Method for searching from a plurality of data sources

摘要

A method of searching for information on a computer information network comprises providing a searchbase comprising a plurality of descriptive packets, wherein each packet is associated with one of a plurality of information sources published on a computer information network and includes a query language and template usable therewith, a sending protocol usable therewith and a receiving protocol usable therewith. A search request is received over the computer information network from a user for retrieving information from the plurality of information sources in accordance with given search criteria. The search request is transformed into an inquiry capable of searching the searchbase and the searchbase is searched with the inquiry to identify any of the plurality of information sources which potentially meet the given search criteria. The search request is transformed into queries for the identified information sources, wherein each query is in accordance with the query language and query template in the descriptive packet for the corresponding information source and the queries are sent over the computer information network to the identified information sources in accordance with the sending protocol in the descriptive packet for the corresponding information source. Information is received over the computer information network from the identified information sources in response to the queries in accordance with the receiving protocol in the descriptive packet for the corresponding information source.

主权项

1. A method for searching for items via the Internet, comprising:
creating, by a system including a processor, an index of items, the items being available via the Internet at information sources, wherein the index of items comprises a plurality of descriptive packets, each of the plurality of descriptive packets comprising:
an information source search language;an information source search template;an information source protocol; andinformation source product hierarchy information in which the items are arranged in a hierarchy according to categories and sub-categories of the items at a respective information source; receiving, by the system, a request to search for a product via the Internet, the request to search including search criteria received with the request, the search criteria being received from an end user device based on user input; transforming, by the system, the request to search into an inquiry suitable to the index of items based on the plurality of descriptive packets; searching, by the system, the index of items using the inquiry to produce a first set of information sources corresponding to a first subset of items related to the inquiry according to the product hierarchy information; accessing, by the system, search methodologies that are associated with the first set of information sources generating, by the system, a modified inquiry for each of the first set of information sources, wherein the modified inquiry is translated according to the information source search language and the information source search template; searching, by the system, each of the first set of information sources according to the modified inquiry for the first subset of items of the first set of information sources via an information source protocol of the first set of information sources and according to the information source product hierarchy information of the information source that match the modified inquiry for each of the first set of information sources; and responding to the request to search for items by providing results from each of the first set of information sources related to the first subset of items.