System and Method for Retrieving and Organizing Information From Disparate Computer Network Information Services

Abstract

A system and method is provided for accessing information from a plurality of searchable information sources. The method includes the steps of: analyzing a user search query to determine a subject matter of the query; and selecting a sub-set of information from the plurality of information sources based upon the determined subject matter of the query. In further detailed embodiment, the analyzing step combines at least two methods of deriving the subject matter from the search query; and the method further includes the step of searching the information source(s) in the sub-set of information sources, substantially in parallel, for documents relevant to the search query. A system and method is also provided for searching a plurality of searchable information sources, where the information sources include at least one secure source. This method includes the steps of: (a) storing security credentials necessary for accessing the secure source; (b) accessing the secure source utilizing the stored security credentials; (c) accessing a non-secure source; (d) searching the accessed sources, substantially in parallel, for documents relevant to a search query; and (e) displaying results of the searching step.

1 . A computer implemented method for searching a plurality of searchable information sources, the information sources including at least one secure source and at least one non-secure source, the method comprising the steps of: 
 storing security credentials necessary for accessing the secure source;    accessing the secure source utilizing the stored security credentials;    accessing the non-secure source;    searching the accessed sources for documents relevant to a search query; and    displaying results of the searching step.    
   
   
       2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the searching step searches the accessed sources substantially in parallel.  
   
   
       3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the plurality of information sources includes a plurality of secure sources;    the step of storing security credentials includes the step of storing respective security credentials necessary for accessing each secure source; and    the step of accessing the secure source involves the step of accessing the plurality of secure sources, substantially in parallel, utilizing the respective stored security credentials.    
   
   
       4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the method operates on a computer network system having a plurality of users; and    the step of storing security credentials includes the step of storing respective security credentials for accessing each secure server by each user of the computer network system.    
   
   
       5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the security credentials are stored in a database, wherein the database includes a table for each user, and wherein each table includes the set of respective security credentials for accessing each secure source by the respective user.  
   
   
       6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein at least certain of the security credentials are shared by certain groups of users during at least one of the accessing and searching steps.  
   
   
       7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of storing security credentials includes the steps of recording a user's security credentials as the user preliminarily enters the secure source and storing the recorded user's security credentials for the subsequent step of accessing the secure sever.  
   
   
       8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the stored user's security credentials are reusable for multiple steps of accessing the secure server.  
   
   
       9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the security credentials are used substantially transparently to the user during the step of accessing the secure server.  
   
   
       10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the step of accessing the secure source further includes the step of storing session cookies set by the source for use during the searching step.    
   
   
       11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the steps of recording a user's security credentials as the user preliminarily enters the secure source and storing the recorded user's security credentials for the subsequent step of accessing the secure sever, includes the steps of providing a visual tool to the user that displays a log-in page for the secure source and has the user perform the step of logging into the secure source provided by the visual tool, wherein the visual tool records the user's security credentials during the log-in step.  
   
   
       12 . A computer implemented method for searching a plurality of searchable information sources by plurality of users to a computer network system, the information sources including at least one secure source, the method comprising the steps of: 
 for each user, storing security credentials necessary for accessing the secure source;    accessing, by each user, the secure source utilizing the stored security credentials for each user; and    searching the accessed secure source, by the plurality of users for documents relevant to one or more search queries.    
   
   
       13 . The computer implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the searching step includes the step of searching the accessed secure source, by the plurality of users substantially in parallel.  
   
   
       14 . The computer implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of creating a session file for each user accessing the secure source.  
   
   
       15 . The computer implemented method of  claim 14 , wherein the session file includes one or more elements take from a group consisting of: 
 cookies;    session parameters;    session ids; and    a session state.    
   
   
       16 . The computer implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the information sources include a plurality of secure sources;    the storing step includes the step of storing, for each user, security credentials necessary for accessing one or more of the plurality of secure sources;    the accessing step includes the step of accessing, by each user, one or more of the plurality of secure sources utilizing the stored security credentials for each user; and    the searching step includes the step of searching the accessed secure sources, by the plurality of users, for documents relevant to one or more search queries.    
   
   
       17 . The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein, for each user, a session file is created for each secure source accessed by that user.  
   
   
       18 . The computer implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 the information sources include a plurality of secure sources;    the storing step includes the step of storing, for each user, security credentials necessary for accessing one or more of the plurality of secure sources;    the accessing step includes the step of accessing, by each user, one or more of the plurality of secure sources utilizing the stored security credentials for each user; and    the searching step includes the step of searching the accessed secure sources, by the plurality of users, substantially in parallel, for documents relevant to one or more search queries.    
   
   
       19 . The computer implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein at least certain of the security credentials are shared by certain groups of users during at least one of the accessing and searching steps.