Anonymous search system using human searchers

• US 8,280,921 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2007
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• 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): Vu, Bai D.
• Application Number:
  US11/779,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,903 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for performing a search with the assistance of a computer. The system may assign a unique identifier to a user, to a query submitted to the system by the user, to a human searcher that may respond to the query, and to a result produced by a human searcher in response to the query. These unique identifiers may be stored in a database, and associated with one another. The system may receive a query from the user during a first communication session, and present the query to the searcher to perform a search responsive to the query. The searcher may produce search results and transmit the results to the system during the first communication session. The system may receive the search results from the searcher during the first communication session, and forward the results to the user. Because the system maintains a database of unique identifiers for each original query associated with the unique identifier of the posing user and responding searcher, the system may establish an anonymous communication channel between the user and the searcher during the initial session when the query is posed and answered, and also during follow-up sessions that may occur in the future.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

assigning an identifier to a human searcher in receipt of a first query from a user;

associating an identifier assigned to the user and the identifier assigned to the human searcher with a unique identifier of the first query;

providing an unique indicator of a search result of the human searcher in receipt of the first query to the user during an initial session;

receiving a second query from the user subsequent to the initial session and providing a stored answer to the user in response to the second query;

selecting the searcher to perform a search responsive to the second query when the user activates the indicator of the search result and rejects the stored answer provided responsive to the second query; and

conducting an anonymous communication between the searcher and the user using the identifier of the first query to establish a follow-up session that is subsequent to the initial session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a previous query request from the user during a second communication session, and presenting the first query, the identifier of the first query and the search result to the user for selection of the searcher to perform a search during the second communication session, wherein the previous query request includes the identifier of the first query.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing information of the first query and the search result to the user; and

transferring the first query to the searcher responsive to a selection for said transferring by the user subsequent to a review of a search result of a second searcher by the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the searcher conducts the search and provides a response to the user during the second communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

assigning the unique identifier to the human searcher including generating the unique identifier based on a random number; and

selecting the searcher when determining that the searcher is a highest ranking searcher for the second query, the ranking being adjusted when determining that the user has selected the indicator of the search result.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the unique identifier to the user comprises generating the unique identifier based on a random number.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the unique identifier to the query comprises generating the unique identifier based on a random number.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the first query has been previously searched, and providing previous search results responsive to the determining.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for previously searched queries from the user during a second communication session, and presenting the first query and the search result to the user during the second communication session, wherein the request for previously searched queries includes the unique identifier of the user; and

notifying the searcher of the second query in an order based on a ranking of the searcher for a keyword of the first query and a ranking of the keyword for the second query.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for previously searched queries from the user during a second communication session, and presenting the second query and corresponding search results to the searcher during the second communication session, wherein the request for the previously searched queries includes the unique identifier of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for previously searched queries from the searcher during a second communication session, and presenting the first query and the search result to the searcher during the second communication session, wherein the request for the previously searched queries includes the unique identifier of the searcher.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising establishing the second communication session between the searcher and the user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for previously searched queries from a second user during a second communication session, and

presenting the first query and the search result to said second user during the second communication session, wherein the previously searched queries includes the first query and selecting the searcher based on a ranking of the searcher for the second query and decreasing the ranking of the searcher for a search request of the second user when determining that the second user has rejected the search result.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising establishing an anonymous communication session between said second user and the searcher.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the unique identifier of the user on a device associated with the user during the initial communication session.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising retrieving the unique identifier of the user from the device associated with the user during a second communication session, reading the unique identifier of the first query from a database based on the association between the unique identifier of the user and the unique identifier of the first query, and presenting the first query and the search result to the user during the second communication session.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising reading the unique identifier of the searcher from the database based on the association between the unique identifier of the searcher and the unique identifier of the first query, and establishing an anonymous communication channel between the user and the searcher.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising associating the unique identifier of the searcher with the unique identifier of the user in a database during the initial communication session, retrieving the unique identifier of the user from the device associated with the user during a second communication session, reading the unique identifier of the searcher from the database based on the association between the unique identifier of the user and the unique identifier of the searcher and presenting the first query and the search result to the searcher during the second communication session.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising associating the unique identifier of the searcher with the unique identifier of the user in a database during the initial communication session, retrieving the unique identifier of the user from the device associated with the user during a second communication session, reading the unique identifier of the searcher from the database based on the association between the unique identifier of the user and the unique identifier of the searcher, and establishing an anonymous communication channel between the user and the searcher.

