Electronic Message Search Result Grouping and Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic message searching techniques on devices are cumbersome and inefficient, often requiring complex user interfaces and excessive user input, leading to frustrating experiences and battery drain due to inefficient search result presentation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that groups electronic message search results by intuitive date-based categories, displaying results only when the number exceeds a predetermined threshold, and combining results from non-overlapping time periods to minimize user input and conserve battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If search results are displayed for every time period, then completeness of search results is improved, but device battery usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and merges search results from time periods that would otherwise be displayed separately. When a time period contains fewer than the threshold number of results, those results are removed from separate display and merged into adjacent time periods, reducing the number of displayed groups and conserving battery life.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges search results from multiple time periods by combining results from time periods with fewer than the threshold number of results into adjacent time periods. This consolidation reduces the total number of search result groups displayed, thereby reducing display refresh operations and conserving battery power.
2Ease of operation
If search results are grouped by time period, then ease of locating desired messages is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a dynamic threshold parameter to determine search result group display. By comparing the number of search results in each time period against a predetermined threshold, the system automatically adjusts which groups are displayed and which are merged, creating an adaptive presentation that balances organization with simplicity.
3Use of energy by moving object
If threshold filtering is applied to search result groups, then battery consumption is reduced, but loss of search results information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial filtering by displaying only some time period groups - specifically those exceeding the threshold - while merging others. This partial action approach reduces battery consumption by limiting display refreshes to only the necessary groups, while still preserving all search results through merging into adjacent periods.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to electronic message searching. An electronic device receives a request that includes a search term. The device can initiate a search based on the search term to produce a plurality of search results of a plurality of time periods that do not overlap. The device determine whether there are more than a predetermined number of search results for a given time period. If the predetermined number of results is exceeded, the device can display a search result group. If the predetermined number of results is not exceeded, the device can include the search results, corresponding to the given time period, in search results of a different time period. The device can also provide various affordances for narrowing or expanding the scope of the electronic message search.