Network search engine using objective and subjective user favorites for searching

Abstract

An Internet infrastructure that supports search operations that are restricted by user favorite lists, related user metadata, and user trends that are based on client-stored user favorite behavior. The Internet infrastructure contains a search engine server coupled to a plurality of web browsers resident on client devices that contain user/favorite lists and metadata. The search engine supports delivery of search result web links to the client device based upon a search string, favorite list, and related metadata. The search engine server gathers favorite lists and related metadata from the plurality of web browsers, anonymously and with user permission. The search engine server stores the gathered favorite lists and related metadata in a database that is associated with the search engine server, and delivers search results based upon the search string by putting restrictions on search results based upon stored data in the database.

1 . A method performed by an Internet search system that supports searching associated with a plurality of Internet web pages by a plurality of users via a plurality of user computing devices, the method comprising:
 receiving subjective indications of favorite web sites from each of the plurality of users via the plurality of user computing devices, a first of the subjective indications being received from a first of the plurality of users, a second of the subjective indications being received from a second of the plurality of users;   receiving objective indications of favorite web sites associated with each of the plurality of users via the plurality of user computing devices;   storing both the subjective indications and objective indications within a favorites database structure;   searching, based on a first search request of a third of the plurality of users, to identify first search results associated with a first portion of the plurality of Internet web pages;   searching, based on a second search request of a fourth of the plurality of users, to identify second search results associated with a second portion of the plurality of Internet web pages, the second search request including a first favorites search parameter relating to the subjective indications, the second search results being constructed at least in part using the first of the subjective indications; and   searching, based on a third search request of a fifth of the plurality of users, to identify third search results associated with a third portion of the plurality of Internet web pages, the third search request including a second favorites search parameter, the third search results being constructed using both the second of the subjective indications and the objective indications associated with at least one of the plurality of users.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the second favorites search parameter relating to the subjective indications. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the third search results being sorted based at least in part on the objective indications associated with at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the first search parameter being associated with a user interface element setting that is visually presented to the third of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising searching, based on a modified search request of the third of the plurality of users, to identify modified search results, the modified search request including a third favorites search parameter, the modified search results being constructed at least in part using the first of the subjective indications. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the third search results supporting a visual presentation of a plurality of popularity indications. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the third search results supporting a visual presentation of multiple search result lists. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising searching, based on a fourth search request of a sixth of the plurality of users, to identify fourth search results associated with a fourth portion of the plurality of Internet web pages, the fourth search results being constructed using the objective indications associated with at least differing user of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         9 . An Internet search infrastructure that supports searching associated with a plurality of Internet web pages by a plurality of users via a plurality of user computing devices, the Internet search infrastructure comprising:
 at least one communication interface;   at least one database;   at least one processing system coupled to the at least one communication interface to receive subjective indications of favorite web sites from each of the plurality of users via the plurality of user computing devices, a first of the subjective indications being received from a first of the plurality of users, a second of the subjective indications being received from a second of the plurality of users;   the at least one processing system receives, via the at least one communication interface, objective indications of favorite web sites associated with each of the plurality of users via the plurality of user computing devices;   the at least one processing system storing both the subjective indications and objective indications within the at least one database;   the at least one processing system delivering first search results associated with a first portion of the plurality of Internet web pages in response to a first search request of a third of the plurality of users;   the at least one processing system delivering second search results associated with a second portion of the plurality of Internet web pages in response to a second search request of a fourth of the plurality of users, the second search request including a first favorites search parameter relating to the subjective indications, the second search results being constructed at least in part using the first of the subjective indications; and   the at least one processing system delivering third search results associated with a third portion of the plurality of Internet web pages in response to a third search request of a fifth of the plurality of users, the third search request including a second favorites search parameter, the third search results being constructed using both the second of the subjective indications and the objective indications associated with at least one of the plurality of users.   
     
     
         10 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , the second favorites search parameter relating to the subjective indications. 
     
     
         11 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , the third search results being sorted based at least in part on the objective indications associated with at least one of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         12 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , the first search parameter being associated with a user interface element setting that is visually presented to the third of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         13 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , further comprising the at least one processing system searching, based on a modified search request of the third of the plurality of users, to identify modified search results, the modified search request including a third favorites search parameter, the modified search results being constructed at least in part using the first of the subjective indications. 
     
     
         14 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , the third search results supporting a visual presentation of a plurality of popularity indications. 
     
     
         15 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , the third search results supporting a visual presentation of multiple search result lists. 
     
     
         16 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 9 , further comprising the at least one processing system searching, based on a fourth search request of a sixth of the plurality of users, to identify fourth search results associated with a fourth portion of the plurality of Internet web pages, the fourth search results being constructed using the objective indications associated with at least differing user of the plurality of users. 
     
     
         17 . An Internet search infrastructure implementing a network search engine, the Internet search infrastructure comprising:
 processing circuitry communicatively coupled to a storage system that contains web page data corresponding to a plurality of web pages, the web page data gathered via a web crawling process;   network communication circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the network communication circuitry configured to receive, from a communications network:   user information related to a current user;   a plurality of users' favorite sites data, a first of the plurality of users' favorite sites data identifying a first web page as a first favored page based on an interaction of a first other user, and a second of the plurality of users' favorite sites data identifying a second web page as a second favored page based on an interaction of a second other user, the plurality of user's favorite sites data corresponding only to a first part of the plurality of web pages and not to a second part of the plurality of web pages; and   a search string originating from the current user via the web browser during a single search session;   the processing circuitry configured to assist the web browser in presenting for the current user a selected one of a first results display and a second results display, and wherein:
 selection of the selected one being based on interaction by the current user during the single search session with at least one visual element presented to the current user by the web browser during the single search session; 
 the first results data at least in part corresponding to a portion of the second part of the plurality of web pages; 
 the second results data at least in part corresponding to a portion of the first part of the plurality of web pages, the second results data being selected using both the search string and the user information, the second results data including data relating to the first favored page; and 
 the second results display at least in part differing from the first results display due at least in part to the second results display providing a visual indication that the first web page is favored. 
   
     
     
         18 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 17 , wherein a web page is favored for a user based upon the user displaying the web page. 
     
     
         19 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 17 , wherein a web page is favored for a user based upon the user's favoring indication. 
     
     
         20 . The Internet search infrastructure  claim 17 , wherein a web page is favored for a user based upon a determination that the web page is identified in a user's web page listing.