Method for using region-sets to focus searches in hierarchical structures

• US 5,970,489 A
• Filed: 05/20/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Srivastava, Divesh, Krishnamurthy, Balachander, Jacobson, Guy, Suciu, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAVAN, THU THAO
• Application Number:
  US08/879,500
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/4, 707/9, 707/2, 707/5, 707/531, 707/104, 395/348, 395/349, 395/200, 345/329, 345/349, 348/7, 348/13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9532 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method improves a search in a hierarchical structure by focusing the search to selected regions within the structure. The method defines one or more region-sets and uses the region-set(s) as either a filter for the results of a key-word search or an integrated part of a search engine to increase the efficiency of the search engine. The method also provides for dynamic creation of new region-sets from existing region-sets using a prescribed set of operators.

Claims

1. A method of searching for documents on the world wide web, wherein a region in the web defines a space for a group of related documents, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of static region-sets wherein each static region-set comprises a plurality of regions in the web and wherein the regions in a given static region-set satisfy a particular criterion; and

in response to a search request containing at least one key-word,

creating a new region-set from two static region-sets in accordance with an operation criterion;

searching the web using the new region-set and at least one key-word; and

presenting as a result documents that match at least one key-word and are contained in a region within said new region-set.

2. A claim depending from claim 1 wherein new region-set is used as a pre-filter.

3. A claim depending from claim 1 wherein new region-set is used with search engine.

4. A method of searching for documents on the world wide web, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a first list of URLs corresponding to nodes satisfying a first criterion;

defining a second list of URLs corresponding to nodes satisfying a second criterion;

receiving from a user a search query that includes at least one key-word;

defining a third list of URLs using said first list and said second list and a third criterion; and

identifying to the user documents matching said key-word and containing a URL from said third list.

5. A method for creating a search filter, comprising the steps of:

defining a first list of URLs corresponding to nodes satisfying a first criterion;

defining a second list of URLs corresponding to nodes satisfying a second criterion, and

defining a third list of URLs using said first list and said second list and a third criterion.