Search server architecture using a search engine adapter

• US 20090157629A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mehta, Suhas Rohit, Gutlapalli, Hari Krishna, Pak, Wai, Kothari, Shirish Kasturchand
• Granted Patent: US 8,832,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90 Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/906 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A search system architecture is disclosed. The search system architecture includes a search server, which in turn includes a search services module and a search engine adapter. The search services module and the search engine adapter are communicatively coupled to one another. The search services module is configured to communicate with a user interface. The search engine adapter is configured to communicate with a search engine.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A search server comprising:

a search engine adapter, wherein

said search engine adapter comprises

a generic search adapter, and

an engine specific adapter,

said generic search adapter and said engine specific adapter are communicatively coupled to one another,

said generic search adapter is configured to be communicatively coupled to a plurality of engine specific adapters,

each engine specific adapter of said engine specific adapters is configured to communicate with at least one respective search engine of a plurality of search engines, and

said each engine specific adapter corresponds to said at least one respective search engine.

22. The search server of claim 21, wherein said search server further comprises:

a search services module, wherein

said search services module and said search engine adapter are communicatively coupled to one another, and

said search services module is configured to communicate with a user interface.

23. The search system architecture of claim 22, wherein said search server further comprises:

a plurality of search engine adapters, wherein

each of said search engine adapters is communicatively coupled to said search services module.

24. The search system architecture of claim 23, further comprising:

a virtual business component, wherein

said search engine adapter and said virtual business component are communicatively coupled to one another, and

said search services module and said virtual business component are communicatively coupled to one another.

25. The search server of claim 21, wherein

said search engine adapter further comprises

said engine specific adapters, and

said engine specific adapters comprise said engine specific adapter.

26. The search server of claim 25, wherein

said search server is communicatively coupled to said search engines.

27. The search server of claim 26, wherein

said each engine specific adapter and said at least one respective search engine are communicatively coupled to one another.

28. The search server of claim 26, wherein

at least one of said each engine specific adapter is coupled to a plurality of said search engines.

29. The search server of claim 25, wherein

said search engine adapter is configured to be communicatively coupled to a virtual business component.

30. The search server of claim 29, wherein

said virtual business component comprises

a plurality of business objects, and

said each engine specific adapter corresponds to at least one of said business objects by virtue of said at least one respective search engine and said at least one of said business objects corresponding to one another.

31. The search server of claim 30, wherein

each of said business objects represents at least one of a plurality of data sources.

32. The search server of claim 29, wherein

said each engine specific adapter is configured to send a data access to said virtual business component, and

in response to receiving said data access from said each engine specific adapter, said virtual business component is configured to send data to said each engine specific adapter.

33. The search server of claim 25, wherein

said each engine specific adapter is configured to communicate with said at least one respective search engine by virtue of being configured to send index data to said at least one respective search engine, and receive native result data from said at least one respective search engine.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein

said engine specific adapter corresponds to said business object by virtue of said at least one respective search engine and said business object corresponding to one another.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein

each of said business objects represents at least one of a plurality of data sources.

34. A method comprising:

providing a search engine adapter, wherein

said search engine adapter comprises

a generic search adapter, and

said generic search adapter is configured to be communicatively coupled to a plurality of engine specific adapters;

providing an engine specific adapter, wherein

said engine specific adapters comprise said engine specific adapter,

said engine specific adapter is configured to communicate with at least one respective search engine of a plurality of search engines, and

said engine specific adapter corresponds to said at least one respective search engine; and

configuring said search engine adapter to comprise said engine specific adapter, wherein

said configuring said search engine adapter comprises

configuring said engine specific adapter to communicate with said generic search adapter.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

sending index data from said engine specific adapter to said at least one respective search engine; and

receiving native result data from said at least one respective search engine at said engine specific adapter.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending a data access from said engine specific adapter to a business object of a virtual business component; and

receiving data from said business object at said engine specific adapter.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving a search request at a search services module;

generating a search query corresponding to said search request;

sending said search query from said search services module to said search adapter;

generating said index data from said search query;

generating result data from said native result data;

sending said result data from said search adapter to said search services module;

generating search results corresponding to said result data; and

sending said search results from search services module to a user interface.

40. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of instructions, comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to provide a search engine adapter, wherein

said search engine adapter comprises

a generic search adapter, and

said first set of instructions comprise

a first subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to configure said generic search adapter to communicate with a plurality of engine specific adapters;

a second set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to provide an engine specific adapter, wherein

said engine specific adapters comprise said engine specific adapter,

said engine specific adapter corresponds to at least one respective search engine, and

said second set of instructions comprise

a second subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to configure said engine specific adapter to communicate with said at least one respective search engine of a plurality of search engines, and

a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to configure said search engine adapter to comprise said engine specific adapter, wherein

said third set of instructions comprise

a third subset of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to configure said engine specific adapter to communicate with said generic search adapter; and

computer readable storage media, wherein said instructions are encoded in said computer readable storage media.