Method and apparatus for generating a ranked index of web pages

摘要

After a sample set of web pages (7) has been retrieved via the Internet (4) and stored in a web page data base (11) the web pages (7) are processed by a network analysis engine (15) to generate network data indicative of the interconnections between the sample web pages (7) as identified by hyperlinks included in the retrieved web pages (7). The network analysis engine (15) then utilizes the generated network data to calculate for each web page (7) a number of network metrics indicative of the extent to which the interconnections associated with a web page (7) correspond to patterns of interconnections associated with web pages (7) published in order to manipulate the ranking of a web page (7) by a search engine (3). These network metrics are then used to generate a numbers of ranked indexes of web pages (7). A user can then submit a search query to the search engine (3) together with an indication of which of the rankings should be used. In response the search engine (3) returns a results list (6) based on the search query using the selected rankings. By having a variety of rankings emphasizing metrics associated with different patterns of connectivity a user is thereby able to tailor their search strategy and obtain a results list (6) identifying web pages of greater interest to the user.