JP2005050247A - Information search method, advertising method, and advertisement rate charging method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an advertisement method and an advertisement rate charging method, which quickly and simply provide retrieved information corresponding to a search key word requested by a user and allows an advertisement of a provider of the retrieved information. <P>SOLUTION: The information retrieval method comprises: a step for recognizing an instruction for start of the retrieval performed by the user using a computer terminal; a step for capturing a part of the information in a selected state out of the information displayed on a display; a step in which the captured information or the information including the part of the information is transmitted from a computer via the Internet, and the like, to an accessible database or the database existing inside the computer as the search key word and the retrieved information corresponding to the search key word is captured from the database; and a step in which the information based on the captured information is displayed on the display. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a user who uses an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and an OS (Operating System) having a GUI (Graphical User Interface) (hereinafter simply referred to as “user”). The present invention relates to an information search method for efficiently and conveniently providing search information for a search keyword desired by a user.
The present invention also relates to an advertising method using the information search method and an advertising fee billing method.

In recent years, with the development of the Internet, users have received various information providing services. For example, when a user makes a travel plan, information such as transportation fees, operation route diagrams, timetables, and the like can be acquired from the transportation website. Moreover, map information can be acquired from a web site that provides map information regarding the location of the travel destination. In addition, regarding various other information related to travel destinations, search information related to the information can be acquired at a search web site including a search engine. Also, for example, when the user wants to know the meaning (English translation) of an English word, the meaning of the English word can be acquired from a web site that provides an English dictionary service. For example, when the user wants to know the zip code of a certain address, the zip code information can be obtained from, for example, the website of Japan Post.

However, the conventional information retrieval method has the following problems.
For example, when a user who plans a trip checks the accommodation location on the Internet, the hotel information of the accommodation location candidate can be obtained from a travel information web site or the like. At this time, the hotel information often includes simplified map information, but more detailed map information is searched on a web site that provides map information using the address information included in the hotel information as a keyword. Then, detailed map information in the vicinity of the hotel is acquired.

In such a case, as a user, a web site providing map information is opened with a browser or the like, and address information included in the hotel information is directly input into a search keyword input field of the web site providing map information, Alternatively, the address information part is selected, copied (duplicated) using a pointing device such as a mouse (hereinafter, described as a representative example of the pointing device), and pasted in the search keyword input field. There was a problem that a series of operations of (pasting) had to be performed.

In addition, when a web site such as a hotel has a hyperlink to a map information providing web site in the address information as shown in FIG. Since the address display with a hyperlink is performed as shown in FIG. 1B, the user can acquire the map information by clicking the address display portion with the mouse.
However, in this case, hyperlink information as shown in FIG. 1A must be set in the hotel web site. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 1A, the same address information must be set to overlap with the address information as display information and the address information as search keyword information to the link destination. was there.

Also, for example, when a user has a web site with a browser, and there is an English word that does not make sense, the web site that provides an English word dictionary service is used to check the meaning of the English word. And enter the English word directly from the keyboard into the input field of the web site that provides the English word dictionary service, or select and copy the English word part using the mouse, and There was a problem that a series of operations of pasting in the input field had to be performed.

As described above, acquisition of various types of search information has become easier than before due to the development of the Internet. However, in order to acquire various types of search information, an information acquisition destination web site is opened in a browser, and the information acquisition destination web is acquired. Enter the search keyword directly in the input field of the site, or use the mouse to select the search keyword displayed on the display, copy it, and paste it in the input field. There was a problem that had to be.

In recent years, with the development of browsers, by installing a toolbar that can be incorporated into the browser into the browser, a search keyword input field linked to the information acquisition destination web site is displayed on a part of the browser screen. When such a toolbar is installed in the browser, the user can omit the work of opening the information acquisition destination web site in the browser as described above. Yes.

However, when such a toolbar is used, there is a problem that the client area of the browser is reduced by that amount because the toolbars must be displayed by the number of various information acquisition destinations used by the user.

In addition, as described above, when the toolbar is used, the client area of the browser is reduced. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to incorporate many (for example, about 50) toolbars into the browser used by the user. Not practical because of limitations. For this reason, even if there are many toolbars useful for the user, they cannot be displayed and used at the same time.
For this reason, there is a problem that the advertisement posting opportunities are limited for the search information provider who provides the toolbar and the search information through the toolbar while posting the advertisement information such as the logo on the toolbar. was there.

