Server directed client originated search aggregator
First Claim
1. A method of initiating a search of at least a subset of network resources, the method comprising:
- receiving at a server a request, from a client device associated with a user, the request having been initiated by the user via the client device to initiate a search, the request comprising at least one search term;
identifying by the server, based on the request, first and second network resources of a plurality of network resources to which to direct a search request based on the at least one search term, the first network resource being different than the second network resource;
providing identification of the first and second network resources to the client device,causing, based on the providing of the identification of the first and second network resources to the client device, the client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, from the client device to all of the identified first and second network resources independent of the server prior to receiving any results from any of the network resources;
receiving at the server, via the client device, a result based on the search request from each of the first and second network resources in response to the search requests;
processing the received results;
providing the processed results to the client device for presentation to the user;
identifying at least one other client device available to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to at least one network resource of the plurality of network resources;
providing identification of a third network resource to the at least one other client device; and
causing, automatically, the at least one other client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to the third network resource,wherein the identifying further comprises determining one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term, andwherein the identifying further comprises identifying a search context and determining one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term in relation to the search context.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for automated aggregation, and possible augmentation, of search results generated/provided in response to search queries/requests to multiple network resources, such as search engines, the requests being originated by client devices, at the direction of a server, to the network resources. A user, using a client device, enters a search request which is provided to the server. The server identifies a list of which network resources, of available network resources, are likely to provide relevant results in response thereto and may modify the request to improve the results. The list is then provided to the client device, along with the modified request if applicable. The client device then originates/transmits the request to all or some of the identified resources. The search results may then be received and presented to the user by the client device or they may be passed to the server which processes them and then provides the processed results to the client device for presentation to the user.
25 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of initiating a search of at least a subset of network resources, the method comprising:
-
receiving at a server a request, from a client device associated with a user, the request having been initiated by the user via the client device to initiate a search, the request comprising at least one search term; identifying by the server, based on the request, first and second network resources of a plurality of network resources to which to direct a search request based on the at least one search term, the first network resource being different than the second network resource; providing identification of the first and second network resources to the client device, causing, based on the providing of the identification of the first and second network resources to the client device, the client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, from the client device to all of the identified first and second network resources independent of the server prior to receiving any results from any of the network resources; receiving at the server, via the client device, a result based on the search request from each of the first and second network resources in response to the search requests; processing the received results; providing the processed results to the client device for presentation to the user; identifying at least one other client device available to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to at least one network resource of the plurality of network resources; providing identification of a third network resource to the at least one other client device; and causing, automatically, the at least one other client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to the third network resource, wherein the identifying further comprises determining one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term, and wherein the identifying further comprises identifying a search context and determining one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term in relation to the search context. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A server for initiating a search of at least a subset of network resources, the server comprising:
-
a request receiver operative to receive a request, from a client device associated with a user, the request having been initiated by the user via the client device to initiate a search, the request comprising at least one search term; a resource identifier coupled with the request receiver and operative to identify, based on the request, first and second network resources of a plurality of network resources to which to direct a search request based on the at least one search term; and a resource provider coupled with the resource identifier and operative to provide identification of the first and second network resources to the client device to cause, in response thereto, the client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, from the client device to all of the first and second network resources independent of the server prior to receipt of any results from any of the network resources; a result receiver operative to receive, via the client device, a result based on the search request from each of the identified first and second network resources in response to the search request; a result processor coupled with the result receiver and operative to process the received results; a result provider coupled with the result processor and operative to provide the processed results to the client device for presentation to the user; an available client identifier operative to identify at least one other client device available to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to at least one network resource of the plurality of network resources, wherein the resource provider is further coupled with the available client identifier and further operative to provide identification of a third network resource to the at least one other client device to cause, in response thereto, the at least one other client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to the third network resource, wherein the resource identifier is further operative to determine one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term, and wherein the resource identifier is further operative to identify a search context and determine one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term in relation to the search context. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A system for initiating a search, by a client device associated with a user, of at least a subset of network resources, the system comprising:
-
a processor operative to; transmit a request to a server, the request having been initiated by the user via the client device to initiate a search, the request comprising at least one search term; receive, from the server, based on the request, identification of first and second network resources of a plurality of network resources to which to direct a search request based on the at least one search term; and originate, based on the reception of the identification of the first and second network resources, a search request, based on the at least one search term to all of the identified first and second network resources independent of the server prior to receiving any results from any of the network resources; receive a result based on the search request from each of the identified first and second network resources in response to the search requests; transmit the result to the server, the result being processable at the server; and receive processed results from the server for presentation to the user, wherein at least one other client device available to originate a search request is identifiable by the server, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to at least one of the plurality of network resources, wherein identification of a third network resource is providable, by the server, to the at least one other client device to cause, in response thereto, the at least one other client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to the third network resource, wherein one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources are determinable by the server in response to a search request for the at least one search term, and wherein a search context is identifiable by the server, and one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources are determinable by the server in response to a search request for the at least one search term in relation to the search context.
-
-
18. A system for initiating a search of at least a subset of network resources, the system comprising:
-
means for receiving, from a client device associated with a user, at a server a request, the request having been initiated by the user via the client device to initiate a search, the request comprising at least one search term; means for identifying at the server, based on the request, first and second network resources of a plurality of network resources to which to direct a search request based on the at least one search term; and means for providing identification of the first and second network resources to the client device, wherein the means for providing is operative to cause the client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, from the client device to all of the identified first and second network resources independent of the server prior to receipt of any results from any of the network resources; means for receiving at the server, via the client device, a result based on the search request from each of the identified first and second network resources in response to the search requests; means for processing the received results; means for providing the processed results to the client device for presentation to the user; and means for identifying at least one other client device available to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to at least one network resource of the plurality of network resources, wherein the means for providing is further operative to provide identification of a third network resource to the at least one other client device to cause, in response thereto, the at least one other client device to originate a search request, based on the at least one search term, for transmission to the third network resource, wherein the means for identifying first and second network resources is operative to determine one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term, and wherein the means for identifying first and second network resources is further operative to identify a search context and determine one or more network resources of the plurality of network resources that are more likely to provide relevant results than other network resources of the plurality of network resources in response to a search request for the at least one search term in relation to the search context.
-
Specification