Method and system for accessing search services via messaging services

• US 8,239,461 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Scott A, Cooper, Thomas E
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOWFIGHI, AFSHAWN M
• Application Number:
  US11/819,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,867 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-207, 707 1- 10
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A user using a chat or instant message, mobile message or email type of interface, for example, an information seeker, can connect via an instant message, mobile message, email or chat type of service provider, for example, an America On-line Instant Messenger (AIM) server. The message server connects the user to a routine that allows the user to utilize his or her service interface in combination with the services provided by the information search system. After connection has been established via the message interface, for example, an instant message is received via the chat process. A query string can then be extracted from the instant message and passed to the search system, which can respond with search results.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

providing identifiers of a search service to a user of an instant message service;

receiving an instant message from the user by a server device via an instant message identifier of the search service;

determining the identifier via which the instant message was received from the user;

extracting, by a processor, a search request from the instant message;

submitting the search request to an automated search resource selected based on content of the instant message when the identifier via which the message was received indicates an automated search is to be performed;

directing the search request to a human assistant selected based on the content of the instant message when the identifier via which the message was received indicates a human assisted search is to be performed;

performing the human assisted search or the automated search based on the identifier via which the message was received; and

sending a search result obtained responsive to the search request to the user using the instant message identifier via which the instant message was received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server device includes a programmatic simulation associated with a plurality of instant messaging services and said receiving includes waiting for a user to add the instant message identifier of the search service to a buddy list of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a unique identifier of the user with an instant messaging credential used to transmit the instant message, and

delivering a pending response to an instant messaging address associated with the credential when determining that the user is available to receive instant messages.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a keyword of the search request; and

selecting the automated search resource or the human assistant based on the keyword.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

selecting a human searcher registered to perform searches associated with the keyword, and

providing the search request to the searcher from the server device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search result includes an advertisement selected based on the instant message service.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

modifying an instant messaging client of the user responsive to activation of a URL provided by the search service.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether the instant message includes a trigger word external to the search request modifying the search process to be performed for the search request, and

executing a search based on the determining.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the search result is produced by a human searcher registered to receive search requests associated with a keyword of the search query when the trigger word signifies the human assisted search.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein an automated search engine is selected based on historical use of the search engine by human searchers registered for a category of the instant message.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining media capabilities of an instant message client of the user; and

providing an advertisement selected based on the capabilities of the instant message client and a category of the search result.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing comprises determining whether the user has requested assistance from an affiliate group of searchers with a common interest based on the identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein an information search is performed by a search engine selected by a member of the affiliate group when determining that the user has requested assistance from the affiliate group and the identifier indicates the automated search is to be performed.

14. A system, comprising:

a search system comprising memory and a processor providing identifiers of a search service to a user of an instant message service, receiving an instant message from the user via an instant message identifier of the search service, determining the identifier via which the instant message was received from the user, extracting a search request from the instant message, submitting the search request to an automated search resource selected based on content of the instant message when the identifier via which the message was received indicates an automated search is to be performed, directing the search request to a human assistant selected based on the content of the instant message when the identifier via which the message was received indicates a human assisted search is to be performed, performing a human assisted search or the automated search based on the identifier via which the message was received, and sending a search result obtained responsive to the search request to the user using the instant message identifier via which the instant message was received;

a user system sending instant messages.

15. The system of claim 14, comprising:

a searcher system for obtaining the search result by a human searcher selected based on the identifier via which the message was received and the instant message; and

a resource system selected based on the identifier via which the message was received and the instant message.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said search system comprises a mobile messaging server, an email server and a voice message server.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the search system includes an email client.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the search request is received as the instant message and the search result is provided to the user as an SMS message.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the search request is received as the instant message and the search result is provided to the user as an email message.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the search request is received as an SMS message and the search result is provided to the user as an MMS message.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the destination of the search request is an automated search system selected based on a user identifier and an instant message address of a source of the search query.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of the search request is a human searcher selected based on an email address of a source of a search query and content of the instant message.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of the search result is a mobile phone associated with a user when a source of a search query is an instant message client which is not available when the search result is available.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of the search result is an instant messaging service associated with the user when a voice messaging service associated with the user is not available when the search result is available.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of the search result is an SMS messaging service associated with the user when a voice messaging service associated with the user is not available when the search result is available.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of the search result is an MMS messaging service associated with the user when an instant messaging service associated with the user is not available when the search result is available.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of the search result is a voice messaging service associated with the user when the instant messaging service associated with the user is not available when the search result is available.

28. The system of claim 14, wherein a destination of a search request is a human searcher who may establish instant messaging communication with the user without revealing the instant message address of the user to the human searcher.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an instruction therein for causing a computer to perform an operation, comprising:

providing identifiers of a search service to a user of an instant message service;

receiving an instant message from the user via an instant message identifier of the search service;

determining the identifier via which the instant message was received from the user;

extracting a search request from the instant message;

submitting the search request to an automated search resource selected based on content of the instant message when the identifier via which the message was received indicates an automated search is to be performed;

directing the search request to a human assistant selected based on the content of the instant message when the identifier via which the message was received indicates a human assisted search is to be performed;

performing the human assisted search or the automated search based on the identifier via which the message was received; and

sending a search result obtained responsive to the search request to the user using the instant message identifier via which the instant message was received.