The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and in a computer terminal having an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, etc., and an OS having a GUI, the search information for the search keyword desired by the user is efficiently obtained. The present invention provides an information retrieval method that is provided simply and conveniently.
The present invention also provides an advertising method and an advertising fee billing method that enable efficient and economical advertisement of a search information provider.

That is, the information retrieval method of the present invention is
In a computer terminal comprising an input / output device such as a display, keyboard, mouse, etc., and an OS (operating system) comprising a GUI (graphic user interface),
Recognizing a search start instruction performed by a user using the computer terminal;
Obtaining information of a selection state among information displayed on the display;
An external database that can be accessed from the computer through a network such as the Internet, or an information including the acquired information or a part of the information so as to conform to a search keyword format of an internal database existing in the computer. Process to create search keywords,
Transmitting the created search keyword to the external database or internal database;
Obtaining search information for the search keyword from the external database or internal database;
Displaying information based on the search information on a display;
It is an information search method characterized by comprising.

Moreover, the information retrieval method of the present invention includes:
Based on the content of the acquired information on the selected state,
An information search method comprising a step of determining a destination database to which the search keyword is transmitted.

The advertising method of the present invention includes:
In a computer terminal including an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and an OS including a GUI,
Recognizing a search start instruction performed by a user using the computer terminal;
Obtaining information of a selection state among information displayed on the display;
An external database that can be accessed from the computer through a network such as the Internet, or an information including the acquired information or a part of the information so as to conform to a search keyword format of an internal database existing in the computer. Process to create search keywords,
Determining a database for transmitting the search keyword based on the content of the acquired selection state information;
Transmitting the created search keyword to the external database or internal database;
Obtaining search information for the search keyword from the external database or internal database;
Displaying information based on the search information on the display;
Displaying advertising information on the external database or internal database provider on the display;
An advertising method characterized by comprising:

In addition, the billing method of the advertisement fee of the present invention is:
When advertising by the advertising method,
For the external database or internal database provider,
Based on advertising information about the external database or internal database provider,
Charging advertising fees,
This is a billing method for advertising charges.

In addition, the billing method of the advertisement fee of the present invention is:
In a computer terminal including an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and an OS including a GUI,
Recognizing a search start instruction performed by a user using the computer terminal;
Obtaining information of a selection state among information displayed on the display;
An external database that can be accessed from the computer through a network such as the Internet, or an information including the acquired information or a part of the information so as to conform to a search keyword format of an internal database existing in the computer. Process to create search keywords,
Determining a database of destinations to which the search keyword is to be transmitted based on the content of the acquired information on the selection state;
Transmitting the created search keyword to the external database or internal database;
Obtaining search information for the search keyword from the external database or internal database;
Displaying information based on the search information on the display;
Displaying advertising information on the external database or internal database provider on the display;
To a web page provider who frequently refers to information held in the external database or the internal database, with a license fee charged and sold.
For the external database or internal database provider,
Based on advertising information about the external database or internal database provider,
An advertisement fee charging method characterized by charging an advertisement fee.

By using the information retrieval method of the present invention,
In a computer terminal including an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and an OS including a GUI, search information for a search keyword desired by the user can be efficiently and easily provided to the user.
In addition, according to the advertising method of the present invention,
It is possible to increase the advertising opportunities of those who provide search information.
Further, according to the billing method of the advertisement fee of the present invention,
Allows economical advertising of those who provide search information.

Examples of embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2A illustrates a case where a user acquires information (hereinafter referred to as “search information”) related to certain information (hereinafter referred to as “searched information”) on the Internet in the conventional information search method. FIG. 2B shows a series of work performed by the user when the user obtains search information related to the searched information on the Internet in the information search method of the present invention. It shows.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, a series of operations performed by the user when the user acquires search information related to the searched information on the Internet in the conventional information search method will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the user obtains search information related to the searched information, a web site that provides the search information regarding the searched information (hereinafter referred to as "information providing web site"), Open in browser.

Here, in recent years, there is a toolbar having a function of linking with an information providing web site that can be incorporated into a browser. When the user has incorporated the toolbar in the browser, the first procedure in the example of FIG. 2A can be omitted, but there is a problem that the client area of the browser is narrowed and the work efficiency of the user is reduced. .