20. A system, comprising:

a user system including a unique user identifier, in communication with a network, where the user system receives a query from a user and transmits the query and the unique user identifier over the network;

a server, in communication with the network, that receives the query and the unique user identifier, associates a unique query identifier with the query, stores the query, the unique query identifier and the unique user identifier in a database, and transmits a notification of the query to a searcher in an order based on a rank of the searcher for a keyword of the query; and

a searcher system, in communication with the network, that communicates the query to the searcher when determining that the searcher has accepted the notification and generates a search result for the query based on input from the searcher, and

where a real-time communication is executed between the searcher and the user including during a search of the query and an indicator of the search result generated by the searcher system is provided to the user,

the server receives a request from the user subsequent to the real-time communication,

the user system is provided with an automated result in response to the request,

the searcher is selected to perform a search responsive to the request when the user activates the indicator of the search result and rejects the automated result provided responsive to the request,

a rank of the searcher associated with content of the request increases when the user activates the indicator of the search result, and

an anonymous communication is conducted between the searcher and the user using the unique query identifier of the query to establish a follow-up session that is subsequent to the real-time communication.

21. A system for facilitating information exchange between a user sending a request for information and a searcher providing a response containing the information via a network, the system comprising:

an interface coupled to the network;

a database including;

a first table for mapping a unique user identifier to the user;

a second table for mapping a unique searcher identifier to the searcher;

a third table for mapping a unique query identifier to requests;

a request processor in communication with the interface and the database that receives the request from the user, adds a record to the first table identifying the user, adds a record to the second table identifying the searcher, adds a record to the third table identifying the request, and forwards information of the request and the user to the searcher via the interface while maintaining the user'"'"'s anonymity; and

a response processor in communication with the interface and the database that receives the response from the searcher via the interface, records a unique identifier of a search result of the searcher, determines the unique identifier of the user from the database, and forwards an indicator of the search result of the searcher in receipt of the request to the user while maintaining the searcher'"'"'s anonymity, and

where the indicator of the search result is provided to the user and the user adjusts a ranking of the searcher and the searcher is selected to perform a search responsive to a query of the user when a stored answer provided responsive to the query is rejected by the user and the indicator of the search result is activated by the user, and

an anonymous communication is conducted between the searcher and the user using the unique query identifier of the request when determining that the searcher is ranked highest for the request.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the database further comprises a fourth table for mapping a unique keyword identifier to the unique user identifier and the unique searcher identifier and the ranking of the searcher for the request is based on a keyword of the query and a ranking of the keyword for the request and the searcher is notified of the request in an order based on the rankinq of the searcher for the request.

23. A computer readable storage medium having a program embodied therein for causing a computer to execute operations including assisting a user submitting a first query to a human searcher, comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to the human searcher;

receiving the first query from the user during a first communication session;

assigning a unique identifier to the user;

assigning a unique identifier to the first query;

associating the unique identifier of the user with the unique identifier of the first query in a database;

presenting an indicator of a search result of the human searcher in receipt of the first query to the user during an initial session;

receiving a second query from the user subsequent to the initial session and providing a stored answer to the user in response to the second query;

selecting the searcher to perform a search responsive to the second query when determining that an automated result provided responsive to the second query is rejected by the user and that the user has designated the searcher as a preferred searcher by selecting the indicator of the search result of the human searcher in receipt of the first query; and

providing search results during a second communication session subsequent to the first communication session using the unique identifier of the first query.

24. A computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program product for use with a web server computer, and causing a computer to execute operations including to assist a user submitting a query to a human searcher, comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to the human searcher;

receiving the query from the user during a first communication session;

assigning a unique identifier to the user;

assigning a unique identifier to the query;

associating the unique identifier of the user with the unique identifier of the query in a database;

presenting the query to the searcher to perform a search responsive to the query and produce a search result during the first communication session;

receiving the search result from the searcher during the first communication session;

associating the unique identifier of the searcher and a unique identifier of the search result with the unique identifier of the first query in the database; and

presenting the search result to the user during the first communication session, and

where an indicator of the search result of the searcher presented with the query is provided to the user, and the searcher is selected to perform a search responsive to a request of the user in an order based on an adjusted ranking of the searcher for a keyword when a stored result provided responsive to the request is rejected by the user and the user activates the indicator of the search result and an anonymous communication is conducted between the searcher and the user using the unique identifier of the query.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, comprising:

associating the unique identifier of the searcher with the unique identifier of the user in the database during the first communication session,

retrieving the unique identifier of the user from a device associated with the user during a second communication session,

reading the unique identifier of the searcher from the database based on the association between the unique identifier of the user and the unique identifier of the searcher; and

establishing an anonymous communication channel between the user and the searcher when determining that the searcher has modified the search result and that the user has requested to be informed of the modification.

