System and method for a dynamically integrated search engine

• US 6,823,491 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Mullen, Shawn Patrick, Venkataraman, Guha Prasad
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell, Joshua D
• Application Number:
  US09/652,051
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: 715/507, 715/513, 715/514, 715/501.1, 715/500, 707/1-3, 707/4-5, 345/760
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically integrating a site specific search engine. In one embodiment, a hidden HTML tag is used on web pages to identify the site specific search engine for the web site. When a user requests a site specific search engine from the user'"'"'s web browser, the HTML tag is located and the corresponding web page containing the site specific search engine is opened. In another embodiment, if the HTML tag identifying the site specific search engine is not found, an analysis of the web site'"'"'s root node is made to identify a site specific search engine. If a site specific search engine is identified through the analysis, the search engine web page is opened. In yet another embodiment, if the site specific search engine is not found through either a hidden HTML tag or by analyzing the web site'"'"'s root node, a generic site specific search routine is invoked. The generic site specific search receives search parameters from the user and searches web pages from the web site to compile a list of matching web pages. The list of matching web pages is then displayed to the user for further selection.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a search engine, said method comprising:

searching a web page for a hidden search engine identifier;

analyzing a root node of a web site for a search entry field, wherein the web site includes the web page and wherein the analyzing is in response to the searching failing to find the search engine identifier; and

opening a web page containing the search entry field.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

opening a second web page corresponding to the search engine identifier.

3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a search entry screen in response to the searching failing to find the search engine identifier;

receiving a search request from the user;

searching a plurality of pages from a web site for the search request, wherein the web site contains the web page; and

providing a selectable search result screen in response to searching the plurality of pages.

4. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a hidden HTML tag within the web page, wherein the hidden HTML tag includes the search engine identifier.

5. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from the user, wherein the receiving further includes selecting a menu option from a web browser window.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a search entry screen in response to the analyzing failing to find the search entry field;

receiving a search request from the user;

searching a plurality of pages from the web site for the search request; and

providing a selectable search result screen in response to searching the plurality of pages.

7. A method of providing search capability to a web page devoid of said search capability, the web page being at least one of a plurality of web pages of a web site, said method comprising:

determining that the web site does not have an associated search engine;

analyzing a root node of the web site for a search entry field in response to the determination, wherein the web site includes the web page;

opening a web page containing the search entry field; and

allowing access to the search engine from the web page.

8. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising:

accessing the search engine.

9. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising:

displaying an input screen;

receiving a search request; and

sending the search request to the search engine.

10. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising:

locating a search engine identifier corresponding to the search engine.

11. The method as described in claim 9 wherein the search engine identifier is included in a hidden HTML tag corresponding to the web page.

12. The method as described in claim 7 wherein the allowing further includes opening a second web page, wherein the second web page corresponding to the search engine.

13. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors;

a network interface connecting the information handling system to a computer network; and

a search engine location tool, the search engine location tool including;

means for receiving a request from a user;

means for searching a web page for a search engine identifier;

means for analyzing a root node of a web site for a search entry field, wherein the web site includes the web pare and wherein the analyzing is in response to the searching failing to find the search engine identifier; and

means for opening a web page corresponding to the search engine identifier.

14. The information handling system as described in claim 13 wherein the search engine location tool further includes:

means for displaying a search entry screen in response to the searching failing to find the search engine identifier;

means for receiving a search request from the user;

means for searching a plurality of pages from a web site for the search request, wherein the web site contains the web page; and

means for providing a selectable search result screen in response to searching the plurality of pages.

16. The information handling system as described in claim 13 wherein the search engine location tool further includes:

means for analyzing one or more web pages of a web site for a search entry field, wherein the web site includes the web page and wherein the analyzing is in response to the searching failing to find the search engine identifier;

means for opening a web page containing the search entry field;

means for displaying a search entry screen in response to the analysis failing to find the search entry field;

means for receiving a search request from the user;

means for searching a plurality of pages from the web site for the search request; and

means for providing a selectable search result screen in response to searching the plurality of pages.

15. The information handling system as described in claim by 13 wherein the search engine location tool further includes:

means for identifying a hidden HTML tag within the web page, wherein the hidden HTML tag includes the search engine identifier.

17. A computer program product for identifying a search engine, said computer program product comprising:

means for receiving a request from a user;

means for searching a web page for a search engine identifier;

means for analyzing a root node of a web site for a search entry field, wherein the web site includes the web base and wherein the means for analyzing is performed in response to the means for searching failing to find the search engine identifier; and

means for opening a web page corresponding to the search engine identifier.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising:

means for displaying a search entry screen in response to the searching failing to find the search engine identifier; and

means for providing a selectable search result screen in response to searching the plurality of pages.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising:

means for identifying a hidden HTML tag within the web page, wherein the hidden RTML tag includes the search engine identifier.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 17 further comprising:

means for analyzing one or more web pages of a web site for a search entry field, wherein the web site includes the web page and wherein the means for analyzing is performed in response to the means for searching failing to find the search engine identifier;

means for opening a web page containing the search entry field;

means for displaying a search entry screen in response to the analysis failing to find the search entry field;

means for receiving a search request from the user;

means for searching a plurality of pages from the web site for the search request; and

means for providing a selectable search result screen in response to searching the plurality of pages.