Next, as shown in FIG. 2A, the user enters a search keyword input field of the information providing web site in order to input the searched information as a search keyword in the search keyword input field of the information providing web site. Wait for user input.
For this purpose, the user first moves the mouse to the keyword input field of the information providing website, and then clicks the keyword input field with the mouse.
By doing so, for the first time, the keyword input field of the information providing web site is in a state of waiting for user input.

Here, in general, a web site that provides some information with respect to some search keyword includes a search keyword input field for receiving an input of the search keyword. The keyword input field may be in an input waiting state when the web site is opened by a browser, but it is often not so. The example of FIG. 2A illustrates the latter case. In addition, the user may use the above-mentioned mouse to put the keyword input field in an input waiting state, or may use the TAB key of the keyboard. If the TAB key is used, the TAB key must be pressed several times until the keyword input field on the web site is ready for input.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2A, the user directly inputs the information to be searched into the search keyword input field of the information providing website using the keyboard.
In general, in order to input some information in the search keyword input field of the web site, there are cases where the information is input by copying and pasting in addition to the case of inputting by the above-described keyboard. When inputting by copy and paste, the range including the searched information displayed on the screen is selected with the mouse, a copy instruction is given, the searched information is acquired, and then the input field is filled. Paste search search information.

Here, the “selected state” will be described.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the information is displayed on the display of the user's computer terminal, and the address information “XX city, XX city, XX town, XX-XX” in the information.
When making the part of “Selected”,
As in the example of FIG. 3 (b), white is obtained by scanning the end of the address information portion with the mouse cursor (shown by the arrow in FIG. 3 (b)) with the mouse button pressed. The black character on the background becomes a white character on the black background, and is highlighted.
A state in which black characters on a white background are highlighted as white characters on a black background is referred to as a “selected state”.
Here, in general, the background color and the character color in the selected state are not necessarily white characters on the black background as described above. In general, the background color and the character color in a selected state generally depend on the settings of an OS having a GUI, application settings, and the like.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2A, the user presses the search start button on the information providing web site with a mouse, and gives an instruction to start searching for the searched information. Thereafter, the user can acquire search information from the information providing web site.
In general, a search start instruction is often performed by pressing a search start button as described above, but there are also cases where it is performed by other means.
As described above, in the conventional information search method, the user performs a series of operations as described with reference to FIG. 2A, and the user acquires search information related to the searched information.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, a series of operations performed by the user when the user acquires search information related to the searched information on the Internet in the information search method of the present invention will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), the user selects a portion including information to be searched among the information displayed on the display of the computer terminal with the mouse.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2B, the user issues a search start instruction by pressing the search start button displayed on the display of the computer terminal with the mouse.

The program based on the information search method of the present invention recognizes the search start instruction of the user, acquires the searched information selected by the user, and acquires the searched information or a part of the searched information. The search keyword is generated from the information providing web site, the search keyword is transmitted to the information providing web site, the search information is acquired from the information providing web site, and displayed on the display. The search information related to the search target information can be acquired simply by performing a search start instruction (selecting a part including information).

As described above, in the information search method of the present invention, since a series of operations required for the user to acquire search information related to the searched information is greatly simplified, the user is efficient and simple. Information retrieval can be performed.

Next, an example of a flowchart of a program based on the information search method of the present invention that provides an efficient and simple information search to the user as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

First, as in step S001, the user clicks a search start button displayed on a display included in the computer terminal with a mouse in order to issue a search start instruction.
Next, as in step S002, the OS included in the computer terminal notifies the program that the search start button has been clicked when the search start button is clicked.
Next, as in step S003, the program recognizes that the search start button has been clicked by notifying that the search start button has been clicked.
In order to recognize that the search start button has been clicked, the program has a message processing function for accepting that the search start button has been clicked from the OS and processing the search start button. Good.
Next, as in step S004, the program issues a request to the OS to acquire information in the selected state (hereinafter referred to as “selection information”) among the information displayed on the display. Send. In order to transmit the selection information acquisition request to the OS, a selection information acquisition function in an API (Application Programming Interface) function provided by the OS may be called.
Next, as in step S005, the OS receives the selection information acquisition request.
Next, as in step S006, the OS transmits the selection information to the program.
Next, as in step S007, the program receives the selection information.
The series of steps S004 to S007 is usually performed by the program calling a selection information acquisition function in the API function and acquiring a return value.

