Universal Interface for Retrieval of Information in a Computer System

Abstract

The present invention provides convenient access to items of information that are related to various descriptors input by a user, by means of a unitary interface which is capable of accessing information in a variety of locations, through a number of different techniques. Using a plurality of heuristic algorithms to operate upon information descriptors input by the user, the present invention locates and displays candidate items of information for selection and/or retrieval. Thus, the advantages of a search engine can be exploited, while listing only relevant object candidate items of information.

1 . A computerized method, comprising:
 receiving at least a partial search query;   storing the at least partial search query on a non-transitory computer readable medium;   searching a first plurality of files for matches with the at least partial search query, wherein the first plurality of files is located across an internet connection coupled to the non-transitory computer readable medium;   searching a second plurality of files for matches with the at least partial search query, wherein the second plurality of files is only available via local access from a computer that includes the non-transitory computer readable medium; and   receiving a notification of at least one search result;   
     
     
         2 . A computerized method, comprising:
 receiving at least a partial search query from an account;   storing the at least partial search query on a non-transitory computer readable medium;   searching an internet resources that match for the at least partial search query;   searching a datastore of at least one of references to files the account has recently accessed, or files the account has recently accessed, that match the at least partial search query; and   receiving a notification of at least one search result.