Search service that accesses and highlights previously accessed local and online available information sources

Abstract

Methods, systems and program storage devices for generating search engine search results. Online files relevant to a requested search query are located by a search engine, while simultaneously previously accessed offline files residing on a client computer are located using the same search query. The search engine retrieves the offline files from the client computer and combines such offline files with the locate online files in a single search result overview. The listing of files within the combined search results are ranked according to relevancy to the search query using a search engine scoring algorithm, whereby the offline files within the combined search results are preferably brought to a user's attention to indicate that such files reside on the client computer.