Searching content information based on standardized categories and selectable categorizers

• US 20040193591A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert William Winter
• Original Assignee: Robert William Winter
• Inventors: Winter, Robert William
• Application Number:
  US10/805,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193591A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a method and system for identifying content in a computer network. The method and system include the capability of selecting one or more predetermined categories stored in a database and categorizing a number of items corresponding to one or more of the predetermined categories, by a number of categorizers, respectively. selecting a category from the plurality of predetermined categories; selecting a categorizer from the plurality of categorizers; and initiating a search for one or more items in the computer network corresponding to the selected category and the selected categorizer.

In one embodiment, results of the search may be displayed on a display and the results may be ordered based on a user selectable order.

Claims

1. A method for identifying content in a computer network, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of predetermined categories in a database;

categorizing a plurality of items corresponding to one or more of the plurality of predetermined categories, by a plurality of categorizers, respectively;

selecting a category from the plurality of predetermined categories;

selecting a categorizer from the plurality of categorizers; and

initiating a search for one or more items in the computer network corresponding to the selected category and the selected categorizer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising signing up on a web site as an authorized user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying results of the search on a display.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising ordering the displayed search results based on a user selectable order.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of categorizing comprises signing up on a website as a categorizer and categorizing a plurality of items corresponding to one or more of the plurality of predetermined categories.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a fee for initiating the search for the one or more items.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning points to a categorizer based on number of users who have searched an item categorized by the categorizer.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising compensating the categorizer based on the assigned points.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising positioning the categorizer on a favorable screen position of a display screen, based on the assigned points to the categorizer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a list of categorizers on a display screen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the list of categorizers displayed on the display screen is ordered based on one or more of a respective categorizer'"'"'s overall popularity within the selected category, a respective categorizer'"'"'s recent popularity within the selected category, a respective categorizer'"'"'s overall popularity within a broader subject area than the selected category, a respective categorizer'"'"'s recent popularity within a broader subject area than the selected category, a respective categorizer'"'"'s reliability within a user-specified subject area, and a respective categorizer'"'"'s reliability within a broad subject area.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to music.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to movies.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to books.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to web pages.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to security or intelligence content.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to a product or a service.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the product or the service is one or more of art, craft, wine, cheese, beer, plumbing, air conditioning, auto repair, haircutting, legal service, and medical service.

19. A method for categorizing an item to be searched by a user in a computer network, the method comprising:

accessing a web site by an authorized categorizer;

identifying the item to be categorized;

selecting a category from a plurality of predetermined categories stored in a database accessible by the web site;

applying the selected category to the identified item; and

storing the identified item and the applied category in the database.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising signing up on a web site as an authorized user.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising

selecting a category from a plurality of predetermined categories;

selecting a categorizer from a plurality of categorizers; and

initiating a search for an item in the computer network corresponding to the selected category and the selected categorizer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying results of the search on a display.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising ordering the displayed search results based on a user selectable order.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising charging the categorizer a fee for categorizing the item.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising assigning points to a second categorizer based on number of users who have searched an item categorized by the second categorizer.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising compensating the second categorizer based on the assigned points.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising positioning the second categorizer on a favorable screen position of a display screen, based on the assigned points to the second categorizer.

28. A system for identifying content in a computer network comprising:

means for storing a plurality of predetermined categories;

means for categorizing a plurality of items corresponding to one or more of the plurality of predetermined categories, by a plurality of categorizers, respectively;

means for selecting a category from the plurality of predetermined categories;

means for selecting a categorizer from the plurality of categorizers; and

means for initiating a search for one or more items in the computer network corresponding to the selected category and the selected categorizer.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for signing up on a web site as an authorized user.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising displaying results of the search on a display.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising means for ordering the displayed search results based on a user selectable order.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein means for categorizing comprises means for signing up on a website as a categorizer and means for categorizing a plurality of items corresponding to one or more of the plurality of predetermined categories.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for charging a fee for initiating the search for the one or more items.

34. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for assigning points to a categorizer based on number of users who have searched an item categorized by the categorizer.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising means for compensating the categorizer based on the assigned points.

36. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for positioning the categorizer on a favorable screen position of a display screen, based on the assigned points to the categorizer.

37. The system of claim 28, wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined categories relates to a product or a service.

38. A system for categorizing an item to be searched by a user in a computer network comprising:

means for accessing a web site by an authorized categorizer;

means for identifying the item to be categorized;

means for selecting a category from a plurality of predetermined categories stored in a database accessible by the web site;

means for applying the selected category to the identified item; and

means for storing the identified item and the applied category in the database.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising means for signing up on a web site as an authorized user.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising

means for selecting a category from a plurality of predetermined categories;

means for selecting a categorizer from a plurality of categorizers; and

means for initiating a search for an item in the computer network corresponding to the selected category and the selected categorizer.