Search agent for searching the internet

• US 20030217097A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Inventors: Eitel, Robert T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for obtaining information over the internet. The method includes the steps of uploading a search agent from a searching terminal to a website to be searched and executing the uploaded steps of the search agent at the website to provide a search result. The method further includes the step of downloading the search result to the searching terminal.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining information over the internet, such method comprising the steps of:

uploading a search agent through the internet from a searching terminal to a website to be searched;

executing the uploaded steps of the search agent at the website to provide a search result; and

downloading the search result to the searching terminal.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising including at least some program steps within the search agent.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising including a search term within the search agent.

4. The method as in claim 3 further comprising including a context of the search term within the search agent.

5. The method as in claim 1 further comprising translating the search term and attribute into a meta language.

6. The method as in claim 1 further comprising collecting for later analysis unsolvable queries relating to the search agent within the website to be searched.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising proposing an itinerary for the search agent to the searching terminal.

8. The method as in claim 1 further comprising building a domain specific query based upon the search agent.

9. The method as in claim 1 further comprising connecting a searcher of the searching terminal to an agent of the website to be searched using a voice over Internet protocol connection.

10. The method as in claim 1 further comprising providing a user proxy as an itinerary for the search agent.

11. The method as in claim 1 further comprising intercepting the search agent on a webpage and substituting specific or marketing directed alternatives.

12. The method as in claim 1 further comprising correlating search results for presentation to a searcher of the search terminal.

13. The method as in claim 1 further comprising parsing e-mail messages into search agents.

14. The method as in claim 1 further comprising using a live agent of the searched website to guide domain specific searches.

15. The method as in claim 1 further comprising defining a profile for search agents from the search terminal.

16. The method as in claim 1 further comprising forwarding an itinerary to a host for completion.

17. The method as in claim 1 further comprising substituting a search engine for providing help to a searcher of the search terminal.

18. The method as in claim 1 further comprising using a search engine as a directory to domain specific searching.

19. The method as in claim 1 further comprising identifying a web site.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the step of identifying the web site further comprises connecting to a search engine of the identified website.

21. The method as in claim 20 further comprising determining that the search result is another website.

22. The method as in claim 21 wherein the step of determining that the search result is another website further comprises uploading the agent to the other website.

23. The method as in claim 22 wherein the step of uploading the agent to the other website further comprises uploading the agent directly from the search engine to the other website.

24. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of executing the uploaded steps at the website to provide a search result further comprises comparing an element of a record of the search result with a search term threshold value.

25. The method as in claim 24 wherein the step of comparing a record of the search result with a search term threshold value further comprises deleting the record from the search result when the element of the record exceeds the search term threshold value.

26. The method as in claim 1 wherein the step of executing the uploaded steps at the website to provide a search result further comprises matching an element of a record of the search result with a search term template.

27. The method as in claim 26 wherein the step of matching a record of the search result with a search term template further comprises deleting the record from the search result when the element of the record fails to match the search term template.

28. The method as in claim 25 wherein the step of matching a record of the search result with a search term template further comprises retaining the record within the search result when the element of the record substantially matches the search term template.

29. Apparatus for obtaining information over the internet, such apparatus comprising:

means for uploading a search agent through the internet from a searching terminal to a website to be searched;

means for executing the uploaded steps of the search agent at the website to provide a search result; and

means for downloading the search result to the searching terminal.

30. The apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the means for uploading the plurality of program steps further comprises means for including at least some search terms among the uploaded program steps.

31. The apparatus as in claim 29 further comprising means for identifying a web site.

32. The apparatus as in claim 31 wherein the means for identifying a web site further comprises means for connecting to a search engine.

33. The apparatus as in claim 32 further comprising means for determining that the search result is another website.

34. The apparatus as in claim 33 wherein the means for determining that the search result is another website further comprises means for uploading the agent to the other website.

35. The apparatus as in claim 34 wherein the means for uploading the agent to the other website further comprises means for uploading the agent directly from the search engine to the other website.

36. The apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the means for executing the uploaded steps at the website to provide a search result further comprises means for comparing an element of a record of the search result with a search term threshold value.

37. The apparatus as in claim 36 wherein the means for comparing a record of the search result with a search term threshold value further comprises means for deleting the record from the search result when the element of the record exceeds the search term threshold value.

38. The apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the means for executing the uploaded steps at the website to provide a search result further comprises means for matching an element of a record of the search result with a search term template.

39. The apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the means for matching a record of the search result with a search term template further comprises means for deleting the record from the search result when the element of the record fails to match the search term template.

40. The apparatus as in claim 38 wherein the means for matching a record of the search result with a search term template further comprises means for retaining the record within the search result when the element of the record substantially matches the search term template.

41. Apparatus for obtaining information over the internet, such apparatus comprising:

a search agent comprising a plurality of program steps which is uploaded through the internet from a searching terminal to a website to be searched;

a web site processor which executes the uploaded steps of the search agent at the website to provide a search result; and

a communication processor which downloads the search result to the searching terminal.