JP2002202968A - Information retrieval service system and information output method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information retrieval service system excellent in operability capable of retaining a retrieval result without requiring any labor even in repeated retrievals. SOLUTION: A service main body SVC is provided with a transmitting means for transmitting, when opening a plurality of result screens 5 on the machine of a user USR, the respective retrieval result screens 5 to the machine of the user USR as different windows in independently openable state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an information search service system and an information output method, and more particularly to an information search service system and an information output method performed using the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in order to find desired information from a large amount of information existing on the Internet, use of a so-called information search service is indispensable. For example,
“YAHOO!” (Registered trademark of Yahoo Japan) is one of the representative information retrieval services.

In order to use these information search services, a user starts browser software on an information terminal such as a personal computer connected to the Internet, and enters an address of an information search service company (eg, an address search service company) in an address box of the browser software. For Yahoo, "htt
p: //www.yahoo.co.jp/ ”) to access the service company information search screen.

On the information search screen, a text box control for inputting a search keyword character string, a send command button control provided with a submit attribute, and the like are arranged. A user inputs an appropriate search keyword into the text box control. Click the send command button control.

[0005] The service company receives the search keyword sent from the user's personal computer by the click action of the send command button control, and selects the content name or the content including the search keyword from the information registered in the database in advance. Address (URL: Uniform Resource Locat)
or), and generates a search result screen displaying a list of such information, and sends it back to the user's personal computer. The user can access desired information by repeating the operation of checking the search result screen, clicking an appropriate list row, and displaying the content linked to that row.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional information search service, when a search is repeated many times while changing a search keyword, the search result is updated each time. There was a problem that the history of search results could not be retained. In addition, the method is uniquely determined by programming a search page, and there is a problem that a client user cannot select a display method of a search result.

For example, if a search is performed using the keyword "xxx" and then a search is performed using the keyword "xxx", the search result screen for "xxx" starts the search for "xxx". In order to leave search results for "OOO", it is necessary to save each time by printing or the like, which is time-consuming and troublesome. There was an inconvenience.

[0008] Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that it is possible to retain search results without hassle even when performing repeated searches, and to display search results reflecting the user's intention. Another object of the present invention is to provide an information retrieval service system having excellent operability.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when a search keyword transmitted from a client machine is received, the search keyword is passed to a search engine, and a search for information including the search keyword is requested to the search engine. In an information search service system having a server machine for transmitting a search result screen displaying a list of search results to the client machine when receiving a search result from the search engine, the server machine performs the search on the client machine. When a plurality of result screens are opened, transmission means is provided for transmitting each search result screen to the client machine in a state where each search result screen can be opened separately as a different window.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual configuration diagram of an information search service system according to an embodiment. In this figure, US
R is a consumer of the information retrieval service (hereinafter referred to as “user”), SVC is a service entity of the information retrieval service, E
NG is a search engine.

By using the search engine ENG via the service subject SVC, the user USR can find, for example, the location (address) of information including a desired search keyword from a large amount of information scattered on the Internet.
Can be obtained. The service subject SVC provides the user USR with several interface screens designed for such an information retrieval service.
One is a search screen 4 provided by a first service 2a provided in the service subject SVC, and the other is a search result screen 5 provided by a third service 2c also provided in the service subject SVC. It is. In addition,
The second service 2b provided in the service subject SVC includes:
This is for transmitting a search request from the user USR to the search engine ENG.

The search screen 4 includes a text box control for inputting a search keyword character string and a send command button control similar to those of the prior art described at the beginning, and a control (search result screen window specification) specific to the present embodiment. Control). As will be clear from the following description, this control is for specifying that the search result screen 5 is to be opened in a different window, so that the search result can be retained even when the search is repeatedly performed. It is assumed that.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example layout of the search screen 4 and the search result screen 5. In this figure, a search screen 4 has an appropriate title character string ("search service" in the figure) display area 4a, a text box control 4b for inputting a search keyword character string,
It is configured to include a search result screen window designation control 4h and a transmission command button control 4i.

