Metasearch engine for ordering at least one travel related item returned in combined search and database results using at least one query on multiple unique hosts and at least one database

• US 8,930,449 B1
• Filed: 09/07/2014
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harvey Lunenfeld
• Original Assignee: Harvey Lunenfeld
• Inventors: Lunenfeld, Harvey
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US14/479,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20140379474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 121 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17306 Intercommunication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A process for metasearching, comprising: receiving a request from a client device by a metasearch engine to send at least one search query to a plurality of unique hosts, the request associated with at least one travel related item that may be ordered; sending the at least one search query to the plurality of unique hosts and at least one database query to at least one storage device; receiving and combining search results from the plurality of unique hosts and at least one database result from the storage device; incorporating the combined search results into a response; causing at least one advertisement associated with the at least one item that may be ordered to be displayed in the response; communicating the response from the metasearch engine to the client device; receiving another request from the client device for placing an order for the at least one item; processing the order.

Claims

1. A process for metasearching on the Internet, wherein the steps of the process are performed by a metasearch engine executing on a server device, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device a Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send at least one search query from the server device to a plurality of unique hosts that provide access to information to be searched, wherein the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device is associated with at least one travel related item that may be ordered from a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(b) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into the at least one search query and sending by the metasearch engine from the server device the at least one search query to the plurality of unique hosts in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device;

(c) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into at least one database query and sending by the metasearch engine via the server device the at least one database query to at least one storage device comprising at least one database in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device, wherein the at least one database comprises stored information related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(d) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the at least one search query sent to the plurality of unique hosts;

(e) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device at least one database result from the at least one storage device in response to the at least one database query sent to the at least one storage device, wherein the at least one database result comprises at least a portion of the stored information, which is related to the at least one travel related item that may be ordered;

(f) combining by the metasearch engine at the server device the received search results with the at least one database result into combined search results;

(g) incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the combined search results into a response;

(h) communicating by the metasearch engine from the server device the response from the metasearch engine to the client device;

(i) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device another Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device for the metasearch engine to place an order via the server device for the at least one travel related item;

(j) processing by the metasearch engine via the server device the order.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the stored information was received from any one or more of the plurality of unique hosts, at least one other unique host, and any combination thereof.

3. The process of claim 1, further comprising a timeout that limits response time for receiving the search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the at least one search query sent to the plurality of unique hosts to a maximum of one second.

4. The process of claim 1, prior to step (h) further comprising causing by the metasearch engine via the server device at least one advertisement associated with the at least one travel related item that may be ordered to be displayed in the response.

5. A process for metasearching on the Internet, wherein the steps of the process are performed by a metasearch engine executing on a server device, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device a Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries from the server device to a plurality of unique hosts that provide access to information to be searched, wherein the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device is associated with a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered comprising at least one airline ticket and at least one other type of travel related item;

(b) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into the plurality of search queries and sending by the metasearch engine from the server device the plurality of search queries to the plurality of unique hosts in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device;

(c) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into a plurality of database queries and sending by the metasearch engine via the server device the plurality of database queries to at least one storage device comprising at least one database in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device, wherein the at least one database comprises stored information related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(d) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the plurality of unique hosts;

(e) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device database results from the at least one storage device in response to the plurality of database queries sent to the at least one storage device, wherein the database results comprise portions of the stored information, which are related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(f) combining by the metasearch engine at the server device the received search results with the database results into combined search results;

(g) incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the combined search results into a response;

(h) communicating by the metasearch engine from the server device the response from the metasearch engine to the client device;

(i) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device another Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device for the metasearch engine to place an order via the server device for at least one of the plurality of travel related items;

(j) processing by the metasearch engine via the server device the order.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the stored information was received from any one or more of the plurality of unique hosts, at least one other unique host, and any combination thereof.

7. The process of claim 5, prior to step (h) further comprising causing by the metasearch engine via the server device at least one advertisement associated with at least a portion of the plurality of travel related items to be displayed in the response.

8. The process of claim 5, further comprising a timeout that limits response time for receiving the search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the plurality of unique hosts to a maximum of one second.

9. A process for metasearching on the Internet, wherein the steps of the process are performed by a metasearch engine executing on a server device, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device a Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries from the server device to at least one host that comprises a plurality of other server devices that provide access to information to be searched, wherein the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device is associated with a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered comprising at least one airline ticket and at least one other type of travel related item;

(b) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into the plurality of search queries and sending by the metasearch engine from the server device the plurality of search queries to the at least one host in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device;

(c) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into a plurality of database queries and sending by the metasearch engine via the server device the plurality of database queries to at least one storage device comprising at least one database in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device, wherein the at least one database comprises stored information related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(d) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device search results from the at least one host in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the at least one host;

(e) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device database results from the at least one storage device in response to the plurality of database queries sent to the at least one storage device, wherein the database results comprise portions of the stored information, which are related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(f) combining by the metasearch engine at the server device the received search results with the database results into combined search results;

(g) incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the combined search results into a response;

(h) communicating by the metasearch engine from the server device the response from the metasearch engine to the client device;

(i) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device another Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device for the metasearch engine to place an order via the server device for at least one of the plurality of travel related items;

(j) processing by the metasearch engine via the server device the order.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the stored information was received from the at least one host, at least one other host, and any combination thereof.

