UI Integration via Replacement Windows and Pre-Indexed Search

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional search engines fail to seamlessly integrate search results from secondary applications into primary applications, often obstructing the user interface and requiring redundant searches due to lack of aggregated data indexing.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for integrating user interfaces by creating replacement windows of the same size as reference windows in the primary application, allowing seamless display of secondary application content and utilizing storage containers to store search queries for efficient content retrieval from secondary sources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If search results from secondary applications are displayed in floating windows, then search results can be displayed, but the viewable areas of the primary application are obstructed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesearch results integrationVSAvoidviewable area

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the search results display functionality into the primary application window by creating replacement windows that seamlessly integrate with the existing UI. The secondary application's search results are combined with the primary application's interface, eliminating the need for separate floating windows and maximizing the viewable area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements nesting by placing the secondary application's search results interface within the primary application's window structure. The replacement window is positioned over the reference window and configured to match its dimensions, creating a nested structure where the secondary UI is contained within the primary application's visual boundary.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Productivity

If the primary application's searching API conducts searches every time a query is received, then search results can be obtained, but additional time is spent instead of using pre-aggregated data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesearch response timeVSAvoidsearch time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by creating an index of aggregated data in advance that stores search results from multiple secondary applications. When a search query is received, the system first checks this pre-aggregated index before conducting new searches, thereby reducing the time required to obtain search results.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary index structure that mediates between the search query and the secondary applications. This index acts as a cache or intermediary layer that stores aggregated data, allowing the search API to retrieve results from the index rather than directly querying all secondary applications every time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8762868B2Integrating user interfaces from one application into another

Publication Date: 2014.06.24 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

The invention discloses a system and method for integrating user interfaces (UI) within an application. The invention can be configured to display an UI of a second application within a first application in a manner that the user cannot identify that the second application's UI is displayed on top of a reference window within the first application. The invention can be configured to identify a reference window that is to be replaced by a replacement window of the second application, monitor the reference window, create the replacement window, and align the replacement window over top of the reference window.