Method for performing a search, and computer program product and user interface for same

• US 20030120779A1
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Benjamin Rodefer
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Rodefer
• Inventors: Perkins, Nathan, Rodefer, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 10,255,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A method of accessing computer networks and data sources simultaneously is disclose. The method includes the steps of (a) selecting at least one of a target source to be accessed; and (b) running target parsing tool of said at least one of a target source if parsing is required. Also, there is disclosed a user interface for accessing multiple target sources simultaneously. The user interface includes a text entry field, a scroll-down menu for selecting one or more target sources, and an infobar for displaying information.

Claims

1. A method of accessing target sources, said method comprising the steps:

(a) selecting at least one of said target sources to be accessed; and

(b) running a target parsing tool of said at least one of said target sources, if parsing is required.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps:

(c) launching said at least one of said target sources that is selected;

(d) tracking data related to the launching of said at least one of said target sources; and

(e) determining whether to revert back to a default option.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step (e) comprises the sub-steps of:

(f1) determining whether a predetermined amount of time has passed;

(f2) if the predetermined amount of time has passed, returning a search list back to said default option if a user has not performed at least one of selecting a target source and entering search terms in the predetermined amount of time that has passed.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether entered search data is in a history list;

adding the search data to the top of the history list if it was not already in the history list; and

moving the search data to the top of the history list if it is already in the history list.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least one of said target sources that is selected relates to business phone numbers, said method comprises the steps of:

determining whether there is text in a search string;

launching a business phone page if no text is in the search string;

determining whether there is only one comma in the search string if there is text in the search string;

setting text before said one comma to a name if there is only one comma in the search string;

determining whether the text after said one comma is two (2) letters, if there is only one comma in the search string;

setting the text after said one comma to a city if the text after said one comma is not two (2) letters;

setting the text after said one comma to a state if the text after said one comma is two (2) letters.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether there are two commas in the search string, if there is not only one comma in the search string;

sending an incorrect format message if there are not two commas in the search string;

setting the text before a first comma to a name, setting the text after said first comma to a city, and setting the text after a second comma to a state, if there are two commas in the search string.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least one of said target sources that is selected relates to home phone listings, said method comprises the steps of:

determining whether there is text in a search string;

launching a home phone listings page if no text is in the search string;

determining whether there is only one comma in the search string if there is text in the search string;

setting text before said one comma, to a name if there is one comma in the search string;

determining whether the text after said one comma is two (2) letters;

setting the text after said one comma to a city if the text after said one comma is not two (2) letters;

setting the text after said one comma to a state if the text after said one comma is two (2) letters.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether there are two commas in the search string, if there is not only one comma in the search string;

sending an incorrect format message if there are not two commas in the search string; and

setting the text before a first comma to a name, setting the text after said first comma to a city, and setting the text after a second comma to a state, if there are two commas in the search string.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least one of said target sources relates to maps, said method comprises the steps of:

determining whether there is text in a search string;

launching a home page related to maps if no text is in the search string;

determining whether there is only one comma in the search string if there is text in the search string;

determining whether the text after said one comma is two (2) letters if it is determined that there is only one comma in the search string;

setting text before said one comma to a city and setting text after said one comma to a state, if the text after the first comma is two (2) letters; and

setting text before said one comma to an address and setting text after said one comma to a city, if the text after the first comma is not two (2) letters.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether there are no commas in the search string if there is not only one comma in the search string;

determining whether the search string comprises two (2) letters, if there are no commas in the search string;

setting the search string text to a state, if the search string has two (2) letters; and

setting the search string text to a city, if the search string does not have two (2) letters.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether there are only two commas in the search string;

sending an incorrect format message if there are not two commas in the search string; and

setting the text before a first comma to an address, setting the text after said first comma to a location, if there are only two commas in the search string.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least one of said target sources that is selected relates to movie listings, said method comprises the steps of:

determining whether there is text in a search string;

loading a zip code from a registry and launching a home page related to the movie listings, if no text is in the search string;

determining whether the search string is a five (5) digit number, if there is text in the search string;

setting the five (5) digit number to a zip code, if the search string is a five (5) digit number;

setting the text to a movie title and loading a zip code from a registry, if the search string is not a five (5) digit number; and

launching movie listings home page.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least one of said target sources that is selected relates to e-mail, said method comprises the steps of:

determining whether entered text is an e-mail address;

setting the entered text as an e-mail address, if the entered text is an email address;

setting text as an e-mail subject, if the entered text is not an e-mail address.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least one of said target sources that is selected is a spell-checker, said method comprises the steps of:

determining whether text has been entered;

launching spell check tool, if text has been entered;

displaying a message indicating that no text was entered, if text has not been entered.

15. A method of previewing search results comprising the steps of:

receiving a uniform resource locator (URL) for a search results page;

determining whether there are search results;

notifying the user of no results and stopping execution of a search, if there are no search results;

creating a frame set, wherein the frame set comprises a preview area and a search results area.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when a user selects a search result, a home page of the selected search result is displayed in the preview area.

17. A user interface for accessing multiple target sources, said user interface comprising:

a text entry field;

a scroll-down menu for selecting one or more target sources; and

an infobar for displaying information.

18. The user interface of claim 17, wherein said one or more target sources is at least one of a search engine, a spell-checker, a target source related to movie-listings, and a target source related to maps.

19. The user interface of claim 17, wherein the information displayed in the infobar is at least one of news headlines, weather information, and stock quotes.

20. A computer program product for enabling a computer to perform a method of accessing at least one of computer networks and data sources, comprising:

a computer readable medium, and

instructions, on said computer readable medium, for;

(a) selecting at least one of a target source to be accessed; and

(b) running target parsing tool of said at least one of a target source if parsing is required.