Method of searching multiples internet resident databases using search fields in a generic form

• US 6,457,009 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corrino Holdings LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Denison W. Bollay
• Inventors: Bollay, Denison W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US09/189,058
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/501.1, 707/3
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9532 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method of enabling multiple and different remote Internet resident databases to be queried by using search fields in a generic form in a browser by entering field information only once. The multiple searchable remote databases use specific search fields that are maintained in a master meta database of databases. The database includes translations from a uniform field name to an actual name used by a corresponding remote database. The translations are utilized by local browser software to populate a specific HTML search form peculiar to a given remote database. Each specific search form is then associated with unique indicia, a picture or company logo also found in the database. The indicia are then arranged on screen such that multiple database queries from the generic form can be initiated by clicking on the corresponding indicia. Results returned from a query are then displayed on screen in a target window. Another query can be made by clicking on different indicia, without reentering information into the generic search form. A macro generator creates the necessary JavaScript and HTML INPUTS to build each specific search form contemporaneously with clicking on one of the unique indicia.

Claims

1. A method of enabling multiple remote Internet resident databases within a category of databases to be queried from a browser by using one or more search fields of one generic form, a search field of said generic form having a uniform field name, said method comprising:

A. storing, in a database of databases, at least one specific search field used to query a remote database from within said category of multiple searchable remote databases;

B. creating translations from each uniform field name of said generic form to actual names of specific search fields used by said remote database and a unique indicia corresponding to said remote database;

C. repeating step A and step B for each remote database within said category of multiple searchable remote databases, resulting in a number of unique indicia, one unique indicia for each database in said category, multiple remote databases being associated one-for-one with multiple unique indicia;

D. arranging said generic form for said category and said number of unique indicia on said browser in response to a selection by a user of said category of multiple searchable remote databases; and

,

E. utilizing software at said browser to populate said specific search fields of said remote database in response to a selection by said user of said unique indicia corresponding to said remote database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

F. displaying results returned from a query on screen in a target window.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a macro generator creates JavaScript and an HTML FORM needed to generate a remote query, including a specific search form, contemporaneously with selecting one of said unique indicia.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein a macro generator creates JavaScript and an HTML form needed to generate a remote query including a specific search form contemporaneously with selecting one of said unique indicia.

5. A method comprising:

A. establishing a generic HTML form made up of a number (n) of uniform fields sufficient for a query of a remote database;

B. retrieving from a database, a number (m) of fields involved in a query of said remote database;

C. building a specific HTML form by

selecting the i^th field of said retrieved number (m) of fields,

upon a condition that said i^th field is a uniform field, generating JavaScript to update said i^th input from a j^th generic field of said generic HTML form,

upon a condition that said i^th field is not a uniform field, generating a hidden HTML input in said specific HTML form for said i^th field; and

,

D. changing i to i+1 to select a next field of said retrieved number of fields.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5 in which in step A at least one of said number (n) of uniform fields is left blank to be filled in by a user.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

E. repeating steps C and D until said number of fields are depleted.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

E. asssociating said specific HTML form with a unique indicia.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

E. associating said specific HTML form with a unique indicia.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

E. associating said specific HTML form with a unique indicia.

11. A method of searching Internet resident databases comprising:

A. displaying a generic HTML data input form in a first window of an Internet browser;

B. displaying, on said browser, first indicia representing a first database and second indicia representing a second database of a number of Internet resident databases;

C. at said browser, translating search data entered in said generic HTML data input form into a first search FORM compatible with said first internet resident database in response to a user having selected said first indicia;

D. initiating a search of said first database with said first search FORM;

E. at said browser, displaying first data returned from said first database as a result of a search of said first database

F. at said browser, translating said search data entered in said generic HTML data input form into a second search FORM compatible with said second internet resident database in response to a user having selected said second indicia;

G. initiating a search of said second database with said second search FORM, and;

H. at said browser, displaying second data returned from said second database as a result of a search of said second database.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step E displays said first data in a second window of said browser.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said step H displays said second data in a third window of said browser.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said step H displays said second data in said second window of said browser.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said step H replaces said first data in said second window of said browser with said second data.

16. A method comprising:

A. establishing a generic HTML form made up of a number (n) of uniform fields sufficient for a query of a remote database;

B. retrieving from said remote database, a number (m) of fields involved in said query of a remote database;

C. building a specific HTML form by

selecting the i^th field of said retrieved number (m) of fields,

upon a condition that said i^th field is a uniform field, generating JavaScript to update said i^th input from a j^th generic field of said generic HTML form,

upon a condition that said i^th field is not a uniform field, generating a hidden HTML input in said specific HTML form for said jth field;

D. changing i to i+1 to select a next field of said number of fields;

E. repeating steps C and D until said number of fields are depleted;

F. associating said specific HTML form with a unique indicia;

G. displaying said unique indicia and said generic HTML form in a window of said browser; and

,

H. at said browser, submitting said specific HTML form to said remote database in response to a user having selected said unique indicia.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein steps B through F are repeated for a plurality of remote databases, resulting in a specific HTML form and a unique indicia for each remote database in said plurality of remote databases, said step G includes arranging a plurality of said indicia on screen, multiple database queries from said generic HTML form being initiated by selecting corresponding indicia.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

I. in a target window of said browser, displaying data returned from said remote database as a result of searching said remote database.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

I. in a target window of said browser, displaying data returned from one of said plurality of remote database as a result of searching said one of said plurality of remote databases.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said step H includes creating JavaScript and an HTML form needed to generate a remote query, including a specific search form, contemporaneously with selecting said unique indicia.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said step H includes creating JavaScript and an HTML form needed to generate a remote query, including a specific search form, contemporaneously with selecting said unique indicia.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein said step H includes creating JavaScript and an HTML form needed to generate a remote query, including a specific search form, contemporaneously with selecting said unique indicia.

23. The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein in step A at least one of said number (n) of uniform fields is left blank to be filled in by a user.