The search result screen window designating control 4h is one of the characteristic elements in the present embodiment.
Are, for example, "Target 1", "Target 2",
A group of a plurality of option box controls 4c to 4g named "target 3", "original window", "new window" and the like. The top option box control 4c named Target 1 "is in a selected state.) The transmission command button control 4i is a control to which a submit attribute is given. The transmission target information includes at least input information of a text box control 4b for inputting a search keyword character string and a search result screen window specification control 4h.
Is the option value.

Here, the "option value" is a prescribed option value of a control in a selected state among a plurality of option box controls 4c to 4g constituting the search result screen window designation control 4h.
For example, each option value of each option box control 4c to 4g is set to “1” in order from the top,
Assuming that “2”, “3”, “4”, and “5” are set, the uppermost option box control 4c named “Target 1” is selected as shown in FIG. "1" is set to the option value of the screen window designation control 4h.

When the transmission command button control 4i is clicked, the information transmission destination is the URL (Uniform Rename) set in the form action property of the search screen 4.
source Locator). This URL is the address of the service subject SVC, more precisely, the address of the second service 2b provided in the service subject SVC.
b denotes information input to the search screen 4 (at least a search keyword and a search result screen window designation control 4).
h option value).

The second service 2b provided in the service subject SVC uses its search keyword as a search engine ENG.
When the third service 2c receives the search result, a search result screen 5 displaying a list of the search results is generated and returned to the user USR, but the search result screen 5 is generated. At this time, the search result screen window designating control 4h determines whether the search result screen 5 is “target 1”, “target 2”, “target 3”, “original window” or “new window”.
Is determined based on the option value of

For example, as shown, the option value of the search result screen window designation control 4h is "1".
If so, the third service 2c provided in the service subject SVC generates the search result screen 5 as a window of “target 1”. Here, the target 1 to 3 windows are at least different windows from the original window (the search screen 5), and their window names are “target 1”, “target 2” or “target 3”. Window. The new window refers to these windows 1 to 3 and other windows that do not correspond to the original window.

The search result screen 5 shown in FIG. 2 is opened on the screen of the user USR as a “target 1” window, and is a separate window from the search screen 4 as shown in the figure. The search result screen 5 is provided with an appropriate title character string (in the figure, "the search result of xxx"; xxx is a keyword) display area 5a,
A search result display area 5b listing character strings such as titles of information hit by the search engine ENG is provided. By clicking an arbitrary line in the search result display area 5b, the information can be accessed. ing.

Here, the points in the present embodiment are named on the search screen 4 as, for example, "target 1", "target 2", "target 3", "original window", "new window" and the like. A search result screen window designation control 4h is provided in which the plurality of option box controls 4c to 4g are grouped. Then, the option value of the search result screen window designation control 4h is set to the service subject SV.
C and is used for specifying a window when the search result screen 5 is generated.

Specifically, if the option value is “1”, the search result screen 5 is transmitted to the user USR as the target 1 window, and if the option value is “2”,
The search result screen 5 is transmitted to the user USR as the target 2 window, and if the option value is “3”, the search result screen 5 is set to the user USR as the target 3 window.
R, and if the option value is “4”, the search result screen 5 is sent to the user USR as the original window,
Alternatively, if the option value is “5”, the point is that the search result screen 5 is transmitted to the user USR as a new window.

According to this, for example, when the search result of the keyword “XXX” is displayed in the target 1 window and the search result of the keyword “xxx” is subsequently displayed in the target 2 window, the user USR
Target 1 window and target 2
Two search result screens 5 in the window will be arranged.
Therefore, in this case, the two search result screens 5 allow not only the latest search result but also the immediately preceding search result to be retained and confirmed without being lost. In other words, when the search is repeated many times while changing the keyword, the problem that the search history cannot be maintained can be solved.

In the above description, the windows of the search result screen 5 are referred to as “target 1”, “target 2”,
It is classified into "target 3", "original window", "new window", etc. In short, if the search is repeated, each search result can be held in the window specified by the user. Often, it is not limited to only such specific classifications. In short, any classification may be used as long as the user USR understands terms or images.

