physical interface between the processor and the L1 and/or L2 cache memory (not shown). 
     Computer system  100  further comprises a random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device (referred to as main memory  104 ) coupled to bus  101  for storage information and instructions to be executed by processor  109 . Main memory  104  also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by processor  109 . Computer system  100  also comprises a read only memory (ROM)  106 , and/or static storage devices coupled to bus  101  for storing static information and instructions for processor  109 . Data storage device  107  is coupled to bus  101  for storing information and instructions. 
     Furthermore, data storage device  101  may include a magnetic disk or optical disk and its corresponding disk drive, which can be coupled to computer system  100 . Computer system  100  can also be coupled, via bus  101 , to display device  121  for displaying information to a computer user. Display device  121  typically includes a frame buffer, specialized graphics rendering devices, and a cathode ray tube (CRT) and/or a flat panel display. I/O device  122  including alpha numeric and other keys, is typically coupled to bus  101  for communication information and commands to processor  109 . Another type of user input device is cursor control  123 , such as a mouse, trackball, pin, touch screen, or cursor direction keys for communication direction information and command selections to processor  109  and for controlling cursor movement on display device  121 . This input device typically has two degrees of freedom into axis, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), which allows the device to specify positions in a plane. However, this invention should not be limited to input devices with only two degrees of freedom. 
     Another device that may be coupled to bus  101  is a device for sound recording and/or playback  125 , such as an audio digitizer coupled to a microphone for recording information. Further, the device may include a speaker which is coupled to a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter for playing back the digitized sounds. 
     Also computer system  100  can be a terminal in a computer network (e.g., a LAN). Computer system  100  would then be a computer subsystem of a computer system including a number of networked devices. Computer system  100  optionally includes video digitizing device  126 . Video digitizing device  126  can be used to capture video images and transmitted from others on the computer network. 
     Computer system  100  is useful for supporting computer supported cooperation (CSC—the integration of teleconferencing with mixed media data manipulation) to 2D/3D graphics, image processing, video compressions/decompression recognition algorithms and audio manipulation. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , which illustrates an exemplary interface object and a search input region in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2A  includes user interface  200  which includes a user interface object or icon and a text entry region  203 . User interface icon  201  includes an arrow indicating the presence of a drop down menu. However, the invention is not so limited. Embodiments of the invention may include any indicator or other user interface object to indicate the presence of a drop down menu. For example, user interface icon  201  may contain the word “menu” which may be selected to case the presentation of the drop down menu. Text entry region  203  includes a bounded area for inputting search terms or strings. For purposes the purposes of explanation, the search term “spotlight” has been entered into the text entry region  203  and any search performed on user interface  200  would include the term “spotlight” in its scope. 
     In the case where user interface icon  201  (indicating a drop down menu) is not selected, user interface  201  will be operable to perform a search using the search term “spotlight” and a set of one or more default parameters. The default parameters may be user-defined or may be included as a set of one or more of the most commonly used parameters included with the software. In either case, the search will be performed with default parameters and will not be performed with user-selectable parameters that define a set of search options and configure how the search is performed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2B , which illustrates an exemplary user interface object and a search input region with a drop down menu in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 2B , user interface icon  201  has been selected resulting in the presentation of the drop down menu  211  disposed adjacent to user interface icon  201 . However, the invention is not so limited as other embodiments may have the presentation of drop down menu in other locations within user interface  200 . Search drop down menu  211  includes a plurality of search parameter options and/or other search criteria. As such, drop down menu  211  includes both locations for searching as well as various file attributes which may be selected with performing a search. For example, search drop down menu  211  includes file type search parameter  207  to allow a user to select from among various file types. Additionally, drop down menu  211  includes location search parameter  203  in order for a user to define the scope of locations within his or her computer system in which to perform the search. 
     Drop down menu  211  also includes advanced option  209  which, when selected, causes the presentation of another user interface allowing the selection of a plurality of search criteria. In one embodiment, the other user interface could be a detailed menu with a plurality of search criteria. Advanced option  209  can contain any combination of search parameters and/or criteria including both search criteria located within the parameters of drop down menu  211 , such as location  203 , or other criteria different and in addition to the parameters contained in search drop down menu  211 . However, the invention is not so limited, and any number and/or combination of search parameters and/or criteria may be included within the menu or user interface that is presented when the advanced option  209  search is selected. Additionally, advanced option  209  allows for performing a search on any combination of selectable search options which can be performed one at a time in a serial fashion or several at a time in parallel. Either way, advanced option  209  allows the user flexibility of performing a search with multiple parameters or a single parameter which may or may not be located in the other parameters available in search drop down menu  211 . To illustrate this, consider the presentation of the user interface allowing the selection the plurality of search criteria which includes location to specify the location for the search, while at the same time specifying further details with respect to the scope of the search, including for example: document type; kind of document such as “images;” a last viewed option; and a list of metadata contained within files to be selected with each document searched. It should be noted, that some or all of these search options which are presented upon selecting the advanced option  209  of menu  211  include one or more of search parameters  1418 - 1422  of  FIG. 1A . As a result, the present invention of user interface  200  allows for the quick and easy access to a plurality of search criteria in order to customize a search to the user&#39;s preference, and these criteria are all contained within one simple drop down menu selectable by user interface icon  201 . Furthermore, user interface  200  includes text entry region  205  for inputting search terms as discussed above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , which illustrates an exemplary user interface object and search input region with a hierarchical drop down menu in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 3 , user interface  200  includes user interface icon  301 , text entry region  307 , and drop down menu  309  including a plurality of search parameters and advanced option, and hierarchical submenu  305 . As discussed above in connection with previous figures, selecting user interface icon  301  causes search drop down menu  311  to be presented disposed adjacent to and directly below user interface icon  301 . Additionally, selecting one of the user interface search parameters, such as “file type” parameter  303 , within search drop down menu  311  causes the presentation of hierarchical submenu  305 . In this case, the “file type” search parameter  303  has been selected causing the presentation of hierarchical submenu  305  which includes a plurality of file attributes to be selected in order to perform search with a user-defined scope. In this way, a user can further refine search criteria within a simple and easily understood search menu selected by merely depressing search interface icon  301 . It should be noted that hierarchical drop down submenu  305  may be operable to select one of the plurality of file attributes such as a PDF, word, JPEG, MP3, and etc., or hierarchical submenu  305  may be operable, in other embodiments, to select one or more of the plurality of file attributes contained therein. As discussed above, an advance option such as advanced option  309  is included within the search drop down menu  311 . The advanced option may also include a plurality of file attributes including PDF, word, JPEG3, MP3 and etc. Either way, a user can define the scope of the search by selecting one or more of a plurality of search criteria within menu  311 , advanced options  309 , and/or hierarchical submenu  305 . 
