WO2001035270A1

WO2001035270A1 - Search dedicated web site and search method on internet

Info

Publication number: WO2001035270A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/001217
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chin-Woo Yoo
Original assignee: Link Plus, Inc.
Priority date: 1999-11-06
Filing date: 2000-10-27
Publication date: 2001-05-17
Also published as: AU1060601A; KR20000006838A; CN1421011A; KR100337810B1

Abstract

A search dedicated web site for making convenient and facilitating a search on the Internet and a search method therefor are provided. The search dedicated web site includes a first search page for allowing a user accessed to the site to select a desired search engine for a desired field and a searcher which is made by storing search forms of the search engines disclosed in the first search page in a database, for collecting and loading links and search functions of search engines which are primarily used by the user. The searcher includes at least one of a standard searcher unit for linking and collecting search engines which are primarily used by users, and an order-based searcher unit for allowing the users to access the search engines easily which are primarily used by the user and collecting the search engines. A variety of user desired search engines can be loaded into a single searcher, through a remote searcher window or a browser window. Search results of a number of search engines that are incorporated in a web search page can be obtained with only a single Internet connection step such as a http request. When a result of a different search engine is desired using the same search key word, the search key word does not need to be entered again.

Description

SEARCH DEDICATED WEB SITE AND SEARCH METHOD ON

INTERNET

Technical Field The present invention relates to a search dedicated web site for convenient and easy searches on the Internet and a search method therefor, and more particularly, to a search dedicated web site and a search method therefor, in which directories of various search engines are created, the search engines are classified and searched in each field, search forms of the stored search engines are made into a database and, thus, if a user selects a desired search engine, the selected search engine is automatically loaded on a particular search page, to thereby enable a desired search result to be easily found. Also, the present invention relates to a search dedicated web site and a search method therefor, in which search result is obtained through only one-time network access and in which the same search key words as those typed in one search engine can be used to obtain search results of other search engines. The present invention relates to a remote searcher and a remote searching method in which a number of search engines are collected in a single search window, and a search can be performed even in the case that a web browser is closed, that is, the search can be performed under the remote control of the web browser.

Background Art There are several thousands or several tens of thousands of web sites each having a search function on various fields on the Internet. Hereinafter, a unit of performing a search function in those web sites will be referred to as a search engine for convenience. For example, there exist a number of types of search engines from a popular search of searching for newspaper articles, musical files, pictures, or phone numbers to a professional database search of searching for reliability information and published papers, as well as a web site search engine such as a Yahoo (a registered trademark of YAHOO Co.) or NAVER (a registered trademark of NAVER Co.), in separate fields.

Accordingly, a user gains access to a site containing a desired search engine via a web browser in order to search desired data and selects a search word or words and a search option if necessary according to instructions of the search engine, to thereby perform a desired search. In this specification, YAHOO Korea which is one of the search engines that is widely used, is referred to as necessary in order to assist in the understanding of the existing search engine. In order to use the search engine, a user accesses a site containing a search engine, and then selects a search word or words and a search option if necessary. Thereafter, when a search button is clicked on, a search result is displayed on the web browser in use. Thus, the user has to access the site at least twice in order to view a single search result.

There are some exceptional cases that the search results can be obtained from another internet site without visiting the search engine sites.

First, in the case of meta-search engines such as Metacrawler, SavvySearch, and Missdachanny, a number of search engines are searched at once, and the result is summarized and shown. However, as a first drawback, there are two steps of performing an http (hyper-text transfer protocol) request operation, connecting network twice. That is, there is a step of accessing the meta-search engine and a step of calling for the search result of the search engine with instructions of, for example, cgi (common gateway interface) or asp (active server page) via the meta- search site. For example, a search result is obtained through two sites, the Missdachanny site and the YAHOO site. As a second drawback, since a search engine for executing a simultaneous search is designated, the search engine cannot be used in the case where different search results are desired.

