Integration of personalized portals with web content syndication

Abstract

Personal portal pages for individual users are integrated with web content syndication. For example, when a search query is received from the user, a list of hits is generated. For each hit, it is determined whether there is an associated syndication feed, such as an RSS feed. The list of hits is displayed for the user, and a syndication option is included for each hit that has an associated syndication feed. The user can select the syndication option and thereby subscribe their personal portal page to that syndication feed. In some embodiments, the user may also be able to select syndication feeds for subscription via an alternative interface.

1 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A computer implemented method for responding to a query, the method comprising:
 receiving in a search engine the query from a user, the query including a plurality of search terms;   generating, in response to the search terms, a list of one or more hits, each hit referencing a target page or site, the list of one or more hits capable of including each of one or more hits with an associated syndication feed and one or more hits without an associated syndication feed;   for each target page or site, detecting whether the target page or the site has an associated syndication feed;   providing the list of one or more hits capable of including each of one or more hits with an associated syndication feed and one or more hits without an associated syndication feed, including a syndication option for each target page or site that has an associated syndication feed;   receiving a selection of the syndication option for one of the hits from the user; and   in response to the selection, updating a personal portal page for the user to include a subscription to the syndication feed selected by the user.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the syndication feed comprises an RSS feed. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising providing an alternative interface for the user to subscribe the personal portal page to a syndication feed. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the alternative interface includes a webpage or a syndication search page. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising in response to the selection, providing a preview page that includes a preview of the syndication feed. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising in response to the selection, providing a field window that includes a preview of the syndication feed. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the syndication option includes a user selectable screen button configured to initiate the subscription. 
     
     
         39 . A system for responding to a query, the system comprising:
 a search server including search engine configured to:   receive the query from a client system, the query including a plurality search terms;   search a search index to generate, in response to the search terms, a list of one or more hits each hit referencing a target page or site, the list of one or more hits capable of including each of one or more hits with an associated syndication feed and one or more hits without an associated syndication feed;   detect whether the target page or the site has an associated syndication feed;   provide the list of one or more hits capable of including each of one or more hits with an associated syndication feed and one or more hits without an associated syndication feed, including a syndication option for each target page or site that has an associated syndication feed;   receive a selection of the syndication option for one of the hits from the user; and   in response to the selection, and update a personal portal page for the user to include a subscription to the syndication feed selected by the user.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the syndication feed comprises an RSS feed. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the search server is further configured to provide an alternative interface for the user to subscribe the personal portal page to a syndication feed. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the alternative interface includes a webpage or a syndication search page. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising in response to the selection, providing a preview page that includes a preview of the syndication feed. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising in response to the selection, providing a field window that includes a preview of the syndication feed. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the syndication option includes a user selectable screen button configured to initiate the subscription. 
     
     
         46 . Computer readable media comprising program code that when executed by a programmable processor causes the processor to perform a method for responding to a query, the computer readable media comprising: program code for:
 receiving, in a general-purpose search engine, the query from a user including a plurality of search terms;   generating, in response to the search terms, a list of one or more hits, each hit referencing a target page or site, the list of one or more hits capable of including each of one or more hits with an associated syndication feed and one or more hits without an associated syndication feed;   for each target page or site, detecting whether the target page or the site has an associated syndication feed;   providing the list of one or more hits capable of including each of one or more hits with an associated syndication feed and one or more hits without an associated syndication feed, including a syndication option for each target page or site that has an associated syndication feed;   receiving a selection of the syndication option for one of the hits from the user; and   in response to the selection, updating personal portal page for the user to include a subscription to the syndication feed selected by the user.   
     
     
         47 . The computer readable medium of  claim 46 , wherein the syndication feed comprises an RSS feed. 
     
     
         48 . The computer readable medium of  claim 47 , further comprising program code for providing an alternative interface for the user to subscribe the personal portal page to a syndication feed. 
     
     
         49 . The computer readable medium of  claim 46 , wherein the alternative interface includes a webpage or a syndication search page. 
     
     
         50 . The computer readable medium of  claim 46 , further comprising in response to the selection, providing a preview page that includes a preview of the syndication feed. 
     
     
         51 . The computer readable medium of  claim 46 , wherein the syndication option includes a user selectable screen button configured to initiate the subscription.