METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRIGGERING A SEARCH REQUEST

• US 20090228464A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ChaCha Search, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Thomas E., Jones, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area

Abstract

A method and system providing a response to an unrestricted request for information responsive to an unrestricted triggering condition. A request is associated with a condition which initiates an information search. A result associated with a request and a condition may be provided to a user via any or all communication services and/or devices associated with the user. A response may be delivered according to instructions from a user.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to information, comprising:

setting an unconstrained request;

defining a trigger in association with the request; and

performing an action responsive to an occurrence of the trigger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a human assistant defines at least in part the action.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a human assistant defines at least in part the trigger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is based at least in part on a message received from a user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the action includes transmitting a message to a user device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the request is constrained by communication services available to the user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a resource is provided to a human assistant based on at least one of a keyword, a category and a profile associated with the request.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

defining the action at least in part by at least one human assistant;

defining the trigger at least in part by the at least one human assistant;

receiving a request from a user;

providing historical information of the user and a resource to the at least one human assistant based on a keyword, a category and a profile associated with the request;

qualifying by the at least one human assistant the request;

determining by the at least one human assistant at least in part whether the trigger has occurred; and

transmitting a message to at least one device of the user responsive to the trigger.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the request is selected from previous requests.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining whether a condition associated with the trigger has occurred; and

defining a response to the condition based on the request.

11. A system, comprising:

a user device submitting a request defined by a user; and

a search service device receiving the request, determining a trigger and taking an action responsive to the trigger.

12. The system of claim 11 comprising;

a guide device defining at least in part the trigger or the request; and

a database storing information pertaining to at least the request, the trigger or the user.

13. A computer readable medium storing therein a program for causing a computer to execute an operation including providing access to information, comprising:

receiving an arbitrary request;

formulating a trigger for the request and associating the trigger with the request;

determining whether the trigger occurs; and

responding to the request when the determining indicates that the trigger has occurred.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the request is not constrained to information available from automated resources.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the request is received based on historical information of the user.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein a guide formulates at least in part the trigger.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein a guide formulates a query and a trigger based on the request which is used to respond to other requests.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein an advertisement is transmitted subsequent to the formulating, and the responding includes transmitting at least one advertisement.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the defining, the formulating, and the determining are assisted by at least one guide.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 comprising:

providing at least a portion of the request, a resource, and a notification of an occurrence of a trigger condition to the at least one guide;

selecting by the at least one guide a qualified query, a resource, a response and an advertisement; and

providing the response and the advertisement as part of the action.