Add highlighting feature to fastLiveFilter 1.0.3 plugin

Add highlighting feature to fastLiveFilter 1.0.3 plugin

I have modified fastLiveFilter jQuery plugin by adding a highlight functionality.

I added a button to the form:

<form id="search_box">
      <input type="text" id="search_input" name="search_box" />
<input id="search-button" type="button" value="Search" role="button" />
</form>

The search/filter is not trigger on keyup, but on pressing the button or the [ENTER] key.

The function bellow wrapps the searched string in a span:

   function highlightTerm(){
        var searchTerm = $(input).val();
        $(lis).each(function(){
        var liText = $(this).html();
        var regex = new RegExp(searchTerm, 'gi');
        var found;
        var inc = 0;

        while((found = regex.exec(liText)) !== null) {
                if (inc += 1 > 100) {
                    throw 'An infinite loop will occur.';
                }
                var word = found[0];
                var lastChar = found.index;
                var left = liText.substring(0, lastChar);
                var right = liText.substring(lastChar + word.length);
                var insert = '<span class="highlight">' + word + '</span>';
                // regex.lastIndex = regex.lastIndex 
                liText = left + insert  + right;
                regex.lastIndex = (regex.lastIndex - word.length) + insert.length;
        }
        $(this).html(liText);
     });
   }

The search is case INSENSITIVE.

The problem is that the searched string is wrapped in the span with the class "highlight" even if found in URL on the page. So the function above ruins the links. How do I avoid this?

To be more clear: I want to match a word stored in a variable searchTerm. If searchTerm is "test", it should me match (and wrapped with a span) in "This it a test" but not in <a href="my-test.html">word</a>.

Thank you!