Next, as in step S008, the program determines a destination database based on the selection information. The description regarding the determination of the destination database performed in step S008 will be described later.

Here, the destination database refers to the information providing web site of the destination to which the program based on the information search method of the present invention creates the selection information or the search keyword created based on the selection information, or the information providing web. It means the database that the site has.

Next, as in step S009, the program creates a search keyword based on the selection information or a part of the selection information so as to conform to the search keyword format of the destination database.
The description regarding the creation of the search keyword performed in step 009 will be described later.
Next, as in step S010, a transmission request for the search keyword to the destination database is made to the OS.
Next, as in step S011, the OS receives the search keyword transmission request.
Next, as in step S012, the OS transmits a search keyword to the destination database.
Next, as in step S013, the destination database receives the search keyword.
Next, as in step S014, the destination database searches for the search keyword to generate search information.
Next, as in step S015, the destination database transmits the search information to the OS.
Next, as in step S016, the OS receives the search information.
Next, as in step S017, the OS transmits the search information to the program.
Next, as in step S018, the program receives the search information.
As in steps S009 to S019, a series of steps from when the program transmits a search keyword to when search information related to the search keyword is received is, for example, a high-level Internet in an API function provided in the OS. This is done by calling a related API function.

Next, as in step S019, the program transmits an information display request based on the search information to the OS.
Next, as in step S020, the OS receives the display request.
Next, as in step S021, the OS displays information based on the search information on the display.
Next, as in step S022, the OS transmits a display end notification to the program.

As described above, the program based on the information search method of the present invention allows the user to efficiently and easily acquire search information for the search keyword desired by the user.

Here, the flowchart of the program based on the information search method of the present invention as described with reference to FIG. 4 is a mode in which the embodiment of the program operates on the OS provided in the computer terminal used by the user. The flowchart of the program based on the information search method of the present invention is not limited to the flowchart shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a flowchart of the program for determining the destination database in step S008 in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, when the selection information obtained from the OS by the program has at least one character in the “prefecture municipality” as shown in FIG. A web site that provides map information using information as a search keyword is determined as a destination database.
The processing of such a program may be performed as follows, for example.

In the program, a destination database number uniquely indicating the destination database is set in advance, a variable indicating the destination database is held in a memory in the computer terminal, and the selection information is used as character string data in the memory. Whether or not the character string data includes the same character data as any one of the characters in the “prefecture municipality” in the character string data. If all character data is checked and the character string data includes character data that is the same as any one of the characters in the “prefecture, city, county, town and village”, the address information is A database number corresponding to a web site that provides map information as a search keyword is set as a variable indicating the destination database.
When the selection information acquired by the program from the OS by the processing of such a program has at least one character in the “prefecture municipality” as shown in FIG. The web site that provides the map information using the address information as a search keyword is determined as the destination database.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the selection information has alphabets as shown in FIG. 6B, the program is processed in the same manner as in FIG. An English word information providing web site that provides information such as a Japanese translation of English words using as a search keyword is determined as a destination database.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the selection information includes the characters “B” as shown in FIG. 6C, the same program processing as in FIG. 6A is performed. Thus, a web site that provides address information using the postal code as a search keyword is determined as a destination database.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, when the selection information includes the characters “station” as shown in FIG. 6D, the same program processing as in FIG. 6A is performed. By using the station name as a search keyword, the web site providing the timetable information of the station is determined as the destination database.

As described above, since the destination database determination condition for the search keyword is set, in the information search method of the present invention, the user does not need to select the destination database by himself / herself.

Here, in the information search method and program of the present invention, the destination database determination condition for the search keyword is not limited to the condition shown in the example of FIG. In addition, the relationship of the determination condition of the destination database with respect to the search keyword is not limited to that fixed in advance by the program, and may be changed by the user.

Here, creation of a search keyword performed in step 009 in FIG. 4 will be described.
In general, the search keyword accepted by the information providing web site is determined by the web site, so the search keyword needs to conform to the format.
For example, in a web site that provides map information, the address information as a search keyword often has to be composed only of address information.
Therefore, information including address information as shown in FIG. 7A is displayed on the display of the computer terminal used by the user, and the map information related to the address information is used as the address information and the search information as map information. When acquiring from a web site that provides
In the information search method of the present invention, when the selection information that the user is in the selection state on the display of the computer terminal is composed of only the address information as shown in FIG. , As a search keyword to the information providing web site.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 7C, when the selection information includes address information (XX city, XX city, XX town, OO town), extra information (△△), After the selection information is acquired, only the address information obtained by removing the unnecessary information from the selection information is transmitted as a search keyword to the information providing website.

