US6584468B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus to retrieve information from a network
Assignee: Ninesigma Holdings Inc
•
Filing: 2000-09-29
•
Granted: 2003-06-24
•
Expires: 2020-09-29
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus to index network information is described. A network is searched for files of information relevant to people and resources in a particular field using a search list of weighted links to said files. The information is parsed into content and additional links to additional files. The content is weighted and copied to memory (such as a database). A determination is made as to whether the additional links are relevant to the people and resources in the given technical field. Those additional links that are relevant are weighted using a predetermined weighting algorithm. The relevant additional weighted links are copied to the search list. This process continues until an ending condition occurs.
Inventors
- 👤 Kaigham J. Gabriel
- 👤 Evan M. Indianer
- 👤 Christopher M. Umbel
- 👤 Joel Lenhart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:36
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; G06F16/9538; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
263 words
A method to index network information, comprising: (a) establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network; (b) establishing a search list of weighted links; (c) assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list; (d) searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files; (e) parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files; (f) weighting said content; (g) copying said weighted content into a memory; (h) comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links; (i) identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file; (j) assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link; (k) adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following: whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link; (l) copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and (m) performing steps (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
263 words
A method to index network information, comprising: (a) establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network; (b) establishing a search list of weighted links; (c) assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list; (d) searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files; (e) parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files; (f) weighting said content; (g) copying said weighted content into a memory; (h) comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links; (i) identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file; (j) assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link; (k) adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following: whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link; (l) copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and (m) performing steps (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said ending condition comprises one of said search list becoming empty, a predetermined time limit is met, and receiving a request to terminate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said network uses an Internet protocol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said network uses at least one of a World Wide Web protocol and a File Transfer Protocol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said links each comprise a universal resource locator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said files each comprise at least one of a text file, a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, a hypertext markup language (HTML) file, an Extensible HTML (XHTML) file, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file, an Excel Table Markup Language (XTML) file, a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) and a VHML file.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said content comprises at least one of a group comprising text, images, data files, executable files, data, charts, tables, meta tags, program instructions and graphics.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein searching said network comprises: selecting a weighted link from said search list based on a predetermined ranking of each said weighted link within said search list; retrieving a selected file of information corresponding to said selected weighted link; and removing said selected weighted link from said search list.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
111 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said retrieving said selected file comprises: determining whether said searching is for a master build process; retrieving said selected file of information from said network if said searching is for said master build process; determining whether said selected file of information has been previously indexed into said memory if said searching is not for said master build process; retrieving said selected file of information from said memory if said selected file of information has been previously indexed into said memory; and retrieving said selected file of information from said network if said selected file of information has not been previously indexed into said memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said selecting comprises: ranking each weighted link from lowest weight to highest weight; and selecting a weighted link with a lowest weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein said selecting comprises: ranking each weighted link from highest weight to lowest weight; and selecting a weighted link with a highest weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising copying said additional links to a parent-child table.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said parameters represents at least one of the following categories of information: text; images; data; meta tags; program instructions; and graphics.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
273 words
A machine-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to index network information by performing the following: (a) establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network; (b) establishing a search list of weighted links; (c) assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list; (d) searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files; (e) parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files; (f) weighting said content; (g) copying said weighted content into a memory; (h) comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links; (i) identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file; (j) assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link; (k) adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following: whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link; (l) copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and (m) performing steps (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
273 words
