Browser Search Control Sliding Into View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current web browser plugins for searching within web pages have user interface limitations, such as requiring user interaction to initiate searches, not suggesting search terms based on previous queries or page content, and not providing proactive search functionality.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a slider or lightbox search control that automatically appears in the content display area of a web browser, anchored to the edges of the page, and prepopulates search terms based on previous searches and page content, allowing users to input search queries without selecting a search field, with tracking codes for loyalty rewards and search engine partnerships.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a search add-on waits for user interaction to initiate searches (reactive approach), then user control is maintained, but search functionality is delayed and requires additional user steps
Solution Approach 1:
The search control is automatically presented to the user without requiring prior user initiation. The system performs the action of displaying the search interface in advance, before the user explicitly requests it, thereby eliminating the delay associated with reactive search initiation while maintaining user control through the ability to close or ignore the control.
2Ease of operation
If a search control automatically appears in the content display area, then search accessibility is improved, but the content view is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The search control is designed to slide in and out of the content display area dynamically. It can be automatically presented by sliding into view, and it can be dismissed by sliding back out or by user interaction. This dynamic behavior allows the control to occupy the content area only when needed, balancing accessibility with content visibility.
3Extent of automation
If the search control slides into the content display area automatically, then user inactivity detection is enabled, but the sliding mechanism adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The search control system monitors user inactivity and automatically triggers the sliding presentation of the search control without requiring additional user input or complex external coordination. The system serves itself by detecting its own operational context (user inactivity) and initiating the appropriate response (sliding in the search control), thereby reducing the need for external control complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Code is injected into a web page loaded by an Internet browsing application. A search control to accept Internet search input is presented within an Internet browsing application. The search control visually covers at least a portion of a content display area of the Internet browsing application. A slider search control may be presented by automatically sliding the slider search control into the content display area. The presentation of a lightbox search control may include shading, darkening, dimming, blurring, or opaquing the content display area outside of the lightbox search control. The presentation of the search control may occur in response to a period of user inactivity, an amount of page scrolling, or a percentage of page scrolling. The search control receives input corresponding to a search query, a tracking code is combined with the received input, and the combination is communicated to a search engine.