Web site, information communication terminal, robot search engine response system, robot search engine registration method, and storage medium and program transmission apparatus therefor

• US 7,185,092 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Junichi, Furui, Yohnosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pollack; Melvin H.
• Application Number:
  US09/854,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,115 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 705/10, 705/104.1, 705/51, 705/57, 707 3- 6, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104.1, 713/202
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A web site 10 is provided in a communication network to enable the selective provision of appropriate information, by a site whereat only limited access is permitted, in consonance with the access right of the source of a request for information.

comprises: a data management system 19; a user agent determination module 12, for ascertaining the type of a transmission source from which an access request is received; and response generation modules 15 to 18, for acquiring, from the data management system 19, information that is correlated with the type of the transmission source, and for generating and returning a response, wherein the data management system 19 stores main information 19a, for which access is limited, and metadata 19b, which is information describing the main information 19a.

Claims

1. A system established in a communication network comprising:

a data manager, for storing restricted information for a first set of subscribers, partial restricted information for a second set of subscribers, and metadata describing the restricted information for non-subscribers and search engine robots;

a transmission source determiner, for receiving an access request to the data manager from a transmission source, and for determining whether the transmission source is one of the first set of subscribers, the second set of subscribers, a non-subscriber, or a search engine robot; and

a response unit, for

if the transmission source determiner determines that the transmission source is a member of the first set of subscribers, transmitting said restricted information to the transmission source through the communication network,

if the transmission source determiner determines that the transmission source is a member of the second set of subscribers, transmitting said partial restricted information to the transmission source through the communication network, and

if the transmission source determiner determines that the user is one of the non-subscribers or search engine robots, transmitting said metadata to the transmission source through the communication network;

wherein the first set of subscribers has full unrestricted access to an information site;

wherein the second set of subscribers has partially restricted access to the information site; and

wherein the metadata comprises an automatically generated statement describing the subject matter and type of the restricted information, a keyword indicative of the content of the restricted information for preparing a search engine keyword index, and subscription information describing how to join at least one of the first set of subscribers or the second set of subscribers.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising:

an information communication terminal, for accessing the information site on the communication network, and for obtaining information available at said information site;

wherein a request for said information and identification information for said information communication terminal is transmitted to acquire said information;

wherein when said information falls in an access right range that is set in accordance with said identification information, said restricted information is provided by said information site; and

wherein when said information does not fall in said access right range, metadata for describing said restricted information is provided.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said metadata obtained from said information site is text data for explaining said information.

4. A system provided in a communication network comprising:

a data manager, for storing restricted information to be provided across said communication network;

a transmission source determiner, for ascertaining the type of a transmission source from which an access request is received; and

a response unit, for (a) acquiring from said data manager information correlating with said type obtained in accordance with the determination made by said transmission source determiner, and for (b) generating and returning a response consonant with said type,

wherein said data manager stores restricted information and metadata for describing said restricted information; and

wherein, as the result of the determination by said transmission source determiner, when said transmission source has no right of access for said restricted information, said response unit obtains said metadata for generating a metadata response;

wherein, when said transmission source comprises a robot in a robot search engine that is launched across said communication network, said response unit generates the metadata response comprising the metadata;

wherein said transmission source determiner includes a user agent register, wherein said robot and a user agent header that said robot adds to said access request are registered in said user agent register as correlating with each other; and

wherein when said user agent header is registered in said user agent register, said transmission source determiner determines said transmission source to be said robot; and

wherein said metadata comprises an automatically generated statement describing the subject matter and type of the restricted information, a keyword indicative of the content of the restricted information for preparing a search engine keyword index, and subscription information describing how to gain access to said restricted information.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each access right of a user for said restricted information is registered in the user register;

wherein when a user ID and said access request are received and registered in said user register, said transmission source determiner notifies said response unit of a range of said access rights of said user indicated in said user register; and

wherein said response unit generates a metadata response comprising text data for describing said main information, in accordance with said range.

6. A robot search engine response system comprising:

a transmission source determiner, for analyzing an access request received by a web server provided on a communication network, and for identifying said transmission source of said access request; and

a response unit, for, when said transmission source comprises a robot of a robot search engine, transmitting metadata concerning a web page source to said robot;

wherein the web page source is associated with the access request;

wherein said transmission source determiner comprises a user agent register, wherein said robot and a user agent header that said robot adds to said access request are registered in said user agent register as correlating with each other;

wherein when said user agent header is registered in said user agent register, said transmission source determiner determines said transmission source to be said robot; and

wherein said metadata comprises an automatically generated statement describing the subject matter and type of restricted information, a keyword indicative of the content of the restricted information for preparing a search engine keyword index, and subscription information describing how to gain access to said restricted information.

7. A robot search engine registration method comprising the steps of:

mechanically accessing a web site via a communication network and obtaining a web page source stored at said web site;

accepting an access request from a robot of a robot search engine that prepares a web page search list; and

transmitting to said robot a keyword concerning said web page source;

wherein, when the access of said web page source is limited, and when access by said robot is not permitted, text data is transmitted;

the text data comprising metadata having an automatically generated statement describing the subject matter and type of web page source, a keyword indicative of the content of the web page source for preparing a search engine keyword index, and subscription information describing how to gain access to the web page source.

8. A storage medium on which input means of a computer stores a computer-readable program that permits said computer to perform:

a process for analyzing an access request received by a web server that is provided on a communication network and for determining a transmission source of said access request; and

a process for, when said transmission source of said access request comprises a robot of a robot search engine, transmitting a keyword concerning a web page source to said robot;

wherein said web page source is associated with said access request;

wherein, when the access of said web page source is limited, and when access by said robot is not permitted, said program transmits text data;

the text data comprising metadata having an automatically generated statement describing the subject matter and type of web page source, a keyword indicative of the content of the web page source for preparing a search engine keyword index, and subscription information describing how to gain access to the web page source.

9. A program storage device comprising:

storage means for storing a computer-readable program that permits said computer to perform a process for analyzing an access request received by a web server that is provided on a communication network and for determining a transmission source of said access request, and

a process for, when said transmission source of said access request comprises a robot of a robot search engine, transmitting a keyword concerning a web page source to said robot; and

transmission means for reading said program from said storage means and for transmitting said program;

wherein said web page source is associated with said access request;

wherein, when the access of said web page source is limited, and when an access by said robot is not permitted, said program transmits said text data;

the text data comprising metadata having an automatically generated statement describing the subject matter and type of web page source, a keyword indicative of the content of the web page source for preparing a search engine keyword index, and subscription information describing how to gain access to the web page source.