Performing searches for a selected text

• US 8,103,648 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kritt, Barry Alan, Mazzeo, Thomas S., Shepard, Rodney Edward II
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYO, MONICA M
• Application Number:
  US11/870,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/5, 707999001-999005, 707/705, 707/706, 707/709, 707/999.01
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for performing a plurality of searches. A request is received to perform the plurality of searches, wherein the request includes text. A search engine preference is retrieved, wherein the search engine preference specifies a plurality of search engines. An Internet browser is opened for each search engine in the plurality of search engines. A search is initiated in each Internet browser using the text.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for performing a plurality of searches, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a text to be searched, the text being located within a document;

receiving a command to perform the plurality of searches, wherein the command includes the text, and wherein the command is received external from a browser instance running one of a plurality of search engines, and wherein the command is issued within a graphical user interface for the document;

identifying a search engine preference in response to receiving the command, wherein the search engine preference specifies the plurality of search engines;

opening a page for each of the plurality of search engines to form a plurality of search pages; and

initiating a search in each of the plurality of search pages for the plurality of search engines using the text to perform the plurality of searches with the plurality of search engines specified by the search engine preference;

receiving results from the plurality of search engines in response to submitting the text to the plurality of search engines to form received results;

responsive to receiving results from the plurality of search engines in response to submitting the text to the plurality of search engines to form received results, retrieving a user-specified number of pages to open for each of the plurality of search engines;

responsive to retrieving the user-specified number of pages to open for each of the plurality of search engines, opening a number of browser windows for a number of top search results returned by each of the plurality of search engines, wherein the number of browser windows for each of the plurality of search engines corresponds to the user-specified number of pages to open for a corresponding one of the plurality of search engines; and

directing each of the number of browser windows for the number of top search results to the location referenced by a corresponding one of the number of top search results.

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

displaying the received results on a display.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

retrieving web pages for a number of the received results from each of the plurality of search engines, wherein the number of the received results is greater than 1.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying the web pages for the received results from each of the plurality of search engines, wherein each web page is displayed in a different one of the plurality of search pages.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the step of displaying the web pages for the received results further comprises displaying the web pages for only the user-specified number of pages to open.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises a user input selecting the text and issuing a command, wherein the command is a user-defined key sequence initiated from within a graphical user interface for the document.

7. A tangible computer readable medium having computer usable program code for performing a plurality of searches encoded thereon, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for identifying a text to be searched, the text being located within a document;

computer usable code for receiving a command to perform the plurality of searches, wherein the command includes the text, and wherein the command is received external from a browser instance running one of a plurality of search engines, and wherein the command is issued within a graphical user interface for the document;

computer usable code for identifying a search engine preference in response to receiving the command, wherein the search engine preference specifies the plurality of search engines;

computer usable code for opening a page for each of the plurality of search engines to form a plurality of search pages; and

computer usable code for initiating a search in each of the plurality of search pages for the plurality of search engines using the text to perform the plurality of searches with the plurality of search engines specified by the search engine preference;

computer usable code for receiving results from the plurality of search engines in response to submitting the text to the plurality of search engines to form received results;

computer usable code for responsive to receiving results from the plurality of search engines in response to submitting the text to the plurality of search engines to form received results, retrieving a user-specified number of pages to open for each of the plurality of search engines;

computer usable code for responsive to retrieving the user-specified number of pages to open for each of the plurality of search engines, opening a number of browser windows for a number of top search results returned by each of the plurality of search engines, wherein the number of browser windows for each of the plurality of search engines corresponds to the user-specified number of pages to open for a corresponding one of the plurality of search engines; and

computer usable code for directing each of the number of browser windows for the number of top search results to the location referenced by a corresponding one of the number of top search results.

8. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 7, further comprising:

computer usable code for displaying the received results on a display.

9. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable code for retrieving web pages for a number of the received results from each of the plurality of search engines, wherein the number of the received results is greater than 1.

10. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

computer usable code for displaying the web pages for the received results further comprises displaying the web pages for only the user-specified number of search pages to open.

11. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the command comprises a user input selecting the text and issuing a command, wherein the command is a user-defined key sequence.

12. A data processing system for performing a plurality of searches, the data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains computer usable code;

a communications unit connected to the bus; and

a processing unit connected to the bus for executing the computer usable code, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable code to identify a text to be searched, the text being located within a document;

to receive a command to perform the plurality of searches, wherein the command includes the text, and wherein the command is received external from a browser instance running one of a plurality of search engines, and wherein the command is issued within a graphical user interface for the document;

a search engine preference, wherein the search engine preference specifies the plurality of search engines, each of the plurality of search engines being opened in a separate browser within a plurality of browsers; and

initiate a search in each of the plurality of browsers using the text, each browser within the plurality of browsers utilizing a different one of the plurality of search engines;

to receive results from the plurality of search engines in response to submitting the text to the plurality of search engines to form received results;

responsive to receiving results from the plurality of search engines in response to submitting the text to the plurality of search engines to form received results, to retrieve a user-specified number of pages to open for each of the plurality of search engines;

responsive to retrieving the user-specified number of pages to open for each of the plurality of search engines, to open a number of browser windows for a number of top search results returned by each of the plurality of search engines, wherein the number of browser windows for each of the plurality of search engines corresponds to the user-specified number of pages to open for a corresponding one of the plurality of search engines; and

to direct each of the number of browser windows for the number of top search results to the location referenced by a corresponding one of the number of top search results.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to display the received results.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to retrieve web pages for a number of the received results from each of the plurality of search engines, wherein the number of the received results is greater than 1.

15. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the processing unit displays the web pages for the received results by further executing the computer usable code to display the web pages for only the user-specified number of browsers to open.

16. The data processing system of claim 14, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to display the web pages for the received results from each of the plurality of search engines, wherein each web page is displayed in a different one of the plurality of browsers.

17. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein the command comprises a user input selecting the text and issuing a command, wherein the command is a user-defined key sequence.