Method and system for accessing search services via messaging services

• US 20090006333A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Thomas E., Jones, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A user using a chat or instant message, mobile message or email type of interface, for example, an information seeker, can connect via an instant message, mobile message, email or chat type of service provider, for example, an America On-line Instant Messenger (AIM) server. The message server connects the user to a routine that allows the user to utilize his or her service interface in combination with the services provided by the information search system. After connection has been established via the message interface, for example, an instant message is received via the chat process. A query string can then be extracted from the instant message and passed to the search system, which can respond with search results.

Claims

1. A method for chatting with an information search system, comprising:

establishing a chat connection with the system; and

sending a response to an information search query answered by the search system to an information seeker via the chat connection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing includes waiting for an instant message connection as a live chat buddy.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after said establishing, receiving an instant message including a query string via an instant message chat process.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the unique identifier of the information seeker with chat credentials associated with an instant message transmission path of the system, thereby allowing any open queries to be answered when said information seeker re-connects to the system.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising, after said receiving, extracting said query string from said instant message.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, after said extracting, transmitting said query string to a search system to allow said response to occur after a search is performed by a human searcher.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein user instant message client information is used to select suitable media for responding to an information seeker query

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said information seeker interacts with advertisement information during wait states of said chat session.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said information seeker can upgrade an instant messenger client or choose to use a system instant messenger client.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising, after said transmitting, sending said response to an instant message client process in preparation for sending said response to said information seeker.

11. A system, comprising:

a search system for conducting information searching via a chat or other interactive natural language interface;

a chat server; and

at least one message application server;

wherein said search system, said chat server, and said chat message application server are communicatively coupled to allow a human searcher to provide a response to an information search query submitted by an information seeker via said chat interface.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said at least one message application server includes a user system with a chat client or a Short Message Service client to allow users to access the system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said chat server is an instant messenger server.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said message application server includes a message application process communicating with a chat client located on a device of the information seeker.

15. A system, comprising:

a search system for conducting information searching via a chat interface;

a first message application server performing communication between an information seeker and a human information searcher via said interface;

a second message application server performing communication between a search system and said human information seeker via said interface;

wherein said search system, said first message application server, and said second message application server are communicatively coupled to allow a human searcher to provide a response to an information search query submitted by an information seeker via said chat interface.

16. A computer-readable storage, including a database comprising:

a buddy list identifier including a chat buddy representing a human searcher;

a buddy list identifier including a chat credential representing an information seeker and

an online status indicator indicating whether a chat buddy identified by said buddy list identifier(s) is currently available, and/or busy.

17. A computer-readable storage, including a database comprising:

a buddy list identifier including a chat buddy representing a search system interface;

a buddy list identifier including a chat credential representing an information seeker and

an online status indicator indicating whether a chat buddy identified by said buddy list identifier(s) is currently busy.

18. A method for conducting chatting between an information seeker and an information search system, comprising:

waiting for an instant message connection as a live buddy;

receiving an instant message via an instant message chat process;

extracting a query string from said instant message;

passing said query string to a search system;

performing a search;

waiting for a system response;

passing said response to an instant message client process; and

passing said response to an information seeker.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the response in said passing said response to an information seeker is an automated response.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the system utilizes human searchers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said system presents advertisement.

22. A system, comprising:

a search system for conducting information searching via a chat interface;

a chat server including user devices; and

at least one message application server, said message application server;

waiting for an instant message connection as a live buddy;

receiving an instant message via an instant message chat process;

extracting a query string from said instant message;

passing said query string to a search system;

performing a search;

waiting for a system response;

passing said response to an instant message client process; and

passing said response to an information seeker;

wherein said search system, said chat server, and said message application server are communicatively coupled to allow a human searcher to provide a response to an information search query submitted by an information seeker via said chat interface.

23. A system, comprising:

a search system for conducting information searching via a chat interface;

a chat server including user devices; and

at least one message application server, said message application server;

waiting for an instant message connection as a search-without-a-guide buddy;

receiving an instant message via an instant message chat process;

extracting a query string from said instant message;

passing said query string to a search system;

performing a search without a guide;

waiting for a system response;

passing said response to an instant message client process; and

passing said response to an information seeker;

wherein said search system, said chat server, and said message application server are communicatively coupled to allow a human searcher to provide a response to an information search query submitted by an information seeker via said chat interface.

24. A method for conducting chatting between an information seeker and an information search system, comprising:

waiting for an instant message connection as a searcher without a guide;

receiving an instant message via an instant message chat process;

extracting a query string from said instant message;

passing said query string to a search system;

performing a search without a guide;

waiting for a system response;

passing said response to an instant message client process; and

passing said response to an information seeker.

25. A method for providing anonymous communication between a user and a searcher, comprising:

assigning a received query a unique identifier;

transmitting said unique identifier to a device of the user;

assigning a searcher with a unique identifier to process said received query;

assigning a unique identifier to results produced by the searcher.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising sending said results to the user.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising placing a message in a message board database with a unique query identifier.

28. A method for sending a message from a searcher to a user, comprising:

accessing a device of a user to obtain an identifier or cookie;

determining whether said identifier or cookie is currently established;

notifying a searcher when said identifier or cookie has been established; and

retrieving messages based on said identifier or cookie and sending to the user with an advertisement.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising sending survey-related information to the user when the identifier or cookie is not established.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein, after said accessing operation, determining whether the user is a previous user and assigning the user a user identifier if the user is a first-time user.

31. A method for handling a query, comprising:

receiving a query;

presenting a choice including whether a search corresponding to the query is to be conducted by a search-with-a-guide method, a search-without-a-guide method, or a combination search method;

performing an automated search and returning results when said search-without-a-guide method is elected; and

when said search-with-a-guide method or said combination search method is elected;

directing the query to a human guide; and

providing results to the query based on guide-assisted search.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein after said performing is complete, a determination is made as to whether said combination search method has been selected.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein when said combination search method has been selected, a message is set for a guide wherein said message indicates automated search results have been returned and the query is directed to a human guide.

34. A system, comprising:

a search system conducting information searching via a chat or other interactive interface, said search system including a mobile message application, an instant message application, and an email message application;

an instant message chat server; and

an instant message application server;

wherein said search system, said instant message chat server, and said instant message application server are communicatively coupled to allow a human searcher to provide a response to an information search query submitted by an information seeker via the chat or other interactive interface.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the instant message application serves as a programmatic chat client or instant message client simulating a typical chat client or instant message client, thereby appearing to a user as a chat buddy.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the mobile message application, the instant message application, and an email message application are located on an application server instead of the search system.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein said email message application system receives a query from an email message submitted via an email client communicating with said email message application.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein said email message is formatted according to Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein said email message is formatted according to Extended Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein said email message is received using Post Office Protocol format.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein parsing of a query received by the search system is performed according to a different format than the instant message application format.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the email message application manages attached files and forwards said attached files to said search system.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein said email message application communicates with said email service to login to said service and send and receive messages from an email user identifier.

44. The system of claim 34, wherein the email message application allows standard query templates for constructing query strings for the search system.

45. The system of claim 34, wherein the mobile message application can receive messages using the Short Messaging Service format.

46. The system of claim 34, wherein the mobile message application can receive messages using the Multimedia Messaging Service format.

47. The system of claim 34, wherein mobile message application allows standard query templates for constructing query strings for the search system.