Next, even in the case where a search form of a below-mentioned first search formula identical to that of a search engine exists in a second web site as in Searchchuckchuckyi or The Big Hub, the number of search engines located on one page is limited, which is a third drawback. Even if a desired search engine exists on another page on the same site, another navigation is needed in order to see the search result. Also, as a fourth drawback, in order to see the results of several search engines, the search word or words should be input again in each search engine. Further, since a different input window exists in every search form, it is difficult to make the search web page compact.

First search formula

The first search formula is a search form applied to the YAHOO search engine, but the search forms of other search engines are different from one another. Also, there are sites such as All in One, EZ-find and Easysearch.

In these sites, after a search word or words are input, a desired search engine is clicked to see a search result. In this case, when several search engines are used in turn to execute a search, the same search word or words need not be input again. However, two steps of calling for the search result of the search engine through cgi or asp programs written in the site are needed as mentioned above. Also, since the search engine positioned on the page is designated, desired results of a number of search engines cannot be seen at once. Also, in the case that a search engine located on another page is needed, another navigation is needed and the search word or words must be input again. Disclosure of the Invention

Therefore, to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a search dedicated web site in which directories of a variety of search engines are made and the search engines are classified in separate fields, to thereby facilitate a search, and search forms of the variety of search engines are collected in a single separate search page to thereby obtain a search result with one-time network access.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a search dedicated web site in which search forms of a variety of search engines are loaded in a search page including a file containing the search forms directly, and thus although a search of a search word or words is executed using a search engine and then another search is executed with the same search word or words by using another search engine, the same search word or words need not be input again. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a search dedicated web site which can be used in an open state separately from a web browser, in which the efforts of navigating web pages in order to see search results of other search engines can be saved, while the size of a search window is reduced, to thereby enable a user to see a search result and a search page all at once.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a search dedicated web site in which search forms of a variety of search engines are stored into a database, a user interface where the contents of the database including the search forms of the variety of search engines can be collected in a single search page and loaded therein is made, and a user desired search engine including a link and a search form can be simply added to or removed from the search page.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a search method in a search dedicated web site. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remote searcher and a remote searching method in which a number of search engines are collected in a single search window, and a search can be performed even in the case that a web browser is closed, that is, the search can be performed under the remote control of the web browser.

To accomplish the above objects of the present invention, there is provided a search dedicated web site for making a search convenient using the Internet, the search dedicated web site comprising: a first search page for allowing a user accessed to the site to select a desired search engine for a desired field to perform a search in which a directory of various search engines provided is made and the search engines are classified into fields and linked searchably; and a database which is made by storing search forms of the search engines; and a searcher which is made by loading the search forms stored in the database, for collecting and loading links and search functions of search engines which are used primarily by the user. Preferably, the searcher according to the present invention comprises at least one of a standard searcher unit for linking and collecting search engines which are primarily used by users; and an order-based searcher unit for allowing the users to access the search engines easily which are primarily used by the individual user and collecting the search engines, in which if a user selects a search engine of a desired field in the first search page, the selected search engine is loaded on the searcher.

Further, the search window of the searcher is maintained individually irrespective of the web browser on a screen and then if a user clicks the remote searcher to thereby open the search window, a search task can be performed under the remote control of the web browser

More preferably, the database comprises a search engine data table in which proper numbers of the search engines and the search forms of the search engines are stored in pairs and a user data table in which user identifications and a list of the proper numbers of the search engines selected by the user are stored, wherein a search form corresponding to the search engine data is selected during the searcher is loaded by the user.

There is also provided a search method for making a search convenient using the Internet, the search method comprising the steps of: making a directory of various search engines provided and classifying the search engines into fields and linking the search engines on a single web site searchably, according to a first search formula,

and selecting a desired search engine of a desired field, which has been classified according to the first search formula, by the user accessing the web site, to thereby perform a search, in which the search is performed via a searcher which comprises links and search functions of the search engines which are primarily used by the user, and is made by storing the search formulas of the search engines in the database and by loading the search formulas from the database.

Preferably, the search step can easily access the search engine which is primarily used by the user with a single click, with a standard searcher in which links and search functions of the search engines which are primarily used by the user are collected and loaded, or an order based searcher in which user desired search engines of desired fields in the web site are made into a database according to a second search formula, that is, in the form of

</form>

and links and search functions of desired search engines are loaded according to a user order.

