Generic search engine framework

• US 20050076021A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Gong, Huiling, Wu, Yuh-Cherng
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

One implementation provides a method that includes receiving a first identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content, receiving a second identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases, and receiving a third identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for a search is received from the identified software application and the request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases. Received identifications are stored for later access to determine which of the several search engines is to execute a request to perform an index search that is received from the identified one of the several software applications and which index search request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases.

Claims

1. A method of creating within an enterprise computing system a mapping to identify which of several search engines are to be used to execute a search of an index of electronically stored knowledge base content, the method comprising:

receiving a first identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content;

receiving a second identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases;

receiving a third identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for a search is received from the identified software application and the request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases; and

storing the received identifications for later access to determine which of the several search engines is to execute a request to perform an index search that is received from the identified one of the several software applications and which index search request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content includes receiving a user identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the user identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content includes receiving information provided by an external administrator that specifically identifies one of several knowledge bases.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases includes receiving a user identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the user identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases includes receiving information provided by an external administrator that specifically identifies one of several executable software applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the third identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for the search is received from the identified software application includes receiving a user identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for the search is received from the identified software application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the user identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for the search is received from the identified software application includes receiving information provided by an external administrator that specifically identifies one of several different search engines.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the received identifications for later access includes storing the received identifications in an information repository.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising assigning the identified one of several knowledge bases to the identified one of several different search engines.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing information regarding the assignment of the identified one of several knowledge bases to the identified one of several different search engines in the information repository.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising assigning the identified one of several knowledge bases to the identified one of several executable software applications.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing information regarding the assignment of the identified one of several knowledge bases to the identified one of several executable software applications in the information repository.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the identified one of several different search engines prior to receipt of the request to perform the index search from the identified one of several software applications.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein configuring the identified one of several different search engines includes configuring hardware-related parameters for use in communicating with the identified one of several different search engines.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein configuring the identified one of several different search engines includes configuring index-related parameters for the identified one of several different search engines.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein configuring index-related parameters for the identified one of several different search engines includes configuring index clustering parameters for the identified one of several different search engines.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving information from a configuration repository for use in configuring the identified one of several different search engines.

18. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform a method of creating within an enterprise computing system a mapping to identify which of several search engines are to be used to execute a search of an index of electronically stored knowledge base content, the method comprising:

receiving a first identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content;

receiving a second identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases;

receiving a third identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for a search is received from the identified software application and the request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases; and

storing the received identifications for later access to determine which of the several search engines is to execute a request to perform an index search that is received from the identified one of the several software applications and which index search request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases.

19. A system to create a mapping to identify which of several search engines are to be used to execute a search of an index of electronically stored knowledge base content, the system being programmed to:

receive a first identification of one of several knowledge bases of electronically stored content;

receive a second identification of one of several executable software applications for which user-initiated knowledge base content searching services will be provided for the identified one of the knowledge bases;

receive a third identification of one of several different search engines to be used in performing index searches when a request for a search is received from the identified software application and the request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases; and

store the received identifications for later access to determine which of the several search engines is to execute a request to perform an index search that is received from the identified one of the several software applications and which index search request is directed to the identified one of the several knowledge bases.