Thus, in order to remove unnecessary information, for example, the following process may be performed in the program based on the information search method of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 8A, the selection information is stored as character string data in a memory in the computer terminal.
In the example of FIG. 8, one Japanese character is held in 2 bytes.
In the example of FIG. 8, for the sake of simplicity, the character string data is represented not as a character code expressed in an actual hexadecimal number, but as a character corresponding to the character code.
In the example of FIG. 8, “¥ 0” is used as the end of the character string.
In order from address 0x00 in FIG. 8 (a), it is checked whether it matches any one character in "prefecture municipalities".
In the case of the example in FIG. 8A, the character data stored at addresses 0x0A and 0x0B matches the character “prefecture” in “prefecture municipalities”.
Next, it is checked whether the character data before the character data of “prefecture” matches any of the 43 prefecture names in Japan.
When the prefecture name such as Aomori Prefecture is 2 characters, the character data stored at addresses 0x06, 0x07, 0x08, 0x09
When the subject name of Wakayama Prefecture or the like is 3 characters, it is checked whether the character data stored at addresses 0x04, 0x05, 0x06, 0x07, 0x08, and 0x09 matches any of 43 prefecture names in Japan.
In the example of FIG. 8A, it is assumed that the character data stored at addresses 0x06, 0x07, 0x08, and 0x09 matches one of 43 prefecture names in Japan.
At this time, since the three-character data ("△△") from address 0x00 to address 0x005 is before the prefecture name, it is considered to be extra information, so the three-character data is deleted and the selection is made The information is corrected to character string data starting from the prefecture name as shown in FIG.
In this way, in the program based on the information search method of the present invention, after acquiring selection information, address information is generated by removing the extra information from the selection information.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7D, when the selection information is composed of partial information (XX city, XX city, XX town, ○-), the partial information is acquired after the selection information is acquired. Is address information (for example, XX city, XX city, XX prefecture), and the address information is transmitted to the information providing website as a search keyword.

As described above, the creation of address information that has been terminated up to the appropriate administrative unit is performed, for example, by the following process in the program based on the information search method of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the selection information is stored as character string data in a memory in the computer terminal.
The last character of the character string shown in FIG.
In the example of FIG. 9A, the last character of the character string is a hyphen "-".
Usually, since the address information does not end with a hyphen, it is recognized that the previous character string data ends with an inappropriate character as the address information.
As described above, when the character string data ends with an inappropriate character, the character string data is terminated at the character data representing the smallest administrative unit in the “prefecture municipalities”. Just do it.
In the case of FIG. 9A, in the example of FIG. 9A, the characters “town” stored in the addresses 0x10 and 0x11 go back from the storage address 0x16 of the final character data of the character string data to “prefectural city”. Since it matches the “town” in “City, Town, Town and Village”, the character data after address 0x12 is deleted in the character string data of FIG. Thus, the character string data as shown in FIG.

As described above, in the information search method of the present invention, the selection information is appropriately processed so as to conform to the search keyword format of the information providing web site, and is transmitted as a search keyword to the information providing web site. Since it is only necessary to roughly select a portion of information to be searched with the mouse without being aware of the format of the search keyword, an efficient and simple information search can be performed.

Next, the advertising method of the present invention will be described.
The advertisement method according to the present invention is based on the destination database to which the user transmits a search keyword when the user performs information search using the information search method of the present invention described above. Is displayed on a part of a display of a computer terminal used by a user.
For example, when the program based on the information search method of the present invention is used as a toolbar incorporated in a browser, advertisement information related to the destination database provider is posted on a part of the toolbar based on the destination database. .
For example, when the destination database is a map information database, advertisement information related to the provider of the map information database is posted on a part of the toolbar, and when the destination database is an English word database, the English word database The advertisement information related to the provider is posted on a part of the toolbar.
As described above, in the advertising method of the present invention, since a plurality of destination databases can be used by the single toolbar for the user, it is easy in terms of operability, and the client area of the browser is small. Since only one toolbar can be used, the client area of the browser used by the user is useful without being narrowed. On the other hand, for the provider of the destination database, the advertisement information is used by the user according to the use of the user. It is rational and useful because it can be posted on the toolbar and viewed by the user.

