Searching through content which is accesible through web-based forms

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates searching through content which is accessible though web-based forms. During operation, the system receives a query containing keywords. Next, the system analyzes the query to create a structured query. The system then performs a lookup based on the structured query in a database containing entries describing the web-based forms. Next, the system ranks forms returned by the lookup, and uses the rankings and associated database entries to facilitate a search through content which is accessible through the forms.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of generating a computer-readable electronic form database containing a database entry for each of a plurality of web-based forms, the method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of web-based forms;   obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein the obtaining comprises:   inputting one or more constants into input fields on each of the identified web-based forms, and   obtaining the information from output fields on each of the identified web-based forms responsive to the inputted constants;   creating a database entry for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein creating the database entry comprises storing in the database entry the obtained information; and   generating a computer-readable electronic form database by storing the created database entries for the identified web-based forms in the computer-readable electronic form database.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the plurality of web-based forms comprises crawling web sites for web-based forms and identifying the plurality of web-based forms from the crawled web sites. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein identifying the plurality of web-based forms comprises receiving a list of web-based forms and identifying the plurality of web-based forms from the received list of web-based forms. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein inputting the one or more constants comprises:
 generating the one or more constants from information stored for each of the identified web-based forms, and   inputting the generated one or more constants.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein inputting the one or more constants comprises:
 obtaining the one or more constants from one or more drop-down menus associated with the input fields on the identified web-based forms; and   inputting the obtained one or more constants.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising storing the obtained one or more constants in the database entries for the identified web-based forms. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms comprises obtaining content from each of the identified web-based forms. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein obtaining content from each of the identified web-based forms comprises accessing the identified web-based forms through a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), wherein the URL contains a GET-string that extracts the content. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms comprises obtaining metadata for each of the identified web-based forms. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the obtained metadata describes the web-based form. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
 a classification of the web-based form;   a geographic location relevant to the information obtained from the web-based form;   the input fields of the web-based form;   input fields that are required by the web-based form; or   the output fields of the web-based form.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the obtained metadata describes a source of the web-based form. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
 a classification of the source;   a geographic location relevant to the source; or   a rank of the source.   
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:
 identify a plurality of web-based forms; 
 obtain information for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein, when obtaining the information, at least one of the one or more computers is to: 
 input one or more constants into input fields on each of the identified web-based forms, and 
 obtain the information from output fields on each of the identified web-based forms responsive to the inputted constants; 
 create a database entry for each of the identified web-based forms, wherein, when creating the database entry, at least one of the one or more computers is to store in the database entry the obtained information; and 
 generate a computer-readable electronic form database by storing the created database entries for the identified web-based forms in the computer-readable electronic form database. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when identifying the plurality of web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to crawl web sites for web-based forms and identify the plurality of web-based forms from the crawled web sites. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when identifying the plurality of web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to receive a list of web-based forms and identify the plurality of web-based forms from the received list of web-based forms. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when inputting the one or more constants, at least one of the one or more computers is to:
 generate the one or more constants from information stored for each of the identified web-based forms, and   input the generated one or more constants.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when inputting the one or more constants, at least one of the one or more computers is to:
 obtain the one or more constants from one or more drop-down menus associated with the input fields on the web-based forms; and   input the obtained one or more constants.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , where at least one of the one or more computers is to store the obtained one or more constants in the database entries for the identified web-based forms. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to obtain content from each of the identified web-based forms. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein, when obtaining content from each of the identified web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to access the identified web-based forms through a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), wherein the URL contains a GET-string that extracts the content. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein, when obtaining information for each of the identified web-based forms, at least one of the one or more computers is to obtain metadata for each of the identified web-based forms. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the obtained metadata describes the web-based form. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
 a classification of the web-based form;   a geographic location relevant to the information obtained from the web-based form;   the input fields of the web-based form;   input fields that are required by the web-based form; or   the output fields of the web-based form.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the obtained metadata describes a source of the web-based form. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
 a classification of the source;   a geographic location relevant to the source; or   a rank of the source.   
     
     
         28 . An article of manufacture, comprising:
 a computer-readable storage medium;   information stored in the computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 a database entry for each of a plurality of web-based forms, wherein the database entry for a web-based form, of the plurality of web-based forms, comprises stored information, wherein the stored information comprises information obtained from output fields on the web-based form responsive to one or more constants inputted into input fields on the web-based form. 
   
     
     
         29 . The article of manufacture of  claim 28 , wherein the stored information further comprises the one or more constants inputted into input fields on the web-based form. 
     
     
         30 . The article of manufacture of  claim 28 , wherein the one or more constants are obtained from one or more drop-down menus associated with the input fields on the web-based form. 
     
     
         31 . The article of manufacture of  claim 28 , wherein the stored information further comprises content obtained from the web-based form. 
     
     
         32 . The article of manufacture of  claim 31 , wherein the obtained content is obtained by accessing the web-based form through a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), wherein the URL contains a GET-string that extracts the content. 
     
     
         33 . The article of manufacture of  claim 28 , wherein the stored information further comprises metadata obtained from the web-based form. 
     
     
         34 . The article of manufacture of  claim 33 , wherein the obtained metadata describes the web-based form. 
     
     
         35 . The article of manufacture of  claim 34 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
 a classification of the web-based form;   a geographic location relevant to the information obtained from the web-based form;   the input fields of the web-based form;   input fields that are required by the web-based form; or   the output fields of the web-based form.   
     
     
         36 . The article of manufacture of  claim 33 , wherein the obtained metadata describes a source of the web-based form. 
     
     
         37 . The article of manufacture of  claim 36 , wherein the obtained metadata comprises at least one of:
 a classification of the source;   a geographic location relevant to the source; or   a rank of the source.