Automated tool for human assisted mining and capturing of precise results

Abstract

An automated tool for human assisted analysis of search results for obtaining precise results responsive to a request. A single query entry triggers a search using one or more resources and results returned from the resources are displayed in a corresponding embedded renderer. A human provider analyzes the returned results and extracts pertinent information for delivery to a requestor who submitted the query.

1 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
 passing a request to a resource;   providing a ranked list of resources associated with a keyword of the query, the ranked list including the resource;   choosing, by a person, the resource;   building a response based on a selection by a human provider from results returned from a search via the resource; and   delivering the response as an answer to the request.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 selecting, by a human provider ranked highest for the request, a result returned by the resource;   building, by the human provider, the response based on content indicated by the result; and   recording a location associated with the result.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the location is a URL of a web page of the selection. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 delivering an index page tab for directing a user to the location of the content within the web page.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 weighting keywords of the query; and   selecting the keyword based on the weighting of the keyword.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the resource is an Internet directory. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the resource is a search engine. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the person is an administrator and the list includes a default resource for the keyword and the ranking is determined by the administrator. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the person is the human provider and the ranking is based on frequency of use by human providers. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 2 , comprising:
 obtaining a portion of the content selected by the human provider; and   recording the content in association with the answer and the location, the content including a portion of the answer.   
     
     
         11 . A persistent computer readable medium storing therein a program for causing a computer to execute an operation including aiding a human assisted search, comprising:
 passing a request to a resource;   providing a ranked list of resources associated with a keyword of the query, the ranked list including the resource;   choosing, by a person, the resource; and   building a response based on a selection of a human provider from results returned from a search via the resource; and   delivering the response as an answer to the request.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 selecting a highest ranking human provider associated with the keyword; and   choosing, by the highest ranking human provider the resource.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 building the response based on a search of a resource accessible only to the human provider.   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 including the resource in the ranked list of resources based on popularity of the resource among human providers performing searches.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 including the resource in the ranked list of resources based on previous use of the resource to obtain another answer.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 obtaining, by the human provider, information from a media file indicated by a search result returned by the resource;   composing, by the human provider, the response including a portion of the information;   recording an indicator of a location of the media file, an indicator of the resource, an indicator of the response, an indicator of the information, and an identifier of the human provider; and   selecting the human provider as the person based on a ranking of the human provider for the request.   
     
     
         17 . A computer interface, comprising:
 a query window indicating a query to be searched by a human searcher;   search resource selection controls for selecting a search resource from a list of available search resources to search with the query;   a ranking indicator associated with the search resource selection controls;   a keyword indicator providing information of a keyword associated with the available search resources.   
     
     
         18 . The interface according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 result windows displaying search results of the selected search resources.   
     
     
         19 . The interface according to  claim 18 , wherein the available search resources are selected for queries associated with the keyword by an administrator. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for performing a search, comprising:
 a user device submitting a request and receiving an answer of a human provider;   a provider system receiving the request, receiving a search result from a resource, selecting the search result and enabling the human provider to compose a direct answer to the request based on a search of content located by the search result, the search being performed by the human provider; and   a search system receiving the request, selecting the provider system, directing the request to the resource as determined by a selection of a person from a ranked list of available resources, determining the available resources, and recording a location indicated by the search result and the resource.