Method and system for content search with mobile computing devices

• US 20060248062A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Medio Systems, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Libes, Michael, Lent, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A computer system and method for processing a search query directed to a database first inquires of multiple searchlet applications as to whether each respective searchlet is capable of performing the search query and then, if an affirmative response is received, passes the search query to the affirmatively responding searchlets, such that each searchlet returns a response comprising a single page, or no page at all if the search fails. Communication of the search query to the searchlets is managed by a content broker process. Each searchlet includes methods for searching a particular category of content, generating an index of the content, performing a search on the index, and returning search results.

Claims

1. A computer method of processing a search query from a user, the method comprising:

receiving a search query of a user that is directed to a database;

inquiring of a plurality of searchlet applications as to whether each respective searchlet is capable of performing a search in accordance with the search query, wherein each searchlet performs searches to identify pages related to only a specialized content grouping of pages;

passing the search query to all searchlets that responded to the search capability inquiry in the affirmative, such that each affirmatively capable searchlet returns a response comprising a single page, or no page at all if the passed search query fails;

providing the search results returned from the searchlets in response to the user search query.

2. A computer method as defined claim 1, wherein inquiring comprises directing an initial inquiry to a first tier of searchlets and passing comprises passing the search query to affirmatively responding searchlets of the first tier, and if no search results are returned from the first tier of searchlets, then repeating inquiring and passing to subsequent tiers of searchlets until either a search result is returned or no additional tiers of searchlets remain to inquire.

3. A computer method as defined in claim 1, wherein providing search results comprises combining results from multiple searchlets into a single result that is returned to the user.

4. A computer method as defined in claim 1, wherein each searchlet application includes methods for searching a particular category of content.

5. A computer method as defined in claim 4, wherein each searchlet application further includes methods for generating an index of the content category, performing a search on the index, and returning search results.

6. A computer system that processes a search query from a user, the system comprising:

a network interface for communicating with a network through which access to collections of pages is obtained;

a processor that receives the search query of a user for identifying one or more result pages in a database that are responsive to the search query, inquires of a plurality of searchlet applications as to whether each respective searchlet is capable of performing a search in accordance with the search query, wherein each searchlet performs searches to identify pages related to only a specialized content grouping of pages, passes the search query to all searchlets that responded to the search capability inquiry in the affirmative, such that each affirmatively capable searchlet returns a response comprising a single page, or no page at all if the passed search query fails, and provides the search results returned from the searchlets in response to the user search query.

7. A computer system as defined in claim 6, wherein the processor comprises a content broker that communicates with a database containing the searchlet applications.

8. A computer system as defined claim 7, wherein the searchlet applications database is organized into a plurality of searchlet tiers, and the content broker directs an initial inquiry of search capability to a first tier of searchlets and passes the search query to affirmatively responding searchlets of the first tier, and if no search results are returned from the first tier of searchlets, then the content broker repeats inquiring and passing to subsequent tiers of searchlets until either a search result is returned or no additional tiers of searchlets remain to inquire.

9. A computer system as defined in claim 7, wherein the content broker provides search results by combining results from multiple searchlets into a single result that it returns to the user.

10. A computer system as defined in claim 7, wherein each searchlet application includes methods for searching a particular category of content.

11. A computer system as defined in claim 7, wherein each searchlet application further includes methods for generating an index of the content category, performing a search on the index, and returning search results.

12. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for processing a search query, the program product comprising:

a recordable media;

a program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform operations comprising;

receiving a search query of a user that is directed to a database;

inquiring of a plurality of searchlet applications as to whether each respective searchlet is capable of performing a search in accordance with the search query, wherein each searchlet performs searches to identify pages related to only a specialized content grouping of pages;

passing the search query to all searchlets that responded to the search capability inquiry in the affirmative, such that each affirmatively capable searchlet returns a response comprising a single page, or no page at all if the passed search query fails;

providing the search results returned from the searchlets in response to the user search query.

13. A program product as defined claim 12, wherein inquiring comprises directing an initial inquiry to a first tier of searchlets and passing comprises passing the search query to affirmatively responding searchlets of the first tier, and if no search results are returned from the first tier of searchlets, then repeating inquiring and passing to subsequent tiers of searchlets until either a search result is returned or no additional tiers of searchlets remain to inquire.

14. A program product as defined in claim 12, wherein providing search results comprises combining results from multiple searchlets into a single result that is returned to the user.

15. A program product as defined in claim 12, wherein each searchlet application includes methods for searching a particular category of content.

16. A program product as defined in claim 15, wherein each searchlet application further includes methods for generating an index of the content category, performing a search on the index, and returning search results.