Information searching method, information searching apparatus, information searching system, and computer-readable information searching program

Abstract

An information searching method to be implemented in a computer includes accepting a first character string from characters or a character string in a reading or inspecting document that is displayed on a display unit, acquiring a second character string from index information for searching the reading or inspecting document, based on identification information of the reading or inspecting document, and executing a search based on the first character string and the second character string.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A search apparatus comprising:
 a search unit configured to obtain a search result by searching a database based on a character string selected from an inspecting document displayed on an information processing apparatus and information of the inspecting document; and   a transmitting unit configured to transmit the search result to the information processing apparatus.   
     
     
         22 . The search apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein information of the inspecting document includes information specifying a location of the inspecting document. 
     
     
         23 . The search apparatus as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the information specifying the location of the inspecting document is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). 
     
     
         24 . The search apparatus as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the transmitting unit transmits advertising contents together with the search result. 
     
     
         25 . The search apparatus as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the advertising contents are selected based on the character string and the information of the inspecting document. 
     
     
         26 . A search system comprising:
 a search unit configured to obtain a search result by searching a database based on a character string selected from an inspecting document displayed on an information processing apparatus and information of the inspecting document; and   a transmitting unit configured to transmit the search result to the information processing apparatus.   
     
     
         27 . The search system as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the transmitting unit transmits advertising contents together with the search result. 
     
     
         28 . A search system comprising:
 a search apparatus; and   an information processing apparatus,   wherein the information processing apparatus includes a first transmitting unit configured to transmit a character string selected from an inspecting document displayed on the information processing apparatus and information of the inspecting document, and   wherein the search apparatus includes:
 a search unit configured to obtain a search result by searching a database based on the character string selected from the inspecting document displayed on the information processing apparatus and the information of the inspecting document; and 
 a second transmitting unit configured to transmit the search result to the information processing apparatus. 
   
     
     
         29 . The search system as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the second transmitting unit transmits advertising contents together with the search result. 
     
     
         30 . The search system as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the advertising contents are selected based on the character string and the information of the inspecting document. 
     
     
         31 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a display unit configured to display information;   a first transmitting unit configured to transmit information of an inspecting document displayed on the display unit;   a second transmitting unit configured to transmit a character string selected from the inspecting document; and   a receiving unit configured to receive a search result that is obtained based on the information of the inspecting document and the character string selected from the inspecting document.   
     
     
         32 . The information processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 31 , wherein the receiving unit receives advertising contents together with the search result. 
     
     
         33 . The information processing apparatus as claimed in  claim 32 , wherein the advertising contents are selected based on the character string and the information of the inspecting document.