Systems and methods for combining content and input from content sources with search results

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to systems and methods for enhancing search results. In one embodiment, search results responsive to user search terms are combined with real-time content and input from content providers. The content providers can further generate and edit text based filters to cause the search engine to reprioritize the search results, wherein higher search results contain links and other viewable digital content, such as real-time data obtained directly from content providers, that is more responsive to the user search terms.

1 . A system for enhancing an Internet-based search engine configured to generate one or more search results combined with other viewable digital content in response to a user input of search terms, wherein each of the one or more search results includes a link to a remote web site, comprising:
 a database containing a plurality of text-based filters related to content from a plurality of third-party websites and other viewable digital content; and   a computing system operably coupled to the database having a processor and non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to:
 generate a user interface for access by a plurality of content providers of the plurality of third-party websites to generate and edit the plurality of text-based filters on the database and upload the other viewable digital content, and 
 import the plurality of text-based filters into the search engine, wherein the plurality of text-based filters causes the search engine to reprioritize the one or more search results, wherein higher priority search results contain one or more links to one or more of the plurality of third-party websites and other viewable digital content if the content of the one or more of the plurality of third-party websites is more responsive to the user input of search terms. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 enable the search engine to access and retrieve real-time data from the content provider associated with a third-party website included in the reprioritized search results, wherein the real-time data is included for display as the other viewable digital content.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the other viewable digital content includes at least one of a graphical image and a multimedia file. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the search results are based solely on the plurality of text-based filters generated or edited by a content provider. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 generate text-based filters based on contextual information about one of the user or the user input of search terms.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of text-based filters include one or more keyword triggers configurable by the plurality of content providers, and wherein the one or more keyword triggers influence the one or more search results from the user input of search terms related to the one or more keyword triggers. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a third-party website contains crawlable data or data accessible in real-time, and further wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 enable only certain search engines to crawl or access in real-time the third-party website of the content provider.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user input of search terms is derived from speech recognition. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more search results and/or the other viewable digital content are based at least in part on amounts bid by the content providers, via an electronic bidding system, for inclusion in the one or more search results. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 enable a first content provider to link a second content provider's website and other viewable digital content related to the first content provider's website such that the second content provider's website and the other viewable content are located proximate to the first content provider's website in the one or more search results.   
     
     
         11 . An electronic method for enhancing an Internet-based search engine to generate one or more search results combined with other viewable digital content in response to a user input of search terms, wherein each of the one or more search results includes a link to a remote web site, comprising:
 enabling a plurality of content providers of the plurality of third-party websites to generate and edit a plurality of text-based filters related to content from a plurality of third-party web sites; and   import the plurality of text-based filters into the search engine, wherein the plurality of text-based filters causes the search engine to reprioritize the one or more search results, wherein higher priority search results contain one or more links to one or more of the plurality of third-party websites and other viewable digital content provided directly from at least one of the content providers if the content of the one or more of the plurality of third-party websites is more responsive to the user input of search terms.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 enabling the search engine to access and retrieve real-time data from the content provider associated with a third-party website included in the reprioritized search results, wherein the real-time data is included for display as the other viewable digital content.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the other viewable digital content includes at least one of a graphical image and a multimedia file. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the search results are based solely on the plurality of text-based filters generated or edited by a content provider. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 generating text-based filters based on contextual information about one of the user or the user input of search terms.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of text-based filters include one or more keyword triggers configurable by the plurality of content providers, and wherein the one or more keyword triggers influence the one or more search results from the user input of search terms related to the one or more keyword triggers. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a third-party website contains crawlable data or data accessible in real-time, and wherein the method further comprises:
 enabling only certain search engines to crawl or access in real-time the third-party web site of the content provider.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user input of search terms is derived from speech recognition. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more search results and/or the other viewable digital content are based at least in part on amounts bid by the content providers, via an electronic bidding system, for inclusion in the one or more search results. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 enabling a first content provider to link a second content provider's web site and other viewable digital content related to the first content provider's website such that the second content provider's website and the other viewable content are located proximate to the first content provider's web site in the one or more search results.   
     
     
         21 . A computer program product loadable into internal memory of a digital computer to enhance an Internet-based search engine to generate one or more search results combined with other viewable digital content in response to a user input of search terms, wherein each of the one or more search results includes a link to a remote web site, wherein the computer program product includes instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to:
 enable a plurality of content providers of the plurality of third-party websites to generate and edit a plurality of text-based filters related to content from a plurality of third-party websites; and   import the plurality of text-based filters into the search engine, wherein the plurality of text-based filters causes the search engine to reprioritize the one or more search results, wherein higher priority search results contain one or more links to one or more of the plurality of third-party websites and other viewable digital content provided directly from at least one of the content providers if the content of the one or more of the plurality of third-party websites is more responsive to the user input of search terms.   
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 enable the search engine to access and retrieve real-time data from the content provider associated with a third-party website included in the reprioritized search results, wherein the real-time data is included for display as the other viewable digital content.   
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the other viewable digital content includes at least one of a graphical image and a multimedia file. 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the search results are based solely on the plurality of text-based filters generated or edited by a content provider. 
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 generate text-based filters based on contextual information about one of the user or the user input of search terms.   
     
     
         26 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of text-based filters include one or more keyword triggers configurable by the plurality of content providers, and wherein the one or more keyword triggers influence the one or more search results from the user input of search terms related to the one or more keyword triggers. 
     
     
         27 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 enable only certain search engines to crawl or access in real-time the third-party website of the content provider.   
     
     
         28 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the user input of search terms is derived from speech recognition. 
     
     
         29 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more search results and/or the other viewable digital content are based at least in part on amounts bid by the content providers, via an electronic bidding system, for inclusion in the one or more search results. 
     
     
         30 . The computer program product of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, causes said processor to further:
 enable a first content provider to link a second content provider's website and other viewable digital content related to the first content provider's website such that the second content provider's website and the other viewable content are located proximate to the first content provider's website in the one or more search results.