System and method for providing an improved graphical user interface for search

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 , wherein said connection indicator is a pointer having a first end and a second end, said first end being visually associated with said search term and said second end being visually associated with one of said indicia of search categories.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 2 wherein said indicia of search category is labeled “Yellow Pages”.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 2 wherein said indicia of search category is labeled “Web”.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein visually associating said search region further comprises visually associating said search region with a default indicia of a search category.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 2 wherein said default search category indicia is labeled “Yellow Pages”.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 2 wherein said default search category indicia is labeled “Web”.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying a plurality of alternate search category indicia and visually associating said search region with one of said plurality of alternate search category indicia using an alternate connection indicator.

Claim 10

The method according to claim 8 wherein said alternate connection indicator is disposed at the bottom of a web page.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 1 further comprising: selecting one of said search category indicia; and visually associating said search region with said selected search category indicia using said connection indicator.

Claim 12

The method according to claim 1 further comprising: displaying said search terms and a search button in the search region wherein said search region is located adjacent to said indicia of the plurality of search categories.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 1 further comprising: selecting one of said plurality of search categories; performing a new search for said search term corresponding to said selected search category; obtaining a new plurality of results pertaining to said search term in response to said new search; displaying indicia of a plurality of search categories; and visually associating the search region containing said search term with the indicia of said selected search category using a connection indicator.

Claim 16

The system according to claim 13 wherein said connection indicator is a pointer having a first end and a second end, said first end is wider than the second end and visually associated with the search region while said second end is visually associated with said selected one of search category indicia.

Claim 17

The system according to claim 13 wherein said connection indicator establishes a visual connection between said search region and a default search category indicia so as to enable a user to make a cognitive connection indicating that the user's search criteria was found in the particular default search category indicated by said connection indicator.

Claim 18

The system according to claim 15 wherein said default search category indicia is labeled “Web”.

Claim 19

The system according to claim 15 wherein said default search category indicia is labeled “News”.

Claim 20

The system according to claim 15 wherein said default search category indicia is labeled “Yellow Pages”.

Claim 21

The system according to claim 13 , further comprising: an alternate search region which displays a user s search criteria; an alternate result region which displays search results, said alternate result region comprising indicia of a plurality of alternate search categories, said alternate search region and said alternate result region being disposed at the bottom of a web page; and an alternate connection indicator establishing a visual connection between said alternate search region and said selected one of said alternate search category indicia so as to enable a user to make a cognitive connection indicating that the user's search criteria was found in the particular alternate search category indicated by said alternate connection indicator.

Claim 22

The system according to claim 19 wherein said alternate connection indicator is a pointer having a first end and a second end, said first end is wider than said second end and visually associated with said alternate search region while said second end is visually associated with said selected one of said alternate search category indicia.

Claim 23

The system according to claim 19 wherein said alternate connection indicator establishes a visual connection between said alternate search region and a default alternate search category indicia so as to enable a user to make a cognitive connection indicating that the user's search criteria was found in the particular default alternate search category indicated by said alternate connection indicator.

Claim 24

The system according to claim 13 wherein said search region further comprises a search button.

Claim 25

The system according to claim 22 wherein said search region is disposed adjacent to said result region.

Claim 28

A graphical user interface for search, comprising: a search region which displays an area for containing user search criteria; a result region which displays search results, said result region comprising plural indicia representing a plurality of search categories within which user search criteria may be searched, at least one of said plurality of said search category indicia selected from a group of search category indicia consisting of a web category indicia and a yellow pages category indicia; and a connection indicator establishing a visual connection between said search region and a selected one of said search category indicia that indicates the search category within which a search for said search criteria is performed, said connection indicator indicating that a search for said user search criteria has been performed in the search category indicated by said connection indicator, said connection indicator comprising a pointer that points from a region proximate said search region to a region proximate said selected one search category indicia.

Claim 29

A graphical user interface for search, comprising: a search region which displays an area for containing user search criteria; a result region which displays search results, said result region comprising plural indicia representing a plurality of search categories within which user search criteria may be searched, at least one of said plurality of said search category indicia selected from a group of search category indicia consisting of a web category indicia and a yellow pages category indicia; and a connection indicator establishing a visual connection between said search region and a selected one of said search category indicia that indicates the search category within which a search for said search criteria is performed, said connection indicator indicating that a search for said user search criteria has been performed in the search category indicated by said connection indicator, said connection indicator comprising a pointer that points from a region proximate said search region to a region proximate said selected one search category indicia.

Claim 30

The user interface of claim 25 wherein said search region comprises a search term text entry area.

Claim 31

The user interface of claim 26 wherein the each of the plural search category indicia comprises a text region and a surrounding graphics region, the two aforementioned regions so configured as to resemble a labeled index tab on a file folder.

Claim 32

The user interface of claim 26 wherein the connection indicator resembles an arrowhead.

Claim 35

A computer-readable medium in which computer-executable code is stored, the code, when executed, providing a graphical user interface for search, comprising: defining a graphical user interface to be displayed at a user computer, the graphical user interface comprising a search region containing an area for containing user search criteria and a result region comprising plural indicia representing a plurality of search categories within which user search criteria may be searched, at least one of said plurality of said search category indicia selected from a group of search category indicia consisting of a web category indicia and a yellow pages category indicia; and defining, in the graphical user interface, a connection indicator establishing a visual connection between said search region and a selected one of said search category indicia that indicates the search category within which a search for said search criteria is performed, said connection indicator indicating that a search for said user search criteria has been performed in the search category indicated by said connection indicator, said connection indicator comprising a pointer that points from a region proximate said search region to a region proximate said selected one search category indicia.

Claim 36

A computer-readable medium in which computer-executable code is stored, the code, when executed, providing a graphical user interface for search, comprising: defining a graphical user interface to be displayed at a user computer, the graphical user interface comprising a search region containing an area for containing user search criteria and a result region comprising plural indicia representing a plurality of search categories within which user search criteria may be searched, at least one of said plurality of said search category indicia selected from a group of search category indicia consisting of a web category indicia and a yellow pages category indicia; and defining, in the graphical user interface, a connection indicator establishing a visual connection between said search region and a selected one of said search category indicia that indicates the search category within which a search for said search criteria is performed, said connection indicator indicating that a search for said user search criteria has been performed in the search category indicated by said connection indicator, said connection indicator comprising a pointer that points from a region proximate said search region to a region proximate said selected one search category indicia.