System and Method for Searching for Internet-Accessible Content

• US 20080114739A1
• Filed: 11/14/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hudson Bay Wireless, LLC
• Original Assignee: Paul V. Hayes
• Inventors: Hayes, Paul V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A system and method for searching and voting on Internet-accessible content is presented. One or more meta servers or sites store information about the structure and location of content on one or more Internet host servers. HTML-linked content on the one or more Internet host servers is indexed and stored on the one or more meta servers, and non-HTML content on the one or more Internet host servers is processed by the present invention into HTML content, indexed, and stored on the one or more meta servers. Each meta server includes a local search engine that can be queried by a user. A plurality of different types of queries can be conducted by the user, including local queries, global queries, and peer-to-peer network queries. The user is provided with search results which point to relevant content on one or more of the meta server and/or one or more of the Internet host servers. After viewing the content, the user can cast votes relating to the user'"'"'s satisfaction with the search results. The present invention also includes a central repository which tracks user votes, query progressions, and information about content on each of the meta sites. The present invention also provides a plurality of enhancement plug-ins for standard web robots, including a toolbar for conventional web browsers. The toolbar can be used to securely solicit and collect authenticated user votes from standard web sites, as well as to vote-check top results returned by supported search engines. The plug-ins facilitate interoperability between existing Internet software (and technology) and the present invention.

Claims

1. A system for searching for content on a computer network, comprising:

a web robot for gathering information about content stored on a computer network;

a meta server in communication with the web robot, the meta server generating link map data corresponding to information gathered by the web robot, storing the link map data at the meta server, and receiving and processing search queries from users;

a web browser in communication with the meta server, the browser allowing a user to query for content, transmitting the query to the meta server, and receiving search results from the meta server; and

means in the web browser for allowing a user to vote on the search results.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a configuration file transmitted to the web robot by the meta server for instructing the robot to convert non-HTML content on the computer network to HTML content, wherein the HTML content is stored at the meta server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the configuration file instructs the web robot to convert dynamic content on the computer network to HTML content, and the HTML content is stored at the meta server.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the configuration file instructs the web robot to convert latent network data on the computer network to HTML content, and the HTML content is stored at the meta server.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the meta server stores peer-to-peer network content in a local cache at the meta server.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the means in the web browser for allowing a user to vote further comprises a toolbar for allowing a user to vote.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the toolbar allows a user to compare the search results to search results generated by a separate search engine.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the toolbar allows a user to analyze user interactions with a plurality of search engines.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the means in the web browser for allowing a user to vote further comprises emoticons for allowing a user to vote.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a central repository for storing user votes on search results and search queries generated by users.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an encrypted session established between the web browser and the central repository for securely transmitting user votes and search queries from the web browser to the central repository.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein a user identifier and a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with a user vote is stored in a first database at the central repository using a one-way hash, and a number of votes associated with the URI is stored in a second database at the central repository.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the central repository receives the link map data generated by the meta server and ranks the link map data using a node ranking algorithm to produce a ranked list of nodes.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the central repository transmits the link map data to a plurality of meta servers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the central repository receives the search results generated by the meta server and ranks the search results using a result ranking algorithm to produce a ranked list of search results.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the central repository transmits the ranked list of nodes and the ranked list of search results to the meta server, the meta server processing the ranked list of nodes and the ranked list of search results.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the central repository transmits the ranked list of search results to the web browser for review by a user.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the central repository processes the user votes to rank the search results generated by the meta server.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the meta server detects a progression of queries entered by a user, processes the queries to create an alternate query, and, in response to a subsequent query for content, transmits the alternate query to a user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein a copy of the progression of queries is stored at the central repository.

21. A method for searching for content on a computer network, comprising the steps of:

gathering information about content stored on a computer network using a web robot;

generating link map data corresponding to information gathered by the web robot;

storing the link map data at a meta server;

allowing a user to query for content using a web browser;

transmitting the query to the meta server;

searching for matching content at the meta server using the link map data;

providing search results to the user in the web browser; and

allowing the user to vote on the search results using the web browser.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising converting non-HTML content on the computer network to HTML content using the web robot, and storing the HTML content at the meta server.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising converting dynamic content on the computer network to HTML content using the web robot, and storing the HTML content at the meta server.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising converting latent network data on the computer network to HTML content using the web robot, and storing the HTML content at the meta server.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing peer-to-peer network content in a local cache at the meta server.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising allowing a user to compare the search results to search results generated by a separate search engine.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of allowing the user to vote on the search results further comprises allowing the user to vote on the search results using emoticons provided in the web browser.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing in a central repository user votes on search results and search queries generated by users.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising establishing an encrypted session between the web browser and central repository for securely transmitting user votes and search queries from the web browser to the central repository.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising storing a user identifier and a uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with a user vote in a first database at the central repository using a one-way hash, and storing a number of votes associated with the URI in a second database at the central repository.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising receiving the link map data at the central repository and ranking the link map data using a node ranking algorithm to produce a ranked list of nodes.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising transmitting the link map data to a plurality of meta servers.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving at the central server the search results generated by the meta server and ranking the search results using a result ranking algorithm to produce a ranked list of search results.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the ranked list of nodes and the ranked list of search results to the meta server and processing the ranked list of nodes and the ranked list of search results at the meta server to improve future searches.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising transmitting the ranked list of search results to the web browser for review by a user.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising processing the user votes at the central repository to rank the search results generated by the meta server.

37. The method of claim 28, further comprising detecting a progression of queries entered by a user, processing the queries to create an alternate query, and, in response to a subsequent query for content, transmitting the alternate query to a user.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising storing a copy of the progression of queries at the central repository.

39. The method of claim 28, further comprising allowing a user to conduct a local search for content at a local computer system, processing the local search at the meta server to provide local search results, and transmitting the local search results to the central repository for subsequent use in a global search for content issued at a remote computer system.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the central repository creates and stores a characterization of the local computer system based upon a local search query and the local search results.

41. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a plurality of meta servers and a plurality of web robots, each of the meta servers storing link map data corresponding to information about content on a computer network generated by the plurality of web robots.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising storing at each of the plurality of meta servers user votes on search results and search queries generated by users of the remaining plurality of meta servers.

43. A method for searching for content on a computer network, comprising:

allowing a user to issue a search query for desired content;

passing the search query to a search engine;

allowing the search engine to search for desired content and generate a search engine results page;

receiving the search engine results page;

displaying a single search result from the search engine results page;

allowing a user to accept or reject the single search result; and

if the user accepts the single search result, displaying remaining search results of the search engine results page.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of displaying advertisements associated with the remaining search results if the user accepts the single search result.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of allowing the user to accept or reject the single search result comprises allowing the user to vote on the single search result.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising allowing the user to generate a new query prior to displaying a new single search result.

47. The method of claim 43, further comprising allowing the user to select a new query from a query form prior to displaying a new single search result.

48. A method for searching for content on a computer network, comprising:

providing a toolbar plug-in for a web browser for allowing a user to vote;

allowing the user to formulate a search query in the web browser;

allowing the user to specify a search engine to which the search query is to be submitted;

submitting the search query to the search engine;

receiving search results from the search engine; and

allowing the user to vote on the search results using the toolbar plug-in.

49. The method of claim 48, further comprising processing search queries formulated by the user of a predetermined period of time to create an alternate search query and displaying the alternate search query to the user.

50. The method of claim 48, further comprising storing user votes at a central repository and processing the user votes to rank the search results.

51. The method of claim 48, further comprising filtering search results based upon lengths of time during which content has been accessible on the computer network.