Sample code to user filter input from jQuery UI Widget

public-filter.js

filter: function (event) {

    // Debounce the keyup event with a timeout, using the specified delay
    clearTimeout(this.timeout);

    // like setTimeout, only better!

    this.timeout = this._delay(function () {
        var re = new RegExp(this.filterInput.val(), "i"),
            visible = this.filterElems.filter(function () {
                var $t = $(this), matches = re.test($t.text());

                // Leverage the CSS Framework to handle visual state changes
                $t.toggleClass("ui-helper-hidden", !matches);
                return matches;

            });

        // Trigger a callback so the user can respond to filtering being complete
        // Supply  an object of useful parameters with the second argument to _trigger
        this._trigger("filtered", event, {
            visible: visible
        });

    }, this.options.delay);
},