26. A method of establishing a communication, comprising:

storing previous queries and responses to the previous queries, each of the queries and responses being assigned a randomly-generated ID based on content of the queries and the responses;

assigning a random ID to correspond to a user submitting a query and to a human searcher generating a response to the query;

correlating the query to the random ID corresponding to the user and to the random ID corresponding to the human searcher receiving the query and generating the response;

displaying said stored previous queries and responses, said displaying including providing access to the previous queries to the user;

directing a request submitted by the user and a communication history of the user to the human searcher in accordance with said correlating;

locating the human searcher in response to the request from the user based on said correlating when a stored response provided responsive to the request is rejected by the user and an indicator of the response is activated by the user;

adjusting a rank of the human searcher for a keyword of the request based on the activating; and

conducting an anonymous communication between the searcher and the user using an identifier of the query when determining that the human searcher is ranked highest for the keyword.

27. A system, comprising:

a user device; and

a search system coupled to the user device and assigning an identifier to a human searcher in receipt of a first query from a user, associating an identifier assigned to the user and the identifier assigned to the human searcher with a unique identifier of the first query, providing an indicator of a search result of the human searcher in receipt of the first query to the user during an initial session, receiving a second query from the user subsequent to the initial session and providing a stored answer to the user in response to the second query, selecting the searcher to perform a search responsive to the second query when the user activates the indicator of the search result and rejects the stored answer provided responsive to the second query, and

conducting an anonymous communication between the searcher and the user using the identifier of the first query to establish a follow-up session that is subsequent to the initial session.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein one of an IP address assigned to the user device, respective identifiers assigned to the user and the searcher in a previous search session and the identifier of the previous search query is used for reestablishing the previous search session with the user.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein a second searcher uses stored responses of previously answered queries associated with the searcher to return a response when a previous search session is reestablished.

30. A computer readable storage medium for controlling a computer, comprising:

storing, in a query database, a query, an identifier of the query, a user identifier, a searcher identifier indicating a searcher in receipt of the query, and an identifier of a search result of the searcher in receipt of the query,

providing a programmatic response to a request associated with the user identifier;

selecting the searcher associated with the searcher identifier to perform a search for the request when determining that the programmatic response is not accepted by the user and that the user has selected an indicator of the search result associated with the searcher in receipt of the query and that the searcher is associated with a keyword of the request and that the searcher is a first searcher to respond to a notification of the request;

delivering the notification of the request to the searcher in an order based on a rank of the searcher associated with content of the request including the keyword, increasing the rank of the searcher associated with the content when the user activates the identifier of the search result, and

establishing an anonymous communication between the searcher and the user for the request using the identifier of the query.

31. A computer readable storage medium for controlling a computer, comprising:

storing a query ID, a user ID, a searcher ID and a search result ID;

assigning an identifier to a human searcher in receipt of a query from a user;

associating an identifier assigned to the user and the identifier assigned to the human searcher and an identifier assigned to a human guide with an identifier of the query; and

providing an indicator of a search result of the query to the user responsive to a request of the user and establishing an anonymous communication between the user and the human searcher and the human guide responsive to selection of the indicator of the search result of the query by the user.

32. A display, comprising:

a query window for submitting a request; and

a stored query window displaying a previously searched query including an option for reestablishing a communication with a searcher who received said previously searched query by activating an indicator of a search result of the searcher for the previously searched query, and

where a user submits the request and the user is provided with a stored search result,

the searcher is selected to perform a search responsive to the request when determining that the stored search result is rejected by the user and that the user has activated the indicator of the search result of the searcher for the previously searched query, and

an anonymous communication is conducted between the searcher and the user using an identifier associated with the previously searched query.