Systems and methods for highlighting search results

Abstract

A system highlights search terms in documents distributed over a network. The system generates a search query that includes a search term and, in response to the search query, receives a list of one or more references to documents in the network. The system receives selection of one of the references and retrieves a document that corresponds to the selected reference. The system then highlights the search term in the retrieved document.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A device comprising:
 a memory to store instructions; and   a processor to execute the instructions in the memory to:
 receive, from a user, a request for one or more documents; 
 provide, for presentation and based on the received query, a single document, of the one or more documents, within an application window, an input box being associated with the application window; 
 receive a search term within the input box after presenting the single document within the application window; 
 receive a single selection of a button to activate a highlighting operation after receiving the search term within the input box; 
 change, based on receiving the single selection of the button, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the single document, presented within the application window, to form a modified document; and 
 provide, for presentation, the modified document, each occurrence of the search term, within the modified document, having the changed characteristic. 
   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , where the single document includes a list of search results. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , where each search result, in the list of search results, includes a link to a search result document. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , where the processor is further to:
 receive a selection of a particular link; and   change, after receiving the selection, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in a particular search result document associated with the particular link.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , where, when changing the characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the particular search result document, the processor is further to:
 alter at least one of:
 a color of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 a font of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 a style of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 an effect of the search term in the particular search result document, or 
 a size of the search term in the particular search result document. 
   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , where the processor is further to:
 receive a selection of a particular link;   transmit a request for a particular search result document associated with the particular link;   receive the particular search result document;   change, prior to providing the particular search result document for presentation, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the particular search result document to form a modified search result document; and   provide the modified search result document for presentation.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 13 , where, when changing the characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the single document, the processor is further to:
 alter at least one of:
 a color of the search term in the single document, 
 a font of the search term in the single document, 
 a style of the search term in the single document, 
 an effect of the search term in the single document, or 
 a size of the search term in the single document. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a processor and from a user, a request for one or more documents;   providing, based on the received query and for presentation by the processor, a single document, of the one or more documents, within an application window, an input box being associated with the application window;   receiving, by the processor, a search term within the input box after presenting the single document within the application window;   receiving, by the processor, a single selection of a button to activate a highlighting operation after receiving the search term within the input box;   changing, by the processor and based on receiving the single selection of the button, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the single document, presented within the application window, to form a modified document; and   providing, for presentation and by the processor, the modified document, each occurrence of the search term, within the modified document, having the changed characteristic.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , where the single document includes a list of search results. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , where each search result, in the list of search results, includes a link to a search result document. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a particular link; and   changing, after receiving the selection, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in a particular search result document associated with the particular link.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , where, when changing the characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the particular search result document, the method includes:
 altering at least one of:
 a color of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 a font of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 a style of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 an effect of the search term in the particular search result document, or 
 a size of the search term in the particular search result document. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 receiving a selection of a particular link;   transmitting a request for a particular search result document associated with the particular link;   receiving the particular search result document;   changing, prior to providing the particular search result document for presentation, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the particular search result document to form a modified search result document; and   providing the modified search result document for presentation.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , where, when changing the characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the single document, the method includes:
 altering at least one of:
 a color of the search term in the single document, 
 a font of the search term in the single document, 
 a style of the search term in the single document, 
 an effect of the search term in the single document, or 
 a size of the search term in the single document. 
   
     
     
         27 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 one or more instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 receive, from a user, a request for one or more documents; 
 provide, for presentation and based on the received query, a single document, of the one or more documents, within an application window, an input box being associated with the application window, 
 receive a search term within the input box after presenting the single document within the application window, 
 receive a single selection of a button to activate a highlighting operation after receiving the search term within the input box, 
 change, based on receiving the single selection of the button, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the single document, presented within the application window, to form a modified document, and 
 provide, for presentation, the modified document, each occurrence of the search term, within the modified document, having the changed characteristic. 
   
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 27 , where
 the single document includes a list of search results, and   each search result, in the list of search results, includes a link to a search result document.   
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 one or more instructions to receive a selection of a particular link; and   one or more instructions to change, after receiving the selection, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in a particular search result document associated with the particular link.   
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 29 , where the one or more instructions to change the characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the particular search result document include:
 one or more instructions to alter at least one of:
 a color of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 a font of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 a style of the search term in the particular search result document, 
 an effect of the search term in the particular search result document, or 
 a size of the search term in the particular search result document. 
   
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 one or more instructions to receive a selection of a particular link;   one or more instructions to transmit a request for a particular search result document associated with the particular link;   one or more instructions to receive the particular search result document;   one or more instructions to change, prior to providing the particular search result document for presentation, a characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the particular search result document to form a modified search result document; and   one or more instructions to provide the modified search result document for presentation.   
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory medium of  claim 27 , where the one or more instructions to change the characteristic of each occurrence of the search term in the single document include:
 one or more instructions to alter at least one of:
 a color of the search term in the single document, 
 a font of the search term in the single document, 
 a style of the search term in the single document, 
 an effect of the search term in the single document, or 
 a size of the search term in the single document.