More preferably, the searching step via the searcher further comprises the steps of storing proper numbers of the search engines and search forms of the search engines are stored in a search engine data table of the database; storing user identifications and a list of inherent numbers of the search engines selected by the user in a user data table of the database; and reading and transferring a search form corresponding to the search engine data selected during the searcher is loaded by the user. There is also provided a remote searcher comprising a search engine list and a search key word input window where a number of search engines are collected in a single search window, wherein a web browser window being a parent window is set a target window so that a search result is displayed on the web browser window, to thereby perform a search even in the case that the web browser window is closed, that is, under the remote control of the web browser.

There is also provided a remote searching method comprising the steps of: providing a search engine list and a search key word input window where a number of search engines are collected in a single search window, and setting a web browser window being a parent window as a target window so that a search result is displayed on the web browser window, to thereby perform a search even in the case that the web browser window is closed, that is, under the remote control of the web browser.

Preferably, the remote searching method is implemented in the form of

</form>

<a href="javascript:gosearch('yahookorea')">yahookorea</a> <form name=yahookorea action=http://kr.search. yahoo.com/bin/search>

</form>

document, yahookorea. p. value = document, inputform.inputvalue. value;

eval('document.' + searchengine + '.submit()');

} </script>.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 illustrates a home page screen in the web site of a search dedicated web site according to the present invention;

FIGs. 2 and 3 illustrate a detailed search page screen by category of FIG. 1 , respectively;

FIG. 4 illustrates a page screen of a standard remote searcher according to the present invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a page screen of my remote searcher according to the present invention.

Best mode for carrying out the Invention A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 , a search dedicated web site located at www.gosearch.co.kr for making a search convenient using the Internet according to the present invention is accessed on a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape, to thereby facilitate various searches. In

FIG. 1 , a site name 10 provided on the web browser and a screen function menu 20 on the web browser are provided and displayed on a PC screen. The View (V) menu item of the function menu 20 on the web browser is clicked to add an address or a work display line.

The search dedicated web site according to the present invention shown in FIG. 1 , named GoSearch is provided on the screen of the browser, to thereby allow a user to perform browsing and searching on the Internet mutually and smoothly. The search dedicated web site according to the present invention includes a key menu area 30 and a search menu area 40. The key menu area 30 includes icons such as My Remote Searcher and Standard Remote Searcher, which can be called an order based searcher. Also, the key menu area 30 includes an icon entering the Home and various recommendation and registration icons. The search menu area 40 according to the present invention includes a first search page 60 in which directories of various search engines provided free of cost on the Internet are made and the search engines are classified and linked by each field or category so that a user can perform a search task. Search form data of the search engines classified into directories is stored in a storage area of a server computer and read and transferred whenever it is accessed by each user terminal. Since this process is apparent to one skilled in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, there are fields of medical health, news, shopping, and find in a life column 42. There are fields of newsgroup search, domain, multimedia file, and web search in an Internet column 44. There are movies, art and music in an entertainment column 46. There are fields of law, investment, and company in a business column 48. There are fields of game, software and hardware in a computer column 50. There are fields of book information, dictionary and people information in a reference material column 52. There are fields of sports and individual sports in a sports/leisure column 54. There are fields of scientific technology and others in an education/science column 56. Accordingly, a user accessing the webpage of FIG. 1 can easily select a desired search engine of a desired field and perform a search. Also, the search dedicated web site includes advertisement pages 70 and 80 and a web master page 90, to thereby allow for loading of advertisements therein. Since this site arrangement is the same as or similar to most Internet web sites, a detailed description of the arrangement by software will be omitted. In the present invention, the search forms of various search engines presented in the first search page 60 is made into a database, to thereby enable a user to go to a desired search engine easily and see a search result. Also, in the present invention, if a user selects a desired search engine of a desired field from a standard searcher of FIG. 4 presented in the menu as a "Standard Remote Searcher" in which search engines which are widely used by users are collected and linked and the first search page, the selected search engine is automatically loaded on or deleted from a second search page of FIG. 5. That is, the search dedicated web site according to the present invention includes an order-based searcher presented in the menu as "My Remote Searcher" in which the search engines which are frequently used by each user are collected to be easily accessed.

