Method for search engine generating supplemented search not included in conventional search result identifying entity data related to portion of located web page

• US 6,735,585 B1
• Filed: 08/12/1999
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AltaVista Company (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Titus, Jason Harvey, Woodhead, Ira Joseph, Black, Jeffery Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US09/373,324
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/501, 707/512-513, 707/501.1, 707/522, 709/203, 709/224, 709/218-219, 709/217, 709/226, 709/225, 709/238, 709/244, 705/26-27, 379/15.05, 379/259, 379/14.01, 379/111, 379/114-8-1, 379/115-1-1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

It is determined that an entity is registered as having control over the use of at least a portion of a World-Wide Web address for a first set of computer data that is accessible in accordance with Internet protocols. Enhanced search results are acquired that include a second set of computer data. The second set of computer data includes or links to information pertaining to the entity, other than information provided at the Web address.

Claims

1. A method for performing a World-Wide Web search, comprising:

acquiring from a user a search request containing search criteria;

performing a conventional search based on said search criteria to obtain conventional search results containing at least one Web address of a located Web page;

determining at least one entity that is registered as having control over at least a portion of said located Web page; and

generating supplemented search results based on said conventional search results, said at least one entity, and said search criteria;

said supplemented search results including information not included in said conventional search results, where such information includes entity information, other than contact information, associated with said at least one entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing further comprises:

searching a search engine database for Web pages associated with said search criteria; and

obtaining said conventional search results.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

searching an entity information database for said at least one entity that is registered as having control over said Web address; and

obtaining said at least one entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said searching further comprises searching a domain name registry for said at least one entity that is the registrant of a domain name contained within said at least one Web address.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before said acquiring,

ascertaining which at least one entity is registered as having control over at least a portion of a Web page associated with a Web address;

and

associating said at least one entity with said Web address in a search engine database.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said performing further comprises searching said search engine database to obtain said conventional search results.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said determining further comprises mapping said at least one Web address of said located Web page to at least one entity that is registered as having control over at least a portion of said located Web page.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said supplementing further comprises adding other information about said at least one entity to said conventional search results, where said other information includes information not provided in said conventional search results.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining further comprises mapping said at least one Web address of said located Web page to at least one entity that is registered as having control over at least a portion of said located Web page.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said determining further comprises searching an entity information database to obtain other information about said at least one entity, where said other information includes information not provided in said conventional search results.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said other information is derived from billing information supplied by said at least one entity.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting said supplemented search results to said user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating comprises filtering said conventional search results based on said at least one entity and said search criteria to produce a reduced set of search results.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said filtering is based on a characteristic of said at least one entity selected from a group consisting of geographic location, industry category, industry subcategory, organizational size, type of entity, financial characteristics of said entity, and any combination of the aforementioned.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said entity information includes a link to public financial information about said at least one entity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said entity information includes a link to a stock quote for said at least one entity.

17. A method for performing a World-Wide Web search, comprising:

acquiring from a user a search request containing search criteria;

performing a conventional search based on said search criteria to obtain conventional search results containing at least one Web address of a located Web page;

determining at least one entity that is registered as having control over at least a portion of said located Web page; and

filtering said conventional search results based on said at least one entity and said search criteria to produce a reduced set of search results.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said filtering is based on a characteristic of said at least one entity selected from a group consisting of:

location, industry category, industry subcategory, size, and any combination of the aforementioned.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting said reduced set of search results to said user.

20. A method for performing a World-Wide Web search, comprising:

acquiring from a user a search request containing search criteria;

searching a search engine database for Web pages associated with said search criteria; and

obtaining conventional search results containing at least one Web address of a located Web page;

searching a domain name registry for at least one entity that is the registrant of a domain name contained within said at least one Web address; and

generating supplemented search results based on said conventional search results, said at least one entity, and said search criteria, where such supplemented search results include entity information, other than contact information, associated with said at least one entity.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising presenting said supplemented search results to said user.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said generating comprises filtering said conventional search results based on said at least one entity and said search criteria to produce a reduced set of search results.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said filtering is based on a characteristic of said at least one entity selected from a group consisting of;

geographic location, industry category, industry subcategory, organizational size, type of entity, financial characteristics of said entity, and any combination of the aforementioned.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said entity information includes a link to public financial information about said at least one entity.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said entity information includes a link to a stock quote for said at least one entity.

26. A method for performing a World-Wide Web search, comprising:

acquiring from a user a search request containing search criteria;

performing a conventional search based on said search criteria to obtain conventional search results containing at least one Web address of a located Web page;

searching a mapping database to determine at least one entity that is registered as having control over at least a portion of said located Web page;

searching an entity information database to locate entity information associated with said at least one entity; and

generating supplemented search results based on said conventional search results, said entity information, said at least one entity, and said search criteria.