Selecting And Accessing Search Results Using Different Devices

Abstract

Techniques include transmitting, using a first computing device, a search query to a search system configured to generate search results in response to a received search query. The techniques further include displaying search results received from the search system in response to the search query on a second computing device. In this example, each search result indicates a function for a computing device to perform. For example, a user selecting each search result may cause a computing device to set a software application into a particular application state. The techniques also include detecting a user selection of one of the search results at the second computing device, transmitting, using the second computing device, an indication of the user selection to the first computing device, and performing, using the first computing device, the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 transmitting, using a first computing device, a search query to a search system configured to generate search results in response to a received search query;   displaying search results received from the search system in response to the search query on a second computing device, wherein each search result indicates a function for a computing device to perform;   detecting a user selection of one of the search results at the second computing device;   transmitting, using the second computing device, an indication of the user selection to the first computing device; and   performing, using the first computing device, the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the search results from the search system at the first computing device in response to the search query; and   transmitting, using the first computing device, the search results to the second computing device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the search results from the search system at the second computing device in response to the search query. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the search results includes an access mechanism, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results, the first computing device is configured to set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the application comprises a native application, wherein the access mechanism references the native application and indicates one or more operations for the native application to perform, and wherein to set the native application into the state of the native application using the access mechanism, the first computing device is configured to launch the native application on the first computing device and cause the native application to perform the one or more operations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the one of the search results further includes an application download address, and wherein to set the native application into the state of the native application using the access mechanism, the first computing device is further configured to install the native application on the first computing device using the application download address prior to launching the native application and causing the native application to perform the one or more operations. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the application comprises a web-based application, wherein the access mechanism includes a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein to set the web-based application into the state of the web-based application using the access mechanism, the first computing device is configured to launch a web browser application on the first computing device and access the state of the web-based application using the URL. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein to perform the function indicated by he one of search results, the first computing device is configured to:
 display an expanded version of the one of the search results to the user;   receive a selection of the expanded version of the one of the search results from the user; and   perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the selection of the expanded version of the one of the search results.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device comprises one of:
 a user wearable computing device having attachments to affix to a user's body;   a smart phone computing device;   a tablet computing device; and   a computing device that is installed in a vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via a tethered connection comprising at least one of a short-range wired connection and a short-range wireless connection. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the search query to the search system comprises transmitting the search query via the tethered connection. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the indication of the user selection to the first computing device comprises transmitting the indication via the tethered connection. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving the search results from the search system at the second computing device via the tethered connection. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the search query to the search system comprises transmitting the search query via a first network connection, and wherein transmitting the indication of the user selection to the first computing device comprises transmitting the indication via a second network connection that is different than the first network connection. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the search query to the search system comprises transmitting the search query via a network connection, and wherein transmitting the indication of the user selection to the first computing device comprises transmitting the indication via the same network connection. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the search query to the search system comprises transmitting the search query via an intermediate computing device that is different than the second computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the search results from the search system at the second computing device via an intermediate computing device that is different than the first computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the search results includes an access mechanism, wherein transmitting the indication of the user selection to the first computing device comprises transmitting the access mechanism, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication, the first computing device is configured to set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the search results includes an access mechanism, wherein transmitting the indication of the user selection to the first computing device comprises transmitting an identifier that indicates the one of the search results, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication, the first computing device is configured to:
 retrieve the one of the search results using the identifier;   select the access mechanism from the one of the search results; and   set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the indication of the user selection to the first computing device comprises transmitting an identifier that indicates a function record used to generate the one of the search results, wherein the function record includes an access mechanism, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication, the first computing device is configured to:
 access the function record using the identifier;   select the access mechanism from the function record; and   set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism.   
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a first computing device;   a second computing device; and   a search system, wherein the search system is configured to receive a search query from the first computing device and generate search results that are responsive to the search query, wherein the second computing device is configured to display the search results to a user, receive a selection of one of the search results from the user, and transmit an indication of the selection to the first computing device, and wherein the first computing device is configured to perform a function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the search system is further configured to transmit the search results to the first computing device in response to the search query, and wherein the first computing device is further configured to transmit the search results to the second computing device. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the search system is further configured to transmit the search results to the second computing device in response to the search query. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one of the search results includes an access mechanism, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results, the first computing device is configured to set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the application comprises a native application, wherein the access mechanism references the native application and indicates one or more operations for the native application to perform, and wherein to set the native application into the state of the native application using the access mechanism, the first computing device is configured to launch the native application on the first computing device and cause the native application to perform the one or more operations. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the application comprises a web-based application, wherein the access mechanism includes a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein to set the web-based application into the state of the web-based application using the access mechanism, the first computing device is configured to launch a web browser application on the first computing device and access the state of the web-based application using the URL. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results, the first computing device is configured to:
 display an expanded version of the one of the search results to the user;   receive a selection of the expanded version of the one of the search results from the user; and   perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the selection of the expanded version of the one of the search results.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein each of one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device comprises one of:
 a user wearable computing device having attachments to affix to a user's body;   a smart phone computing device;   a tablet computing device; and   a computing device that is installed in a vehicle.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the first computing device is connected to the second computing device via a tethered connection comprising at least one of a short-range wired connection and a short-range wireless connection. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one of the search results includes an access mechanism, wherein to transmit the indication of the user selection to the first computing device, the second computing device is configured to transmit the access mechanism, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication, the first computing device is configured to set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the one of the search results includes an access mechanism, wherein to transmit the indication of the user selection to the first computing device, the second computing device is configured to transmit an identifier that indicates the one of the search results, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication, the first computing device is configured to:
 retrieve the one of the search results using the identifier;   select the access mechanism from the one of the search results; and   set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein to transmit the indication of the user selection to the first computing device, the second computing device is configured to transmit an identifier that indicates a function record used to generate the one of the search results, wherein the function record includes an access mechanism, and wherein to perform the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication, the first computing device is configured to:
 access the function record using the identifier;   select the access mechanism from the function record; and   set an application into a state of the application using the access mechanism.   
     
     
         33 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause one or more computing devices to:
 transmit, using a first computing device, a search query to a search system configured to generate search results in response to a received search query;   display search results received from the search system in response to the search query on a second computing device, wherein each search result indicates a function for a computing device to perform;   detect a user selection of one of the search results at the second computing device;   transmit, using the second computing device, an indication of the user selection to the first computing device; and   perform, using the first computing device, the function indicated by the one of the search results in response to receiving the indication.