METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE FOR AFFILIATE GROUP SEARCHING

• US 20080033959A1
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method for allowing an information seeker to utilize affiliate group searching involving human searchers who are members of particular information affiliate groups. Each affiliate group has an area of expertise in which they are particularly skilled. In at least one embodiment, the method includes accepting designation of an affiliate group for providing information searching and presenting search results produced by a member of the affiliate group to an information seeker.

Claims

1. A method for providing interest group searching, comprising:

designating an affiliate group for providing information searching; and

presenting search results produced by a member of the affiliate group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the designation includes a user selection of a desired affiliate group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the designation includes a system selection of an interest group.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the system selection includes:

prompting an information seeker for a query;

analyzing the query with keywords/categories of affiliate groups; and

selecting an affiliate group based on the analyzing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said designating:

comparing identifying information entered by an information seeker desiring to obtain search results from the affiliate group with stored identifying information of information seekers to determine whether access to the group should be allowed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said designating:

verifying a presence of a predetermined software application on a computing device operated by an information seeker desiring to obtain search results from the affiliate group.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said accepting, allowing selection of a specific searcher of said affiliate group.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing identifying information entered by a searcher before performing a search for a query with stored identifying information of searchers to determine whether the searcher should be allowed to conduct the search.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said presenting, prompting for and receiving a rating of said member.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said presenting, performing a rating calculation for said member.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said presenting, performing a rating calculation for said affiliate group.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before said designating, recognizing said affiliate group by the search system provider.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said recognizing includes registering the affiliate members of the affiliate group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said registering includes comparing authentication information entered by the affiliate member with stored authentication information to determine whether the affiliate member is allowed to register with the group.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said registering includes receiving additional personal information entered by the affiliate member.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said registering includes generating a user profile.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending the affiliate member a notification with an application link.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising allowing the affiliate member to download an application and launch a profile.

21. The method of claim 7, wherein said selection may be made without revealing personally identifying information of said searcher.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein said recognizing includes receiving information of said affiliate group.

19. A computer-readable storage including instructions for causing a computer to provide interest group searching by:

accepting designation of an affiliate group for providing information searching; and

presenting search results produced by a member of the affiliate group.

20. An information search system for providing interest group searching performed by human searchers, comprising:

at least one searcher computer system performing a search in response to a query performed by an information seeker;

at least one search system receiving notification that interest group searching is desired, presenting a list of interest groups with specialty and rating, receiving selection of a desired interest group, prompting for and receiving a username and password from an information seeker, comparing the username and password with a stored username and password, and accepting a query from the information seeker;

at least one information seeker interface by which selection of an interest group occurs;

an interest group database including an interest group identifier (id) field, an interest group rating field, a search specialty field, an assigned searchers field, and a keywords and categories field to which the group is assigned;

an interest group searcher database including a searcher id field, an interest group id field, a searcher username field, a searcher verification code field, a searcher rating field, and an other related interest groups field; and

an authorized information seekers database including an interest group id field, an authorized user id field, an authorized user username field, and an authorized user password field.

23. The method of claim 23, wherein said information includes one or more of authorization information, resource access information, demographic information, geographic information, and training information.

24. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer including

a interest group record, comprising:

a group identification field;

a searcher identification field; and

a related keywords field.

25. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer including

a interest group searcher record, comprising:

a searcher identification field;

a interest group identification field;

a searcher demographics field; and

a searcher specialty field.

26. A computer readable storage for controlling a computer including

a interest group authorization record, comprising:

a interest group identification field;

a authorized users field; and

a authorized searcher field.

27. An interface comprising;

a field displaying a query;

a field displaying a list of interest groups associated with the query;

a control to select/reject an interest group.

30. The interface according to claim 27, wherein the list is displayed in an order based on one of rating, advertising agreement, and availability.

28. An interface comprising;

a field displaying a query;

a field displaying a list of searchers associated with the query;

a control to select/reject a searcher.

31. The interface according to claim 28, wherein the list is displayed in an order based on one of rating, advertising, and availability.

29. An interface comprising;

a control to identify an affiliate group;

a field displaying a list of queries answered by an identified group;

a control to select/reject an affiliate group.

32. The interface according to claim 29, wherein the identifying control comprises a list of characteristics based on one of an affiliate profile, and a user profile.