     Additionally, as discussed above, text entry region  307  exists to further refine the scope of the search by including one or more list of key search terms within text entry region  307 . This is illustrated by reference to method  400  of  FIG. 4  which illustrates an exemplary method for performing a search using a user interface object with a search drop down menu(s) to according to one embodiment of the invention. In method  400 , at step  401 , the search input region is displayed, and control flows to step  403 , where the search input term or terms is received from the user. Additionally, the search icon is displayed in step  405 , and control flows to step  407  where it is determined whether the user interface icon, such as user interface icon  301  has been selected. If the search icon has not been selected, control flows to step  409  where, as discussed previously, a search is performed using the default parameters based on the input to the text region only. However, if the user interface icon has been selected, control flows to step  411  where the display of the search menu is performed. Once the display menu is performed, the search parameter or parameters are selected in step  413 . The search is then performed based on the selected parameters in step  415  and the search results are returned to the display in the step  417 . This completes method  400 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , which illustrates a before and after snapshots of an exemplary user interface object and search input region with drop down menu in a user interface display according to one embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 5 , before snapshot  501  includes search drop down menu  511  comprising text entry region  503 , user interface icon  504 , and search text input  506 , “abcdefghijklm.” Search text input  506  is input into text entry region  503  adjacent to user interface icon  504 . As can be seen, the search text input  506  fits nicely within text entry region  503  even if search user interface icon  504  is present. 
     Referring now to after snapshot  502  which includes only search input text  510 , “abcdefghijklmnopqrst,” and text entry region  505 . In contrast to before snapshot  501 , after snapshot  502  illustrates the case when the search input text, such as search input text  510 , becomes so long that the user interface icon, such as user interface icon  504 , disappears from view. In this case, search input text  510  is input into search text entry region  505  and exceeds a predefined length for display with user interface icon  504 . Therefore, in after snapshot  502 , whenever user search input text  510  becomes longer than a predefined length, the user interface icon  504  disappears. That is, the presentation of user interface icon  504  is removed so as to enable the search input text such as search input text  510  to be displayed so as to fit nicely within text entry region  505 . In one embodiment of the invention, this feature removes the possibility of selecting the user interface icon  504  in order to effect the search drop down menu. However, the present invention is not so limited. Other embodiments of the invention may allow search drop down menu  511  to be displayed even when search input icon  504  is not present. For example, the search input icon could pop up when a user cursors over to the leftmost region of the text entry region  505  in the after snapshot  502  case. In such a case, search drop down menu  511  would be actuated even though the presence of user interface icon  405  was momentarily removed from view within the user interface. Additional embodiments may include other ways of displaying the menu when user interface icon  504  is not displayed. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6  which illustrates an exemplary method for performing a search using a user interface object with a drop down menu according to another embodiment of the invention. In step  601 , the search icon and the search input region are displayed. Search input terms are received at step  603  and, at step  605 , it is determined whether the search text is longer than the predefined length. If so, the search icon disappears and a default search is performed in step  607 . The search results are returned in step  611  and this ends method  600 . If the search text is not longer than a predefined length, then controls flows to step  613  where the display remains unchanged and a search is performed using either the default parameters or one or more selected parameters from the drop down menu, such as drop down menu  511  or  FIG. 5 . Control flows  611  where the search results are returned and method  600  is complete. 
     Embodiments of the invention may include various steps as set forth above. The steps may be embodied in machine-executable instructions which cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor to perform certain steps. Alternatively, these steps may be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic for performing the steps, or by any combination of programmed computer components and custom hardware components. 
     Accordingly, the scope and spirit of the invention should be judged in terms of the claims which follow.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20071204
Publication Date: 20140114
Grant Date: 20140114
Priority Date: 20071204
Inventors: PETRI JONAH
ARROUYE YAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F16/168", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F16/168", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 40677052