Accessing deep web informaiton using a search engine

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and articles for receiving a search request associated with a transportation service from a client device, the search request including a plurality of search criteria, are described herein. Additionally, the methods, apparatuses, and articles further return to the client device an answer page having a plurality of answers potentially associated with the transportation service, the plurality of answers identifying a plurality of information locations having information potentially associated with at least a one of the plurality of search criteria, where at least one of the answers includes at least one input field of a query answer page for entry of at least one feature of the transportation service, the query answer page to be dynamically generated by one of the information locations in response to a query.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 upon receipt of a set of search criteria from a client, generating a search answer page including a first answer including a uniform resource locator (URL) and a non-URL portion, the URL containing a first portion identifying a web page and a second portion associated with the search criteria and useable by the web page to dynamically generate content relating to the search criteria; and   returning the search answer page to the client.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the search answer page has one or more input fields included therein when returned to the client. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second portion of the URL is useable by the web page to pre-fill a form. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein one or more of the input fields have values entered corresponding to the set of search criteria. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein others of the input fields are left empty. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein others of the input fields contain default values. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page above other search results in the search answer page. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page interspersed among other search results in the search answer page. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page as a single search result, the single search result providing an embedded query to serve as a proxy for a plurality of query result pages. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page placed alongside other search results. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least some of the input fields represent information associated with one or more of flight status information services, vehicular rental services, limousine reservation services, taxi reservations services, bus reservation/schedule services, train reservation/schedule services, boat reservation/schedule services, ship reservation/schedule services, car rental location services, train status information services, ferry reservation/schedule services, and cruise liner reservation/schedule services to users by embedding query result pages of information locations associated with the service(s) as answers in the search answer page. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein, at the direction of a user, values entered into the input fields are transmitted to the information locations, query results are dynamically generated at the information locations, and said query results are returned to the client. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the search answer page embeds a query result page including: an input element for a location and an input element for a travel date. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, at the direction of a user, values entered into one or more of the input elements are transmitted to information locations associated with at least one of flight status information services, vehicular rental services, limousine reservation services, taxi reservations services, bus reservation/schedule services, train reservation/schedule services, boat reservation/schedule services, ship reservation/schedule services, car rental location services, train status information services, ferry reservation/schedule services, and cruise liner reservation/schedule services, and the information locations dynamically generate further query results pages, including the transmitted values in its fields. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, the search answer page is generated in response to a transformation program submitting values for inclusion in input fields in a form, and the transformation program is a proxy between a search engine that produces the search answer page and a target web site of a result included on the search answer page, and an HTTP request that a browser running on the client displaying the search answer web page generates is redirected through the proxy, the proxy converting a form value of the HTTP request to a desired format and sending the HTTP request to the target web site. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions, which instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps, comprising:
 upon receipt of a set of search criteria from a client, generating a search answer page including a first answer including a uniform resource locator (URL) and a non-URL portion, the URL containing a first portion identifying a web page and a second portion associated with the search criteria and useable by the web page to dynamically generate content relating to the search criteria; and   returning the search answer page to the client.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the search answer page has one or more input fields included therein when returned to the client. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16  wherein the second portion of the URL is useable by the web page to pre-fill a form. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein one or more of the input fields have values entered corresponding to the set of search criteria. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein others of the input fields are left empty. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein others of the input fields contain default values. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page above other search results in the search answer page. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page interspersed among other search results in the search answer page. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page as a single search result, the single search result providing an embedded query to serve as a proxy for a plurality of query result pages. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the input fields are included in the search answer page placed alongside other search results. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least some of the input fields represent information associated with one or more of flight status information services, vehicular rental services, limousine reservation services, taxi reservations services, bus reservation/schedule services, train reservation/schedule services, boat reservation/schedule services, ship reservation/schedule services, car rental location services, train status information services, ferry reservation/schedule services, and cruise liner reservation/schedule services to users by embedding query result pages of information locations associated with the service(s) as answers in the search answer page. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 26 , wherein, at the direction of a user, values entered into the input fields are transmitted to the information locations, query results are dynamically generated at the information locations, and said query results are returned to the client. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the search answer page embeds a query result page including: an input element for a location, and an input element for a travel date. 
     
     
         29 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 28 , wherein at the direction of a user, values entered into one or more of the input elements are transmitted to information locations associated with at least one of flight status information services, vehicular rental services, limousine reservation services, taxi reservations services, bus reservation/schedule services, train reservation/schedule services, boat reservation/schedule services, ship reservation/schedule services, car rental location services, train status information services, ferry reservation/schedule services, and cruise liner reservation/schedule services, and the information locations dynamically generate further query results pages, including the transmitted values in its fields. 
     
     
         30 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein, the search answer page is generated in response to a transformation program submitting values for inclusion in input fields in a form, and the transformation program is a proxy between a search engine that produces the search answer page and a target web site of a result included on the search answer page, and an HTTP request that a browser running on the client displaying the search answer web page generates is redirected through the proxy, the proxy converting a form value of the HTTP request to a desired format and sending the HTTP request to the target web site.