Search tool providing optional use of human search guides

• US 8,266,130 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Scott A., Cooper, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LeRoux, Etienne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cindy
• Application Number:
  US11/626,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/706, 707/707
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A method and system providing optional use of human search guides to allow a user to select between a human guide assisted search and an automated search. The user is provided with an option of submitting a query requesting assistance of one or more human guides, initiating a search without requesting assistance from human guide(s) using automated results, or a combination of both.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving from a user a query and a selection between a search assisted by a human searcher and an automated search;

performing a search responsive to the selection by directing the query to an automated search resource most likely to produce a search result relevant to the query when the selection indicates the automated search wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search and to a human searcher when the selection indicates the search assisted by the human searcher;

providing a search result of the automated search resource to the human searcher when the selection indicates the search assisted by the human searcher; and

providing a response to the user.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

returning information obtained from a resource configured by at least one human searcher, the at least one human searcher being selected based on a keyword of the query in response to the search when the user selects the search assisted by the human searcher.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the stored information is a ranking of a previous search result obtained by the human searcher.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the user selects between the search assisted by the human searcher and the automated search via a plurality of mutually exclusive controls indicating the selection to the user, the controls being provided simultaneously in a window indicating the query.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the automated search resource is selected based on a ranking of the human searcher among a plurality of human searchers registered for a keyword associated with the query.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the automated search resource is a search engine and the search engine is selected most frequently by the plurality of human searchers responding to queries requesting human assistance.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6, further comprising:

extracting one or more keywords from the query based on a ranking of a limited subset of keywords; and

determining a subject matter of the query based on the one or more keywords and directing the query to a highest ranking searcher associated with said one or more keywords when the search assisted by the human searcher is selected.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, wherein the human searchers selecting the automated search resource are registered to conduct searches for requests including the one or more keywords.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, wherein the automated search resource is utilized by a predetermined number of human searchers registered to conduct searches related to the one or more keywords.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

allowing a user to enter a query;

initiating an automated search using the query by submitting the query to a search engine most likely to produce a search result relevant to the query; and

enabling an option for the user to select a search assisted by a human searcher for the query when determining that the automated search using the query has been performed and when determining that a search result obtained by a human assistant for the query is received by the user wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search.

11. A persistent computer readable medium storing instructions therein for causing a computer to perform an operation, comprising:

providing a command for submitting a query to a human searcher to conduct a search for a user requesting assistance with the search when determining that the user has received a response provided by a human assistant for the query;

delivering to the human searcher performing the search a search result of an automated search resource previously determined by the human searcher to be most likely to produce a response pertinent to a keyword of the query, wherein the automated search resource is configured by the human searcher; and

enabling the user to initiate an automated search for the query including submitting the query to the automated search resource, wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search.

12. A computer-implemented method of providing optional use of a human searcher for a search, comprising:

determining whether a control selected by a user indicates to the user that a query from the user is requested to be searched by the human searcher;

generating a first result based on a real-time search conducted by the human searcher when determining that the control indicates to the user that the query is requested to be searched by the human searcher and a second result based on stored information when determining that the control does not indicate to the user that the query is requested to be searched by the human searcher, where the second result is obtained in accordance with a search performed using an algorithmic search resource configured by the human searcher, wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search; and

providing the first result or the second result to the user based on the control.

13. A computer-implemented method of submitting a query comprising:

analyzing a query entered by a user;

providing a plurality of actions indicating to the user a plurality of search types for the query entered by the user when said analyzing indicates that the query is equivalent to a previous query of the user and that the user has received a response to the query provided by a human assistant; and

directing the query to a human searcher for a search when determining that an action indicating, to the user, a human assisted search is associated with the query and directing the query to a search engine selected as most likely to produce a relevant result by the human searcher for a subject matter of the query when determining that the action indicating, to the user, an automated search is associated with the query, wherein a search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search.

14. A computer interface, comprising:

a field provided via a display device for entering a query from a user to be searched; and

a selection control indicating to the user whether the query will be searched by one of a human searcher or automatically, the selection control causing an automated search for the query using a search resource selected by a human assistant registered for a keyword of the query responsive to activation of the selection control and directing the query and the result of the automated search to the human searcher when determining that the selection control indicates to the user that the query will be searched by the human searcher, wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search.

15. The computer interface according to claim 14, wherein the selection control comprises:

a guide assisted search button indicating to the user an assisted search by the human searcher; and

an automatic search engine search button indicating to the user the automated search performed by directing the query to a search engine selected by the human searcher, wherein the guide assisted search button and the automatic search engine button are presented simultaneously and are mutually exclusive.

16. The computer interface according to claim 15, wherein the selection control further comprises:

a parallel search button indicating to the user a parallel search performed by simultaneously initiating both the assisted search by the human searcher and the automated search performed by directing the query to the search engine search for the query, and providing results of the automated search to the human searcher and the user, and wherein the guide assisted search button and the automatic search engine button and the parallel search button are presented simultaneously and are mutually exclusive.

