System, method, and computer program product for a network-based content exchange system

• US 6,735,592 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Discern Communications, Inc. (ConvergeOne Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Obsitnik, Steve, Neumann, Seth, Whittemore, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Hassan
• Application Number:
  US09/713,520
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/522, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/9, 707/10, 709/218, 709/104, 709/206, 709/102, 705/44
• 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 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product are provided for providing a content exchange system. A request is received from a user utilizing a local system. A determination is made as to whether the user request can be fulfilled from information stored by the local system. The request is fulfilled from a local data source if the request can be fulfilled locally. If the request cannot be fulfilled locally, the request is fulfilled at a network site. A content directory connected to the network site is examined for selecting one or more network data sites having content potentially satisfying the request. The request is sent to the data site(s). Content pertaining to the request is received from the data site(s) and sent to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing a content exchange system, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a natural language request from a user utilizing a local system;

(b) determining whether the user request can be fulfilled from information stored by the local system;

(c) fulfilling the request from a local data source if the request can be fulfilled locally; and

(d) attempting to fulfill the request at a network site if the request cannot be fulfilled locally, further comprising the steps of;

(i) examining a content directory for selecting at least one network data site having content potentially satisfying the request;

(ii) sending the request to the at least one data site;

(iii) receiving content pertaining to the request from the at least one data site; and

(iv) sending information about the content to the user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of logging details of steps (a)-(d) for collecting a fee.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network site determines whether the user request can be fulfilled from information stored by the local system.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the local system sends content for fulfilling the request to the network site.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the content directory includes term frequency data, wherein the request is compared to the term frequency data for selecting the at least one data site.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein items of the content are ranked according to relevance to the request.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving clarification information from the user.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of pushing additional content to the user selected based on user activity.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a cookie is generated.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the content for fulfilling the request is filtered based on a transaction history of the user.

11. A computer program product for providing a content exchange system, comprising:

(a) a code segment for receiving a natural language request from a user utilizing a local system;

(b) a code segment for determining whether the user request can be fulfilled from information stored by the local system;

(c) a code segment for fulfilling the request from a local data source if the request can be fulfilled locally; and

(d) a code segment for attempting to fulfill the request at a network site if the request cannot be fulfilled locally, further comprising;

(i) a code segment for examining a content directory for selecting at least one network data site having content potentially satisfying the request;

(ii) a code segment for sending the request to the at least one data site;

(iii) a code segment for receiving content pertaining to the request from the at least one data site; and

(iv) a code segment for sending information about the content to the user.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, further comprising a code

segment for logging transaction details for collecting a fee.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the network site determines whether the user request can be fulfilled from information stored by the local system.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the local system sends content for fulfilling the request to the network site.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the content directory includes term frequency data, wherein the request is compared to the term frequency data for selecting the at least one data site.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein items of the content are ranked according to relevance to the request.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, further comprising a code segment for receiving clarification information from the user.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, further comprising a code segment for pushing additional content to the user selected based on user activity.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein a cookie is generated.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 11, wherein the content for fulfilling the request is filtered based on a transaction history of the user.

21. A system for providing a content exchange system, comprising:

(a) a local system, wherein a natural language request from a user is received;

(b) logic for determining whether the user request can be fulfilled from information stored by the local system;

(c) logic for fulfilling the request from a local data source if the request can be fulfilled locally; and

(d) logic for attempting to fulfill the request at a network site if the request cannot be fulfilled locally, including;

(i) logic for examining a content directory for selecting at least one network data site having content potentially satisfying the request;

(ii) logic for sending the request to the at least one data site;

(iii) logic for receiving content pertaining to the request from the at least one data site; and

(iv) logic for sending information about the content to the user.