System level search user interface

Abstract

A system level search user interface that includes both a data entry portion and an application identification portion is displayed. User data input as a search term is displayed in the data entry portion, and identifiers of each of one or more applications of multiple applications on the computing device that can be searched using the search term are displayed in the application identification portion. The search term is provided to one application of the multiple applications for that one application to generate and display search results based on the search term while the display of at least the data entry portion of the system level search user interface is maintained.

1 . A method implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:
 displaying a system level search user interface that includes both a data entry portion and an application identification portion;   displaying, in the data entry portion, user data input as a search term;   displaying, in the application identification portion, identifiers of each of one or more applications of multiple applications on the computing device that can be searched using the search term; and   providing the search term to one application of the multiple applications for the one application to generate and display search results based on the search term.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one application is a currently active application of the computing device that is not included as one of the one or more applications. 
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection of one of the one or more identifiers in the application identification portion;   wherein the providing comprises providing, in response to the user selection, the search term to the application identified by the user selected identifier; and   wherein the one application comprises the application identified by the user selected identifier.   
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising launching the one application prior to providing the search term to the one application. 
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving a user selection of a second one of the one or more identifiers in the application identification portion; and   providing, in response to the user selection of the second one of the one or more identifiers, the search term to the application identified by the second one of the one or more identifiers for the application identified by the second one of the one or more identifiers to generate and display search results based on the search term.   
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the one or more applications, the identifier of the application comprises a name of the application. 
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein, for each of the one or more applications, the identifier of the application comprises an icon representing the application. 
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying, in the data entry portion until a user data input is received, a data input cue received from a currently active application of the multiple applications. 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising providing characters of the user data input to a currently active application of the multiple applications as each character is received for the currently active application to generate and display search results based on the characters of the user data input that have been received. 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the one application displays the search results in a window separate from the system level search user interface. 
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing characters of the user data input to a currently active application of the multiple applications as each character is received;   receiving, from the currently active application, one or more suggested search terms; and   displaying the one or more suggested search terms.   
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing characters of the user data input to a linguistic alternatives generation module as each character is received;   receiving one or more linguistic alternatives for the characters;   providing both the characters of the user data input and the one or more linguistic alternatives to a currently active application of the multiple applications as each character is received;   receiving, from the currently active application, one or more suggested search terms based on the user data input and the one or more linguistic alternatives; and   displaying the one or more suggested search terms.   
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the one or more of the suggested search terms include one or more East Asian language characters. 
     
     
         14 . One or more computer storage media having stored thereon multiple instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the one or more processors to:
 display a search user interface including a first portion via which user data input as a search term is displayed, and a second portion via which identifiers of one or more applications on the computing device that can be searched using the search term are displayed;   provide the search term to one of multiple applications on the computing device for the application to display search results based on at least the search term; and   maintain display of the search user interface including at least the first portion in a current display location while the application displays the search results.   
     
     
         15 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the one of the multiple applications is a user selected one of the one or more applications identified in the second portion. 
     
     
         16 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to provide characters of the user data input to a currently active application of the multiple applications as each character is received for the currently active application to generate and display search results based on the characters of the user data input that have been received. 
     
     
         17 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 provide characters of the user data input to a currently active application of the multiple applications as each character is received;   receive, from the currently active application, one or more suggested search terms; and   display the one or more suggested search terms concurrently with the display of the identifiers of the one or more applications in the second portion.   
     
     
         18 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the multiple instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
 provide characters of the user data input to a linguistic alternatives generation module as each character is received;   receive one or more linguistic alternatives for the characters;   provide both the characters of the user data input and the one or more linguistic alternatives to a currently active application of the multiple applications as each character is received;   receive, from the currently active application, one or more suggested search terms based on the user data input and the one or more linguistic alternatives; and   display the one or more suggested search terms.   
     
     
         19 . One or more computer storage media as recited in  claim 14 , wherein, for each of the one or more applications, the identifier of the application comprises one or both of a name of the application and an icon representing the application. 
     
     
         20 . A method implemented in a computing device, the method comprising:
 displaying a system level search user interface that includes both a data entry portion and an application identification portion;   displaying, in the data entry portion, user data input as a search term;   displaying, in the application identification portion, identifiers of each of one or more applications of multiple applications on the computing device that can be searched using the search term, while receiving one or more suggested search terms from a currently active application of the computing device and displaying the one or more suggested search terms;   providing the search term to a user selected application of the one or more applications for the user selected application to generate and display search results based on the search term; and   maintaining display of the search user interface including both the data entry portion and the application identification portion while the application displays the search results in a separate window.