Search engine using client browser and application software activity information

Abstract

An Internet infrastructure supports searching of web links to select search results by processing browser activity information along with one or more of favorite lists, and related metadata, user profiles, and trends based on browser activity behavior and favorite behavior. A plurality of web browsers located on client device are incorporated with a browser activity-monitoring module that tracks user's Internet usage, processes this information, and sends this information periodically or upon user request to the server to aid in improving search operation results. The search engine server communicatively couples to the plurality of web browsers and supports delivery of search results/web links to the client device based upon a search string, browser activity information, and possibly the favorite lists and related metadata. The gathered browser activity information, favorite lists, and related metadata are stored in one or more server databases that are associated with the search engine server.

1 . A server system that receives a first search input of a first user of a plurality of users, the first search input being delivered by a first computer of a plurality of user computers, the server system comprising:
 a first service that receives and stores first activity data associated with the plurality of users via the plurality of user computers, the first activity data being produced in accordance with a first type of program code in operation on each of the plurality of user computers, the first type of program code supporting Internet web page searching, browsing, selection, retrieval and display based on hypertext functionality, the first activity data comprising at least references to a first subset of a plurality of Internet hosted web pages;   a second service that receives and stores second activity data that is produced in accordance with a second type of program code in operation on at least a portion of each of the plurality of user computers, the second type of program code having substantially different functionally from that of the first type of program code, the second activity data comprising a plurality of hypertext link references; and   a third service that responds to the first search input by assisting in a sensory presentation on the first computer for the first user, the sensory presentation being generated from particular Internet hosted data selected based on the first search input, at least a first portion of the first activity data and at least a second portion of the second activity data.   
     
     
         2 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the second type of program code performs an identification function. 
     
     
         3 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the second type of program code performs a malware detection function. 
     
     
         4 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the second type of program code performs a pop-up ad detection function. 
     
     
         5 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the first activity data comprising objective activity data. 
     
     
         6 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the first activity data comprising subjective activity data. 
     
     
         7 . The server system of  claim 1 , wherein the second type of program code performs a media content related function. 
     
     
         8 . A method performed by a server system that receives a first search input of a first user of a plurality of users, the first search input being delivered by a first computer of a plurality of user computers, the method comprising:
 receiving first activity data associated with the plurality of users via the plurality of user computers, the first activity data being produced in accordance with a first type of program code in operation on each of the plurality of user computers, the first type of program code supporting Internet web page searching, browsing, selection, retrieval and display based on hypertext functionality, the first activity data comprising at least references to a first subset of a plurality of Internet hosted web pages;   receiving second activity data that is produced in accordance with a second type of program code in operation on at least a portion of each of the plurality of user computers, the second type of program code having substantially different functionally from that of the first type of program code, the second activity data comprising a plurality of hypertext link references; and   responding to the first search input by assisting in a sensory presentation on the first computer for the first user, the sensory presentation being generated from particular Internet hosted data selected based on the first search input, at least a first portion of the first activity data and at least a second portion of the second activity data.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the assisting comprising delivering at least a portion of the particular Internet hosted data to the first computer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the assisting further comprises generating the at least a portion of the particular Internet hosted data by considering the first search input, the at least the first portion of the first activity data and the at least the second portion of the second activity data. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second type of program code performs an identification function. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second type of program code performs an email related function. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second type of program code performs a media content related function. 
     
     
         14 . First program code for instructing a user's computer to perform a method supporting interaction with an Internet search system and related to a plurality of Internet web pages, the user computer having second program code directing interaction with the Internet search system to perform first functions, the first functions being Internet web page related searching, browsing, selection, retrieval and display based on hypertext functionality, the method comprising:
 directing the user's computer to perform at least one second function that is substantially different from the first functions, the at least one second function being related to at least a subset of the plurality of Internet web pages; and   directing the user's computer to support at least one of the first functions by causing the user's computer to send interaction data associated with both the second function and at least one of the plurality of Internet web pages to the Internet search system.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second function comprises an identification function. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second function comprises a malware related function. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second function comprises a pop-up ad related function. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second function comprises an email related function. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second function comprises a media content related function. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising directing the user's computer to generate the interaction data at least in part by performing an analysis associated with the at least one of the plurality of Internet web pages, and the analysis being at least a portion of the second function.