Next, the billing method for the advertisement fee according to the present invention will be described.
The advertising fee billing method according to the present invention is based on the advertising method, in order to post the advertising information of the provider of the destination database on a part of the display, and to post the advertising information on a part of the display. An advertising fee charging method, wherein an advertising fee is charged from a provider of the destination database.
In this case, the provider of the destination database uses the program based on the information search method of the present invention to provide efficient and simple information search, and the advertisement information is sent to the user every time the destination database is used. Since it can be browsed, it is possible to advertise economically.

Further, in the billing method of the advertisement fee of the present invention,
The toolbar may be sold with a license fee charged to a web page provider who frequently refers to the destination database.

In this case, for example, a website of a company having many chain stores throughout the country has a large number of store information nationwide posted on the home page.
For this reason, the user who browses the homepage often refers to a web site that provides map information in order to examine a map of the store location from the address information in the store information.
For this reason, for a company having many chain stores throughout the country, it is possible to easily inform the user of the map information of each store location of the company by obtaining a license for the toolbar and distributing it to the user. Become.
For this reason, the toolbar is useful for a company having many chain stores throughout the country.

Next, an example in which a program based on the information search method of the present invention is executed on a user's computer terminal will be described with reference to FIG.
The display screen 1 of the display of the computer terminal displays icons 5 associated with various folders and various applications, a menu 4 for starting various applications, processes of applications started on the computer terminal, and the like by an OS having a GUI. A part 2 for displaying an application resident on a computer terminal, a part 6 for browsing a web page, a mouse cursor 13 and the like are displayed.
The browser 6 includes a menu portion 8, toolbars 9 and 11, and a client area 10.

In FIG. 10, a tool bar 11 incorporated in the browser 6 is displayed by a program based on the information search method of the present invention. The toolbar 11 includes a search start button 12 that receives a search start instruction.
In the example of FIG. 10, when the user obtains an address map corresponding to the address information 14 displayed in the client area, the user only needs to perform the following two operations.
That is, as shown in FIG. 11A, the address information portion is selected with the mouse.
Next, as shown in FIG. 11B, the search start button 12 is pressed with the mouse.
Through the above two operations, the program based on the information search method of the present invention acquires the address information 14 in the selected state, and determines the information providing web site as a destination database based on the contents of the address information 14. The address information or a part of the address information is processed so as to conform to the search keyword format of the destination database, a search keyword is created, the search keyword is transmitted to the destination database, and the search Search information for the keyword (in this case, map information) is acquired and displayed on the display of the computer terminal used by the user.
For this reason, the map information corresponding to the address information 14 can be acquired efficiently and simply by only the two simple operations.

Here, the embodiment of the information search program of the present invention is not limited to the form of the toolbar, and is, for example, a resident program displayed in the portion 3 for displaying an application resident in the computer terminal. Also good.

In the program based on the information search method of the present invention, the database for acquiring the search information is not limited to an external database such as various web sites to which computer terminals used by the user are connected via the Internet. For example, it may be an internal database existing inside the computer terminal.

Next, an example of a form in which a program based on the advertising method of the present invention is displayed and used on a user's computer terminal will be described with reference to FIG.
On the display screen 1 of the display of the computer terminal, an OS provided with a GUI displays icons 5 associated with various folders and various applications, a menu 4 for starting various applications, a process of an application started on the computer terminal, and the like. A part 2 for displaying an application resident on a computer terminal, a part 6 for browsing a web page, a mouse cursor 13 and the like are displayed.
The browser 6 includes a menu portion 8, toolbars 9 and 11, and a client area 10.
In FIG. 12, the toolbar 11 incorporated in the browser 6 is displayed by the program based on the advertising method of the present invention. The toolbar 11 includes a search start button 12 that receives an instruction to start searching. The toolbar 11 includes an advertisement information posting area 15.

In the example of FIG. 12, when the user acquires an address map corresponding to the address information 14 displayed in the client area, the user only needs to perform the following work.
That is, as shown in FIG. 12A, after the address information portion is selected with the mouse, the search start button 12 is pressed with the mouse.

