Electronic previous search results log

• US 8,024,308 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Thomas E., Bostic, Brad, Jones, Scott A., O'Donnell, Eugene M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Quader; Fazlul
• Application Number:
  US11/835,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/705
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method for providing a viewable search results log to allow determination of the effectiveness of search strategies and sharing results of searches with others. The search results log reveals search strategies utilized by a human searcher with which the search results log is associated. The search results produced by at least one human searcher are stored in the search results log and presented according to a view format selected by a viewer. The search results log can be interrelated to other systems such as a blog or a search engine.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing access to a previous search result, comprising:

receiving a query submitted from a user requesting a human assisted search;

selecting at least one human searcher registered for a keyword of the query based on determination by a processor receiving the query submitted;

storing, in a computer-readable search process log, search process information produced by said at least one human searcher, said search process information including a search result provided by the at least one human searcher, the query, an identifier of the searcher, and an identifier of the;

receiving a request for access to the search process log from a source;

choosing the search process log based on content of the request and content of the search process log; and

presenting a portion of the search process log and selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on an identifier of the source and the identifier of the user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said storing includes recording said search process information as the search process information occurs in real-time.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes ranking the search process log according to a selected view format including one of a chronological order format, a keyword format, a category format, a title format, an abstract format, a query format, a searcher format, a user format and a comments format.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said choosing includes ranking the search process log according to at least two viewing formats.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said choosing includes ranking the search process log according to the at least one searcher.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said choosing includes ranking the search process log according to a rating of the at least one searcher relative to other searchers registered to perform searches.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a rating of an element of the search process log from at least one other human searcher based on a qualification of the at least one other human searcher.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, after said storing, receiving the request for access to the search process log from a search engine.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, after said storing, adding at least one advertisement link to the search process log.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said choosing includes:

determining whether a search process log analysis is requested;

receiving a sort condition corresponding to a parameter stored in the search process log; and

displaying entries in the search process log sorted by the condition and the parameter.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said selecting includes:

determining whether a search process log analysis is requested;

receiving text pertaining to the search process log analysis;

receiving a sort condition corresponding to a field of the search process log; and

displaying content of the search process log based on a ranking of the search process log for the field and the text.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said presenting is performed in response to a request from a client device.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, after said storing, adding at least one rating to the search process log.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein said presenting includes displaying a subset of one or more elements of the search process log based on the request for access.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing additional information relating to initial information, comprising:

receiving, using a processor, access to the additional information in response to an action related to the initial information, said additional information being included in a computer-readable search process log recorded based on a search conducted by the at least one human searcher registered for a keyword responsive to a request from a user for a human assisted search, said additional information including a search result of the searcher, an identifier of the request, an identifier of the searcher and an identifier of the user, and being supplied from the search process log responsive to a query including the initial information based on a ranking of the search process log associated with the initial information; and

allowing a portion of the additional information to be retrieved and presented, the portion being determined based on the action, the portion excluding an element of the additional information based on an identifier of a source of the action and the identifier of the user; and

presenting the portion of the search process log and selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on the identifier of the source and the identifier of the user.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein said receiving includes:

receiving access based on a Uniform Resource Locator; and

providing entry information from the previous search result, wherein the portion and the ranking are based on content of the Uniform Resource Locator.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein said receiving further includes:

receiving a command indicating keyword format viewing;

identifying a highest ranking keyword of the Uniform Resource Locator;

displaying a hyperlink corresponding to the search process log; and

displaying information of the search process log.

15. A computer-implemented method of receiving access to a search result from a website, comprising:

receiving, using a processor, a request for access initiated by activation of a hyperlink on the website; and

providing entries related to a keyword related to an information pertaining to the hyperlink, and

wherein the entries are indicated in a search process log recorded by a computer based on a human assisted search performed by a human searcher responsive to a query submitted by a user, the user requesting a response to the query, the response being produced by a person, the human searcher being selected based on the query and the search process log comprising an identifier of the user, an identifier of the searcher, an identifier of the query, and an identifier of the response, and

said information including a sorting based on a key indicated in the search process log, the keyword and an access right associated with the hyperlink wherein an access right is determined based on the identifier of the user and an identifier of a source of the information; and

presenting a portion of the search process log and selectively blocking access to an element of the search process loci based on the identifier of the source and the identifier of the user.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising, after said receiving and before said displaying:

receiving a command indicating a keyword format viewing;

receiving text identifying a hyperlink;

determining the keyword based on the text identified by the hyperlink;

sorting the search process log according to the identified keyword, the key and a second key; and

locating an entry of the highest ranking search process log.

