Apple Granted Patent for “Immediate Search Feedback”

While it's nice to be able to protect physical device designs to an extent (Boy, are we glad someone didn't patent the wheel), there are some functions and inventions that we wish didn't have to be patented. For instance this. It's a a method of providing immediate search feedback.

Below is the description:

Providing immediate search feedback is disclosed. Search input is received within a search field of a web browser application. Based on characteristics of the search input, a determination is made whether to automatically submit a query to a search engine. In one aspect, the query is automatically submitted to the search engine. The query is based on the received first search input. Results are displayed within the web browser application, the results web page returned from the query submitted to the search engine.

While the wording is a bit unclear, it seems as tho this is much like what Safari does when entering something in its search bar. However, this one seems to enhance that by somehow submitting search results as you type. The best way to show this is the art that accompanies that patent.

It may be a bit difficult to see, but what you are looking at is text in the Safari search bar being typed in. As this is happening, search terms are actually being submitted to Google.