Multi-view internet search mashup

• US 7,899,803 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Viewzi, Inc.
• Inventors: Cotter, Brandon, Mancini, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kim T
• Application Number:
  US12/033,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/717
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

An internet search utility that combines and presents search results from disparate data sources to the user in a multi-view format. The search terms are disambiguated and a series of prioritized Views is displayed to the user in a View Mix interface. Each View includes a unique interface, processing widgets, and a unique combination of data sources. A View Picker determines, based on specific criteria, which Views are relevant and prioritizes the Views for the View Mix. As the user considers which View to select, the Pre-Caching Module conducts a background search, and preloads snapshots of top URLs for display. Selecting a particular View initiates a search per the instructions of that view. The resulting data is displayed in the View format. Views may be created by third parties or end users to reflect any particular preference thus yielding a multitude of unique views from which to consume search results.

Claims

1. A method for fulfilling an Internet search request for information related to a user'"'"'s search term, the method steps comprising:

(a) accepting a search term from the user;

(b) automatically selecting a plurality of search Views having dynamically computed degrees of relevance to the search term, wherein the relevance is determined utilizing at least one relevancy criterion, wherein each View comprises a unique combination of data presentation, processing widgets, and preselected data sources from which search results are obtained for the View;

(c) displaying the plurality of search Views to the user;

(d) accepting user selection of a View;

(e) obtaining search results based on the search term by utilizing an instruction set for the selected View; and

(f) displaying the search results within the selected View to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one prior search result is cached and the cache is checked for a given search result prior to obtaining the search result directly from the returned URL.

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

(a)(1) performing pre-search formatting and processing of the search term.

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

(a)(1) obtaining at least one pre-search result from at least one data source;

(a)(2) loading the Web page represented by the at least one pre-search result URL into a browser instance;

(a)(3) obtaining at least one screenshot of the Web page; and

(a)(4) retaining the at least one screenshot for subsequent retrieval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the browser instance is a headless browser instance that exists in system memory.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the method steps (a)(1) through (a)(4) are performed independently and concurrently with any of method steps (b) through (f).

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the screenshot is saved in an objectstore.

8. A computer software program tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage medium, the program including machine-readable instructions executable by a computer processor for performing a method for fulfilling an Internet search request for information related to a user'"'"'s search term, the program steps comprising:

(a) accepting a search term from the user;

(b) automatically selecting a plurality of search Views having dynamically computed degrees of relevance to the search term, wherein the relevance is determined utilizing at least one relevancy criterion, wherein each View comprises a unique combination of data presentation, processing widgets, and preselected data sources from which search results are obtained for the View;

(c) displaying the plurality of search Views to the user;

(d) accepting user selection of a View;

(e) obtaining search results based on the search term by utilizing an instruction set for the selected View; and

(f) displaying the search results within the selected View to the user.

9. The computer software program of claim 8 wherein at least one prior search result is cached and the cache is checked for a given search result prior to obtaining the search result directly from the returned URL.

10. The computer software program of claim 8, the program steps further comprising:

(a)(1) performing pre-search formatting and processing of the search term.

11. The computer software program of claim 8, the program steps further comprising:

(a)(1) obtaining at least one pre-search result from at least one data source;

(a)(2) loading the Web page represented by the at least one pre-search result URL into a browser instance;

(a)(3) obtaining at least one screenshot of the Web page; and

(a)(4) retaining the at least one screenshot for subsequent retrieval.

12. The computer software program of claim 11, wherein the browser instance is a headless browser instance that exists in system memory.

13. The computer software program of claim 11 wherein the program steps (a)(1) through (a)(4) are performed independently and concurrently with any of method steps (b) through (f).

14. The computer software program of claim 11 wherein the screenshot is saved in an objectstore.

15. A system for fulfilling an Internet search request for information related to a user'"'"'s search term, the system comprising:

a first computer, wherein the first computer is in communication with the Internet and is capable of generating and accepting requests for data; and

wherein the first computer performs the program steps comprising;

(a) accepting a search term from the user;

(b) automatically selecting a plurality of search Views having dynamically computed degrees of relevance to the search term, wherein the relevance is determined utilizing at least one relevancy criterion, and wherein each View comprises a unique combination edam presentation, processing widgets, and preselected data sources from which search results are obtained for the View;

(c) displaying the plurality of search Views to the user;

(d) accepting user selection of a View;

(e) obtaining search results based on the search term by utilizing an instruction set for the selected View; and

(f) displaying the search results within the selected View to the user.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least one prior search result is cached and the cache is checked for a given search result prior to obtaining the search result directly from the returned URL.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the first computer performs the program steps further comprising:

(a)(1) performing pre-search formatting and processing of the search term.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the first computer performs the program steps further comprising:

(a)(1) obtaining at least one pre-search result from at least one data source;

(a)(2) loading the Web page represented by the at least one pre-search result URL into a browser instance;

(a)(3) obtaining at least one screenshot of the Web page; and

(a)(4) retaining the at least one screenshot for subsequent display to the user.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the browser instance is a headless browser instance that exists in system memory.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the program steps (a)(1) through (a)(4) are performed independently and concurrently with any of method steps (b) through (f).

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the screenshot is saved in an objectstore.

22. The system of claim 15 further comprising a Pre-Cache Module or a Predictive Screenshotter Module.