Client-side federated search
First Claim
1. A method comprising steps of:
- in response to user input, sending a search query from a client to a search engine;
receiving from the search engine in response to the search query, at the client, (a) search results matching the search query and (b) search instructions corresponding to each of a plurality of information providers;
wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the search engine;
without receiving any additional user input at the client, in response to receiving the search instructions, the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches by submitting search queries to the plurality of information providers without receiving any additional user input;
wherein the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches at each of the information providers comprises initiating a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the search engine, in said at least one information provider;
receiving, at the client, search results from each of the information providers; and
displaying concurrently, on the client, the search results from the search engine and the search results from each of the information providers;
wherein the steps of the method are performed by one or more computing devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for client-side federated search is provided. The user subscribes to a number of information providers, wherein a list of the information providers for the user is stored at a search engine. When the user at a client device submits a search query to the search engine, the search engine responds by sending general search results to the client device, along with search instructions that instruct the client device how to automatically initiate a search at information providers in which the user is interested. Without any further input from the user, the client device uses the search instructions to initiate searches at information providers in which the user is interested. When the client receives search results from the information providers, the client device displays the general search results concurrently with the information provider search results.
40 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising steps of:
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in response to user input, sending a search query from a client to a search engine; receiving from the search engine in response to the search query, at the client, (a) search results matching the search query and (b) search instructions corresponding to each of a plurality of information providers; wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the search engine; without receiving any additional user input at the client, in response to receiving the search instructions, the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches by submitting search queries to the plurality of information providers without receiving any additional user input; wherein the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches at each of the information providers comprises initiating a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the search engine, in said at least one information provider; receiving, at the client, search results from each of the information providers; and displaying concurrently, on the client, the search results from the search engine and the search results from each of the information providers; wherein the steps of the method are performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising steps of:
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receiving, at a client from a server separate from the client, search instructions corresponding to at least one of a plurality of information providers that have previously been selected by a user that is using said client as information providers at which searches are to be performed; wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the server; in response to receipt of the search instructions at the client, the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches by submitting search queries to the plurality of information providers without receiving any additional user input; wherein the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches at each of the information providers comprises initiating a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the server, in said at least one information provider; receiving, at the client, search results from each of the information providers; and displaying concurrently, on the client, a web page and the search results from each of the information providers; wherein the steps of the method are performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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in response to user input, sending a search query from a client to a search engine; receiving from the search engine in response to the search query, at the client, (a) search results matching the search query and (b) search instructions corresponding to each of a plurality of information providers; wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the search engine; without receiving any additional user input at the client, in response to receiving the search instructions, the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches by submitting search queries to the plurality of information providers without receiving any additional user input; wherein the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches at each of the information providers comprises initiating a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the search engine, in said at least one information provider; receiving, at the client, search results from each of the information providers; and displaying concurrently, on the client, the search results from the search engine and the search results from each of the information providers. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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receiving, at a client from a server separate from the client, search instructions corresponding to at least one of a plurality of information providers that have previously been selected by a user that is using said client as information providers at which searches are to be performed; wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the server; in response to receipt of the search instructions at the client, the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches by submitting search queries to the plurality of information providers without receiving any additional user input; wherein the client automatically using the search instructions to initiate searches at each of the information providers comprises initiating a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the server, in said at least one information provider; receiving, at the client, search results from each of the information providers; and displaying concurrently, on the client, a web page and the search results from each of the information providers.
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13. A method comprising steps of:
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receiving at a search engine a search query from a client; in response to receiving the search query, the search engine sending, to the client, search results matching the search query and search instructions corresponding to each of a plurality of information providers, wherein the search instructions are able to cause the client to automatically initiate searches at each of the information providers without receiving any additional user input, and to display concurrently, on the client, the search results from the search engine and search results from each of the information providers; wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the search engine; wherein the search instructions are further able to cause the client to automatically initiate a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the search engine, in said at least one information provider; wherein the steps of the method are performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 26)
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18. A method comprising steps of:
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receiving, at a server, from a client, a web page identifier of a web page; identifying a user that is using the client; and in response to receiving the web page identifier, the server sending, to the client, search instructions corresponding to at least one of a plurality of information providers that have previously been selected by the user;
wherein the search instructions are able to cause the client to automatically initiate separate searches at each of the information providers without receiving any additional user input, and to display concurrently, on the client, the web page and search results from each of the information providers;wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the server; wherein the search instructions are further able to cause the client to automatically initiate a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the server, in said at least one information provider; wherein the steps of the method are performed by one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 27)
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23. A system comprising:
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a search engine that is operable to; receive a search query from a client; identify a user that is using the client; and send, to the client, search instructions corresponding to at least one of a plurality of information providers that have previously been selected by the user; wherein at least one information provider of the plurality of information providers has certain information that is not accessible to the search engine; and a client communicatively coupled to the search engine, wherein the client is operable to; in response to user input, send a search query to the search engine; without receiving any additional user input at the client, in response to receiving the search instructions, automatically use the search instructions to initiate searches by submitting search queries to the plurality of information providers without receiving any additional user input; wherein the client is operable to initiate a search for said certain information, that is not accessible to the search engine, in said at least one information provider; receive, at the client, search results from each of the information providers; and concurrently display the search results from the search engine and the search results from each of the information providers. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification