Integrated Search Interface with Automatic Scope Expansion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing search and find mechanisms in software applications are inefficient, as they typically search entire data storage areas, leading to slow results and irrelevant data, and users often lack the skills or patience to conduct advanced searches, especially when the desired item is stored in a different storage location.
Innovation Solution
An integrated search and find function with a data indexing engine that provides a simplified user interface for efficient and high-speed data retrieval, allowing users to search within specific storage folders and automatically expand the search scope if necessary, across multiple software modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing search mechanisms search across entire data storage areas, then they can locate items anywhere in the storage system, but search speed decreases and irrelevant data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the data storage system into hierarchical segments (folders, subfolders, and data items) and implements segmented searching. The search process first identifies relevant folders based on folder-level metadata, then drills down to search only within those specific folders for matching data items. This segmentation approach maintains search completeness by systematically exploring relevant segments while avoiding unnecessary searches in unrelated areas, thereby reducing search time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary indexing and categorization of data storage folders based on their metadata (such as data types, creation dates, and hierarchical relationships) before actual search operations. This preliminary action creates a pre-processed structure that enables rapid identification of relevant search areas, eliminating the need to scan entire storage areas and significantly reducing search time while maintaining completeness.
2Reliability
If existing search mechanisms search across entire data storage areas, then they ensure comprehensive coverage, but the amount of irrelevant returned data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making different parts of the search system perform different functions: folder-level filtering uses metadata-based quality criteria to identify relevant search areas, while item-level searching focuses on precise matching within those areas. This differentiated approach ensures that each part of the search process contributes uniquely to result quality, maintaining comprehensive coverage while filtering out irrelevant data at each stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The search process is segmented into two distinct phases: folder identification phase that uses metadata to locate relevant folders, and item searching phase that finds matching data within those folders. This segmentation prevents irrelevant data from being retrieved in the first place, as the search is constrained to only those folders that match the search criteria, thereby improving result relevance while maintaining completeness.
3Measurement precision
If users conduct advanced searches to improve precision, then search accuracy increases, but the complexity of operation increases and user patience is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically executing the complex multi-stage search process without requiring user intervention. The search engine autonomously identifies relevant folders based on metadata, drills down to appropriate subfolders, and retrieves matching data items. This self-service capability delivers advanced search precision while maintaining simple user interaction, as users only need to initiate the search without managing its complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary search engine that acts as a mediator between the simple user search request and the complex hierarchical search process. This intermediary automatically translates user intent into a structured search plan, manages the folder drilling-down process, and coordinates the retrieval of relevant data. By placing this intermediary in charge, the system achieves high search precision while keeping the user interface simple and easy to operate.
4Reliability
If users manually change search scope to locate items in different storage locations, then search coverage can be expanded, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic search scope adjustment that automatically adapts to user needs. The system begins with a focused search in the currently active folder, then dynamically expands to parent folders, sibling folders, and other relevant areas based on the search results and user interaction patterns. This dynamic approach maintains ease of operation by requiring no manual scope changes from users while ensuring comprehensive coverage through automatic expansion when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The search engine acts as an intermediary that automatically manages search scope expansion. It monitors the results of initial searches and autonomously decides when and where to expand the search to parent folders or related storage areas. This intermediary function eliminates the need for users to manually change search scopes while ensuring that comprehensive coverage is achieved, thereby maintaining both convenience and reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A search and find user interface is provided that is integrated with a data indexing engine to allow efficient and high-speed data search and retrieval across data storage folders associated with a given software module or associated with a number of disparate software modules. An expanded form of the search and find user interface is provided for advanced searching. Where searching is required beyond a present search scope, an automatic “upscoping” mechanism is provided for expanding a search to data storage folders outside a current data storage folder on which an initial search is executed.