17. A system, comprising:

a user device allowing a user to enter a query and receive instructions of a first action initiating an automated search and a second action initiating a search by a human searcher and receiving a response for the query;

a searcher system receiving the query and obtaining a search result responsive to the second action;

a resource system from which the searcher system retrieves a search result; and

a search system receiving the query, selecting the resource system as most likely to be relevant based on stored search results of the resource system and submitting the query to the resource system responsive to the first action or the second action and by submitting the query to the searcher system responsive to the second action, wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the automated search.

18. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

allowing a user to enter a query and one of a plurality of mutually exclusive indicators provided to the user, the plurality of indicators including a first indicator of a search assisted by a human searcher, a second indicator of an automated search and a third indicator of simultaneously performing the search assisted by the human searcher and the automated search;

directing the query to an automated search resource selected as a default resource for the query when determining that the second indicator or the third indicator is entered;

directing the query to the human searcher and providing a stored search result for the query to the human searcher when determining that the first indicator or the third indicator is entered;

directing the query to a resource configured by the human searcher when determining that the second indicator is entered;

providing a result automatically generated based on stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query to the user when the second indicator or the third indicator is entered; and

providing a response of the human searcher to the user when the first indicator or the second indicator is entered.

19. A search apparatus for providing optional use of human search guides, comprising:

a storage device maintaining a record of default or previously used resources in association with a keyword including at least one resource selected by a system administrator, said maintaining including resources used and selected by human search guides;

a user device displaying a control indicating to the user initiating a search for a query, and providing an option to perform a human aided search when determining that a search result provided by a human assistant responsive to the query has been received;

a server processing the query using the recorded default or previously used resources, selecting the resources based on a rating of search results obtained from the recorded default or previously used resources found by the human search guides when responding to search requests indicating the keyword when the control is activated, directing the query to a human searcher when the option is selected, wherein a search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the control is activated and providing a response to the user device; and

a guide system operated by the human searcher to obtain the search result.

20. A computer-implemented search method comprising:

receiving a query from a user;

obtaining, by a human searcher, from a resource configured by the human searcher, a search result associated with a keyword;

providing, to the user, a first instruction for submitting the query to the human searcher, the human searcher being selected using a rating of said human searcher for the keyword and providing, to the user, a second instruction for conducting the search without requesting assistance of said human searcher by submitting the query to the resource;

performing a search for the query using the resource when the second instruction is received, wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the second instruction is received; and

selecting a highest ranking human searcher for the query when the first instruction is received.

21. The computer-implemented search method according to claim 20, wherein predefined resources configured by the user are utilized to return automated results when the first instruction is received.

22. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a query for a search from a user;

instructing the user to perform a first action to initiate a human assisted search;

instructing the user to perform a second action to initiate an automated search; and

returning one or more results from information maintained by at least one search engine indexing search results gathered by a human searcher when the user performs the second action, submitting the query to a selected relevant automated search engine when the user performs the second action, wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user performs the second action and simultaneously directing the query to an automated search resource and the human searcher when the user performs the first action.

23. The computer-implemented method according to claim 22, wherein the one or more results are obtained using spidering or page ranking.

24. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

allowing a user to enter a query in an interface linked to a first destination, the first destination being indicated to the user;

redirecting the query to a second destination when a control identifying to the user the second destination is activated by the user; and

presenting a result for the query in accordance with a search performed using a selected automated search resource accessed by a human assistant;

presenting the result to the user when the query is received at the first destination wherein the result for the query is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human assistant responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the when the query is received at the first destination; and

presenting the result to the human assistant when the query is received at the second destination.

25. The computer-implemented method according to claim 24, wherein the control comprises an action control including a symbol indicating a human assisted search, and the action control is not provided to the user when determining that the query has not been received from the first user at the first destination or that a result of a human assisted search for the query has not been provided to the user.

26. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a search request from a query source;

providing a first control indicating to a user an automated search;

providing a second control indicating to the user a search by a human searcher;

performing a search for the search request received using a search engine selected by the human searcher and activated based on content of the search request when the first control or the second control is activated wherein the search result for the search is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the user selects the first control;

performing a search assisted by the human searcher when the second control is activated; and

providing a result for the search request to the query source.

27. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

describing a group of actions comprising a first action described as initiating a human assisted search, a second action described as initiating an automated search and a third action described as initiating a parallel search;

receiving a request associated with a member of the group of actions;

sending a notification to a plurality of human searchers of the request in an order based on a ranking of the human searchers for the request and selecting a first human searcher to respond to the notification of the request and directing the request to the human searcher when the member is the first action or the third action;

obtaining a search result produced by an automated search resource selected based on content of the request when the member is the second action or the third action, wherein the search result for the request is automatically generated using stored information of a search by the human searcher responsive to a search request associated with a keyword of the query when the member is the first action; and

displaying a response selected based on the member to a user who submitted the request.