Text Messaging App Search Hyperlinking via Control Characters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices have limited display and keyboard capabilities, making it impractical to use multiple apps simultaneously and requiring excessive typing for tasks, which increases time and error rates when performing searches across different applications.
Innovation Solution
Assigning specific keyboard characters as control indicators to define the start and end of a search string within a text messaging app, allowing users to create hyperlinks that automatically invoke a search when selected, enabling seamless transitions between apps and reducing the need for manual typing and app toggling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users manually type search queries and switch between apps to perform searches, then search functionality is available, but the time required and error rate increase due to small keyboard and display limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the search initiation function with the text messaging app by allowing search queries to be embedded directly in message text using special syntax (e.g., /search followed by query). This merging eliminates the need to switch to a separate search app, reducing the time and steps required to perform searches while maintaining full search functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting search intent within message text and pre-processing the query extraction. When the system recognizes search syntax, it automatically extracts the query, formats it appropriately, and prepares it for execution without requiring additional user actions, thereby reducing the time to complete the search task.
2Ease of operation
If the keyboard is made larger to reduce typing effort, then typing becomes easier, but the display area available for app interfaces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs self-service by automatically detecting and extracting search queries from message text using pattern recognition. This automation eliminates the need for users to manually navigate to search apps or perform complex typing operations, reducing typing effort without requiring a larger keyboard, while preserving full display area for the messaging interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple apps are used simultaneously for messaging and searching, then task functionality is comprehensive, but the small display cannot show multiple windows adjacent to each other
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the search app's core functionality into the text messaging app by enabling search queries to be initiated directly within the messaging interface using special syntax. This consolidation allows comprehensive task functionality (both messaging and searching) to be performed within a single app, eliminating the need to display multiple app windows simultaneously on the small mobile device screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The text messaging app is enhanced with multi-functionality by incorporating search capabilities directly into its interface. The same interface used for messaging also recognizes and executes search commands, making the app universal for both communication and information retrieval tasks, thereby eliminating the need for separate dedicated windows for each function.
4Productivity
If users manually switch between apps to perform searches, then search tasks can be completed, but the number of steps and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines search initiation and execution capabilities within the text messaging app by recognizing special syntax (e.g., /search followed by query) in message text. This merging reduces the number of steps from multiple app switches and manual query entry to a single integrated operation, simplifying the user workflow while maintaining complete search functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically detecting search intent, extracting the query, and preparing it for execution before user confirmation. This pre-processing reduces the complexity of the interaction by eliminating manual steps such as navigating to search apps, copying text, and pasting queries, thereby reducing the overall number of steps required to complete a search task.
Data Source
AI summary
A processor-implemented method of creating a hyperlink from a text messaging text entry field in a text messaging app on a user's mobile device includes the app assigning one or more keyboard characters as control characters which designate a start of a text search string and an end of a text search string. The user enters text including the control characters into the text messaging app text entry field. Upon the user activating a send command to send a text message that includes the start and end control characters, displaying the search string as a hyperlinked text in the message thread which is selectable to invoke a search outside of the text messaging app.