Network interactive search engine server and method

Abstract

In a search engine server, a method for searching for data in a data network comprising hyperlinked pages comprising the steps of (1) receiving an initial set of network addresses for pages in the data network; (2) receiving a non-negative integer, N, specifying a chain length; (3) receiving a set of at least one search argument comprising search criteria; and (4) performing a search wherein all pages linked to said initial set of addresses by a chain of distance less than or equal to N are examined for compliance with the search criteria, and all pages meeting such criteria are returned as successful objects of the search. According to optional embodiments, the foregoing method can be implemented as a computer readable medium with instructions for performing the above steps, as an application program, or a browser resident at an end user's computer system. It is also possible to implement as a special purpose information handling system.

Description

[0001] This application relates to an invention similar to that in a Patent Application having attorney docket BC9-99-005, with the same inventors as identified above commonly assigned herewith to International Business Machines.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The invention disclosed broadly relates to the field of computer networks, and more particularly relates to the field of search methods for the World-Wide Web (WWW or simply, the Web).[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art[0005] The Internet is a global network of computers and computer networks that all linked communicate by virtue of the Internet Protocol (IP). The IP is a packet-switched communications protocol. In such protocols the information to be transmitted is broken up into a series of packets (i.e., sets of data) that are encapsulated in a sort of electronic envelope (the packet) including a portion called a header that includes fields for identifying the source of the transmission, the destination, and oth...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This results in difficulty finding the desired information.

A common problem with the general Internet search is that often too many result pages are returned and many of these have low relevance to the search request issued by the end-user.

Typically, the search engines used in corporate sites are not as powerful as the Internet search engines and typically provide less information than is desirable.

Even targeted searches frequently result in hundreds or thousands of hits.

This results in too much information, much of it not useful.

In addition, many Web domains have other links buried within their pages, and restricting a search to a specific Web domain results in ignoring information contained in these links.

This results in too little information.

These search engines are often less effective than desirable or lack advanced features of more generic search engines.

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