ELECTRONIC PREVIOUS SEARCH RESULTS LOG

• US 20080033970A1
• 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: O'DONNELL, Eugene M., BOSTIC, Brad, COOPER, Thomas E., JONES, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,024,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method for providing a viewable search results log to allow determination of the effectiveness of search strategies and sharing results of searches with others. The search results log reveals search strategies utilized by a human searcher with which the search results log is associated. The search results produced by at least one human searcher are stored in the search results log and presented according to a view format selected by a viewer. The search results log can be interrelated to other systems such as a blog or a search engine.

Claims

1. A method for providing a previous search results log, comprising:

storing search process information produced by at least one human searcher in the previous search results log; and

presenting the search process information according to a view format selected by a viewer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing includes recording said search process information as the search process information occurs in real-time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes organizing the search results according to a selected view format including one of a chronological order format, a keyword format, a category format, a title format, an abstract format, a query format, a searcher format, a user format and a comments format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes organizing the search results according to at least two viewing formats.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes organizing the search results according to searcher.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes organizing the search results according to rating.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving additions in the search results log from at least one search guide.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said storing, providing the search process data to independent search engines.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said storing, adding at least one advertisement link to the search results log.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes:

determining whether a log analysis was requested;

receiving a sort type selection corresponding to the view format; and

displaying entries in the previous search results log sorted by the sort type selection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes:

determining whether a log analysis was requested;

receiving text pertaining to a particular sort;

receiving a sort type selection corresponding to the view format; and

displaying entries in the previous search results log sorted by the sort type selection.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting is performed in response to a request from a client device.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said storing, adding at least one rating link to the search results log.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes displaying a subset of one or more elements of the search process data.

12. A method for providing additional information relating to initial information, comprising:

receiving access to the additional information in response to an action related to the initial information wherein said additional information is included in a previous search results log; and

allowing the additional information to be retrieved from the search results log.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said receiving includes:

receiving access from a Uniform Resource Locator pointer; and

providing entry information from the previous search results log, wherein said entry information relates to said initial information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said receiving further includes:

receiving a command indicating keyword format viewing;

identifying a keyword most pertinent to text;

displaying a hyperlink to at least one entry corresponding to a keyword pertaining to text identified by the hyperlink; and

displaying information in said entry.

15. A method of receiving access to a search results log from a website, comprising:

receiving access from an activated hyperlink on the website; and

providing entries related to a keyword related to information pertaining to the hyperlink.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, after said receiving and before said displaying:

receiving a command indicating a keyword format viewing;

receiving text identifying a hyperlink;

identifying a keyword most pertinent to text identified by the hyperlink;

sorting or arranging the search results log according to the identified keyword; and

locating a first entry with respect to the keyword.

17. A method for providing information, comprising:

saving search results produced by at least one human searcher in a previous search results log; and

receiving access to at least one search entry in said log in response to a user activating a hyperlink presented when a user activates webpage text related to information included in the search entry.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said receiving occurs in response to a

selection of text or other elements on a webpage.

19. A system, comprising:

a user interface communicatively coupled to a user system for allowing a query to be entered;

a server communicatively coupled to said user system, said server determining a searcher to search the query; and

a searcher system communicatively coupled to said user system and said server, said searcher system allowing search results to be obtained for the query and providing the search results to the user system, said search results being stored in a previous search results database communicatively coupled with said server wherein each entry in said previous search results database includes a searcher field, a rating field, an assigned keywords field, a query field, a date created field, a date updated field, a result of query field, and a comments field and can be viewed according to a chronological order format, a keyword or category format, or a search guide format wherein said entries include information corresponding and linked to information in a category/keyword list on at least one independent website, said previous search results database including a hyperlink via which access to said at least one independent website can be obtained.

20. A computer-readable storage including instructions for causing a computer to provide a search results log by:

storing search results produced by at least one human searcher in the search results log; and

presenting the search results according to a view format selected by a viewer.

21. The computer-readable storage of claim 20, wherein said storing includes recording said search results as the search results occur in real-time.

22. A method for cross-referencing a search results log with a blog, comprising:

recording search results in the search results log;

providing a hyperlink in said search results log to allow access to a blog website; and

receiving an access attempt to said search results log via a hyperlink related to selections under a frequently asked questions list, said selections corresponding to keyword(s) and/or category(ies) of information included within said search results log.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said providing includes providing a hyperlink directed to a keyword or category of information stored in said search results log.