The search forms of the search engines applied to the present invention are made into a database using a program. For this purpose, an original search form such as the above-described first search formula is converted into a second search formula and the thus-converted character string is loaded into a search form field of the database. The database has a form name such as yahookorea as a key value. Second search formula (which is stored in a database)

</form>

If a user adds a search engine of a first search formula in an order- based searcher, the form name "yahookorea" which is the key value of data in the second search formula is added in a user search engine list. When the searcher is called, the second search formula is automatically retrieved in a searcher file.

The following third search formula illustrates an implementation detail with respect to essential parts of a Java script that can enable a user to perform a one-time search via a one-time Internet connection such as an http request, using a number of search engines. One search form, e.g., yahookorea of the search engines loaded on the search page will be described below as an example. If a user enters a search word in an input box of an input form in a common input form and clicks "yahookorea", the first search formula is executed by the following gosearchQ commands.

Since a search engine to be used cannot be seen in advance during actual execution, an internal name such as "yahookorea" in the search engine is transferred as a parameter.

Third search formula:

</form> <a href="javascript:gosearch('yahookorea')"^>yahookorea</a>

<form name=yahookorea action=http://kr. search. yahoo.com/bin/search> <input name=p type=hidden> </form> ...

} </script>

Hereinbelow, how a search form of a search engine applied to the present invention is incorporated into a database will be described. In general, if a search task is performed on the Internet, a user must visit a web page in a web site where a search form of a search engine and then perform a search request. To make this more convenient, there are web pages where search forms have been collected. However, it has been a drawback that a variety of search forms cannot be collected on a single web page. To overcome this in the present invention, data of search forms for a number of search engines is stored in a database of a server executing a search dedicated web site named "gosearch" according to the present invention. Even in the present invention, a search request after a user has accessed the search dedicated web site of the present invention is executed via a search form. Identified inherent numbers of search engines and search forms of the search engines are stored in parallel in a search engine data table of the database. A user who wishes to use an order-based searcher, must register his or her ID on the search dedicated web site according to the present invention and store it into the database.

As a result, lists of user IDs and the inherent number of the selected search engines exist in a user data table of the database. Thus, if the user clicks the order-based searcher, the search forms corresponding to the search engine inherent numbers contained in the user search engine list are input in the form of html (hyper-text markup language) files, to thereby enable the user to perform a search request. Accordingly, since the order-based searcher contains a predetermined number of search forms designated by the user, search results of the predetermined number of search engines can be obtained without trying another web connection. Here, the number of search engines is 20 in the present embodiment, but the number thereof can be extended to more than 20 or reduced to less than 20.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the search engines 42-56 having the respective search forms are classified by category and linked in the whole first search page 60 by field. If the linked and category-classified search engines are clicked, a search page, as shown in FIG. 2 or 3, is presented on a display screen.

