FORKING OF SEARCH REQUESTS AND ROUTING TO MULTIPLE ENGINES THROUGH KM SERVER

• US 20110191312A1
• Filed: 01/29/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Joshi, Ashish, Bharadwaj, Hema, Gutlapalli, Hari Krishna
• Granted Patent: US 9,009,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A server a server receives a search request in a third format. The third format is a search request format. A first search query in a first format is generated. The first format is a first search query format. A second search query is generated in a second format. The second format is compatible with a format used by a second search engine. The second format is a second search query format. The search request is in the third format. The first format and the second format are different from one another. First result data comprising a plurality of first result data items, and second result data comprising a plurality of second result data items are received. A search result is generated. The generating the search result includes consolidating the plurality of the first result data items and the plurality of the second result data items.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a server a search request in a third format,

wherein said third format is a search request format;

generating a first search query in a first format, wherein

said first format is compatible with a format used by a first search engine,

said first format is a first search query format, and

said first search query is generated from said search request;

generating a second search query in a second format, wherein

said second format is compatible with a format used by a second search engine,

said second format is a second search query format,

said second search query is generated from said search request,

said search request is in said third format, and

said first format and said second format are different from one another;

receiving

first result data comprising a plurality of first result data items, and

second result data comprising a plurality of second result data items; and

generating a search result, wherein

said generating said search result comprises

consolidating said plurality of said first result data items and said plurality of said second result data items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

transmitting said first search query to said first search engine, and

transmitting said second search query to said second search engine, wherein

said first format is compatible with a first naming schema,

said second format is compatible with a second naming schema, and

said third format is compatible with a third naming schema.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

said first naming schema, said second naming schema, and said third naming schema are different from one another;

said generating said first search query comprises

mapping a field of said third format to an engine-specific field of said first format;

said generating said second search query comprises

mapping said field of said third format to an engine-specific field of said second format;

said mapping said field of said third format to said engine-specific field of said first format comprises

performing a first lookup in an engine translation table; and

said mapping said field of said third format to said engine-specific field of said second format comprises

performing a second lookup in said engine translation table.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein

said method further comprises selecting said first search engine and said second search engine using a user interface;

performing said first lookup comprises authenticating said first engine;

performing said second lookup comprises authenticating said second engine; and

said method further comprises maintaining said engine translation table in a search services module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

said first search query is associated with a first communication thread;

said second search query is associated with a second communication thread;

said method further comprises;

opening said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

responsive to receiving said first result data and said second result data, closing said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

transmitting said search result to a user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

said third format is a generic format, and

said receiving further comprises:

receiving said search request from a user interface, and

receiving at a search services business process on said server said search request in a fourth format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

said first search query is associated with a first communication thread;

said second search query is associated with a second communication thread; and

said method further comprises;

opening said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

closing said first communication thread and said second communication thread in response to a combination of

a timeout with respect to an expected receipt of one of a set comprising said first result data and said second result data, and

receiving one of said set comprising said first result data and said second result data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

said consolidating comprises

generating a unified relevance ranking by applying an order of display priority to each of said plurality of said first result data items and each of said plurality of said second result data items, wherein

said order of display priority is associated with item relevance scores;

and

arranging said each of said plurality of said first result data items and said each of said plurality of said second result data items according to said unified relevance ranking.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein

said order of display priority is based on a first user profile associated with a first user;

and

said order of display priority comprises a set of user preferences representing previous selections by said first user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

generating said first user profile; and

selecting said first search engine and said second search engine using said first user profile, wherein

said generating said first user profile further comprises receiving a first set of user characteristics associated with said first user.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said method further comprises:

generating said order of display priority, wherein

said generating said order of display priority further comprises generating said order of display priority based on

said first user profile, and

a second user profile associated with a second user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

said second user profile comprises a second set of user characteristics associated with said second user, and

said second set of user characteristics shares a common characteristic with said first set of user characteristics.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

selecting said first search engine and said second search engine based on a first data source and a second data source selected by said first user.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a search services module configured to

receive a search request in a third format,

wherein said third format is a search request format, and

generate a search result by consolidating a plurality of first result data items and a plurality of second result data items;

a first search engine adapter configured to

generate a first search query in a first format, wherein

said first format is compatible with a format used by a first search engine,

said first format is a first search query format, and

said first search query is generated from said search request, and

receive first result data comprising said plurality of said first result data items; and

