Network search access construct for accessing web-based search services

• US 6,256,623 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1998
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US09/102,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/10, 707/102, 707/501, 707/516, 707/523, 707/3, 707/6, 707/104, 395/200.55, 395/200.64, 345/327
• US Class Current: 707/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/64 Browsing; Visualisation therefor generation of a list or set of audio data G06F16/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Search clips are segments of information which provide a consistent user interface and a consistent set of rules for searching varying web-based search services. Search clips are searchable (i.e. they can be accessed with a keyword search) and are displayed “in-place” on a web page. The keywords are compared to tags identifying search clips for web-based search services. A list of hypertext links related to the keyword is displayed within a frame on the same web page. The list which is displayed in place includes hypertext links to applicable search clips, predefined topic lists, and conventional web sites where the search clips are placed at the top of the list. Information is displayed in place. Search criteria entered in a search clip are translated based on a predetermined set of search rules and any requirements of the pre-existing web-based search service that will execute the search. A template is provided which allows services to quickly define search clips such that they all have uniform characteristics.

Claims

1. A method of accessing web-based search services, the method comprising:

receiving keywords specified by a user;

comparing the keywords to a plurality of tags identifying predetermined search clips for one or more web-based search services, wherein the search clips provide access to and a user-interface for the web-based search services;

displaying, on a browser page, a list of hyperlinks to search clips that match the keyword;

receiving a selection from the user wherein the selection indicates one of the hyperlinks to the search clips;

displaying on the browser page a label and an insert field wherein the label is customized based on a type of search clip;

receiving a search criteria from the user related to the label displayed;

translating the search criteria based on a predetermined set of search rules and a predetermined set of requirements of the web-based search service;

executing a search on the web-based search service; and

displaying a result of the search on the browser page.

2. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

3. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure comprising:

a first data field containing data representing a search clip for allowing a user to specify criteria for a search to be executed by a web-based search service, wherein the search clip provides access to and a user-interface for the web-based search service; and

a second data field containing data representing a tag for indexing the search clip represented by the first data field.

4. A method of generating a search results list for display on a website page comprising the steps of:

receiving a search request which originates on a website page;

retrieving a list of search clips, wherein the search clips provide access to and a user-interface for web-based search services and allow a user to specify criteria for a search to be executed by the web-based search services;

searching for links to other websites; and

causing display of a search results list having the list of search clips in place with a list of links to other websites that satisfy the search request.

5. The method of claim 4 and further comprising the step of placing the search clip list first in the search results list.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the list of search clips and links to other websites are displayed in a frame located on the website page on which the search request originated.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the list of search clips comprises links to a plurality of search clips having a common format.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the format of the search clips comprise a logo representative of a provider of data to be searched, a text box, a go button, and at least one qualifier for the search.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the list of search clips comprises links to a plurality of search clips, and wherein selection of a search clip causes display of it in a frame located on the website page on which the search request originated.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the website page is a portal page having links to multiple topics.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein the list of search clips is retrieved from a database having tags associated with the search clips.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the tags comprise generic words most likely to be used by users looking for topics of interest.

13. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 4.

14. The method of claim 4 wherein the display of the results list is generated from a tag based language.

15. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instruction for performing a method of accessing web-based search services, the method comprising:

receiving keywords specified by a user;

comparing the keywords to a plurality of tags identifying predetermined search clips for one or more web-based search services, wherein the search clips provide access to and a user-interface for the web-based search services;

displaying, on a browser page, a list of hyperlinks to search clips that match the keyword;

receiving a selection from the user wherein the selection indicates one of the hyperlinks to the search clips;

displaying on the browser page a label and an insert field wherein the label is customized based on a type of search clip;

receiving a search criteria from the user related to the label displayed;

translating the search criteria based on a predetermined set of search rules and a predetermined set of requirements of the web-based search service;

executing a search on the web-based search service; and

displaying a result of the search on the browser page.

16. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instruction for performing a method of generating a search results list for display on a website page comprising the steps of:

receiving a search request which originates on a website page;

retrieving a list of search clips, wherein the search clips provide access to and a user-interface for web-based search services and allow a user to specify criteria for a search to be executed by the web-based search services;

searching for links to other websites; and

causing display of a search results list having the list of search clips in place with a list of links to other websites that satisfy the search request.

17. A system for generating a portal page, the system comprising:

a portal host that provides tag based display material in the form of a portal page to attached clients;

a database coupled to the host that contains records corresponding to search clips and links to web pages, wherein the search clips provide access to and a user-interface for web-based search services and allow a user to specify criteria for a search to be executed by the web-based search services; and

a page generation module coupled to the database that receives information from the portal host corresponding to common user interests and generates a frame for display of such information on the portal page and also receives a list of search clips from the database and generates a frame for display of the list of search clips on the portal page.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein links to web pages are included in the frame containing the list of search clips.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the list of search clips is positioned in such frame prior to the links to web pages.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the page generation module further generates a frame for a user on a client to enter a general search request on the portal page.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the page generation module further generates a frame containing a list of common topics of interest for display on the portal page.