FIGs. 2 and 3 also show a search page under the same web browser surroundings as that of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates a search page which is displayed when the education/science 56 is clicked among the category-classification items of FIG. 1 , and FIG. 3 illustrates a search page which is displayed when the life 42 is clicked among the category- classification items of FIG. 1. In FIGs. 2 and 3, there is an icon 100 entitled "Add to a searcher" in the right-middle of each web page in the search engine 57. The icon 100 provides a function in which the current search engine is added in the separated second search page in the case that the user desires, when this icon 100 is clicked. When favorite search engines, as shown in FIGs. 4 and 5, are collected and contained in the second search page including the files directly having the search forms, that is, a searcher, the user does not need to access the search dedicated web site according to the present invention every time in order to perform a search task. In other words, the user clicks and accesses the second search page, that is, the searcher directly when he or she is performing another task on the PC. There are two kinds of searchers in which one is "Standard Remote Searcher@ and the other is "My Remote Searcher." Among them, the standard searcher includes search engines 300 that are widely used throughout the world. If a user enters a search key word in an input widow 200 and then clicks any one of the search engines 300, a search result is displayed on a new window web page. If the user clicks any one of the search engines 300 without entering any search key word, a new window of the clicked search engine home page is displayed. If the user presses an enter key or a return key instead of clicking any one search engine, a search result of a basic search engine is displayed in which NAVER is the default search engine in the present invention. A terminology of "remote" in remote searcher, has been named to have a meaning such that remote searcher operates under the remote control of a web browser. The search window of the remote searcher is maintained individually irrespective of the web browser on a screen and then if a user clicks the remote searcher to thereby open the search window, a search task can be performed under the remote control of the web browser, although a search is performed in the environment of the web browser. In this connection, the operation of the remote searcher will follow. A remote search window is displayed as a new window at the browser atmosphere. The search result executed in the remote searcher is presented on a parent window, which is possible by setting the parent window as a target window showing the search result of the remote searcher. In the case that the parent window is closed, there is no parent window. Accordingly, the target window is opened as a new window so that the search result is presented on the new window. Here, a target window is set by designating a target of a search form or by opening a new window and designating the opened window as a target window. Thus, in the case that a web browser is not open but a remote searcher is open, the web browser window is automatically opened if a search is performed in the remote searcher. Of course, it is apparent that a remote searcher providing the same effect can be made with other programs than the browser.

In addition, the search dedicated web site according to the present invention allows a user to change and use each search engine in search engine windows contained in a searcher, as shown in FIG. 5, according to his or her preferences. In this embodiment, the user chooses twenty search engines 400, as necessary, according to his or her preferences, and loads the chosen search engines 400 in the "My Remote Searcher". This is shown in FIG. 5. Using the "My Remote Searcher", if it is clicked when another work is performed, a search result can be easily obtained from the search engines collected in the searcher. It is more convenient to use it if the "My Remote Searcher© is clicked using a mouse and loaded on a connection tool/individual tool in the environment of the web browser. For example, assuming that a user is an Internet skilled person who is employed in a movie-related job, whose hobby is music and shopping and who invests in stocks, he or she accesses each search page of the search dedicated web site according to the present invention, if he or she selects a desired search engine and clicks an icon link named the "Add to the searcher", a searcher editing page window is displayed and then the selected search engine can be inserted and added into a desired searcher number. From this window, the search engine can be deleted. In this manner, the "My Remote Teacher" is formed.

Then, if the searcher buttons such as the "Standard Remote Searcher" and "My Remote Searcher" are loaded on the individual tool/connection tool of the web browser, it is further convenient to a user to use it easily. For this, if a user drags and drops a searcher button using a mouse and loads the searcher button on the individual tool in the case of the Netscape browser and the connection tool in the case of Internet Explorer only once, he or she can call the remote searcher by just clicking the searcher button of the individual tool or the connection tool in the environment of the web browser anytime.

As described above, the search dedicated web site according to the present invention can omit another step noted as in the first defect since a search form is loaded in a current page. Thus, a search result can be viewed with just a single step of Internet connection of http request, with respect to the search engines contained in the second search page, in principle. Secondly, since the search key word cannot be entered even when search results of the other search engines are made to be viewed in turn, the above-mentioned fourth drawback is solved. Thirdly, since the searcher according to the present invention is displayed separately on the screen, the burden of clicking a "BACK/FORWARD" button on the web browser is reduced. If the size of the window is made small, the search result and the second search page can be viewed at once. For reference, there is another method that does not use a function and corrects the above first and second drawbacks, but the method still has the third drawback. Further, in the case of the web browser such as Netscape must use an input button and does not satisfy the above third drawback. In particular, the present invention reduces the number of times the Internet is accessed using the standard remote searcher, but the number of the search engines contained in the standard remote searcher is still limited. To overcome this, the present invention provides the "My Remote Searcher" in which the user directly selects his or her frequently used search engines and loads the selected search engine on the search page. In the "My Remote Searcher", the search engine directory is made so that the search engines are classified and used for searching works by fields. Also, the search form of all the incorporated search engines is made into a database according to the first search formula and automatically loaded on the search page according to a user request.

