Method and system for retrieving search results from multiple disparate databases

• US 6,807,539 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2003
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Proquest LLC (Clarivate Plc)
• Original Assignee: Brian Schelp, Paul Duncan, Todd Miller
• Inventors: Schelp, Brian, Miller, Todd, Duncan, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US10/669,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3-10, 707/100-102, 707/200-205
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a method and system for retrieving search results. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for retrieving search results concurrently from multiple disparate databases, whether such databases be available through the Web, or other proprietary internal networks. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a user interface, a control engine, and a number of translators which are used to communicate with a number of corresponding databases. During exemplary operation, a user uses the user interface to enter search term(s) and other pertinent information relating to his/her search and specify which ones of the databases are to be searched. The search term(s) and other pertinent information are then relayed to the control engine which, in turn, forwards them to the appropriate translators which correspond to the specified databases to be searched. These translators then concurrently formulate and issue their respective search requests to the corresponding databases. Concurrent searches are then carried out in the specified databases. Search results from each of the specified databases are then returned and consolidated for display by the user interface.

Claims

1. A searching system comprising computer software that transparently and automatically manages one or more disparate authorization steps, including:

authentication and session management, required for one or more users to access, query and retrieve and display results concurrently from multiple licensed information resources or databases,

wherein the session management comprises;

a first set of sub-session managements which authenticate by user basis to licensed information resources or to databases; and

a second set of sub-session managements which authenticate by system basis to licensed information resources or to databases.

2. The searching system of claim 1, wherein the software is further configured to provide a summary of at least some of the responses to the specific user.

3. The searching system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the responses from said licensed information resources or databases provide access to full records or full-text resources, and the software is further configured to transparently and automatically manage one or more disparate authorization steps, including authentication and session management, required to access and display at least some of the full record or full-text resources.

4. The searching system of claim 1, wherein the software communicates with multiple licensed information resources or databases using an interface protocol selected from a group including HTTP, telnet, Z39.50 and ODBC.

5. The searching system of claim 2, wherein the summary includes a markup language selected from a group including HTML, DHTML, and XML.

6. The searching system of claim 1, wherein the software parses the results

into summate statistics and records, which are logged and recorded into a transactionlog.

7. The searching system of claim 1, wherein the user can be a person or an organization or a user group.