Next, a network infrastructure required for realizing the information search service of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of the network infrastructure. In this figure, the user client machines 1a to 1d (corresponding to the client machines described in the gist of the invention) corresponding to the user USR in FIG. 1 and the service subject SVC in FIG.
And a search engine server machine 3a-3 corresponding to the search engine ENG in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 schematically shows a state where d (corresponding to a search engine described in the gist of the invention) is connected to a common network 10.

When the functions to be provided for each of the user client machines 1a to 1d, the service subject server machine 2, the search engine server machines 3a to 3d and the network 10 are defined, first, the service subject server machine 2 Web) It must have a function as a server. A required information search service is executed using this web server function. Also,
The search engine server machines 3a to 3d are, for example, Y
AHOO! And other machines that execute commercial search services, and provide the search services freely via the Internet 10.

On the other hand, the user client machines 1a-1
d only needs to have a function of accessing the web server (the service-oriented server machine 2) via the network 10. In this respect, a general-purpose computer having browser software and a network OS (OS: operating system) can be used. It is preferable to use a personal computer, a dedicated word processor or a portable information terminal.
This is because anyone can easily obtain the content and freely browse the content on the web server by connecting to the network 10.

The network 10 must enable at least mutual communication between the user client machines 1a to 1d, the search engine server machines 3a to 3d, and the service subject server machine 2. Today, the de facto standard is the Internet Protocol (IP), and the majority of general-purpose personal computers and various types of server machines support the IP. Anything may be used. Note that the Internet does not physically exist. Backbone and Internet connecting Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
It is a general term for IP-compatible communication media such as a subscriber line (or a cable television line or a wireless line) connecting the SP and the subscriber's home.

FIG. 4 shows the user client machines 1a to 1c.
1d is a diagram showing a configuration of a service subject server machine 2 and search engine server machines 3a to 3d. Although the user client machines 1a to 1d, the service subject server machine 2, and the search engine server machines 3a to 3d have slightly different configurations in terms of scale and stability,
Since there is not much difference in the basic configuration (architecture) as a so-called "computer", the configuration will be described here by taking the user client machines 1a to 1d as an example. The user client machines 1a to 1d are connected to the CPU 2
0 (corresponding to the transmitting means described in the summary of the invention), RAM2
1, disk controller 22, disk device 23, display controller 24, display device 25,
A keyboard controller 26, a keyboard device 27, a pointing device device 28, a communication control device 29 (corresponding to a transmitting means described in the gist of the invention), a main bus 30,
A bus interface 31 and an internal bus 32 are provided.

The user client machines 1a to 1d are:
The browser program stored in advance in the disk device 23 is loaded into the RAM 21 and executed by the CPU 20 so that the network
0, so that various interface screens can be downloaded from the service subject server machine 2 on the network 10 and viewed on the display device 25, and the keyboard device 27 and the pointing device device 28 can be displayed on the interface screen. By operating, for example, an information search service executed on the service subject server machine 2 can be received.

On the other hand, the service subject server machine 2 loads the Web server program stored in advance in the disk device 23 into the RAM 21 and executes the Web server program on the RAM 21, thereby causing the disk device 23 to be placed on the network 10 via the communication control device 29. The interface screen stored in the interface screen 23 can be made public, the information input to the interface screen is received by the user client machines 1a to 1d, and the search engine server machines 3a to 3d are notified of the execution of the search. Upon receiving the search results from the search engine server machines 3a to 3d, a process of generating a search result screen in which the search results are listed and returning the search results to the user client machines 1a to 1d of the search request source is executed. It has become.

FIG. 5A shows the display device 25 in the user client machine 1a to 1d of the search request source.
It is a figure which shows the example of a screen display of FIG. On the screen 40, four windows 41 to 44 are opened, and the first, second, and fourth windows 4 except for the third window 43 are displayed.
Only the visible properties 1, 42 and 44 are on. That is, the third window 43 is a non-display window invisible to the user.

