Computer Application Data In Search Results

Abstract

A computer-implemented search method includes receiving a registration request from each of one or more computer applications installed on a computing device and registering the applications in response to the request, wherein the registration request indicates an intent by the application to receive search query information from a search application associated with the device. The method also includes receiving user input on the device in the form of a query, providing the query to the one or more registered applications, receiving responses from the one or more registered applications that include data that is managed by the one or more registered applications; integrating the responses into a result set; and presenting the result set with the computing device.

1 . A computer-implemented search method, comprising:
 receiving, at a computer system, a registration request from each of one or more computer applications installed on a computing device and registering the applications in response to the request, wherein the registration request indicates an intent by the application to receive search query information from a search application associated with the device;   receiving user input on the device in the form of a query;   providing the query to the one or more registered applications;   receiving responses from the one or more registered applications that include data that is managed by the one or more registered applications;   integrating the responses into a result set; and   presenting the result set with the computing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein registering the applications comprises storing registration information for the registered applications, and providing the query to the one or more registered applications comprises accessing the registration information to determine a mechanism for providing the query to each of the registered applications. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the query comprises characters entered by a user without entering a query submission command. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein providing the query to the one or more registered applications comprises providing an updated query automatically to the registered applications for each character entered by the user of the computing device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising providing the query to one or more search services that are remote from the computing device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising suppressing the providing of the query to the one or more search services until the user has entered a determined amount of information in the query. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the determined amount of information comprises a predetermined number of characters in the query. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein integrating the responses into a result set comprises integrating responses from the registered applications with responses from one or more operating system components on the computing device and responses from one or more remote search services. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein integrating the responses into a result set comprises ranking the responses with respect to whether each response was generated form an operating system component, from a registered application, or a remote search service. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein integrating the responses into a result set comprises ranking the responses with respect to whether the user of the device has previously selected results provided by a particular registered application. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented search method, comprising:
 receiving user input on a computing device in the form of a query;   providing, with the computing device, the query to a plurality of different search result resources that include one or more applications on the computing device and one or more search services remote from the computing device;   receiving a plurality of responses from the plurality of different search result resources and integrating the plurality of responses with others of the plurality of responses and placing the responses in a ranked order; and   displaying the plurality of results on the computing device,   wherein placing the responses in a ranked order comprises assigning an initial score to results from a particular search result resource, and modifying the score positively if a user selects a result from the particular search result resource.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein placing the responses in a ranked order comprises assigning an initial score to responses from applications installed on the device so that the responses do not appear on an initial search results display, but are elevated to an initial search results display once a response from a particular application is selected by the user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising suppressing the providing of the query the one or more search services remote from the computing device until a threshold level of information has been entered in the query, while providing the query to the applications on the computing device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving registration requests form the one or more applications on the device, and registering the applications by storing registration information for the applications, and
 wherein providing the query to the one or more applications comprises accessing the registration information to determine a mechanism for providing the query to each of the applications.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing the query to a plurality of searh result resources comprises providing an updated query automatically to the registered applications for each character entered by the user of the computing device. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented search system, comprising:
 memory storing registration information stored on a computing device, the registration information identifying manners for providing search query information entered by a user of the computing device;   one or more third-party applications on the device corresponding to the registration information and defining interfaces for receiving the search query information and for providing corresponding search results generated by the third-party applications; and   a search application having code to use the registration information to route search query information to the third-party applications, to integrate the search results into a result set; and to present the result set to the user with the computing device.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising one or more of search systems located remote from the computing device, wherein the search application includes code to provide the search query information to the search systems, and to integrate results from the search systems with results from the applications. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a result ranker to produce a ranked order of the integrated results. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the result ranker accesses information indicating the user's responses to prior results corresponding to the one or more third-party applications. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented search system, comprising:
 memory storing registration information stored on a computing device, the registration information identifying manners for providing search query information entered by a user of the computing device;   one or more third-party applications on the device corresponding to the registration information and defining interfaces for receiving the search query information and for providing corresponding search results generated by the third-party applications; and   means for generating an integrated ranked list search results form the one or more third-party applications.