11. The process of claim 9, prior to step (h) further comprising causing by the metasearch engine via the server device at least one advertisement associated with at least a portion of the plurality of travel related items to be displayed in the response.

12. The process of claim 9, further comprising a timeout that limits response time for receiving the search results from the at least one host in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the at least one host to a maximum of one second.

13. A process for metasearching on the Internet, wherein the steps of the process are performed by a metasearch engine executing on a server device, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device a Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send at least one search query from the server device to a plurality of unique hosts that provide access to information to be searched, wherein the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device is associated with at least one travel related item that may be ordered from a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(b) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into the at least one search query and sending by the metasearch engine from the server device the at least one search query to the plurality of unique hosts in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device;

(c) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into at least one database query and sending by the metasearch engine via the server device the at least one database query to at least one storage device comprising at least one database in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device, wherein the at least one database comprises stored information related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(d) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the at least one search query sent to the plurality of unique hosts;

(e) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device at least one database result from the at least one storage device in response to the at least one database query sent to the at least one storage device, wherein the at least one database result comprises at least a portion of the stored information, which is related to the at least one travel related item that may be ordered;

(f) combining by the metasearch engine at the server device the received search results with the at least one database result into combined search results;

(g) incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the combined search results into a results list and incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the results list into a response;

(h) causing by the metasearch engine via the server device at least one advertisement associated with the at least one travel related item that may be ordered to be displayed in the response;

(i) communicating by the metasearch engine from the server device the response from the metasearch engine to the client device;

(j) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device another Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device for the metasearch engine to place an order via the server device for the at least one travel related item;

(k) executing by the metasearch engine via the server device the order.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the stored information was received from any one or more of the plurality of unique hosts, at least one other unique host, and any combination thereof.

15. The process of claim 13, further comprising a timeout that limits response time for receiving the search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the at least one search query sent to the plurality of unique hosts to a maximum of one second.

16. A process for metasearching on the Internet, wherein the steps of the process are performed by a metasearch engine executing on a server device, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device a Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries from the server device to a plurality of unique hosts that provide access to information to be searched, wherein the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device is associated with a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered comprising at least one airline ticket and at least one other type of travel related item;

(b) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into the plurality of search queries and sending by the metasearch engine from the server device the plurality of search queries to the plurality of unique hosts in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device;

(c) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into a plurality of database queries and sending by the metasearch engine via the server device the plurality of database queries to at least one storage device comprising at least one database in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device, wherein the at least one database comprises stored information related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(d) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the plurality of unique hosts;

(e) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device database results from the at least one storage device in response to the plurality of database queries sent to the at least one storage device, wherein the database results comprise portions of the stored information, which are related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(f) combining by the metasearch engine at the server device the received search results with the database results into combined search results;

(g) incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the combined search results into a results list and incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the results list into a response;

(h) causing by the metasearch engine via the server device at least one advertisement associated with at least a portion of the plurality of travel related items to be displayed in the response;

(i) communicating by the metasearch engine from the server device the response from the metasearch engine to the client device;

(j) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device another Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device for the metasearch engine to place an order via the server device for at least one of the plurality of travel related items;

(k) executing by the metasearch engine via the server device the order.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein the stored information was received from any one or more of the plurality of unique hosts, at least one other unique host, and any combination thereof.

18. The process of claim 16, further comprising a timeout that limits response time for receiving the search results from the plurality of unique hosts in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the plurality of unique hosts to a maximum of one second.

19. A process for metasearching on the Internet, wherein the steps of the process are performed by a metasearch engine executing on a server device, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device a Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from a client device for the metasearch engine to send a plurality of search queries from the server device to at least one host that comprises a plurality of other server devices that provide access to information to be searched, wherein the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device is associated with a plurality of travel related items that may be ordered comprising at least one airline ticket and at least one other type of travel related item;

(b) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into the plurality of search queries and sending by the metasearch engine from the server device the plurality of search queries to the at least one host in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device;

(c) transforming by the metasearch engine at the server device the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device into a plurality of database queries and sending by the metasearch engine via the server device the plurality of database queries to at least one storage device comprising at least one database in response to the Hypertext Transfer Protocol request received from the client device, wherein the at least one database comprises stored information related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(d) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device search results from the at least one host in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the at least one host;

(e) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device database results from the at least one storage device in response to the plurality of database queries sent to the at least one storage device, wherein the database results comprise portions of the stored information, which are related to the plurality of travel related items that may be ordered;

(f) combining by the metasearch engine at the server device the received search results with the database results into combined search results;

(g) incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the combined search results into a results list and incorporating by the metasearch engine at the server device the results list into a response;

(h) causing by the metasearch engine via the server device at least one advertisement associated with at least a portion of the plurality of travel related items to be displayed in the response;

(i) communicating by the metasearch engine from the server device the response from the metasearch engine to the client device;

(j) receiving by the metasearch engine at the server device another Hypertext Transfer Protocol request from the client device for the metasearch engine to place an order via the server device for at least one of the plurality of travel related items;

(k) executing by the metasearch engine via the server device the order.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein the stored information was received from the at least one host, at least one other host, and any combination thereof.

21. The process of claim 19, further comprising a timeout that limits response time for receiving the search results from the at least one host in response to the plurality of search queries sent to the at least one host to a maximum of one second.