Through the above operation, the program based on the advertising method of the present invention acquires the address information 14 in the selected state, determines an information providing web site as a destination database based on the contents of the address information 14, and the destination A search keyword is created by processing the address information or a part of the address information so as to conform to a search keyword format of the database, the search keyword is transmitted to the destination database, and a search for the search keyword is performed. Information (in this case, map information) is acquired and displayed on the display of the computer terminal used by the user,
As shown in FIG. 12B, the advertisement information related to the destination database provider is displayed in the advertisement information posting area 15.

As described above, the user can efficiently and easily acquire the map information corresponding to the address information 14 only by the simple operation, while the provider of the destination database receives the advertisement information from the toolbar. 11 advertisement placement areas 15 can be displayed.
Here, an advertisement fee may be charged in order to place an advertisement relating to the map information provider in the advertisement placement area 15 of the toolbar 11 to the map information provider.

Diagram showing hyperlink An example of a procedure performed by a user in a conventional information retrieval method and an example of a procedure performed by a user in an information retrieval method according to the present invention Illustration of selection information definition The figure which shows an example of the flowchart of the program based on the information search method of this invention The figure which shows an example of the procedure which determines a destination database in the program based on the information search method of this invention Diagram showing examples of selection information Diagram showing examples of selection information Example of character string data stored in memory Example of character string data stored in memory The figure which shows the example of the form by which the program based on the information search method of this invention is performed on a user's computer terminal The figure which shows the example of the operation | work which a user performs in the program based on the information search method of this invention The figure which shows the form by which the program based on the advertising method of this invention is performed on a user's computer terminal

Explanation of symbols

1 Display screen of computer terminal display 2 Part for displaying process of application started on computer terminal 3 Part for displaying application resident on computer terminal 4 Menu for starting various applications 5 For various folders and various applications Associated icon 6 Browser 7 Menu portion 8 Menu item 9 Toolbar 10 Client area 11 Toolbar 12 Search start button 13 Mouse cursor 14 Address information 15 Advertising area

Claims (5)

In a computer terminal comprising an input / output device such as a display, keyboard, mouse, etc., and an OS (operating system) comprising a GUI (graphical user interface)
Recognizing a search start instruction performed by a user using the computer terminal;
Obtaining information of a selection state among information displayed on the display;
An external database that can be accessed from the computer through a network such as the Internet, or an information including the acquired information or a part of the information so as to conform to a search keyword format of an internal database existing in the computer. Process to create search keywords,
Transmitting the created search keyword to the external database or internal database;
Obtaining search information for the search keyword from the external database or internal database;
Displaying information based on the search information on the display;
An information retrieval method comprising: The information search method according to claim 1,
Based on the content of the acquired information on the selected state,
Determining a destination database to which the search keyword is to be sent;
An information retrieval method comprising: In a computer terminal including an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and an OS including a GUI,
Recognizing a search start instruction performed by a user using the computer terminal;
Obtaining information of a selection state among information displayed on the display;
An external database that can be accessed from the computer through a network such as the Internet, or an information including the acquired information or a part of the information so as to conform to a search keyword format of an internal database existing in the computer. Process to create search keywords,
Determining a database of destinations to which the search keyword is to be transmitted based on the content of the acquired information on the selection state;
Transmitting the created search keyword to the external database or internal database;
Obtaining search information for the search keyword from the external database or internal database;
Displaying information based on the search information on the display;
Displaying advertising information on the external database or internal database provider on the display;
An advertising method comprising: When advertising by the advertising method according to claim 3,
For the external database or internal database provider,
Based on advertising information about the external database or internal database provider,
Charging advertising fees,
A billing method for advertising charges characterized by comprising In a computer terminal including an input / output device such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and an OS including a GUI,
Recognizing a search start instruction performed by a user using the computer terminal;
Obtaining information of a selection state among information displayed on the display;
An external database that can be accessed from the computer through a network such as the Internet, or an information including the acquired information or a part of the information so as to conform to a search keyword format of an internal database existing in the computer. Process to create search keywords,
Determining a database of destinations to which the search keyword is transmitted based on the content of the acquired information on the selection state;
Transmitting the created search keyword to the external database or internal database;
Obtaining search information for the search keyword from the external database or internal database;
Displaying information based on the search information on the display;
Displaying advertising information on the external database or internal database provider on the display;
To a web page provider who frequently refers to information held in the external database or the internal database, with a license fee charged and sold.
For the external database or internal database provider,
Based on advertising information about the external database or internal database provider,
Billing method of advertising fee, characterized by billing advertising fee