System and method for improving integrity of internet search
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for providing a search for information available on the World Wide Web on the Internet having enhanced integrity, comprising the steps of using a computer system for:
- generating a search query;
transmitting the search query via the Internet to a search engine using a web browser;
providing the search query to the search engine;
performing initial processing of the search query by the search engine;
performing the search and accumulating a set of search results by the search engine, each of which contains at least a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying an Internet domain and page on the World Wide Web selected by the search;
receiving the search results;
extracting a list of URLs and domains;
performing domain processing on the list of URLs and domains to associate a physical business address or business entity with each URL or domain, wherein the domain processing comprises the steps of using a computer system for;
checking a domain name included as part of a URL against a database of domains;
if the domain is in the database, bypassing further processing;
if the domain is not in the database, using name and address extraction to attempt to obtain a physical name and address associated with the domain;
if a reliable name and address are obtained, collecting business information,wherein collecting business information comprises querying one or more sources of business information consisting of corporate registration information, business rating information, negative information comprising regulatory information, and, for the special case of well-recognized auction web sites and payment systems which undertake to rate, or at least reliably identify, their affiliated merchants, rating information is obtained from the auction or payment site using the cleaned-up name and address information;
computing domain integrity ratings;
using the integrity ratings to at least one of reorder and annotate the search results so as to move results with relatively lower integrity ratings downward in the results; and
returning the at least one of reordered and annotated search results to the web browser via the Internet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are provided to receive a search query from a user, typically via a web browser, the Internet, and a web server. A search engine obtains a set of potential search results based on the search query. For each Internet domain or web site mentioned in the search results, a set of data sources is accessed to obtain information concerning the legitimacy of the business associated with the Internet domain or web site. The legitimacy information is used to reorder or to change or to augment the appearance or presentation of the search result for the Internet domain or web site. The processed search results are returned to the user.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for providing a search for information available on the World Wide Web on the Internet having enhanced integrity, comprising the steps of using a computer system for:
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generating a search query; transmitting the search query via the Internet to a search engine using a web browser; providing the search query to the search engine; performing initial processing of the search query by the search engine; performing the search and accumulating a set of search results by the search engine, each of which contains at least a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying an Internet domain and page on the World Wide Web selected by the search; receiving the search results; extracting a list of URLs and domains; performing domain processing on the list of URLs and domains to associate a physical business address or business entity with each URL or domain, wherein the domain processing comprises the steps of using a computer system for; checking a domain name included as part of a URL against a database of domains; if the domain is in the database, bypassing further processing; if the domain is not in the database, using name and address extraction to attempt to obtain a physical name and address associated with the domain; if a reliable name and address are obtained, collecting business information, wherein collecting business information comprises querying one or more sources of business information consisting of corporate registration information, business rating information, negative information comprising regulatory information, and, for the special case of well-recognized auction web sites and payment systems which undertake to rate, or at least reliably identify, their affiliated merchants, rating information is obtained from the auction or payment site using the cleaned-up name and address information; computing domain integrity ratings; using the integrity ratings to at least one of reorder and annotate the search results so as to move results with relatively lower integrity ratings downward in the results; and returning the at least one of reordered and annotated search results to the web browser via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-implemented method for providing a search for information available on the World Wide Web on the Internet having enhanced integrity, comprising the steps of using a computer system for:
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generating a search query; transmitting the search query via the Internet to a search engine using a web browser; providing the search query to the search engine; performing initial processing of the search query by the search engine; performing the search and accumulating a set of search results by the search engine, each of which contains at least a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying an Internet domain and page on the World Wide Web selected by the search; receiving the search results; extracting a list of URLs and domains mentioned in the search results; using the list of domains to generate a domain query to send via the Internet to a web site integrity rating system; receiving the domain query; performing domain processing on the list of URLs and domains to associate a physical business address or business entity with each URL or domain; returning a set of web site integrity ratings via the Internet; using the web site integrity ratings to at least one of reorder and annotate the search results so as to move results with relatively low integrity ratings downward in the results; returning the at least one of reordered and annotated search results to the web browser via the Internet; whereby the search engine and the evaluation of web site integrity are performed by separate services and integrated from within the web browser; formatting the at least one of reordered and annotated search results for display; and displaying the at least one of the reordered and annotated search results. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A computer system including a web server and at least one other computer connected to the Internet for executing computer code stored in a computer readable storage medium to perform a search for information available on the World Wide Web on the Internet having enhanced integrity, comprising:
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first code for generating a search query; second code for transmitting the search query via the Internet to a search engine using a web browser; third code for providing the search query to the search engine; fourth code for performing initial processing of the search query by the search engine; fifth code for performing the search and accumulating a set of search results by the search engine, each of which contains at least a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying an Internet domain and page on the World Wide Web selected by the search; sixth code for receiving the search results; seventh code for extracting a list of URLs and domains; eighth code for performing domain processing on the list of URLs and domains to associate a physical business address or business entity with each URL or domain, wherein the eighth code comprises code for; checking a domain name included as part of a URL against a database of domains; if the domain is in the database, bypassing further processing; if the domain is not in the database, using name and address extraction to attempt to obtain a physical name and address associated with the domain; if a reliable name and address are obtained, collecting business information, wherein collecting business information comprises querying one or more sources of business information consisting of corporate registration information, business rating information, negative information comprising regulatory information, and, for the special case of well-recognized auction web sites and payment systems which undertake to rate, or at least reliably identify, their affiliated merchants, rating information is obtained from the auction or payment site using the cleaned-up name and address information; ninth code for computing domain integrity ratings; tenth code for using the integrity ratings to at least one of reorder and annotate the search results so as to move results with relatively lower integrity ratings downward in the results; and eleventh code for returning the at least one of reordered and annotated search results to the web browser via the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A computer system including a web server and at least one other computer connected to the Internet for executing computer code stored in a computer readable storage medium to provide a search for information available on the World Wide Web on the Internet having enhanced integrity, comprising:
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first code for generating a search query; second code for transmitting the search query via the Internet to a search engine using a web browser; third code for providing the search query to the search engine; fourth code for performing initial processing of the search query by the search engine; fifth code for performing the search and accumulating a set of search results by the search engine, each of which contains at least a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) identifying an Internet domain and page on the World Wide Web selected by the search; sixth code for receiving the search results; seventh code for extracting a list of URLs and domains mentioned in the search results; eighth code for using the list of domains to generate a domain query to send via the Internet to a web site integrity rating system; ninth code for receiving the domain query; tenth code for performing domain processing on the list of URLs and domains to associate a physical business address or business entity with each URL or domain; eleventh code for returning a set of web site integrity ratings via the Internet; twelfth code for using the web site integrity ratings to at least one of reorder and annotate the search results so as to move results with relatively low integrity ratings downward in the results; thirteenth code for returning the at least one of reordered and annotated search results to the web browser via the Internet; whereby the search engine and the evaluation of web site integrity are performed by separate services and integrated from within the web browser; fourteenth code for formatting the at least one of reordered and annotated search results for display; and fifteenth code for displaying the at least one of reordered and annotated search results. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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Specification