Network search engine using objective and subjective user favorites for seraching

Abstract

An Internet infrastructure that supports search operations that are restricted by user favorite lists, related user metadata, and user trends that are based on client-stored user favorite behavior. The Internet infrastructure contains a search engine server coupled to a plurality of web browsers resident on client devices that contain user/favorite lists and metadata. The search engine supports delivery of search result web links to the client device based upon a search string, favorite list, and related metadata. The search engine server gathers favorite lists and related metadata from the plurality of web browsers, anonymously and with user permission. The search engine server stores the gathered favorite lists and related metadata in a database that is associated with the search engine server, and delivers search results based upon the search string by putting restrictions on search results based upon stored data in the database.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by an Internet search system that supports searching associated with a plurality of Internet web pages by a plurality of users via a plurality of user computing devices, the method comprising:
 receiving subjective indications of favorite web sites from each of the plurality of users via the plurality of user computing devices,
 a first of the subjective indications being received from a first of the plurality of users, 
 a second of the subjective indications being received from a second of the plurality of users; 
   receiving objective indications of favorite web sites associated with each of the plurality of users via the plurality of user computing devices;   storing both the subjective indications and objective indications within a favorites database structure;   searching, based on a first search request of a third of the plurality of users, to identify first search results associated with a first portion of the plurality of Internet web pages; and   searching, based on a second search request of a fourth of the plurality of users, to identify second search results associated with a second portion of the plurality of Internet web pages,
 the second search request including a first favorites search parameter relating to the subjective indications, 
 the second search results being constructed at least in part using the first of the subjective indications; and searching, based on a third search request of a fifth of the plurality of users, to identify third search results associated with a third portion of the plurality of Internet web pages, 
 the third search request including a second favorites search parameter, the third search results being constructed using both the second of the subjective indications and the objective indications associated with at least one of the plurality of users.