In this figure, a first window 41 is provided with a text box control 41a for inputting a search keyword and a send command button control 41b, and a second window 42 is provided with "target 1" and "target 1". "Target 2", "Target 3",
A plurality of selected text areas 42a to 42e described as "original window" and "new window" are provided. Further, the third window 43 is provided with a text box control 43a in which the URL of the search engine is stored in advance, and the fourth window 44 is provided with a search result list display area 44a.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a search procedure on the screen 40 described above. In this flowchart, first, at the stage of starting the search, the first window 41
It is assumed that only one is in the open state (step S11). The third window 43 is also open at this stage, but is not displayed and is not visible to the user.

Now, after the user inputs an arbitrary search keyword ("dog" in the figure) into the text box control 41a of the first window 41 and clicks the transmission command button control 41b of the first window 41 (step S12), the search keyword (“dog” in the figure) and the URL of the search engine are acquired from the non-displayed third window 43 (step S13), and then the second window 42 is opened (step S14). Then, one of the plurality of selected text areas 42a to 42e of the second window 42 is clicked by the user (step S15). For example, if the user wants to display search results in the target 1 window, the user clicks on the top selected text area 42a.

As a result, the second window 42 is closed (step S16), the input information (search keyword “dog”) of the text box control 41a of the first window 41, and the plurality of The information of the selected line in the selected text areas 42a to 42e (“target 1”) and the URL of the search engine in the third window 43 (for example, “http: // ww
w.yahoo.co.jp/ ") is transmitted to the service subject server machine 2 (step S17).

The service subject server machine 2 requests a search engine (for example, the search engine server machine 3a) having the specified URL to search for the search keyword "dog", and receives the search result from the search engine server machine 3a. (Step S18), the fourth window 44 corresponding to the “target 1” window is generated and transmitted to the search requesting user client machines 1a to 1d (Step S19). The user operates the list display area 44a of the fourth window 44 displayed on the screen 40.
, And perform operations such as displaying desired information.

As described above, on the screen 40, the fourth window 44 corresponding to any one of "target 1", "target 2", "target 3" or "new window" is opened, and the fourth window 44 thereof is opened. Since a list of search results is displayed in the list display area 44a of the window 44, especially when performing a repeated search, a different window type (for example, “target 1” → “target 2” → “target”) is used for each search operation. Target 3 "→
..), the search result of each time is displayed on the screen 40.
Can be kept as it is. Therefore, there is an advantage that there is no need to print each time as in the related art. In addition, the search result can be displayed based on a user's instruction instead of the display method designated on the server side as in the related art.

In the screen 40 shown in FIG. 5A, only one search engine URL is stored in the non-displayed third window 43, and the search engine cannot be selected. Not limited to this mode, for example, FIG.
As shown in the screen 40 of (b), a third window 51 with the visible property turned on may be provided, and a selection list 51a of a plurality of search engines may be displayed in the third window 51. The timing for opening the third window 51 may be, for example, the timing for closing the second window 42.

In this manner, a search engine, for example, "server (1)" or "server (2)" in the illustrated example can be arbitrarily selected from the selection list 51a. , An appropriate search engine can be designated, and an efficient information search can be performed.

In the above description, the user manually inputs the search keyword. However, for example, a screen of an application program such as an editor (FIG. 5)
An arbitrary character string may be selected on the (b) first window 50) and the selected character string may be used as a search keyword.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a search procedure when a selected character string is used as a search keyword. In this flowchart, it is assumed that an arbitrary character string is displayed on the screen (first window 50) of an application program such as an editor at the stage of starting a search (step S21).

Now, when the user selects a character string in the first window 50 according to a predetermined procedure (step S2).
2), the selected character string is a search keyword (“do
g "). Next, the second window 42 is opened (step S23), and the user selects a plurality of selected text areas 42a to 42e of the second window 42.
Is clicked (step S24). For example,
To display the search result in the target 1 window, click the selected text area 42a at the top.

Next, the second window is closed and the third window 51 is opened (step S25), and the user selects a desired search engine (step S26). Next, while the third window 51 is closed, the search keyword “dog”,
Multiple selected text areas 42 in second window 42
The information of the selected row of “a” to “42e” (“target 1”) and the URL of the search engine in the third window 51 (for example, “http://www.yahoo.co.jp/”) are the service-oriented server machine 2 (Step S27).

