×

Method and apparatus to retrieve information from a network

  • US 6,584,468 B1
  • Filed: 09/29/2000
  • Issued: 06/24/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method to index network information, comprising:

  • (a) establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network;

    (b) establishing a search list of weighted links;

    (c) assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list;

    (d) searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files;

    (e) parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files;

    (f) weighting said content;

    (g) copying said weighted content into a memory;

    (h) comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links;

    (i) identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file;

    (j) assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link;

    (k) adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following;

    whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link;

    (l) copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and

    (m) performing steps (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.

View all claims
  • 6 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×