17. A computer-implemented method for providing information, comprising:

receiving, using a processor, a query requesting a response selected by a human assistant;

selecting a human searcher based on a selected keyword of the query;

storing an identifier of the searcher, an identifier of the selected keyword, an identifier of the response, and an identifier of a source of the query in a computer-readable search process log;

receiving, from an administrator, a request for access to the search process log including the identifier of the searcher;

ranking the search process log based on the identifier of the searcher and at least one other element of the search process log;

selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on the identifier of the source of the query and an identifier of the administrator; and

providing the search process log to the administrator in an order based on the ranking.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the other element is at least one of the selected keyword, the identifier of the source of the query, a category of the query, and an identifier of a resource used by the human searcher to obtain the response.

19. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

at least one human searcher system transmitting information of a response to a query and a resource used to obtain the response;

a user device originating a query requiring a response of a person to be provided;

a server communicatively coupled to said user computer, said server selecting the human searcher system to receive the query; and

a search system communicatively coupled to said user device and said server, said search system receiving the query, the response, and the resource and recording an identifier of the user device, an identifier of the searcher system, an identifier of the query, an identifier of the response, and an identifier of the resource in a search process log in a database communicatively coupled with said server, and providing selective access to pre-determined content of the search process log based on a ranking of the search process log and access rights associated with a request for content of the search process log, the access rights being determined by the identifier of the user device and an identifier of the source of the request; and

wherein the search process log includes a rating, a selected keyword, a date when the log is created, a date when the log is updated and a comment by a person including one or more of another user, another searcher, and an administrator; and

presenting a portion of the search process log and selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on the identifier of the source and the identifier of the user.

20. A computer-readable storage medium causing a computer to execute an operation including providing a record of a search process, comprising:

selecting a human searcher to provide a reviewed search result responsive to a request of a user;

selecting, using a computer, the human searcher based on a ranking of the human searcher for a category of the request;

selecting the human searcher when determining that the human searcher is a highest ranking human searcher for the request and that the human searcher is accepting requests at the time the request is submitted;

storing search process information received from the user and the human searcher in a search process log, the search process log comprising an identifier of the user, an identifier of the request, an identifier of the human searcher, an identifier of the reviewed search result, and an identifier of the category;

selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on the identifier of the user and an identifier of a source accessing the search process log; and

presenting the reviewed search result in an order based on a ranking of the query and the search result for a keyword.

21. The computer-implemented storage of claim 20, wherein said storing of the search process information occurs in real-time.

22. A computer-implemented method for cross-referencing a previous search result with a blog, comprising:

receiving a query from a user requesting a human assisted search;

selecting, using a processor, at least one human searcher registered for a keyword of the query;

recording a search process log of a search conducted by the human searcher for a request from a user, the search process log comprising a search result reviewed by the searcher, an identifier of the human searcher, an identifier of the user, an identifier of a first blog from which the human searcher obtained the search result, and the query of the user;

providing a hyperlink in a second blog website;

receiving an access request based on activation of the hyperlink;

selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on the identifier of the user and an identifier of the source of the access request; and

providing access to the first blog based on a ranking of the search process log for elements of the search process log excluding the identifier of the first blog.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein said providing includes providing a hyperlink directed to a keyword or category of information stored in the search process log.

27. A computer-implemented method of providing access to search process information, comprising:

maintaining, using a processor, a computer-readable search process log comprising an information of a search conducted by a human searcher as a result of a user submitting a query, said search process log including a response of the human searcher, the query, an identifier of the user, an identifier of the human searcher, and an indicator of a resource utilized by said at least one human searcher to produce the response;

selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on the identifier of the user and an identifier of a source of an access request; and

providing access to the information of the search using a stored sorting key selected by the searcher and recorded in the search process log.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, wherein said query is received from a portable device.

29. computer-implemented method of providing information, comprising:

selecting at least one human searcher registered for a type of request;

determining, using a processor, whether the human searcher accepts a request from a user;

obtaining information of a search performed by the searcher including a resource used to obtain a search result and the search result;

providing information of the search process to a second searcher, said search process information being stored in a computer-readable search process log comprising a search result of the searcher associated with the query of the user when determining that the second searcher has been selected to receive a second query of the user;

sorting the search process log among a plurality of search process logs based on a first predetermined value;

selectively blocking access to an element of the search process log based on an identifier of the user and an identifier of a source of an access request; and

presenting the search process information to the second searcher in an order based on the sorting according to at least one of a category, a time stamp, a comment, a resource, and a searcher associated with the search process.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

recording a modification to the information of the search process by the second searcher.