Search engine

Abstract

The present invention provides for a method of updating an internet search engine database with the results of a user's selection of specific web page listings from the general web page listing provided to the user as a result of his initial keyword search entry. By updating the database with the selections of many different users, the database can be updated to prioritize those web listings that have been selected the most with respect to a given keyword, and thereby presenting first the most popular web page listings in a subsequent search using the same keyword search entry.

We claim:  
     
         1 . In a computer network having a plurality of user sites, a method of weighting the relative importance of a plurality of data items stored in a database on a server computer comprising the steps of: 
 receiving at said server computer a keyword from a user site;    generating at said server computer a plurality of listings corresponding to said keyword, each listing also corresponding to one of said data items;    transmitting from said server computer to one of said user sites said plurality of listings;    detecting at said server computer which ones of said plurality of data items are selected by said user site, said user site being transmitted each selected one of said data items upon selection of said corresponding listing by said user site; and    updating said database to weight said selected ones of said data items as relatively more important than unselected ones of said data items with respect to said keyword.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including the steps of 
 receiving, prior to said step of receiving said keyword, a password identifying a user;    determining, using said password, if said user is one of a selected group; and    wherein said step of detecting only occurs if said user is determined to be one of said selected group.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein, associated with each of said data items, is an update date; and 
 wherein said step of generating generates said plurality of listings based upon data items corresponding to said keyword that have been most recently updated.  
 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein, associated with each data item, is a recent weighting factor X and an old weighting factor Y; and 
 wherein said step of generating generates said plurality of listings based upon data items that are increasing in popularity the fastest, as determined using said recent weighting factor X and said old weighting factor Y.  
 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including the steps of 
 receiving, prior to said step of receiving said keyword, a password identifying a user; and    wherein said step of generating generates, for said keyword received, as said plurality of listings only user specific listings associated with said user, said user specific listings having been detected in earlier ones of said detecting steps associated with said user.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein, associated with each data item, is a plurality of groups; and 
 wherein said step of receiving said keyword also receives an identification of a first of said groups; and    wherein said step of generating generates said plurality of listings from only those data items associated with said first identified group.    
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein said step of receiving receives an identification of a second of said groups; and 
 wherein said step of generating generates said plurality of listings from only those data items associated with both said first and said second identified groups.    
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further including the step of determining if said keyword is permitted keyword; and 
 wherein said step of generating is only performed if said keyword is a permitted keyword.    
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said step of detecting only detects each keyword one time from each user site during a determined interval of time.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein said step of detecting each keyword one time includes the steps of: 
 associating an identifier with each user site; and    using said identifier to track keywords that have been entered from each of said plurality of user sites.    
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein said step of generating uses a history factor associated with each keyword in determining said plurality of listings.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein said history factor is a number less than or equal to 1 and greater than or equal to 0.  
     
     
         13 . In a computer network having a plurality of user sites and developer sites, a method of populating a database on a server computer comprising the steps of: 
 entering a plurality of data items into said database from said developer sites, each of said data items entered into said database including as associated identifiers a plurality of associated keywords; and    updating said database by entering a plurality of user traces, each of said user traces identifying one of said data items and an associated keyword so that each trace increases the relative importance of the associated data item with respect to said associated keyword.    
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said step of entering said plurality of data items includes as one of said associated identifiers one of a creation date and an update date.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said step of entering said plurality of data items includes as one of said associated identifiers a developer site identifier.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said developer site identifier is used to prevent said developer site from being used during said step of updating for said data items entered by said developer site.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein each of said user traces includes a user site identifier; and said user site identifier is used to update a user site table.  
     
     
         18 . In a computer network having a plurality developer sites, a method of determining content to provide along with listings transmitted from a server computer to user sites comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining a content listing from each of said plurality of said developer sites, each of said content listings including content, a developer identifier, and a keyword, and a keyword selection factor;    determining a particular keyword from said obtained keywords that is the same for different content listings; and    using the keyword selection factor in determining when to transmit said different content listings to said user sites.    
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , further including obtaining a profile and a profile selection factor for each content listing; 
 determining a particular profile from said obtained profiles that is the same for different content listings; and    using the profile selection factor in determining when to transmit said different content listings to said user sites.    
     
     
         20 . In a computer network having a plurality of user sites, a method of weighting the relative importance of a plurality of keywords stored in a database on a server computer comprising the steps of: 
 receiving at said server computer an initial keyword from a user site;    generating at said server computer a plurality of related keywords corresponding to said initial keyword;    transmitting from said server computer to one of said user sites said plurality of related keywords;    detecting at said server computer which one of said plurality of related keywords are selected by said user site; and    updating said database to weight a relationship of said selected keyword and said initial keyword greater than a relationship of said unselected keywords and said initial keyword.