I have added a feature map to my OpenLayers 2 map, by using the following code. When I click a spot on the map, it correctly retrieves the feature name for that place according to the feature layer.

Code:

           featureControl = new OpenLayers.Control.WMSGetFeatureInfo({
               url: featureLayer.url,
               title: '',
               layers: [ featureLayer ],
               infoFormat: 'text/xml',
               queryVisible: true
           });
           featureControl.events.register('getfeatureinfo', this, function(event) {

               var xml = new window.DOMParser().parseFromString(event.text, 'application/xml'),
                   path = featureLayer.$featureInfoXPath,
                   featureName;
               try {
                   featureName = xml.evaluate(path, xml, null, XPathResult.ANY_TYPE, null).iterateNext().value;

                    console.log('got the feature:', featureName)
               } catch ( error ) {
                   console.log('error', error);
               }
           }); 
           map.addControl(featureControl);
           featureControl.activate();

However, I would like to trigger this retrieval of the feature name on other events as well, such as when I type in an address in an input field and I select an address in an auto complete. So I am looking for a mechanism to trigger the GetFeatureInfo event by something other than "click". 

Is this possible, and if so, how?