Associative search engine

Abstract

This invention relates to an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network. The machine receives, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information and searches, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results. It also correlates the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information. The search results together with the particular advertisement are provided by the machine to the user.

1 . A data processing device comprising data processing hardware, data processing software, a communication interface, and a user interface, the data processing device configured to:
 provide to a database search engine and an associative search engine at least one search argument and user profile information, the at least one search argument being based on user interaction with the data processing device;   receive from the database search engine at least one search result, the at least one search result being based on the at least one search argument;   receive from the associative search engine at least one associated result, the at least one associated result being based on the at least one search argument and the user profile information; and   provide the at least one search result and the at least one associated result to the user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the data processing hardware and the data processing software are configured to maintain the user profile information on the data processing device. 
     
     
         3 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to transmit the user profile information from the data processing device to the associative search engine via the communication interface. 
     
     
         4 . The data processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to transmit the user profile information from the data processing device to the associative search engine via the communication interface in response to at least one message received from the associative search engine via the communication interface. 
     
     
         5 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to enable the associative search engine to access the user profile information. 
     
     
         6 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the user profile information comprises user preferences. 
     
     
         7 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the user profile information comprises previous search activity of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the user profile information comprises location information. 
     
     
         9 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the user profile information comprises information characterizing the data processing device. 
     
     
         10 . The data processing device of  claim 9 , wherein the information characterizing the data processing device comprises a device type of the data processing device. 
     
     
         11 . The data processing device of  claim 2 , wherein the user profile information comprises previous search arguments received from the user. 
     
     
         12 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface comprises a display, and wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the display are configured to present the at least one search result and the at least one associated result on the display. 
     
     
         13 . The data processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the display are configured to present the at least one search result and the at least one associated result in different portions of the display. 
     
     
         14 . The data processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to receive the at least one search result and the at least one associated result in a web page data file that includes executable code configured, upon execution by the data processing device of the executable code, to cause presentation of an advertisement on the display of the data processing device. 
     
     
         15 . The data processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the data processing software provides a Java environment configured to present the at least one search result and the at least one associated result on the display. 
     
     
         16 . The data processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the data processing software comprises an internet browser application. 
     
     
         17 . The data processing device of  claim 12 , wherein the data processing hardware and the data processing software are configured to detect a user selection of at least one of a search result and an associated result by detecting a user click on a link to a website associated with the at least one of the search result and the associated result being presented on the display. 
     
     
         18 . The data processing device of  claim 17 , wherein the data processing hardware and the data processing software are configured to transmit a message via the communication interface when the user clicks on the link to the website associated with the at least one of the search result and the associated result. 
     
     
         19 . The data processing device of  claim 17 , wherein the data processing hardware and the data processing software are configured to update the user profile information to indicate that the user clicked on the link to the website associated with the at least one of the search result and the associated result. 
     
     
         20 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to:
 receive search refinement input based on user interaction with the data processing device;   transmit the search refinement input to the database search engine and the associative search engine via the communication interface;   receive at least one modified search result from the database search engine and at least one other associated result from the associative search engine, the at least one modified search result and the at least one other associated result being based on at least the search refinement input; and   provide the at least one modified search result and at least one advertisement to the user interface.   
     
     
         21 . The data processing device of  claim 20 , wherein the search refinement input is based on user selection of an element of the at least one search result. 
     
     
         22 . The data processing device of  claim 20 , wherein the search refinement input comprises at least one additional search argument received from the user. 
     
     
         23 . The data processing device of  claim 20 , wherein the data processing hardware and the data processing software are configured to update the user profile information to indicate the search refinement input. 
     
     
         24 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one associated result includes a link to a website associated with the at least one associated result. 
     
     
         25 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to:
 determine that a user does not select the at least one associated result; and   transmit the indication that the user does not select the at least one associated result to the associative search engine via the communication interface.   
     
     
         26 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the data processing hardware, the data processing software and the communication interface are configured to:
 receive user input indicating selection of the at least one associated result; and   transmit information indicating that a user selected the at least one associated result to the associative search engine via the communication interface.   
     
     
         27 . The data processing device of  claim 26 , wherein the data processing hardware and the data processing software are configured to update the user profile information to indicate selection of the at least one associated result. 
     
     
         28 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is a personal computer. 
     
     
         29 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one associated search result comprises at least one advertisement. 
     
     
         30 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the user profile information is based on user interaction with the data processing device. 
     
     
         31 . The data processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to receive updated user profile information and to update the user profile information responsive to the updated user profile information. 
     
     
         32 . The data processing device of  claim 31 , wherein the updated user profile information comprises search arguments from a current search session. 
     
     
         33 . The data processing device of  claim 31 , wherein the data processing device is configured to receive the updated user profile information from the associative search engine.