a second search engine adapter configured to

generate a second search query in a second format, wherein

said second format is compatible with a format used by a second search engine,

said second format is a second search query format,

said second search query is generated from said search request,

said search request is in said third format, and

said first format and said second format are different from one another, and

receive second result data comprising said plurality of said second result data items.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

said first search engine adapter is further configured to transmit said first search query to said first search engine, and

said second search engine adapter is further configured to transmit said second search query to said second search engine, wherein

said first format is compatible with a first naming schema,

said second format is compatible with a second naming schema, and

said third format is compatible with a third naming schema.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein

said first naming schema, said second naming schema, and said third naming schema are different from one another;

said first search engine adapter is further configured to

map a field of said third format to an engine-specific field of said first format;

said second search engine adapter is further configured to

map said field of said third format to an engine-specific field of said second format;

said first search engine adapter is further configured to

perform a first lookup in an engine translation table, wherein

said engine translation table is maintained by said search services module,

said first lookup comprises an authentication of said first engine; and

said second search engine adapter is further configured to perform a second lookup in said engine translation table, wherein said second lookup comprises an authentication of said second engine.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein

said search services module is further configured to select said first search engine and said second search engine based upon input received from a user interface.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

said first search query is associated with a first communication thread;

said second search query is associated with a second communication thread;

said search services module is further configured to

open said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

responsive to receiving said first result data and said second result data, close said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

transmit said search result to a user interface.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

said third format is a generic format, and

said search services module is further configured to:

receive said search request from a user interface, and

receive at a search services business process on said server said search request in a fourth format.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein

said first search query is associated with a first communication thread;

said second search query is associated with a second communication thread; and

said search services module is further configured to;

open said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

close said first communication thread and said second communication thread in response to a combination of

a timeout with respect to an expected receipt of one of a set comprising said first result data and said second result data, and

receiving one of said set comprising said first result data and said second result data.

21. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of instructions comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive at a server a search request in a third format,

wherein said third format is a search request format;

a second set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to generate a first search query in a first format, wherein

said first format is compatible with a format used by a first search engine,

said first format is a first search query format, and

said first search query is generated from said search request;

a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to generate a second search query in a second format, wherein

said second format is compatible with a format used by a second search engine,

said second format is a second search query format,

said second search query is generated from said search request,

said search request is in said third format, and

said first format and said second format are different from one another;

a fourth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to receive first result data comprising a plurality of first result data items, and

second result data comprising a plurality of second result data items; and

a fifth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to generate a search result, wherein

said fifth set of instructions comprises

an eleventh set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to consolidating said plurality of said first result data items and said plurality of said second result data items.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said plurality of instructions

further comprises a sixth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to:

transmit said first search query to said first search engine, and

transmit said second search query to said second search engine, wherein

said first format is compatible with a first naming schema,

said second format is compatible with a second naming schema, and

said third format is compatible with a third naming schema.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein

said first naming schema, said second naming schema, and said third naming schema are different from one another;

said second set of instructions further comprises

a seventh set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to map a field of said third format to an engine-specific field of said first format;

said third set of instructions further comprises

an eighth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to map said field of said third format to an engine-specific field of said second format;

said seventh set of instructions comprises

a ninth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to perform a first lookup in an engine translation table; and

said eighth set of instructions comprises

a tenth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to perform a second lookup in said engine translation table.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein

said plurality of instructions further comprises a twelfth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to select said first search engine and said

second search engine using a user interface;

said ninth set of instructions comprises a thirteenth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to authenticate said first engine;

said tenth set of instructions comprises a fourteenth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to authenticate said second engine; and

said plurality of instructions further comprises a fifteenth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to maintain said engine translation table in a search services module.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein

said first search query is associated with a first communication thread;

said second search query is associated with a second communication thread;

said plurality of instructions further comprises a sixteenth set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to;

open said first communication thread and said second communication thread, and

responsive to receiving said first result data and said second result data, closing said first communication thread and said second communication thread,

and transmit said search result to a user interface.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein

said third format is a generic format, and

said first set of instructions further comprises a seventeenth set of instructions,

executable on said computer system, configured to:

receive said search request from a user interface, and

receive at a search services business process on said server said search request in a fourth format.