The service subject server machine 2 requests a search engine (for example, the search engine server machine 3a) having the specified URL to search for the search keyword "dog", and receives the search result from the search engine server machine 3a. (Step S28), a fourth window 44 corresponding to the “target 1” window is generated and transmitted to the search requesting user client machines 1a to 1d (step S29). The user operates the list display area 44a of the fourth window 44 displayed on the screen 40.
, And perform operations such as displaying desired information.

Therefore, similarly to the above, “Target 1”, “Target 2”,
A fourth window 44 corresponding to either “target 3” or “new window” is opened, and a list of search results is displayed in a list display area 44a of the fourth window 44. In particular, a repeated search is performed. In such a case, a different window type (for example, “target 1” → “target 2”) is used for each search operation.
By designating ("target 3" →...), The search results of each search can be held on the screen 40, and there is an advantage that it is not necessary to print each time as in the related art.

In this modification, the search engine can be selected in the third window 51, so that an appropriate search engine can be specified according to the content of the information, and the search efficiency can be improved. Specific benefits are obtained. Further, since a search keyword can be specified from a character string displayed on a screen (first window 50) of an application program such as an editor,
This eliminates the need to manually input a search keyword, thereby simplifying the search procedure. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the search is requested by specifying the display method (window) of the search result (the display method is specified on the server side). May be displayed in the window specified by the user when is sent (the display method is specified on the client side). That is, the client side determines whether or not the transmitted data is a search result. If the data is not a search result, the description is transmitted to a description (eg, HTML: hyper text markup language) normally sent. Alternatively, if the search result is a search result, the sent description may be ignored and displayed in a window specified by the user.

[0048]

According to the information search service system of the present invention, when a server machine opens a plurality of search result screens on a client machine, the server machine can open each search result screen separately as a different window. In particular, in the case where a search is repeatedly performed, each search result can be displayed on the client machine as a separate window designated by the user, since the transmission means for transmitting the search result to the client machine is provided. Therefore, it is not necessary to save the search results by printing each time. As a result, it is possible to provide an information search service system that can hold the search results without any trouble and is excellent in operability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual configuration diagram of an information search service system.

FIG. 2 is a layout diagram of an example of a search screen 4 and a search result screen 5;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a network infrastructure.

FIG. 4 shows user client machines 1a to 1d, service subject server machine 2, and search engine server machine 3.
It is a block diagram of a-3d.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a screen display example of a display device 25 in each of the user client machines 1a to 1d.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a search procedure.

FIG. 7 is another flowchart showing a search procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

ENG search engine SVC service subject USR user 1a-1d user client machine (client machine) 2 service subject server machine (server machine) 3a-3d search engine server machine (search engine) 5 search result screen 20 CPU (transmission means) 29 communication Control device (transmission means)

Claims (4)

[Claims] When a search keyword transmitted from a client machine is received, the search keyword is passed to a search engine, a search for information including the search keyword is requested to the search engine, and a search result is received from the search engine. And an information search service system having a server machine transmitting a search result screen listing search results to the client machine, wherein the server machine opens a plurality of the search result screens on the client machine. An information search service system comprising: a transmission unit configured to transmit each search result screen to the client machine in a state where each search result screen can be separately opened as a different window. 2. The information search service system according to claim 1, wherein the states that can be separately opened as the different windows are designated based on predetermined user selection information transmitted from the client machine. 3. An information output method for performing a process based on the predetermined request in a server machine in response to a predetermined request from a client machine, and outputting a result to the client machine, wherein the client machine comprises: Requesting an output destination of a search result together with a search request. If the predetermined request is a search request, the server machine performs a search process based on the search request and outputs the search result to the requested output destination. An information output method. 4. An information output method for performing a process based on a predetermined request in a server machine in response to a predetermined request from a client machine, and outputting a result to the client machine, wherein the search result is obtained in the client machine. An information output method, wherein an output destination for outputting the search result is set, and if the result output from the server machine is a search result, the search result is output to the set output destination.