Displaying search results

• US 7,984,061 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kellum, David E., Donaldson, Thomas E., Goel, Surendra
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US12/102,520
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 715/210, 715/273, 707705-707, 707722-724, 707/728, 707/729, 707736-737, 707/748, 707/764, 707769-770, 707780-782, 707/709, 707/788
• US Class Current: 707/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

Website search results obtained from searching multiple electronic information stores may be displayed transparently without distinguishing the electronic information store. The search may be performed by a web host and may include receiving at least one search term that then is compared with first electronic information within a first electronic information store to determine whether matches exist, where the first electronic information includes content provided by an internal source. The search term also is compared with second electronic information within a second electronic information store to determine whether matches exist, where the second electronic information includes content provided by an external source. Results are displayed based on matches that are determined to exist with the first electronic information and the second electronic information. The results are combined in a single list of results.

Claims

1. A method for displaying web search results, the method comprising:

storing and maintaining web content accessed by selected users of a web-search host as an internal source of the web-search host;

receiving at least one search term at the web-search host;

comparing the search term with the internal source that is maintained by the web-search host to determine whether matches exist and obtaining an internal search result;

comparing the search term with an external source that is independent of the internal source maintained by parties other than the web-search host to determine whether matches exist and obtaining an external search result;

displaying the internal search result and the external search result in one output, wherein the internal search result is displayed in a first section, the external search result is displayed in a second section, the first section and the second section are physically distinct from each other on the output and the second section includes an indication text that the second section includes the external search result.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the web content accessed by selected users of a web-search host includes information that has been accessed by selected users located at a location geographically local to servers of the web-search host.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the internal search result and the external search result each includes a ranked list of web site identifiers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein external sources includes a third party search service.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the internal source includes proprietary information.

6. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium for displaying web site search results, comprising instructions for:

storing, at a web host, internal searchable content accessible only to members of the web host;

receiving at least one search term at the web host;

comparing, at the web host, the search term with the stored internal searchable content accessible only to members of the web host to determine whether matches exist, obtaining an internal search result that is part of the stored internal searchable content accessible only to members of the web host;

comparing the search term with electronic information that is external to the web host, that is distinct of the stored internal searchable content and that is accessible to both the members of the web host and non-members, to determine whether matches exist and obtaining an external search result that includes the matches that are determined to exist; and

displaying, in a single interface, results that includes the internal search results and the external search results wherein a group of more than one internal search result that includes the internal search result is displayed in a first section of the displayed output, a group of more than one external search result that includes the external search result is displayed in a second section of the displayed output, the first section and the second section are physically distinct from each other on the displayed output and the second section includes indication text indicating that the second section includes external search result.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the internal searchable content accessible only to members of the web host includes information that has been accessed by selected users located at a location geographically local to servers of the web host.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the internal search result and the external search result each includes a ranked list of web site identifiers.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the electronic information that is external to the web host includes a third party search service.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the internal searchable content includes proprietary information.