Predictive information retrieval

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for generating results for a client-requested query involves receiving a query produced by a client communication device, generating a result for the query in response to reception of the query, determining one or more predictive follow-up requests before receiving an actual follow-up request from the client device, and initiating retrieval of information associated with the one or more predictive follow-up requests, and transmitting at least part of the result to the client device, and then transmitting to the client device at least part of the information associated with the one or more predictive follow-up requests.

1 . A computer-implemented method for generating results for a client-requested query, comprising: 
 receiving a query produced by a client communication device;    generating a result for the query in response to reception of the query;    determining one or more predictive follow-up requests before receiving an actual follow-up request from the client device, and initiating retrieval of information associated with the one or more predictive follow-up requests; and    transmitting at least part of the result to the client device, and then transmitting to the client device at least part of the information associated with the one or more predictive follow-up requests.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the query comprises a search request.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the result comprises data for generating a plurality of hyperlinks to information relating to the query.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the predictive follow-up requests are determined by identifying targets of the hyperlinks.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predictive follow-up requests are determined by identifying searching services available to the user.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the searching services comprise web searching, shopping searching, news searching, or image searching.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the searching services comprise three or more members of the group consisting of web searching, shopping searching, news searching, or image searching.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a pre-established number of predictive follow-up requests is determined.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum transfer size is computed as a function of a connection speed for the client communication device, and information associated with the one or more predictive follow-up requests is not transmitted if it exceeds the maximum transfer size.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predictive follow-up requests are determined as a function of search term correlation for a plurality of clients.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying advertising matches for the predictive follow-up requests before receiving an actual follow-up request from the client device.  
   
   
       12 . A computer-implemented data collection and distribution system, comprising: 
 a request processor to receive data requests from one or more remote clients;    a response generator to identify and present information responsive to the data requests;    a request predicting module to determine one or more predictive follow-up requests representative of likely requests to be made subsequently by a user of the remote client; and    an interface to provide the information responsive to the data requests and information responsive to the one or more predictive follow-up requests without the need for an actual follow-up request.    
   
   
       13 . The data collection and distribution system of  claim 12 , wherein the response generator comprises an internet search engine.  
   
   
       14 . The data collection and distribution system of  claim 12 , wherein the information responsive to the data requests comprises hyperlink information.  
   
   
       15 . The data collection and distribution system of  claim 14 , wherein the predictive follow-up requests comprise information at locations associated with the hyperlink information.  
   
   
       16 . The data collection and distribution system of  claim 12 , wherein the predictive follow-up requests comprise requests for a plurality of search types.  
   
   
       17 . The data collection and distribution system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of search types include web search, news search, shopping search, or image search, blog search, or news group search.  
   
   
       18 . The data collection and distribution system of  claim 12 , further comprising an advertising selector to identify advertising content associated with the predictive follow-up requests before a follow-up request is made.  
   
   
       19 . A computer-implemented data collection and distribution system, comprising: 
 a request processor to receive data requests from one or more remote clients;    a response generator to identify and present information responssive to the data requests;    means for determining one or more predictive follow-up requests representative of likely requests to be made subsequently by a user of the remote client; and    an interface to provide the information responsive to the data requests and information responsive to the one or more predictive follow-up requests without the need for an actual follow-up request.