1. A method comprising: detecting, in a query string being entered into a query entry box by a user via a computer, a character pattern of a plurality of patterns, wherein the detecting does not require that an explicit indicator of submission of the query string be provided by the user, and wherein the plurality of patterns comprises: a first pattern indicating a series of characters followed by a space character, and a second pattern indicating one or more characters followed by a predefined time delay before any additional characters are entered into the query entry box by the user; and providing, by the computer in response to the detecting, both an updated query result list and an updated list of one or more query refinement options, wherein both the updated query result list and the updated list of one or more query refinement options correspond to the detected search query character pattern.