Method of searching information site by item keyword and action keyword

• US 20020091683A1
• Filed: 12/17/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Hori, Mitsuo, Kurakake, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,346,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A method is designed for searching contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on a query sent from a client terminal to a searching server through the network. The method is carried out by the computer-implemented steps of registering information sites which present contents information involving various items and actions related to each other, initiating the client terminal to transmit a query to the searching server through the network, the query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item, operating the searching server according to the query to search for one or more of the registered information sites having contents information matching the query, and to send back directory information indicative of locations of the searched information sites to the client terminal, and operating the client terminal according to the directory information for accessing the searched information sites, thereby enabling a user to make the action on the item.

Claims

1. A method of searching for contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on a query sent from a client terminal to a searching server through the network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

registering information sites which present contents information involving various items and actions related to each other;

initiating the client terminal to transmit a query to the searching server through the network, the query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item;

operating the searching server according to the query to search for one or more of the registered information sites having contents information matching the query, and to send back directory information indicative of locations of the searched information sites to the client terminal; and

operating the client terminal according to the directory information for accessing the searched information sites, thereby enabling a user to make the action on the item.

2. A searching server apparatus used in a system of searching for contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on queries sent from client terminals through the network, the searching server apparatus comprising:

a prompting section that operates when a client terminal accesses the searching server for prompting the client terminal to input a query;

a receiving section that receives the inputted query from the client terminal through the network, the inputted query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item;

an operating section that operates according to the received query to search for one or more information sites having contents information matching the received query; and

a transmitting section that sends back directory information indicative of locations of the searched information sites to the client terminal, thereby enabling the client terminal to access the searched information sites according to the directory information, whereby a user of the client terminal can make the action on the item.

3. The searching server apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the prompting section provides a list of various item keywords and action keywords with the client terminal such that the user can select a set of an item keyword and an action keyword from the list to formulate the query.

4. The searching server apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a database that stores the directory information of the information sites spread over the network together with the item keywords and the action keywords matching the contents information presented by the respective information sites.

5. The searching server apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the operating section can search for one or more information sites with reference to the database according to the query.

6. The searching server apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a registering section that responds to a request for registration of a new information site from a client terminal, for registering directory information of the new information site together with an item keyword and an action keyword matching the contents information presented by the new information site.

7. The searching server apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the registering section responds to the request for registration of the new information site from the client terminal, for providing a list of various item keywords and action keywords with the client terminal such that the user can select a set of an item keyword and an action keyword from the list in matching with the contents information presented by the new information site.

8. A client terminal apparatus in a system of searching for contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on a query sent to a searching server through the network, the client terminal apparatus comprising:

an accessing section that accesses the searching server for establishing communication with the searching server through the network;

an input section that transmits the query to the searching server through the network, the query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item, thereby enabling the searching server to search for one or more information sites having contents information matching the query;

an output section that receives directory information indicative of locations of the searched information sites from the searching server through the network; and

an operating section that operates according to the directory information for accessing the searched information sites, thereby enabling a user to make the action on the item.

9. The client terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the input section is provided with a list of various item keywords and action keywords from the searching server such that the user can select a set of an item keyword and an action keyword from the list to formulate the query.

10. The client terminal apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the input section can send a request for registration of a new information site to the searching server, such that the searching server registers directory information of the new information site together with an item keyword and an action keyword matching the contents information presented by the new information site.

11. The client terminal apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the input section is provided with a list of various item keywords and action keywords from the searching server, such that the user can select a set of an item keyword and an action keyword from the list in matching with the contents information presented by the new information site.

12. A storage medium for storing an index table used by a searching server for searching contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on a query sent from a client terminal through the network, the query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item,

wherein the index table memorizes a correspondence between information sites spread over the network and subject items involved in the contents information of the information sites and related actions mentioned in the contents information, such that the searching server can search for one or more information sites based on the query with reference to the index table.

13. A computer program executable by a searching server for searching contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on a query sent from a client terminal through the network, the computer program comprising the steps of:

prompting the client terminal to input a query when the client terminal accesses the searching server;

receiving the inputted query from the client terminal through the network, the inputted query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item;

searching for one or more information sites having contents information matching the received query; and

sending back directory information indicative of locations of the searched information sites to the client terminal, thereby enabling the client terminal to access the searched information sites according to the directory information, whereby a user of the client terminal can make the action on the item.

14. A computer program executable by a client terminal for enabling a searching server to search contents information presented by a plurality of information sites over a network based on a query sent to the searching server through the network, the computer program comprising the steps of:

accessing the searching server for establishing communication with the searching server through the network;

transmitting the query to the searching server through the network, the query containing an item keyword indicating an item as a target of searching and an action keyword indicating an action to be made on the item, thereby enabling the searching server to search for one or more information sites having contents information matching the query;

receiving directory information indicative of locations of the searched information sites from the searching server through the network; and

accessing the searched information sites according to the directory information, thereby enabling a user to make the action on the item.