A machine-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to index network information by performing the following: (a) establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network; (b) establishing a search list of weighted links; (c) assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list; (d) searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files; (e) parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files; (f) weighting said content; (g) copying said weighted content into a memory; (h) comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links; (i) identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file; (j) assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link; (k) adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following: whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link; (l) copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and (m) performing steps (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said ending condition comprises one of said search list becoming empty, a predetermined time limit is met, and receiving a request to terminate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said network uses an Internet protocol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said network uses at least one of a World Wide Web protocol and a File Transfer Protocol.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said links each comprise a universal resource locator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
59 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said files each comprise at least one of a text file, a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, a hypertext markup language (HTML) file, an Extensible HTML (XHTML) file, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file, an Excel Table Markup Language (XTML) file, a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) and a VHML file.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said content comprises at least one of a group comprising text, images, data files, executable files, data, charts, tables, meta tags, program instructions and graphics.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
56 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein searching said network comprises: selecting a weighted link from said search list based on a predetermined ranking of each said weighted link within said search list; retrieving a selected file of information corresponding to said selected weighted link; and removing said selected weighted link from said search list.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
112 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said retrieving said selected file comprises: determining whether said searching is for a master build process; retrieving said selected file of information from said network if said searching is for said master build process; determining whether said selected file of information has been previously indexed into said memory if said searching is not for said master build process; retrieving said selected file of information from said memory if said selected file of information has been previously indexed into said memory; and retrieving said selected file of information from said network if said selected file of information has not been previously indexed into said memory.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said selecting comprises: ranking each weighted link from lowest weight to highest weight; and selecting a weighted link with a lowest weight.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said selecting comprises: ranking each weighted link from highest weight to lowest weight; and selecting a weighted link with a highest weight.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising copying said additional links to a parent-child table.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said parameters represent at least one of the following categories of information: text; images; data; meta tags; program instructions; and graphics.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
290 words
An apparatus to index network information, comprising: (a) means for establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network; (b) means for establishing a search list of weighted links; (c) means for assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list; (d) means for searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files; (e) means for parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files; (f) means for weighting said content; (g) means for copying said weighted content into a memory; (h) means for comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links; (i) means for identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file; (j) means for assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link; (k) means for adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following: whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link; (l) means for copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and (m) means for performing functions in (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
290 words
An apparatus to index network information, comprising: (a) means for establishing a list of parameters to be searched over a network; (b) means for establishing a search list of weighted links; (c) means for assigning a predetermined initial weight to each parent link in said search list; (d) means for searching said network for files of information containing one or more of said parameters using said search list of weighted links to said files; (e) means for parsing said information into content and additional links to additional files; (f) means for weighting said content; (g) means for copying said weighted content into a memory; (h) means for comparing each of said additional links to a locally-stored excluded domain file, wherein said excluded domain file contains a list of irrelevant links; (i) means for identifying those of said additional links that are found relevant in accordance with said comparison using said excluded domain file; (j) means for assigning a predetermined link weight to each said relevant additional link, wherein each said relevant additional link is initially assigned an identical link weight that is different from said initial weight of a corresponding parent link; (k) means for adjusting said link weight of each said relevant additional link to be more than, less than or equal to said initial weight of said corresponding parent link depending on at least one of the following: whether said relevant additional link has been previously processed, whether said relevant additional link has been previously unprocessed, and a number of said parameters present in said content corresponding to said relevant additional link; (l) means for copying said relevant additional weighted links to said search list; and (m) means for performing functions in (d)-(l) until an ending condition occurs.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein said parameters represent at least one of the following categories of information: text; images; data; meta tags; program instructions; and graphics.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5724567A
Cited
US5835087A
Cited
US5855015A
Cited
US6067552A
Cited
US5974409A
Cited
US6029161A
Cited
US5903892A
Cited
US5913208A
Cited
US5842206A
Cited
US6085186A
Cited
WO1998018088A1
Cited
US6182065B1
Cited
US6078914A
Cited
US5966126A
Cited
US5875446A
Cited
US5987454A
Cited
US6078917A
Cited
US6055538A
Cited
US5983221A
Cited
WO1999048028A2
Cited
US6038574A
Cited
WO1999057656A1
Cited
US6356899B1
Cited
WO2000038086A2
Cited
US6434556B1
Cited
US6295559B1
Cited
US6389467B1
Cited
US6438539B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-06-23 | 2006-12-23 | 2007-06-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-06-23 | 2010-12-23 | 2011-06-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-06-23 | 2014-12-23 | 2015-06-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |