Method and system for creating improved search queries

• US 20030172061A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Roy Short, Paul Jeffrey Krupin
• Original Assignee: Donald Roy Short, Paul Jeffrey Krupin
• Inventors: Krupin, Paul Jeffrey, Short, Donald Roy
• Granted Patent: US 6,751,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• 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 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method and system for creating improved search queries using pre-arranged controlled vocabularies, word groups, and word types. The invention is called a search builder. The search builder is a server-based program, which houses numerous individual topic oriented search builder modules. Each module is focused on a special topic of interest. Each search builder module leads users through a series of word groups, where a user may select words to be added to a query, which will ultimately be sent to a search engine or searchable database.

Claims

1. A method for creating a search string using a computer system, the computer system having a processor, a display, and a browser, the computer system programmed with a server-based program called a search builder, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a search topic;

defining a plurality of word categories related to the search topic;

forming a word group for each word category;

populating each word group with a plurality of preselected words within the word category, each of the plurality of words within each word group selected to vary the scope of a search relative to the remaining words in the word group;

generating a first search string by selecting a first word from each of a plurality of the word groups to create a search string;

transmitting the first search string to a search engine;

receiving a first data set from the search engine;

creating a second search string by replacing the first word of a first word group of the first search string with second word from the first word group;

transmitting the second search string to the search engine; and

,

receiving a second data set from the search engine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a search topic includes the steps of:

depicting on the display at least one search topic;

the user selecting the search topic from the at least one search topic; and

, responsive to selection by the user of the search topic displaying a plurality of pre-selected word groups.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of generating a first search string comprises the steps of:

displaying a plurality of word group headings to the user;

the user selecting a first word group heading;

displaying the pre-selected words populating the first word group to the user;

the user selecting a first word from the first word group;

entering the first word from the first word group into a first search string;

displaying the plurality of word group headings to the user;

the user selecting a second word group heading from the plurality of displayed word groups;

displaying the pre-selected words populating the second word group;

the user selecting a first word from the second word group; and

, adding the first word from the second word group to the first search string.

4. The search builder display method described in claim 1 wherein the visual cue includes displaying the search word types in selected color codes and in text.

5. The search builder display method described in claim 4 where the step of displaying the word types includes displaying standardized terms identifying each word type, the terms selected from the group consisting of a subject, action, feature, knowledge, location, date and domain.

6. The search builder display method described in claim 4 wherein the visual cue includes displaying the search groups color coded to the word types.

7. The search builder display method described in claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the pre-selected words in a group to the user includes displaying pre-arranged controlled vocabulary drop down menus for each word group.

8. The search builder display method described in claim 1 wherein the step of entering the first word from the first word group includes displaying the first word in a text box and in the display associated with the word group.

9. The search builder display method described in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a first word from the first word group includes selecting an accept button which enters the first word into a search string.

10. The search builder display method described in claim 1 which further comprises the step of displaying a clear button which when clicked deletes words in the text box.

11. The search builder display method described in claim 1 which further comprises the step of displaying a selected search word includes displaying the selected search word in a sequence of words color coded to correspond to the word group from which the selected search word was selected.

12. The search builder display method according to claim 1 further comprises displaying a topics button that when selected displays a list of the available search topics.

13. The search builder display method described in claim 1 which further comprises the step of displaying a search button which when clicked displays a color coded search string comprised of at least one selected word and a list of pre-selected search engines or searchable databases.

14. The search builder display method described in claim 1 further comprising the step of graphically displaying an analysis of the search string based on the number of words in the search string, the number of word groups selected, the number of word types selected, and an index of the targeting of the search words selected.

15. The search builder display method described in claim 1 which further comprises the step of displaying a clear and start over button which when selected displays a list of pre-arranged search engines or searchable databases.

16. The search builder display method described in claim 1 which further comprises displaying a Save Search button which when selected saves a search string builder configuration and search word query.

17. The search builder display method described in claim 16 which further comprises displaying a Load Last Saved Search button and a text box containing Saved Searches, the Load Last Search button operable to enter a saved search word query into a text box.

18. A computer implemented method of searching the world wide web comprising the steps of:

selecting a topic to be searched;

creating a hierarchical search string comprising an ordered series of search words, one search word selected from at least one of a plurality of pre-selected, ordered controlled vocabulary word groups;

transmitting the ordered search string to a search engine; and

,

receiving a first set of search results.

19. A method of offering search services for searching the world wide web comprising the steps of:

providing a web site accessible through the world wide web;

providing access through the web site to a data base of files accessible through the world wide web;

providing a category of search that can be conducted through the web site;

for each search category providing a plurality of word groups from which to assemble a hierarchical search string;

cueing a remote user to construct a hierarchical search string by sequentially displaying a plurality of categorical word groups, the user selecting a first word from at least one of the displayed word groups;

transmitting the search string to a search engine; and

,

receiving and displaying a first search result to the user.