By doing so, although the number of the search engines contained in the standard remote searcher is limited, the user can load his or her frequently used search engines anytime on the "My Remote Searcher". Therefore, a substantially unlimited number of search engines can be used as a one time Internet connection step with only one click, which substantially removes the above second and third drawbacks.

Industrial Applicability The present invention can load a variety of user desired search engines into a single searcher, through a remote searcher window or a browser window. The present invention can obtain in turn search results of a number of search engines that are incorporated in a web search page with only a single Internet connection step such as a http request. In the present invention, when a result of a different search engine is desired using the same search key word, the search key word does not need to enter again. The present invention provides an effect of performing a desired search work very efficiently through the search dedicated web site according to the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A search dedicated web site for making a search convenient using the Internet, the search dedicated web site comprising: a first search page for allowing a user accessed to the site to select a desired search engine for a desired field to perform a search in which a directory of various search engines provided is made and the search engines are classified into fields and linked searchably; and a database that is made by storing search forms of the search engines; and a searcher that is made by loading the search forms stored in the database, for collecting and loading links and search functions of search engines which are primarily used by the user.

2. The search dedicated web site of claim 1 , wherein the searcher comprises: at least one of a standard searcher unit for linking and collecting search engines which are primarily used by users; and an order-based searcher unit for allowing the users to access the search engines easily which are primarily used by the user and collecting the search engines.

3. The search dedicated web site of claim 2, wherein each of the standard and order-based searcher units, with a result that the search window of the searcher is maintained individually irrespective of the web browser on a screen and then if a user clicks the remote searcher to thereby open the search window, a search task can be performed under the remote control of the web browser

4. The search dedicated web site of one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the database comprises a search engine data table in which proper numbers of the search engines and the search forms of the search engines are stored in pairs and a user data table in which user identifications and a list of the proper numbers of the search engines selected by the user are stored, wherein a search form corresponding to the search engine data selected during the searcher is loaded by the user.

5. A search method for making a search convenient using the Internet, the search method comprising the steps of: making a directory of various search engines provided and classifying the search engines into fields and linking the search engines on a single web site searchably, according to a first search equation, that is, in the form of <form name="search" action="http://kr.search. yahoo.com/bin/search"> <input name=p size=30> </form>; and selecting a desired search engine of a desired field, which has been classified according to the first search equation by the user accessing the web site, to thereby perform a search, in which the search is performed via a searcher which comprises links and search functions of the search engines which are primarily used by the user, and made by storing the search equations of the search engines in the database.

6. The search method of claim 5, wherein the search step can easily access the search engine which is primarily used by the user with a single click, with a standard searcher in which links and search functions of the search engines which are primarily used by the user are collected and loaded, or an order based searcher in which user desired search engines of desired fields in the web site are made into a database according to a second search equation, that is, in the form of <form name=yahookorea action=http://kr.search. yahoo.com/bin/search> <input name=p type=hidden> </form>

7. The search method of claim 5 or 6, wherein the searching step via the searcher further comprises the steps of storing inherent numbers of the search engines and search forms of the search engines are stored in a search engine data table of the database; storing user identifications and a list of the inherent numbers of the search engines selected by the user in a user data table of the database; and reading and transferring a search form corresponding to the search engine data selected during the searcher is loaded by the user.

8. A remote searcher comprising a search engine list and a search key word input window where a number of search engines are collected in a single search window, wherein a web browser window being a parent window is set a target window so that a search result is displayed on the web browser window, to thereby perform a search even in the case that the web browser window is closed, that is, under the remote control of the web browser.

9. A remote searching method comprising the steps of: providing a search engine list and a search key word input window where a number of search engines are collected in a single search window, and setting a web browser window being a parent window as a target window so that a search result is displayed on the web browser window, to thereby perform a search even in the case that the web browser window is closed, that is, under the remote control of the web browser.

10. The remote searching method of claim 9, wherein the searching method is implemented in the form of <form name=inputform>

<a href="javascript:gosearch('yahookorea')">yahookorea</a>

document.yahookorea.p.value = document, inputform.inputvalue. value;

eval('document.' + searchengine + '.submit()'); }

</script>.